Financial assets to be reported on your OSAP application include:

• savings accounts
• tax-free savings accounts
• provincial savings bonds and Canada Savings Bonds
• corporate bonds, stocks, term deposits
• GICs, treasury bills and mutual funds

Do not report assets or savings from the following sources:

• value of your vehicle(s)
• money your parents or spouse transferred to you as their financial contribution to your studies
• Total Value of Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) and/or scholarship trust funds
• Registered Disability Saving Plans (RDSPs)
• the value of your principal residence and any other owned real estate
• clothing, furniture or personal belongings
• non-economic loss and/or pain and suffering awards
• savings through the Ontario Child Benefit Equivalent program

• Undergraduate students must be taking 60% or more of a full course load to be considered for the full-time student assistance program (Full-time OSAP). This means a minimum course load of 1.5 credits per term.
  • For Undergraduate students with a registered disability, a full-time course load is a minimum of 1.0 credits.
• Graduate students must be designated as a full-time graduate student by the Office of Graduate Studies and register in at least 0.5 credits.
  • If you are a full-time graduate student, enter 100% as your percentage course load on the OSAP application.
  • If you are a part-time graduate student, enter 50% as your percentage course load on the OSAP application.
  • Online Graduate Program Students. Please review the online graduate programs page for more information about your course load.

You’re considered a Francocu_people_phone student if:

• your mother tongue is French or
• you studied in French at the elementary or secondary level or
• you are/were enrolled in a postsecondary program offered at least partially in French

Source: OSAP definitions

For OSAP, the study period is the time period used to determine the amount of OSAP funding you’re eligible to receive for the OSAP academic year. It also determines your deadline dates.

Usually your OSAP study period is the normal school year for your program. It may include one or more terms. Contact us if you are unsure about your study period.

A parent information not available review (formerly known as a family breakdown review) is when you are estranged from your parent(s) due to documented mental, physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse or drug or alcohol addiction in your family. We will tell you what supporting documents you’ll need to provide when you apply. If you have any questions about the documents required, contact us for more information.

Compulsory fees include service and education-related cu_event_costs charged by the school that students must pay. Some examples include:

• co-op fees
• student activity fees
• athletic fees
• health services
• student union fees
• professional fees

Note: it does not include fees such as late registration charges, parking, special tests, or exam fees.

An affidavit is a sworn written statement. You are swearing that the contents written in the affidavit are true. That document is then signed by a lawyer, a commissioner of oaths, or a notary public. An affidavit is generally required by OSAP if you need to provide supporting documentation but are unable to provide an official document. For example, an affidavit may be required to support your relationship status (such as a common-law relationship). You can get an affidavit by booking an appointment at a City of Ottawa Client Service Centre.

• Undergraduate students must be taking 60% or more of a full course load to be considered for the full-time student assistance program (Full-time OSAP). This means a minimum course load of 1.5 credits per term.
  • For Undergraduate students with a registered disability, a full-time course load is a minimum of 1.0 credits.
• Graduate students must be designated as a full-time graduate student by the Office of Graduate Studies and register in at least 0.5 credits.
  • If you are a full-time graduate student, enter 100% as your percentage course load on the OSAP application.
  • If you are a part-time graduate student, enter 50% as your percentage course load on the OSAP application.
  • Online Graduate Program Students. Please review the online graduate programs page for more information about your course load.

There are situations when you will be asked to provide proof of your Social Insurance Number (SIN) such as when you submit your Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement at a designated Canada Post outlet, or if you visit the Awards Office to reset your Ontario Access Number. Proof of your SIN can be:

• A Social Insurance Number (SIN) card, or
• SIN Confirmation letter issued by the Government of Canada, or
• Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions, or
• Temporary SIN card

While completing an OSAP application, you will be asked to provide information on the type and amount of government income you expect to receive during the study period. If you receive Second Career, WSIB, or Postsecondary Student Support Program funding, you must enter the full amount of funding you will receive for the study period, including amounts for tuition fees, books, transportation cu_event_costs, dependent care, basic living cu_event_costs, and any other cu_event_costs. Do not include amounts you will receive, if any, for disability-related expenses. If you are an Ontario Disability Support Program or Ontario Works recipient enter the total amount of income support you will receive during your study period. If your spouse or parent(s) are the direct recipient of ODSP or OW, do not enter their income support here. If you are receiving a Canada Apprenticeship Loan for your current study period, you are not eligible to apply for OSAP funding.

For OSAP, you’re a sole-support parent if:

• you have a dependent child or children living with you full-time during your study period and
• you’re single, separated, divorced or widowed

Source: OSAP definitions

Note: These are the Ontario residency requirements for OSAP. If you are applying for the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant (OLSG), then you will want to review the OLSG Ontario Residency Requirements.

Full-Time Students

• have always lived in Ontario or 
• Ontario is the last province you have lived in for 12 months in a row without being a full-time post-secondary student or
• you live in Ontario now AND have lived in Canada for less than 12 months in a row

If you are married/common-law, you can be considered an Ontario resident for OSAP if:

• your spouse has always lived in Ontario or
• your spouse has lived in Ontario for the last 12 months in a row without being a full-time post-secondary student or
• All of these statements are true:
  • you now reside in Ontario
  • you’ve lived in Canada for less than 12 months in a row
  • your spouse has lived in Canada for less than 12 months in a row

If you qualify as a dependent student, you’re considered an Ontario resident for OSAP if:

• Ontario is the last province in which your parent(s) have lived in for at least 12 months in a row or
• All of these statements are true:
  • you now reside in Ontario
  • you’ve lived in Canada for less than 12 months in a row
  • your parent(s) have lived in Canada for less than 12 months in a row

Part-Time Students

• have always lived in Ontario or 
• Ontario is the last province you have lived in for 12 months in a row without being a full-time post-secondary student or
• you live in Ontario now AND have lived in Canada for less than 12 months in a row

Permanent Resident

A permanent resident is someone who has been given permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada, but is not a Canadian citizen. Permanent residents are citizens of other countries. A person in Canada temporarily, like a student or foreign worker, is not a permanent resident. Source: “Understand permanent resident status”, from Government of Canada.

Protected Person

Protected persons can include convention refugees, humanitarian-protected persons abroad, and persons in need of protection. A protected person is defined in subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada). Source: OSAP definitions, from ontario.ca