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Information by Student Group

Our Student Financial Assistance website has content relevant for all OSAP students at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). However, some student groups have additional information that is important to note for OSAP purposes.

Student Financial Assistance has organized this additional information for specific student groups below. For the student groups listed below, please expand your section to get information on common questions that students ask.

We also encourage everyone to review the other areas of the website.

If you’re completing a certificate through The Chang School of Continuing Education, you might be eligible for government financial aid through the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). Below, you’ll find a complete list of Chang School Certificate Programs approved for OSAP and Continuation of Interest-Free Status.

You can also find Chang School awards and bursary information via Chang School Merit-Based Awards (opens in new window) .

Please note: In order to be considered for OSAP funding for an OSAP-eligible certificate, you must register in an OSAP-eligible certificate and be taking courses that count toward the certificate graduation requirements. Courses that do not count toward the certificate's completion cannot be funded through OSAP. To view required courses for certificate programs, please visit the Chang School website (opens in new window) .

Please ensure you meet the following criteria before applying for OSAP:

  • In order to be considered for OSAP funding for an OSAP-eligible certificate, you must register in an OSAP-eligible certificate and be taking courses that count toward the certificate graduation requirements. Courses that do not count toward the certificate's completion cannot be funded through OSAP. To view required courses for certificate programs, please visit the Chang School (opens in new window) .

    If you enrol in additional courses towards your certificate (courses that are not required), they will not be included in your OSAP course load calculation or assessment. These courses will be fully out of pocket.

If you're completing a microcredential through the Chang School, you can be considered for government financial aid through OSAP. Below, you'll find a complete list of Chang School microcredentials approved for OSAP:

Once you have made a selection, you must enrol and pay for the microcredential directly. If the microcredential is one from the list included above, you can then apply for OSAP for microcredentials (external link, opens in new window) .

If you enrol in additional courses that are not part of the microcredential, they will not be included in your OSAP course load calculation nor assessment. You must cover the cost of these courses yourself.

If you are taking a co-op work term (sometimes referred to as a WKT), internship or practicum, you might be eligible for OSAP funding or continuation of interest-free status (CIFS) on previous OSAP loans!

To qualify, your co-op work term, internship, or practicum must be part of your program's required curriculum and approved for OSAP. Check the list below for "required" co-op work term, internship, and practicum programs that qualify for OSAP and CIFS.

On a "required" work term?

You've got two OSAP options:

  1. Apply for full-time OSAP:
    You can apply to be considered for full-time OSAP funding. If you do so, please indicate that your course load is 100%, which is equivalent to five courses for OSAP eligible work terms.
  2. Apply for Continuation of Interest-Free Status (CIFS):
    Don’t want to be considered for full-time OSAP? You can be considered to keep previous loans interest-free, and out of repayment, by applying for Continuation of Interest-Free Status (CIFS) via your OSAP portal (external link, opens in new window) . We encourage you to apply at the start of your co-op work term to avoid interest from accumulating – we’ll review your application and notify the National Student Loans Service Centre of your status. Be sure to submit your CIFS application within the OSAP Important Dates and Deadlines.

Required Co-Op Work Terms

Students who are completing their program with a co-op work term can choose to apply for full-time OSAP or CIFS at a 100% course load. The following programs are eligible:

  • Accounting and Finance
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Architecture, PhD
  • Architectural Science
  • Biology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Science
  • Business Management (All Majors)
    • Economics and Management Science
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Global Management Studies
    • Human Resources (HR) Management
    • Law and Business
    • Marketing Management
    • Real Estate Management
  • Business Technology Management
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • English
  • Financial Mathematics
  • Geographic Analysis
  • History
  • Hospitality and Tourism Management
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Interior Design
  • Interior Design, MID
  • Mathematics and its Application
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Medical Physics
  • Occupational and Public Health
  • Philosophy
  • Politics and Governance
  • Retail Management
  • Sociology

Important Information for Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science (FEAS) Students:

All 12 and 16 month co-ops in FEAS are OSAP eligible as of spring/summer 2023.

The 8 month internships in FEAS remain ineligible for both OSAP or interest-free status via CIFS.

Required Internships and Practicum Placements 

Students in an internship or practicum placement in the programs below can apply for OSAP or interest-free status based on their actual course load. 

To learn more about minimum course load requirements, please visit full-time OSAP and part-time OSAP. To learn more about interest-free status applications, please visit maintaining interest-free status.

  • Child and Youth Care
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Interior Design
  • Fashion
  • Geographic Analysis
  • Graphic Communications Management
  • Sports Media

On an "optional" work term?

If you are on a work term, internship or practicum for a program not listed above, you are not eligible for OSAP funding or Continuation of Interest-Free Status (CIFS). However,  if your previous OSAP loans enter repayment, you can apply for the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) (external link, opens in new window) . 

The application is available through your online National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) account (external link, opens in new window) . If you have any questions, please contact the NSLSC (external link, opens in new window) .

Work term shorter than six months? Don’t worry about it – you won’t enter repayment.

Work term longer than six months? You will enter repayment, but not until the end of your six month grace period. During this period, the NSLSC will get in touch through your online National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) account (external link, opens in new window) . Check your NSLSC mailbox for more information about the RAP (external link, opens in new window) .

Returning to full-time studies after your work term? Remember to either apply for OSAP (external link, opens in new window)  or Continuation of Interest-Free Status (external link, opens in new window) . Be sure to submit your full-time OSAP or CIFS application within the OSAP Important Dates and Deadlines. When we confirm your enrolment, your loans will return to interest-free status and you won’t be expected to make payments.

Going on Exchange? You may qualify for OSAP! Please see some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below to help you prepare for applying for OSAP when on an international Exchange!

Will OSAP take into consideration my added expenses for my exchange?

The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) provides financial assistance for educational cost such as tuition fees, books, and basic living expenses.

OSAP will not cover your travel expenses such as your airline ticket, visa application fees to chosen country, or health insurance.

Budgeting is the best tool to manage your expenses while you are abroad.

How is my OSAP calculated?

OSAP is a needs-based program.  Your financial aid through OSAP is based on a formula that compares your educational costs to expected contributions from your parents/spouse (if applicable) and your own income and assets.

How will OSAP assess my file if I am attending an exchange program for the fall and winter terms?

OSAP will assess your file and provide you with financial aid to help with your educational costs and your basic living expenses.

How will OSAP assess my file if I am attending an exchange program for the winter term only?

OSAP will assess your file and provide you with financial aid to help with your educational costs and your basic living expenses as living at home for the fall term (if applicable) and as away from home for the winter term.

How does my exchange program study period impact my OSAP assessment?

If there is a break of four or more weeks between your studies at TMU and on exchange, your file will be reassessed and your funding might decrease.  When a student has a break of four or more weeks, we adjust your file to reflect the duration you are in school (e.g. September 4 - December 15; February 1 - June 1).  If the break between your studies at TMU and on exchange is less than four weeks, your study period will remain as one continuous block (e.g. September 4 - June 1).

How will I receive my funding abroad?

OSAP funding will be deposited directly into your student account if you have fees owing once your school confirms your enrolment.  Any remaining funding will be directed to your bank account. For the second term funding, you must update your estimated income on your online OSAP account if it has changed.

Can I appeal my OSAP funding if my assessment does not meet my needs?

If your file is reassessed due to the gap of more than four weeks during the study period then you can request a review on your file to override the second expected contribution. You must provide the following:

  • A letter confirming you will be unable to work abroad during the break of your studies.
  • Completed Appeal Pre-study Contribution form (if applicable)

First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) students qualify for OSAP and/or Continuation of Interest-Free Status (CIFS) as long as they remain in a full-time course load: three courses per term (or minimum two courses per term if they have a permanent disability).

If you are taking courses in a block format (e.g. in the fall term, you take Course A from September to October, Course B from October to November, and Course C from November to December, if you drop a course, you will no longer qualify for OSAP or CIFS.

If you receive OSAP funding, then subsequently drop one or more course(s), please note this puts you at risk of having an overpayment (meaning you received more OSAP than what you were entitled to, which can impact your future OSAP eligibility). You may also be put on OSAP academic progress.

This section is designed to help students understand the OSAP implications of being on probation or required to withdraw.

All engineering programs at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) have specific Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) and Term Grade Point Average (TGPA) requirements. The First Year Engineering Office (FYEO) supports student academic success. For detailed information, visit FYEO Academic Standing. If you are placed on academic probation, you will be required to attend a probationary seminar to obtain a probationary contract. This will outline the terms, conditions and requirements you must meet for the upcoming academic semester.

Note: OSAP academic probation is separate from Toronto Metropolitan University’s definition of academic probation. You may be in good academic standing with Toronto Metropolitan University and still be on academic probation with OSAP. 


Minimum Course Load for OSAP Eligibility

  • You can apply for full-time OSAP if you are either:
    • Taking three or more courses per term. 
    • Or taking two or more courses per term if you have a permanent or persistent or prolonged disability.
  • You can apply for part-time OSAP if you are either:
    • Taking one or two courses a term.
    • Taking one course if you have a permanent or persistent or prolonged disability.
    • A student on probation starting with two courses.
    • Or easing back into studies or balancing work commitments.

Please note the following: 

  • Consider connecting with a Financial Aid Advisor through the ServiceHub. The Financial Aid Advisor can determine the most suitable OSAP category for your situation based on your course load.
  • OSAP application deadlines vary by academic year. To determine dates, visit OSAP Important Dates and Deadlines.
  • CIFS 100 - Fresh Start Strategies is not an OSAP-eligible course. It does count toward course load percentage and cannot be considered for OSAP funding.

 

Required To Withdraw (RTW) Standing and OSAP Implications

If you fail to meet the terms of your Probationary Contract, your academic standing will be changed to Required to Withdraw (RTW). During this time:

  • OSAP Loan repayment begins six months after the last confirmation as a full-time student with OSAP or Continuation of Interest-Free Status (CIFS).
    • Example: if you were enrolled as a full-time student with OSAP during the winter term (ending in April) and were placed on RTW in spring or summer, your loans enter repayment six months after the winter term (around November).
  • Your six months after ending full-time studies is your Grace Period. During this time, interest accrues on provincial loans. Interest on federal loans has been permanently eliminated.
    • You are not expected to make any payments during your six-month Grace Period. You are welcome to make payments during the grace period to reduce the overall loan amount but are not obligated to do so.

 

OSAP Repayment and Repayment Assistance Plans

Once your Grace Period ends, you are expected to begin repaying your OSAP loans. The National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) is the governing body responsible for the disbursement and collection of student government aid in Canada. You can make payments toward your previous OSAP loans by logging into your NSLSC account (external link, opens in new window) . For more details on how to make a payment, visit NSLSC - Payment Method Options (external link, opens in new window) . 

Concerned about meeting your monthly payment requirement? Repayment Assistance Plans are offered by the NSLSC. These may include options such as reduced monthly payments based on income. For more information, visit Repayment Assistance Plans (external link, opens in new window) .


Returning to School from Required To Withdraw (RTW)

If you choose to return to school after being placed on Required To Withdraw (RTW), you may reapply for OSAP or apply for interest-free status to prevent further interest accrual on OSAP loans.

  • Depending on your course load, apply for either full-time or part-time OSAP. However, note that if you have previous full-time OSAP loans, you must return to full-time studies for your loans to be considered for interest-free status. Part-time OSAP cannot place previous full-time loans into interest-free status.
  • If you are not applying for OSAP funding, but want to be considered for interest-free status on previous OSAP loans, explore maintaining interest-free status.
  • Carefully assess your financial needs and academic goals when deciding on the appropriate OSAP category.
  • Maintaining interest-free status ensures that your existing loans won't accrue interest when returning to school.

You can apply for OSAP funding while you are participating in the Fresh Start program.

First Term

In the first term of the Fresh Start program, you can take up to two courses for your program, making you eligible for the part-time OSAP program. If you have a permanent disability and are taking two courses, you are considered full-time for OSAP purposes are eligible for the full-time OSAP program.

As part of the Fresh Start Program, you are also required to enrol in CIFS 100: Fresh Start Strategies. Please note that this course is not covered by OSAP.

Did you have previous OSAP loans? If so, your loans may enter repayment. Unfortunately, with a part-time course load, you do not qualify for maintaining interest-free status. You do, however, have a six-month grace period before you enter repayment (starting from the last study period end date on your full-time OSAP file).

You can also apply for the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) (external link, opens in new window) . Your OSAP funding provider, the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC), administers the Repayment Assistance Plan. You can apply for the Repayment Assistance Plan online via your NSLSC account (external link, opens in new window) .

Get in touch with the NSLSC if you have questions related to this program. They are available Mondays to Fridays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 1-888-815-4514.

Second Term

In the second term of the Fresh Start program, you can take a full-time course load and apply for full-time OSAP funding. If you do not wish to receive OSAP, but would like to keep your previous loans interest-free, learn more about your options to maintain interest-free status.

Graduate students in a full-time program, regardless of their course load, must apply for full-time OSAP.

Graduate students in a part-time program, regardless of their course load, must apply for part-time OSAP.

Full-Time OSAP Graduate Students

As a graduate student, your full-time OSAP is assessed for the full year (fall/winter and spring/summer), but is released in two instalments — September and January. When you receive your OSAP, plan to set funds aside to cover your spring/summer tuition fees (due in May).

Keep in mind that your OSAP entitlement is based on your income information, so if you receive graduate funding throughout the year, your assessment may change. If your OSAP does change, for any reason, you will receive notification through the OSAP system.

If you are being assessed for OSAP for fall, winter, and spring/summer and you know ahead of time that you do not plan to attend for the full academic year, it is important you let us know so we can update your file. Please contact our team via the ServiceHub.

Part-Time OSAP Graduate Students

Graduate students receiving part-time OSAP must submit an OSAP application for each term you are part-time (i.e. a separate application for fall, winter, and spring/summer terms) in order to be assessed for funding.

Ineligible Graduate Programs

Please note that TMU's Professional Master's Diplomas are not eligible for OSAP funding or continuation of interest-free status.

Start by applying for funding through your First Nations. If you need additional assistance, we encourage you to apply for OSAP as well.

As an Indigenous student, you can be considered for additional OSAP funding if you declare your Indigenous status as part of your OSAP application. If you receive First Nations funding, it won’t be considered when determining how much OSAP you’re eligible for.

TMU also offers financial assistance through scholarships and bursaries. Please refer to the Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards tab on the Indigenous Student Services page.

As a candidate in the TMU Law Practice Program (LPP), you are not eligible for OSAP funding. You can, however, be considered for interest-free status — and suspended repayment — on previous OSAP loans.

To apply for interest-free status, please visit maintaining interest-free status. You can apply as early as 15 days before the first day of your program. We recommend applying as soon as possible to suspend repayment.

For the 2023-2024 academic year, please indicate August 28, 2023, as your program start date and April 26, 2024, as your program end date. Please note that if there are any adjustments to your program start date and/or program end date, LPP Candidates are responsible for updating our office via the ServiceHub.

Can’t remember your OSAP login? Click the "Forgot OAN and/or password" link to attempt an email reset.

Don’t have a validated email account with OSAP? Contact us via the ServiceHub.

Are you an OSAP student at TMU and a successful recipient of an award, scholarship and/or bursary? Congratulations! 

If you are receiving an award, scholarship or bursary (ASB), this information needs to be updated on your OSAP application. How your ASB information is updated on your OSAP application depends on how you received your ASB:

  1. Awards, scholarships and/or bursaries that you do not need to self-report: Any award, scholarship and/or bursary from TMU that appears on your MyServiceHub account. Our office will update your OSAP application automatically for you—there is no need to let us know. 
  2. Awards, scholarships and/or bursaries that you do self-report: External scholarships outside of TMU that does not go through MyServiceHub.

Awards, Scholarships, Bursaries and OSAP Impact

Your OSAP funding may be impacted depending on the type of ASB you are awarded and how much ASB funding you receive. As a result, you may see a decrease in your OSAP assessment once your ASB information is added to your OSAP application.

For TMU ASBs that our office will automatically add to your OSAP account, we typically update your OSAP application 2-4 weeks from the time you receive the ASB. TMU’s Student Financial Assistance office will notify students of any changes to the OSAP application as a result of updated ASB information.

What happens if I already reported my TMU award, scholarship, or bursary?

Did you accidentally report an award, scholarship or bursary administered to you by TMU? Do not worry! The Student Financial Assistance office can update that for you.

To fix your OSAP application, please write a letter explaining that you have accidentally reported a TMU ASB. The letter must include:

  • Student name
  • TMU Student Number 
  • Date
  • The name of the award(s) in which you are receiving 
  • The award amount(s)
  • Signature 

Once completed, log in to your OSAP portal. Under the required documents, click optional/other uploads then scan and upload your documents for review.

Please note that documents are reviewed within 3-6 weeks from the date of submission. To track the Student Financial Assistance teams document progress, check out our weekly OSAP document processing time.

Out-of-Province and U.S. Student Loan Recipients

If you are receiving out-of-province or U.S. government loans and receive a TMU ASB, please note that your assessment may be impacted by your ASB.

Please contact funding@torontomu.ca to learn more.

If you have a permanent disability, OSAP will provide additional financial support. For OSAP purposes, a permanent disability is legally defined as a functional limitation:

  • Caused by a physical or mental impairment that restricts your ability to perform the daily activities necessary to participate in studies at a post-secondary level or in the labour force
  • Is expected to remain with you for your expected life

After you apply for OSAP, you can register with Academic Accommodation Support (AAS) We recommend doing so to help streamline your OSAP application between our department and AAS. Be sure to provide any disability documentation outlined on your OSAP application to AAS. If you have any questions about the process, please let us know — we’ll be happy to help.

As part of the OSAP program, you will be automatically considered for the Canada Student Grant for Persons with Permanent Disabilities (external link, opens in new window) . To be considered for additional disability-related support, we also recommend applying for the Ontario Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD) (external link, opens in new window)  and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Persons with Permanent Disabilities (CSG-PDSE) (external link, opens in new window) .

TMU Students

If you are enrolled concurrently at TMU and another post-secondary institution, your fees for the courses at your other institution may be added to your OSAP assessment at TMU.

To begin the process, please complete the  (PDF file) Studies at Another Institution Form. You will need to do this with the financial aid office at the other institution. You will be required to submit the form, proof of payment for the course(s), and a copy of your letter of permission for each course. Scan and upload your documents via the OSAP portal.

Visiting Students

If you are receiving OSAP from your home institution, but are also taking TMU courses on a letter of permission, you may be eligible to receive OSAP funding through your home institution. Please connect with your school’s financial aid office to get a Studies at Another Institution form from them. You can email the form to us at funding@torontomu.ca for completion.