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OSAP Lifetime and Program Funding Limits

When you apply for the Ontario Student Assistant Program (OSAP), it is important to understand that there is a maximum number of times for which you can apply for full-time OSAP.

Students cannot receive OSAP funding indefinitely. There are certain lifetime limits to accessing OSAP, depending on a few factors. The chart below outlines the lifetime OSAP limits.

Students with a Permanent Disability

Students in Doctoral Programs

All Other Students

520 weeks

400 weeks

340 weeks

Notes:

  1. If a student withdraws before the end of their period of studies, the actual number of weeks of study completed counts toward the lifetime limit.
  2. For more information about your OSAP lifetime limit, please contact the National Student Loans Service Centre (external link, opens in new window) .

The Periods of Study Plus One policy states that students may apply for full-time OSAP for the number of periods of study required for the completion of their program, plus one additional study period. You can determine the length of a program at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) by visiting the Programs web page. 

For example:

  • For one year programs, students can receive two years of OSAP funding (i.e. Chang School certificates and Masters programs)
  • For four year programs, students can receive five years of OSAP funding
  • For five year programs, students can receive six years of OSAP funding (i.e. co-op and PhD)

 Periods of Study Plus One does not apply to the part-time OSAP program. Students whose OSAP file indicates they live with a permanent disability, or a persistent and prolonged disability, are exempt from this policy.

Additional Information

Below is additional information for students regarding the Periods of Study Plus One policy.

  • For OSAP purposes, a study period is defined as one academic year. 
    • If you only study for one or two terms in one academic year, it still counts as one full academic year for years plus one calculation.

The Periods of Study Plus One policy does not include periods of study in which a student did not receive full-time OSAP.

Students with permanent or persistent and prolonged disabilities are exempt from the Periods of Study Plus One policy.

Length of program

Numbers of times you can apply for full-time OSAP

Programs

One year

Two years

Chang School continuing education certificates; master's programs

Two years

Three years

Two-year undergraduate programs; master's programs

Three years

Four years

Law, master's programs

Four years

Five years

Undergraduate programs, PhD programs

Five years

Six years

Co-op undergraduate programs; PhD programs

Six years

Seven years

PhD programs

Once you have reached the study period maximum for your particular program of study, you are no longer eligible for further full-time OSAP for that specific program. 

This means that taking less than five courses (100% course load) each term, or having failed and/or having repeated courses, may result in you becoming ineligible for further full-time OSAP funding before completing your program.

 The Periods of Study Plus One Policy is enforced by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, who governs the OSAP program. Students cannot appeal this policy once they reach their maximum eligibility for the program they are in.

Options after Reaching the Periods of Study Plus One Maximum

While you are not eligible for further full-time OSAP funding for your current program, if you are continuing your full-time studies, you can still maintain partial interest-free status on your student financial aid. To do so, please log in to your OSAP account and complete the Continuation of Interest-Free Status (CIFS) application. Be mindful of submitting your application within the CIFS deadline dates.

For more information about your options, please click the relevant accordion below.

  1. Self-Fund: If you wish to continue studying full-time, you may need to consider a combination of alternative methods to finance your education such as:
    1. AwardSpring: The university's dedicated online awards, scholarships and bursaries platform houses over 1,300 awards. With a single application, you will be matched to any award opportunities for which you are eligible. The portal is updated regularly so be sure to check often. To begin, create a profile on the AwardSpring platform (external link, opens in new window) .
    2. External awards: There are many external scholarships websites, such as Student Awards by Yconic (external link, opens in new window) , Scholarships Canada (external link, opens in new window) , or Ontario Universities Info (external link, opens in new window) .
    3. Career Boost: The Career Boost Program(s) provide campus jobs to eligible full-time students at TMU. Earn while you learn, network, and develop your professional skill set. 
      1. There are also campus jobs available to all TMU students under the ‘Other On-Campus Job Opportunities’ list on the Career Boost website (opens in new window) . To access the portal, log in with your my.torontomu.ca (opens in new window)  login credentials. 
    4. Student Line of Credit: Please consult with a trusted bank or private lender on your options for a student line of credit.
  2. Reduce your course load and apply for part-time OSAP: You may consider reducing your course load per academic term and applying for part-time OSAP. In this case, you will need to reduce your course to two or fewer courses per academic term (one course for students with a permanent disability).

  1. Self-Fund: Full-time graduate students do not have the option of applying for part-time OSAP to be considered for future OSAP funding. If you wish to continue studying full-time, you may need to consider a combination of alternative methods to finance your education such as:
    1. AwardSpring: TMU’s dedicated online awards, scholarships and bursaries platform houses over 1,300 awards. With a single application, you will be matched to any award opportunities for which you are eligible. The portal is updated regularly so be sure to check often. To begin, create a profile on the AwardSpring platform (external link, opens in new window) . 
  2. External awards: There are many external scholarships websites, such as Student Awards by Yconic (external link, opens in new window) , Scholarships Canada (external link, opens in new window) , or Ontario Universities Info (external link, opens in new window) .
  3. Career Boost: The Career Boost Program(s) provide campus jobs to eligible full-time students at TMU. Earn while you learn, network, and develop your professional skill set. 
    1. There are also campus jobs available to all TMU students under the ‘Other On-Campus Job Opportunities’ list on the Career Boost website (opens in new window) . To access the portal, log in with your my.torontomu.ca (opens in new window)  login credentials. 
  4. Student Line of Credit: Please consult with a trusted bank or private lender on your options for a student line of credit.