Full-Time OSAP Timeline

Application Deadlines

The OSAP application for the upcoming academic period opens the summer before.

• Example: The application for the 2024-2025 academic year opens in 2024 summer.

Fall and Winter (two terms)

Students who are registering for both the fall and winter terms of the academic year and who are planning to apply for OSAP for both terms should be aware of the following key dates and deadlines.

• June 30
  • This is the recommended date to have your application and all supporting documents submitted by to ensure your funding is released for the beginning of the fall term.
• February 25
  • This is the deadline to submit your application for the fall and winter (two term) study period – September to April. This is a hard deadline – any applications submitted past this date will NOT be accepted.
    • Example: For the September 2024 to April 2025 academic period, you must submit your application no later than February 25, 2025.
• March 17
  • This is the deadline to submit all supporting documentation for your OSAP application for the fall and winter (two term) study period – September to April. This is a hard deadline – any documents submitted past this date will NOT be accepted.
    • This includes student, parental and/or spousal signature pages, and Master Student Financial Aid Agreement (MSFAA), if applicable. Also deadline to submit an OSAP entitlement appeal and the documentation required to support it.

Fall Term only

Students who are registering for only the fall term and who are planning to apply for OSAP for only the fall term should be aware of the following key dates and deadlines.

• June 30
  • This is the recommended date to have your application and all supporting documents submitted by to ensure your funding is released for the beginning of the fall term.
• October 22
  • This is the deadline to submit your application for the fall study period – September to December. This is a hard deadline – any applications submitted past this date will NOT be accepted.
• November 11
  • This is the deadline to submit all supporting documentation for your OSAP application for the fall study period – September to December. This is a hard deadline – any documents submitted past this date will NOT be accepted.
    • This includes student, parental and/or spousal signature pages, and Master Student Financial Aid Agreement(MSFAA), if applicable. Also, deadline to submit an OSAP entitlement appeal and the documentation required to support it.

Winter Term only

Students who are registering for only the winter term and who are planning to apply for OSAP for only the winter term should be aware of the following key dates and deadlines.

• October 31
  • This is the recommended date to have your application and all supporting documents submitted by to ensure your funding is released for the beginning of the winter term.
• February 25
  • This is the deadline to submit your application for the winter study period – January to April. This is a hard deadline – any applications submitted past this date will NOT be accepted.
• March 17
  • This is the deadline to submit all supporting documentation for your OSAP application for the winter study period – January to April. This is a hard deadline – any documents submitted past this date will NOT be accepted.
    • This includes student, parental and/or spousal signature pages, and Master Student Financial Aid Agreement(MSFAA), if applicable. AND – Deadline to submit an OSAP entitlement appeal and the documentation required to support it.

Monitor Your Application

The quickest way to check the status of your application is to log into your OSAP account and view the status of your application. Be sure to check your OSAP Message Centre and Carleton email account regularly for important messages regarding your application. We encourage students to check the status of their application online, themselves, before contacting the Awards Office.

Find in-depth instructions on how to check your status.

Important processing dates

Fall Term

• Late August
  • The Awards Office begins assessing applications for completeness and confirming enrollment for the Fall Term. Confirmation of enrollment is done automatically and cannot be sped up.

Winter Term

• Mid December
  • The Awards Office begins assessing applications for completeness and confirming enrollment for the Winter Term. Confirmation of enrollment is done automatically and cannot be sped up.

Receive Your Funds

Fall Term

• September 4
  • Once your enrolment is confirmed the National Student Loan Service Centre begins to electronically release the first OSAP installment.
    • Typically 60% of your entitlement for the fall and winter term (September to April) applications
    • Typically 100% of your entitlement for fall term only (September to December) applications

Winter Term

• January 6
  • Once your enrolment is confirmed the National Student Loan Service Centre begins to electronically release the second OSAP installments
    • Typically 40% of your entitlement for the fall and winter term (September to April) applications
    • Typically 100% of your entitlement for winter term only (January to April) applications

Report Changes

You must notify the Awards Office via email immediately if:

• You reduce your course load
• You change your program of study
• You withdraw from your program
• You need to report a change in your, or your family’s, financial information
• You change your marital status
• You decide to attend a different post-secondary institution
• You do not want your student loan funding