OSAP Frequently Asked Questions

You can apply for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) online (external link, opens in new window) !

If this is your first time registering for OSAP, you will receive an OSAP Access Number (OAN). Keep this number in a safe place—you will need it to access your account.

For more information about how to apply for OSAP, check out the How to Apply for OSAP Video (external link, opens in new window)  and the How to Apply for OSAP guide (external link, opens in new window) .

• Too early to confirm – confirmation of enrolment can be completed within 15 days prior to the study period start date.

• Your enrolment on MyServiceHub does not match the course load percentage you indicated on your OSAP application.

• Your OSAP application may be incomplete (e.g. missing required documents; documents still under review by our office). Check your OSAP Required Documents page and OSAP Message Centre for status updates.

• Too late to confirm – confirmation of enrolment cannot be completed with less than five days remaining in the study period.

TMU Student Financial Assistance will begin confirming enrolment for TMU undergraduate students who are registered in a full-time course load by the first week of classes each semester.

You will be able to tell that your enrolment has been confirmed by checking the status of your OSAP account. Once your enrolment is confirmed, it takes about 5 to 10 business days for your OSAP funding to be deposited into your MyServiceHub and/or bank account.

If 10 business days have passed since your enrolment was confirmed, and your funding has not been deposited, please contact the National Student Loans Service Centre at 1-888-815-4514.

Potentially! At TMU, full-time undergraduate students registered in five to seven undergraduate billing units (continuing education courses excluded) are assessed at a flat rate. This means that whether you take five, six or seven courses, you are charged the same.

If you are taking eight or more undergraduate billing units, please notify our office—we will adjust your tuition fees on your OSAP application.

All OSAP funding will automatically be redirected to your MyServiceHub account to pay tuition and supplementary fees. Any funding left over, if any, will be deposited to your authorized bank account that you chose in your Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA).

Check your MyServiceHub account to make sure your OSAP funds arrive. OSAP didn’t cover all your fees? Remember to pay the outstanding balance.

You cannot choose where your OSAP funding is disbursed to; OSAP policy states that the institution must be paid first, and any left over is then deposited into the student’s bank account.

Want to change your bank account information? Update your banking information online through your National Student Loans Service Centre account (external link, opens in new window) .

To check the status of your OSAP application:

• Log on to your OSAP account (external link, opens in new window)  and click “Check Status” 
• You’ll find out:
  • If your application has been processed
  • If you have any outstanding documents you need to provide
  • If you or your school have to provide information
  • How much money you’ll get
  • When your money will be disbursed

Your OSAP message centre also provides information and status updates related to your application. Please check your message centre regularly; you are responsible for monitoring your application and all communications.

Please review our Important Deadlines and Dates web page for Full-time and Part-time OSAP deadlines. 

Common reasons why students may be placed on OSAP Academic Probation include, but are not limited to:

• Not successfully completing a 60% course load each term (40% course load for students with a permanent disability) 
• Dropping courses
• Withdrawing from full-time studies
• Switching programs of study
• Switching educational institutions
• Extending your studies 

OSAP Academic Probation is not related to your TMU Grade Point Average (GPA) or academic standing. OSAP Academic Probation is different from being placed on academic probation with your program.

Learn more about OSAP Academic Probation.

At TMU, undergraduate tuition fees are paid on a per semester basis. Fall term fees are due by early September, and winter term fees are due by early January. Visit our Significant Dates page of the Undergraduate Calendar to see when tuition payments are due.

For detailed instructions about paying your tuition through online banking, check out the How to Pay Your Fees page.

If you received full-time OSAP funding in the past, there are two ways you can maintain interest-free status and avoid repayment on your loans:  

1. Apply for Continuation of Interest-Free Status. If you are still in full-time studies (or on an approved co-op work term), and are not receiving OSAP, you can complete the Continuation of Interest-Free Status by logging on to your OSAP account (external link, opens in new window) .
   
2. Receive full-time OSAP funding. When we confirm your enrolment to receive OSAP, the National Student Loans Service Centre will be notified that you are still in full-time studies.

Not getting enough OSAP funding? You might be eligible for an OSAP review! Check out the OSAP Reviews page for details.

All OSAP documents must be uploaded directly to your OSAP portal. To protect your safety, we do not accept documents by mail, fax, or in person.

Before submitting, be sure to complete all fillable fields on your document(s). Not sure how to complete PDF forms online? Learn how to complete fillable forms from your computer using Adobe Acrobat DC (external link, opens in new window) .

You can create a PDF version of your supporting documents directly from your phone. Below are some free phone applications that you can use to scan documents as PDF. Please note that the University does not endorse, nor is liable, for any privacy breaches associated with the usage of these applications. Students should use these applications at their own risk:

• CamScanner (for iOS or Android Users)
• Scanbot SDK (for iOS or Android users)
• SwiftScan (for iOS or Android users)
• Evernote Scannable (for iOS users)
• Adobe Scan (for iOS users)
• Notes (for iOS users)
• Microsoft Lens (for iOS or Android Users)

Once you create a PDF on your phone, you can email the documents to yourself to upload onto your OSAP portal—it is easier to upload the actual documents directly from a computer.

How to scan documents from a computer

You can also scan your documents as a PDF onto your computer, then upload them to your OSAP portal. Please ensure that your documents are formatted as follows:

• Scanned as black and white, even if the document is in colour.
  
• Scan each required document separately. Do not merge files.
• 2 megabytes (MB) or less in file size. PDF files that are larger than 2 MB (or 2,000 kilobytes/KB) must be compressed. Otherwise, the file will be too large to upload on the OSAP portal. The exception to this is Declaration and Signature Pages, which can be up to 5MB.
• When scanning, if you have a DPI (Dots Per Inch) option, set it to 150 or 200. Otherwise, use the smallest option to create the file.
• Select a text-style scanning option rather than a photo or picture option.
• Make sure your scanned document is clear and easy to read before saving it as a PDF (.pdf) file format.

More information about scanning and uploading your supporting documents can be found on the Required Document page of your OSAP application.

Documents are reviewed within 3 to 6 weeks from your date of submission. Once reviewed, you will receive an update via your OSAP message centre.

Full-time OSAP applicants

*Note: there is no need to notify the Student Financial Assistance (SFA) office if you drop a course(s). The SFA office automatically makes relevant adjustments to your OSAP application for you throughout each semester. Please note there are possible implications to your OSAP when dropping courses, such as funding overpayments, possible reduction in future funding installments in the same academic year, and/or being placed on OSAP academic probation.

If you drop one or more courses but remain in a full-time course load, you will remain eligible for OSAP but may see a decrease in your funding assessment.

If you drop to a part-time course load or withdraw from all your courses, you will lose OSAP eligibility for the rest of the semester and you will likely see a decrease in your funding assessment.

Note: once six months lapse since you were last in a full-time course load and received OSAP, you will enter repayment. If you drop to a part-time course load but take a full-time course load again within six months and apply for either OSAP or continuation of interest-free status, repayment will not occur.

Dropping courses always poses a risk of having OSAP overpayments, grant to loan conversion, and being placed on OSAP academic probation.

Part-time OSAP applicants

*Note: there is no need to notify the Student Financial Assistance (SFA) office if you drop a course(s). The SFA office automatically makes relevant adjustments to your OSAP application for you throughout each semester. 

If you drop one or more courses during a term that you received part-time OSAP, you will be required to self-fund for the next semester during which you apply for part-time OSAP and pass all the courses you take that semester.

Example: During the fall 2021 term, you receive part-time OSAP and then drop one course. You apply and receive full-time OSAP during the winter 2022 term. You then re-apply for part-time OSAP during the fall 2022 term - you will need to self-fund during the fall 2022 term.

OAN password resets can be done in person or virtually:

• In-person: You can do an OAN or password reset at any public College or University in Ontario. You do not have to complete it at the institution you attended. If you opt to come in person at TMU, we offer OAN or password reset on a walk-in basis through the ServiceHub.
• Virtual: We offer limited virtual OAN or password resets by appointment via Google Meet. You must have clear and available camera access to conduct a virtual appointment. To set up an appointment, please contact the ServiceHub directly. 

For OSAP purposes, your course load is determined based on the number of billings units associated with your enrolment.

At TMU, each course has an assigned billing unit (which allows us to determine your course load calculation for OSAP purposes). Most courses at TMU count as one billing unit. 

However, there are some courses that count as multiple billing units. The number of billing units is determined separately from the grade point average (GPA) weight/academic unit.

For OSAP purposes, each billing unit is equal to a 20% course load. For example, if you are taking one course that is weighted at three billing units, then you would have a 60% course load (three billing units x 20%). 

Therefore, in this scenario, you would be eligible to apply for full-time OSAP. To see how many billing units a course is worth, please refer to your academic program section of the Undergraduate Calendar. The screenshot below shows an example of a course that counts as multiple billing units.

This screenshot shows that one course (MWF 120) counts for five billing units. 

For OSAP purposes, since the course is equivalent to five courses, you would be considered a full-time OSAP student at a 100% course load (five billing units x 20%).

We encourage students to finalize their course load promptly before the start of term to avoid delays in their OSAP funding disbursements.

You do not need to notify the university if your course load changed as a result of you adding or dropping courses unless a staff member has advised you to do so. 

The SFA office audits students’ course loads regularly throughout each semester to identify course load changes and adjusts OSAP applications accordingly.  If your adjusted course load results in any additional funding, it will automatically be released to the student. For information on the impacts of dropping a course, visit “What impact does dropping courses have on my OSAP assessment?”