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OSAP Academic Probation and Restriction

Note: This information is for full-time OSAP students only. Please refer to the Part-Time OSAP academic probation accordion for information related to part-time students.

OSAP academic progress is a separate issue than academic probation at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). You can be in good standing at TMU with your program department and still not meet OSAP academic progress.

Note: There are also OSAP Lifetime and Program Funding Limits. They are established by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU), who governs OSAP. They are non-negotiable.

As a full-time OSAP recipient, you are expected to maintain successful OSAP academic progress. Full-time OSAP academic progress is maintained by the following two conditions:

1. Completing a Full-Time Course Load

Students are required to successfully maintain and complete a full-time course load. OSAP does not look at your grade point. Academic progress is assessed across all terms a student receives full-time funding: 

  • If receiving OSAP for one term: Students must complete and pass three courses, or two courses if you have a registered permanent or persistent and prolonged disability with OSAP.
  • If receiving OSAP for two terms: Students must complete and pass six courses, or four courses if you have a registered permanent or persistent and prolonged disability with OSAP.
  • If receiving OSAP for three terms: Students must complete and pass nine courses, or six courses if you have a registered permanent or persistent and prolonged disability with OSAP.

2. Continuing Studies for the Same Program Without Interruption

You are also required to successfully progress through your program with no interruptions. The following actions are common examples of failing to meet OSAP academic progress:

  • Changing programs
  • Changing institutions
  • Dropping from a full-time course load to a part-time course load
  • Withdrawing from a program (temporarily or permanently)
  • Failing courses
  • Repeating courses
  • Taking “extra” years to complete a program (e.g. enrolling for a fifth year for a four-year program), including adding multiple majors and/or minors
  • Private extensions
  • Failing to actively participate in courses (i.e., not attending classes, not submitting assignments, not writing exams)

Failure to maintain academic progress will have you placed on OSAP academic probation. If you fail to achieve academic progress for two consecutive years, you will be placed on OSAP academic restriction.

During the first instance of failing to meet satisfactory academic progress, you are placed on OSAP academic probation for a minimum of twelve months from the date of your incomplete academic progress status. 

Once on OSAP academic probation, you are still eligible to apply for either part-time OSAP or full-time OSAP. To be considered for OSAP while on OSAP academic probation, you must submit an OSAP Acknowledgement of Academic Probation form with your OSAP application. This form can be found on the required documents page of your OSAP portal.

To be removed from your academic probation status, you must pass a full-time course load in the following academic year and not have any interruptions with your studies, as described in the introduction section above.

Example:

You received full-time OSAP in the 2021/2022 academic year.

  • Fall 2021 term: You dropped to one course and passed the course
  • Winter 2022 term: You enrolled in five courses and passed two out of five courses

Only three courses were completed over two terms, so you would be placed on OSAP academic probation.

If you cannot meet satisfactory OSAP academic progress for two consecutive years, your probation status will be upgraded to academic restriction.

Example:

  • You are placed on your first instance of OSAP academic probation starting May 2021. You will be on academic probation from May 2021-May 2022 (i.e. the 2021/22 academic year)
  • You return to full-time studies and receive full-time OSAP for the fall 2021 and winter 2022 semesters, which runs from September 2021 - April 2022. You fail to maintain academic progress over these two terms (i.e. the 2021/22 academic year)
  • You will be restricted from OSAP funding from April 2022 - April 2023 (i.e. for the 2022/23 year)

Once on Academic Restriction, you lose eligibility for both part-time AND full-time OSAP for a minimum of 12 months.

During the restriction time, you must maintain your previous loans in good standing. 

After the restriction period has elapsed, you must submit an OSAP academic progress acknowledgment document with your next application for funding. This document will be a required document on your OSAP portal when you next apply for funding.

If you drop one or more courses during a term that you received part-time OSAP and/or do not pass all the courses you took while receiving part-time OSAP, you will be placed on part-time OSAP academic probation. Part-time OSAP academic probation requires you to self-fund for the next semester during which you apply for part-time OSAP and pass all the courses you take that semester.

Part-time OSAP academic probation does not impact on your full-time OSAP eligibility.

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.