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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 be considered for full-time OSAP. Although the OSAP application itself will not prevent you from applying, your application may be flagged as exceeding OSAP program funding limits upon review.

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. This policy 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. Many students experience mental health or medical challenges that can affect their studies. If you can relate to this, and have not yet identified as a student with a disability, we encourage you to submit a Disability Verification Form.

Examples of Program Lengths Plus One

Student's Program

Standard Length of Program based on 100% course load

One Additional Year Equivalent

Maximum Assistance
Certificate 1-year program One academic year Two academic years of study
Undergraduate Degree (Four Years) 4-year program offered over four academic years One academic year Five academic years
Undergraduate Degree with OSAP-Eligible Co-Op 5-year program offered over five academic years One academic year Six academic years
Graduate Degree (1-Year Program) 1-year program offered over one academic year One academic year Two academic years
Graduate Degree (2-Year Program) 2-year program offered over two academic years One academic year Three academic years
Graduate Degree (3-Year Program) 3-year program offered over three academic years One academic year Four academic years
PhD 6-year program offered over six academic years One academic year Seven academic years

Examples of Period of Study Plus One Scenarios

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 policy does not include periods of study in which a student did not receive full-time OSAP.

Scenarios that Count Towards Study Periods Plus One Scenarios that Do Not Count Towards Study Periods Plus One
When a student transfers between programs of study, but is in the same/similar field and the majority of credits are transferred as “required” to the new program, the same study periods plus one limit applies.

Example 1: A student switches from Honours degree to a non-Honours degree within the same program of study or vice versa.

Example 2: A student switches their major from Political Science, Bachelor of Arts to History, Bachelor of Arts and the majority of credits earned transfer to the new program.

Example 3: A student remains in the same program of study but switches between two different postsecondary institutions.		 When a student transfers between programs of study, if the new program is in a different field and the majority of credits transfer over as “electives,” study periods plus one should be reset for the new program.

Example 1: A student switches between a Political Science, Bachelor of Arts to Nursing, Bachelor of Science. The credits earned in the original program do not transfer to their new program, and the student is required to start in Year 1 of their new program.
When a student withdraws from their program of study before completing it and later returns to the same program, the number of study periods already completed counts towards their total study periods. When a student withdraws from their program of study and later begins a new program of study, and the majority of credits transfer as “electives,” the previously completed study periods do not count.
Periods of study that include repeated courses count towards the study periods plus one limit. Study periods in which a student is in continuation of interest-free status (CIFS) should not be included.
Students who have filed for bankruptcy or entered into a bankruptcy-related event while they are enrolled in full-time postsecondary studies may be eligible for up to three years of additional full-time OSAP assistance and/or interest-free status, provided that in each of the three years the individual remains continuously enrolled in the same program of study. These terms will count. Any term where the student withdrew and MCU approved an Exceptional Circumstance Review are exempted from the study periods plus one count.

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

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.