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O SA P R E V I E W
M A NUA L
(2009-2010)
Student Awards Office
74 Union Street
Gordon Hall, Room 225
Queen's University
Kingston, Ontario
K7L 3N6
Tel: (613) 533-2216 Fax: (613) 533-6409
Email: awards@queensu.ca
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
REVIEWS BASED ON FAMILY BREAKDOWN- FAA AUTHORTY
a) Family breakdowns – mental/physical/sexual/emotional abuse. 6
b) Family breakdowns – serious family rifts/drug or alcohol addiction 6
c) Step parents: parental union occurred after student turned 16 years of age 7
d) Step-parents: parental union occurred prior to the student turning 16 years of age 7
e) Family breakdowns previously accepted 7
f) Dependent student switches contributing parent 7
g) Separated/divorced or deceased parent 8
h) Family Breakdown Reviews (Single Independent Students, Sole-support Parents, and Married Students) 8
REVIEWS RELATED TO PROVINCIAL RESIDENCY
a) Applicant and His or Her Supporting Individuals Have Never Lived in A Canadian Province or Territory
for 12 Consecutive Months 8
b) Applicant or His or Her Supporting Individuals Last Lived in Another Canadian Province or Territory for
12 Consecutive Months But Was Denied Student Assistance by that Province or Territory on the Basis of
that Jurisdiction's Residency Requirements 9
c) Provincial residency - previously accepted 9
REQUEST FOR ASSESSMENT BASED ON PARENT'S/SPOUSE'SOR SPOUSE'S 2008 ESTIMATED
INCOME 10
REVIEWS FOR PARENTAL EXCEPTIONAL EXPENSES
a) Child/Spousal support payments 11
b) Essential house repairs 11
c) Funeral costs 11
d) Legal fees 11
e) Uninsured medical, dental and optical expenses 11
f) Full - or part-time educational costs 12
g) Full or part-time student loan payments or repayment of loan/grant/bursary overpayments 12
i) Loan Payments 12
ii) Loan and Grant Overpayments 12
h) Child care for dependent children with disabilities 12 years of age and over 13
i) Maintaining two residences 13
j) Care of dependent relatives 13
k) Parents Working in the U.S. and Filing Taxes in Canada and the U.S. 13
l) Parents in receipt of Indian Residential School (IRS) Payments 13
m) Parents in receipt of Hepatitis C Compensation Payments 13
REVIEWS TO ADJUST PRE-STUDY PERIOD INCOME CONTRIBUTIONS
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a) Student and/or spouse was only able to obtain part time employment 14
b) Adjusting the number of weeks available for employment 14
c) Independent single student resides at-home during the pre-study period but pays room and board to
parents
d) Student involved in family breakdown in pre-study period 15
e) Dependent single student must live away from home in pre-study period to obtain full time employment 15
f) Student and/or spouse have incurred exceptional expenses in the pre-study period 16
i) Part-time study costs 16
ii) Full- or part-time student loan payments and repayment of loan/grant/bursary overpayments 16
iii) Pre-study period uninsured medical, dental and optical expenses 17
iv) Pre-study child/spousal support payments 17
v) Pre-study Legal fees 17
vi) Pre-study essential house repairs 17
vii) Pre-study funeral costs 17
viii) Pre-study additional local travel 17
ix) Pre-study care of dependent relatives 18
g) Student and/or spouse reported pain and suffering award as income during the pre-study period 18
h) Student and/or spouse in receipt of Indian Residential School (IRS) payments during the pre-study
period
18
i) Student and/or spouse in receipt of Hepatitis C Compensation payments during the pre-study 18
j) Locked-in Retirement Account (LIRA), Life Income Fund (LIF), or a Locked-in Retirement Income
Fund (LRIF) 18
k) Student and Spouse Elect to Split Pension Income 19
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REVIEWS TO ADJUST STUDY PERIOD EDUCATIONAL COSTS FOR SINGLE STUDENTS AND
SOLESUPPORT PARENTS
a) Additional local travel during the period of study 19
i) Single students 19
ii)Sole-support parents 19
b) Independent single student resides at home during the period of study but pays room and board to
parents 19
c) Overcrowded parental home 19
d) Problems in parental home environment 20
e) Reassessments for students/families in receipt of Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits
during the period of study 20
REVIEWS TO ADJUST STUDY PERIOD INCOME CONTRIBUTIONS FOR SOLE-SUPPORT PARENTS
AND SINGLE STUDENTS
a) Full or part- time student loan payments and loan/grant/bursary overpayments made during the
period of study 20
b) Uninsured medical, dental and optical expenses paid during the period of study 21
c) Child/spousal support payments paid during the period of study 21
d) Legal fees paid during the period of study 21
e) Essential House Repairs during the period of study 21
f) Care of dependent relatives during the period of study 22
g) Funeral costs paid during the period of study 22
h) Student/spouse reported pain and suffering award as incomeduring the period of study 22
i) Student in receipt of Indian Residential School (IRS) payments during the period of study 22
j) Student and/or spouse in receipt of Hepatitis C Compensation payments during the period of study 22
i
k) Locked-in Retirement Account (LIRA), Life Income Fund (LIF), or a Locked-n Retirement Income Fund
(LRIF) 22
REVIEWS TO ADJUST EDUCATIONAL COSTS FOR MARRIED STUDENTS DURING THE PERIOD OF
STUDY
a) Maintaining two residences 23
b) Additional local travel 23
c) Reassessments for Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Recipients 23
REVIEWS TO ADJUST MARRIED STUDENTS' STUDY PERIOD INCOME CONTRIBUTIONS
a) Full or part- time student loan payments and loan/grant/bursary overpayments paid during the period of
study 23
b) Uninsured medical, dental and optical expenses paid during the period of study 24
c) Child/spousal support payments paid during the period of study 24
d) Legal fees paid during the period of study 24
e) Essential house repairs paid during the period of study 25
f) Care of dependent relatives during the period of study 25
g) Funeral costs paid during the period of study 25
h) Spouse's period of study education costs not funded by OSAP 25
i) Spouse Working in the U.S. and Filing Taxes in Canada and the U.S. 25
j) Student reported pain and suffering award as income 25
k) Student and/or spouse in receipt of Indian Residential School (IRS) payments 26
l) Student and/or spouse in receipt of Hepatitis C Compensation Payments 26
m) Locked-in Retirement Account (LIRA), Life Income Fund (LIF), or a Locked in Retirement Income Fund
(LRIF) 26
n) Student and Spouse Elect to Split Pension Income 26
REVIEWS TO ADJUST THE SPOUSAL STUDY PERIOD INCOME CONTRIBUTION
a) Spouse is only able to obtain part-time employment 26
b) Adjusting the spousal minimum income contribution 27
i) Spouse was unable to find employment 27
ii) Spouse was temporarily ill and unable to work for all or part of the period of study 27
iii) Spouse was incarcerated during the period of study 27
iv) Spouse was sponsored by Sports Canada and was in the pre-Olympic year training for the Olympic
Games 27
v) Spouse could not work during the period of study due to a disability 27
vi) Spouse stayed at home to care for child(ren) 12 months of age or younger during the period of
study 27
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vii) Spouse stayed at home to care for children with disabiities or children who have a chronic or
life-threatening illness during the period of study 27
viii) Spouse is attending high school on a full-time basis (60% or more of a course load) during the
applicant's period of study 27
ix) Spouse is not legally entitled to work in Canada 28
x) Spouse enrolled in and attending an English/French as a Second Language during the student's
period of study 28
xi) Spouse reported pain and suffering award as income 28
xii) Spouse in receipt of Hepatitis C Compensation Payments 28
xiii)) Locked-in Retirement Account (LIRA), Life Income Fund (LIF), or a Locked-in Retirement
Income Fund (LRIF) 28
JOINT CUSTODY 28
LEGAL GUARDIANSHIP REVIEW 29
REVIEWS TO STUDENT'S AND SPOUSE'S ASSET CONTRIBUTION
a) Reviews to adjust the vehicle asset exemption level 29
i) Public transit is not available from the student's home to the postsecondary institution 29
ii) Public transit is more than one-hour's travel from the student's home to the postsecondary
institution 29
iii) Public transit is not available for the employed spouse of a married student from his/her home to
place of employment 29
iv) Public transit is more than one-hour's travel from the employed spouse of a married student's home
to place of employment 29
v) Access to a vehicle is required to fulfill the requirements of the student's program of studies (e.g.,
work placements) and no public transit is available between the student's home and the work
placement(s) 29
vi) Access to a vehicle is required to fulfill the requirements of a student's program of studies (e.g.,
work placements) and the use of public transit is more than one hour from student's home to the work
placement(s) 29
vii) Spouse's employment requires access to a vehicle 30
viii) A single dependent or independent student resides at home and requires access to a vehicle in
order to commute to the institution 30
ix) A vehicle is required by a sole-support parent or married student to transport their dependent
children (e.g., under the age of 12) to and from a child care provider 30
x) The vehicle is owned or leased by a student with disabilities or a spouse with disabilities of a
married student 30
b) Adjustment to the vehicle's current gross market value 30
i) Vehicles which have been modified to accommodate a disability 30
c) Adjustment to the vehicle's ownership 30
i) The vehicle has been sold 30
ii) Termination of lease 31
iii) A vehicle has been listed twice due to a licence plate error 31
iv) Termination of vehicle lease after the asset validation date 31
v) MTO Error 31
d) Reviews to adjust the contribution from RRSPs 31
i) RRSP loans taken out to purchase an RRSP 31
ii) Taxes on RRSP withdrawals 31
e) Reviews to adjust the contribution from other assets 32
i) Pain and suffering awards 32
ii) Other Assets for Students with Disabilities 32
iii) Funding from an In-Trust Account 32
ELIGIBILITY REVIEW – LOAN OVERPAYMENTS
a) Repayment in Full 32
b) Hardship review (overpayments from prior years ) 33
ACADEMIC PROGRESS
a) Review required to release funds after probationary period of study 33
b) Reviews for students requesting further funding who are restricted from receiving further OSAP funding
under full academic restriction. 34
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ONTARIO DISTANCE GRANTS
a) Reviews for Ontario Distance Grants 35
i) Reviews for students who have been calculated to be commuting more than 250 kilometers 35
ii) Reviews for students attending bilingual or French language postsecondary institutions 36
iii) Reviews for students who are commuting or travelling more than 80 kilometers but distance
calculation determines the distance is less than 80 kilometers 36
iv) Single dependent student moves away from home to attend postsecondary studies but gave a local
address as permanent address on OSAP application 36
v) Single dependent student who is commuting more than 80 kilometers is not living at home due to
family breakdown 36
BANKRUPTCY AND RELATED EVENTS REVIEWS
a) Bankruptcy 37
i) Students who did not receive student loans prior to the date they filed for Bankruptcy 37
ii) Students who received student loans prior to the date they filed for bankruptcies filed
prior to May 11, 2004 37
b) Consumer Proposals 38
i) Students who did not receive student loans prior to the date they filed a Consumer Proposal 38
ii) Students who received student loans prior to the date they filed a Consumer Proposal 39
c) Consolidation Orders (Orderly Payment of Debts Program) under Part X of the BIA 39
i) Students who did not receive student loans prior to the date they filed for a Consolidation
Order 39
ii) Students who received student loans prior to the effective date of the Consolidation Order-Consolidation
Order occurred prior to May 11, 2004 40
d) Orderly Payment of Debt pursuant to Provincial/Territorial Legislation 40
e) Examples of Supporting Documentation (this list is not exhaustive)
i) Bankruptcy: 40
ii) Consumer Proposal 40
iii) Orderly Payment of Debts 41
CREDIT SCREENING APPEALS
a) Overview of Credit Check Appeals 41
i) Ontario Credit History Check 41
ii) Federal Credit History Check 41
b) Appeal 41
i) A loss or a substantial reduction in employment income 41
ii) Unexpected or exceptional expenses 43
ONTARIO STUDENT OPPORTUNITY GRANT REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF DECISION TO DENY 45
REVIEWS OF SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PROTECTED PERSONS 46
CLEARANCE REVIEWS FOR STUDENT RESTRICTION ISSUES OTHER THAN
ACADEMIC PROGRESS 46
a) Federal Restrictions 46
b) Provincial Restrictions 47
c) Provincial and Federal Restrictions 47
d) Significant Income Variances (Code 67) – Student Income Verification 47
Allowable Significant Income Variance Reviews
Revised income tax information 48
Conflicting Income Amounts 48
Clearance for Students who received Medical Loan Forgiveness 48
Loan Overpayments 49
Breach of Contract and Significant Income Variance 49
Academic Progress 49
Individuals who received Medical Loan Forgiveness prior to July 10, 2004 49
Frequently Asked Questions 50
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REVIEWS BASED ON FAMILY BREAKDOWN
Family breakdown reviews which are submitted where the parents' rationale for not supporting the student is
deemed to be arbitrary are not considered.
The following examples of arbitrary refusals are provided for reference purposes only.
(The list is not exhaustive.)
• Parents feel that it is the responsibility of the government to fund postsecondary education;
• Parents feel that once students reach the age of 18, the student isindependent;
• Parents do not agree with the student's choice of program or institution;
• Parents do not approve of the student's living arrangements.
The Student Awards Office will consider the following factors when making decisions on family breakdown
reviews:
• severity and degree of the breakdown;
• length of time the rift has existed;
• reason for the final breakdown and the extent to which the student could have prevented this
situation from occurring;
• parental treatment of other siblings;
• reasons for the family breakdown;
• attempts at, or likelihood of, reconciliation;
• if the problem/rift exists with only one parent, consideration of the other parent's position in the breakdown and
his/her ability or willingness to assist the student.
Note: Based on Canada Revenue Agency information, an individual's decision not to claim the non-refundable
tax credit in Line 305 of the 2008 income tax form does not prove that he or she does not support the student or
that a family breakdown has occurred. Therefore, whether or not an individual claimed amounts in Line 305 of
the 2008 income tax form (i.e., amount for an eligible dependant) must not be considered by the Student Awards
Office when conducting a family breakdown review.
a) Family breakdowns – mental/physical/sexual/emotional abuse
Family breakdown reviews can be submitted in situations involving documented mental, physical, sexual,
and/or emotional abuse in the student's family.
Documentation required:
• Family breakdown reviews must be supported with written documentation from a third party, preferably a
professional, who was directly involved with the situation (e.g., court reports; letters from police, social workers,
children's shelters or physicians). In cases where professional third parties were not involved, documentation
from other reliable third parties who were directlyinvolved with the situation is required. (e.g., siblings,
grandparents, other relatives). Third party documents must contain the contact information for the third party,
including telephone number and address. The documents must contain the signature of the third party.
• A letter from the student detailing the situation.
• A letter from the student's parent(s) is not required. However, in situations where only one parent was involved
in the abusive situation, the Student Awards Office (at his/her discretion) may ask the student to provide a letter
from the parent who is not directly involved in the abusive situation.
b) Family breakdowns – serious family rifts/drug or alcohol addiction
The Student Awards Office has the authority to allow reviews for family breakdown situations that do not meet
the criteria outlined in Section 3.a if the student is estranged from one or both parents.
Documentation required:
• a detailed letter from the student outlining:
-date of the final rift with parents
-date the student left home
-how the student has supported her/himself since leaving home
-any steps taken by the student to correct the situation
-possibility of reconciliation
-the extent, if any, of professional involvement in the situation (e.g., social agency, psychologist, psychiatrist
or counselor);
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• a detailed letter from at least one third party individual (preferably a professional) who was directly involved
with the situation. (e.g., court reports; letters from police, social workers, children’s shelters or physicians). If a
professional third party was not involved, documentation from other reliable third parties who were directly
involved with the situation is required. (e.g., siblings, grandparents, other relatives). Third party documents
must contain the contact information for the third party, including telephone number and address. The
documents must contain the signature of the third party.
• a detailed letter from the parent(s) outlining his/her perspective on the situation(at the discretion of the
Student Awards Office);
• proof of the student's separate residence (e.g., copy of a lease or rental agreement);
c) Step parents: parental union occurred after student turned 16 years of age
The Student Awards Office has the authority to assess the student without reference to their stepparent's
financial information if the student's situation meets all of the following criteria:
• the step-parent is refusing to support the student;
• the marriage or common law union between the natural parent and step-parent occurred on or after the date
the student turned 16 years of age;
• the step-parent has not supported the student directly or indirectly since the union. If the student resides in the
parental home and that natural parent has minimal income, the step-parent may be deemed to have indirectly
supported the student.
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student detailing the situation;
• a letter from the natural parent providing the date of marriage or common law union and an explanation of how
she or he has supported the student since the union;
• a letter from the step-parent explaining the reason(s) why he or she will not support the student
d) Step-parents: parental union occurred prior to the student turning 16 years of age
To consider this review, the documentation must demonstrate that the step-parent is not contributing to the
.
student's expenses either directly or indirectly, and that the reasons for refusing to contribute are not strictly
financial or an arbitrary refusal to assist the student, as set out at the beginning of this section.
Documentation required:
• A detailed letter for the student outlining the relationship with the step-parent;
• a letter from the natural parent providing the date of marriage, the reasons why the step-parent is not
contributing, and a description of any prenuptial arrangements regarding the support of the children;
• A copy of the prenuptial agreement/marriage contract, if one exists;
• A letter from the step-parent explaining the reasons why he or she is not contributing;
• a family budget completed by the natural parent indicating only his or her actual monthly gross and net income,
expenses and that amount of support providedto the student.
e) Family breakdowns previously accepted
The Student Awards Office has the authority to assess the student without reference to his/her parents'financial
information if a Family Breakdown Review has been previously approved. Additional documentation, other than
noted below, is not required to accept the review provided that the student is attending the same institution and
no break has occurred between academic years. If there has been a break between academic years (e.g.,
Family Breakdown Review approved in 2007-2008; student did not apply for OSAP in 2008-2009; student is
applying for OSAP in 2009-2010), the student must submit a new review to the Student Awards Office.
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student confirming that the family situation has not changed from the time the initial
review was approved.
f) Dependent student switches contributing parent
The parent with legal custody or the parent with whom the student lives should complete the student's OSAP
application. A student can, however, change the parent who completes the application from year to year
provided the student actually changes residence. However, for OSAP assessment purposes, a student cannot
live with one parent and use the income of the other parent because it is lower. In some situations it may be
difficult to establish which parent has been providing the student with primary support. Issues such as where the
student last lived, or where the student spends the summer holidays should be considered when determining
which parent should complete the application.In any of the above situations, if the natural parent to whom the
student is switching has remarried, the student's step-parent must also complete the application. If the step-
parent refuses to provide assistance, a family breakdown review may be applicable
.
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Documentation required:
• documentation to confirm the residence change (e.g., drivers licence);
• a letter from the student outlining the change in residence;
• a letter from the parent confirming the change in residence;
• a new OSAP application with the new supporting parent's financial informationmust be submitted.
g) Separated/divorced or deceased parent
If prior to halfway through the period of study a student's parents separate/divorce or if one parent dies, the
student can have his/her financial need calculated based on the income of the remaining custodial parent.
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student's remaining custodial parent outlining the date and change of the family's
circumstances;
• in the case of separation/divorce, a copy of the separation/divorce agreement indicating which parent has
custody and the extent to which financial support isbeing provided by the non-custodial parent;
• in the case of the death of a parent, proof of death (e.g., a copy of the death certificate).
h) Family Breakdown Reviews (Single Independent Students, Sole-support Parents, and Married
Students)
independent student, married student, or sole-support parent is not able to provide the required parental income
The Student Awards Office may determine that a family breakdown has occurred and as a result, a single
information to be considered for the Ontario Access Grant. (Note: The student meets all other access grant
eligibility criteria.) If the Student Awards Office is satisfied that a family breakdown has occurred based
on the reviewable situations described, then the student may be assessed without reference to his/her parents' financial
information. Note: Family Breakdown Reviews for single independent students, married students, or sole-
support parents are limited to the reviews described in Section 3 a-d only.
Documentation required:
• Family breakdown reviews must be supported with written documentation from a third party, preferably a
professional, who was directly involved with the situation (e.g., court reports; letters from police, social workers,
children's shelters or physicians). In cases where professional third parties were not involved, documentation
from other reliable third parties who were directly involved with the situation is required. (e.g., siblings,
grandparents, other relatives) Third party documents must contain the contact information for the third party,
including telephone number and address, and the signature of the third party.
• A letter from the student detailing the situation.
• Supporting documentation required based on the reviewable family breakdown situation (see above.)
REVIEWS RELATED TO PROVINCIAL RESIDENCY
a) Applicant and His or Her Supporting Individuals Have Never Lived in A Canadian Province or Territory
for 12 Consecutive Months
Provided that the student can document the following conditions, the Student Awards Office will consider the
student for purposes of both Ontario and Canada portions of the Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan.
• The student has never lived in a Canadian province or territory for 12 consecutive months (excluding time in
full-time postsecondary studies);
• If the student has a spouse, the student's spouse has never lived in a Canadian province or territory for 12
consecutive months (excluding time in full-time postsecondary studies);
• If the student is a dependent student, his or her parent(s), step-parent(s), legal guardian(s), or official
sponsor(s), if applicable, has never lived in a Canadian province or territory for 12 consecutive months. Where
parents/step-parents are separated or divorced, this requirement refers to the residency of the parent with whom
the student normally resides, or who financially supports the student.
• The student resides in Ontario at the date of his/her application for student assistance through OSAP;
• The student is applying to attend/is attending an approved Ontario postsecondary institution and program.
Variation on this Review: Students who are applying for OSAP assistance to attend an out-of-country
institution can also be considered under this review for purposes of the Canada portion of the Canada-Ontario
Integrated Student Loan provided that they meet the first four conditions outlined above.
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Documentation required:
• A detailed letter or a completed History of Canadian Residency Form from the student outlining his or her
residency history and participation in full-time postsecondary education since the time he or she arrived in
Canada; and
• If the student has a spouse, a detailed letter or a completedHistory of Canadian Residency Formfrom the
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spouse outlining his or her residency history and participation in full time postsecondary education since the time
he or she arrived in Canada; and
• If the student is a dependent student, a detailed letter or a completedHistory of Canadian Residency Form
from his or her parent(s), step-parent(s), legalguardian(s), or official sponsor(s); and
• Documentation that confirms the date of arrival in Canada, if applicable (e.g., acopy of the Canadian
immigration record, Permanent Resident Card, or Protected Person status document)
.
b) Applicant or His or Her Supporting Individuals Last Lived in Another Canadian Province or Territory
for 12 Consecutive Months But Was DeniedStudent Assistance by that Province or Territory on the
Basis of that Jurisdiction's Residency Requirements
Provided that the following criteria are met, a student can be considered for both the Canada and Ontario
portions of the Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan.
• The student was denied student assistance in the last province or territory in which he or she lived for 12
consecutive months (excluding time in full-time postsecondary studies), on the basis of that province's residency
requirements; and
• If the student has a spouse, the student was refused student assistance in the last province or territory in which
his or her spouse lived for 12 consecutive months(excluding time in full-time postsecondary studies), on the
basis of that province's residency requirements; or
• If the student is a dependent student, the student was refused student assistance in the province or territory in
which his or her parent(s), step-parent(s), legal guardian(s), or official sponsor(s), if applicable, last lived for 12
consecutive months, on the basis of that province's residency requirements; and
• The student is applying to attend/is attending an approved Ontario postsecondary institution.
Documentation required:
• A detailed letter or a completed History of Canadian Residency Form from the student outlining his or her
residency history and participation in full-time postsecondary education since the time he or she arrived in
Canada;
• If the student has a spouse, a detailed letter or a completed History of Canadian Residency Form from the
-
spouse outlining his or her residency history and participation in full time postsecondary education since the time
he or she arrived in Canada;
• If the student is a dependent student, a detailed letter or a completed History of Canadian Residency Form
from his or her parent(s), step-parent, legal guardian(s), or official sponsor(s) outlining residency history since
arrival in Canada;
• Documentation that confirms the date of arrival in Canada, if applicable (e.g., copy of the Canadian immigration
record, Permanent Resident Card, or Protected Person Status Document).
• A letter of refusal from the student assistance program operated by the Canadian jurisdiction in which he or she
last lived for twelve consecutive months (or in which his or her spouse/expected contributor last lived for twelve
consecutive months) identifying provincial residency criteria as the basis for refusal.If the student has been
denied assistance from the student assistance program operated by the Canadian jurisdiction in which he or she
last lived for twelve consecutive months (or in which his or her spouse/expected contributor last lived for
twelve consecutive months) because the student's program of study (e.g., at a post-secondary institution in Ontario)
is also offered by a postsecondary institution located in the province/territory of residence, the student should be
assessed for the Canada portion of the Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan only.
c) Provincial residency - previously accepted
The Student Awards Office will assess the student for the Canada portion of the Canada-Ontario Integrated
Student Loan where a review under section 4.b has been previously approved, provided that there has been no
break in studies. No additional documentation, other than that noted below, is required if the student is attending
the same institution and no break has occurred between academic years. If the student has transferred to
another postsecondary institution, the Student Awards Officeat the new institution should acquire and maintain
a copy of the previous year's decision and supporting documentation.If there has been a break between
academic years (e.g., a review was approved in 2007-2008; student did not apply for OSAP (or for continuation
of interest-free status) in 2008-2009; and student is applying for OSAP in 2009-2010), the student must submit a
new review to the Student Awards Office as per the criteria and documentation outlined.
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Documentation required:
• a letter from the student confirming that their Province of residence and the Province of his or her supporting
individuals has not changed from the time the initial review was approved.
REQUEST FOR ASSESSMENT BASED ON PARENT'S OR SPOUSE'S 2009 ESTIMATED INCOME
A student may request that his/her need be assessed using parental or spousal estimated 2009 income rather
than actual 2008 income when the estimated 2009 income would be a better indicator of the family's current
financial situation because of non-recurring and major changes to the parental or spousal income.
Notes:
Eligibility for the new Canada Student Grants is based on previous year’s income only, as per federal requirements.
There is no review of Canada Student Grant eligibility based on estimated 2009 income. Where a review based on
estimated 2009 income is approved, the reassessment based on lower estimated income may also alter a student’s
eligibility for Ontario Access Grants.
1. Payments received through the federal Universal Child Care Benefit, the Indian Residential School program,
as well as the Hepatitis C Compensation program should not be included in estimated 2009 parental or spousal
income.
2. Payments received through the Ontario Child Benefit, Ontario Children Benefit Equivalent program, the Rental
Opportunity for Ontario Families (ROOF) program, or the Transplant Patient Expense Reimbursement program should
not be included in estimated 2009 parental or spousal income.
3. Pain and suffering awards, including WSIB Non-economic loss (NEL) awards, in amounts less than $100,000
are exempt from income. Any amount over $100,000 is considered income in the period it was received. If
payments are made for different incidents, the payments related to each incident are exempt up to $100,000.
4. Married students are not to report funds that are invested in a locked-in retirement savings account (i.e., Locked-
in Retirement Account (LIRA), a Life Income Fund (LIF), and/or a Locked-in Retirement Income Fund (LRIF))
as an asset on the OSAP application. In addition, students and their parents/spouse, if any, who gain special
access to money invested in any of these accounts prior to the usual withdrawal age (e.g. age 55) are not to
report the amount withdrawn on the student's OSAP application as income. However, once a student/parent/
spouse withdraws any money invested in these accounts as per the fund's usual withdrawal age, he or she must
report the amount withdrawn as income on the student's OSAP application. Note: A locked-in retirement savings
account is an account into which an individual's pension benefit is transferred when the individualterminates their
membership in a registered pension plan. The money payable to the individual from this locked-in account can be
used only to provide retirement income and is therefore locked- in until the individual reaches the age of 55.
In Ontario, there are three types of locked-in accounts: Locked-in Retirement Accounts (LIRA), Life Income Funds
(LIF), and Locked-in Retirement Income Funds (LRIF).
5. If the parent(s) or spouse of a student is splitting pension income, the amount to be reported on the Lower
Estimated Income form should be an "estimate" of their total income, less any pension income that they believe
they will be splitting with the other parent/student. The declared information will be verified upon the completion
of the income verification process for 2008.
Examples of non-recurring major changes to income can include, but are not limited to:
• death of a parent or spouse;
• separation or divorce of parents results in change in employment of custodial parent;
• loss of full-time employment by parent or spouse;
• loss of job and re-employment at lower rate of pay;
• illness or accident;
• retirement of parent or spouse;
• events that resulted in a significant one-time increase to 2008 income such as receipt
of a severance package.
Documentation required:
• Completed 2009-2010 Request for Assessment on Parents' Estimated Income formor 2009-2010 Request for
Assessment on Spouse's Estimated Income form (forms available on the OSAP website
https://osap.gov.on.ca/eng/PDF/0910/34-0224.pdf
https://osap.gov.on.ca/eng/PDF/0910/34-1651.pdf
• Letter from the parent(s) or spouse explaining the non-recurring and major change in income that would
substantiate using an estimate of the parent(s) or spouse's 2009 income rather than actual 2008 income;
• Substantiating documentation for the explanation provided;
• Documentation for the amount of parental or spousal 2009 income-to-date;
Note: A request to use estimated income cannot be considered if the circumstance is
recurring or does not constitute a major change in parental/spousal income (i.e., overtime
wages).
10
REVIEWS FOR PARENTAL EXCEPTIONAL EXPENSES
Only reviews for allowable exceptional expenses incurred in the year that is being used for assessment
purposes can be considered (i.e., estimated 2009 or actual 2008).
a) Child/Spousal support payments
If one of the student's parent's pays child support to a child(ren) for whom he/she is not the custodial parent, or
support to a former spouse, the amount of these payments isused to decrease the parent's expected parental
contribution from income.
Documentation required:
If assessment based on actual 2008 income:
• a copy of the Director's Statement of Arrears issued by the Family Responsibility Office, Ministry of Community
and Social Services or a copy of the Notice of Assessment issued by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). If parent
is not reporting the support payments to CRA, the following documentation isrequired:
• a copy of the separation/divorce agreement indicating that the parent has a legal responsibility to make
payments to a child or former spouse;
• proof that the payments have been made (e.g., receipts, cancelled cheques or a signed statement from the
former spouse or custodial parent indicating thatthe payments were received).
If assessment based on estimated 2009 income:
• receipts which indicate the dates and amounts paid as of the start of the period of study; and
• a letter from the parent making the payments stating the amounts to be paid up to the end of the period
covered by the estimated income.
b) Essential house repairs
Parents can claim the amount of essential home repairs paid (i.e., repairs required for health and safety reasons
which are typically a one-time only expense and which are not covered by an insurance plan). Essential house
repairs do not include expenses related to the day-to-day maintenance of the family home and cannot be for
cosmetic reasons (e.g., paint, wallpaper, landscaping).
Documentation required:
• receipts itemizing expenses incurred and proof of payment;
• a letter from the parent describing the type and necessity of the repair; and
• a copy of the building permit/contract for the repairs (if applicable).
c) Funeral costs
Parents can claim the value of funeral costs paid during the year for which they have reported their incomes and
which were not covered by the deceased's estate, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) - Death Benefits, other
government agency, or other private insurance plan benefits.
Documentation required:
• receipts from the funeral home for costs paid by the parents;
• a letter from the parents outlining the balance of the cost not covered from other sources;
• a statement from the estates executor/executrix, CPP- Death Benefits, other government agency, and/or other
private insurance plan(s) outlining the costs that will be covered (if not included in the statement from the funeral
home).
d) Legal fees
Parents can claim the value of legal fees paid during the year for which they have reported their incomes. Legal
fees that would be considered include, but are not limited to, separation/divorce and criminal/civil cases. Legal
fees that are not permitted are those related to the purchase of a home and those related to the operation of the
parent's business. Amounts that have been billed but not yet paid cannot be claimed as exceptional expenses
. ocumentation required:
D
• an itemized statement from the parents lawyer indicating the reason for the costs, date of payments and
amounts paid.
e) Uninsured medical, dental and optical expenses
Parents can claim the costs of uninsured medical, dental and optical expenses paid during the year that the
parents have reported their incomes and which were not co vered by OHIP, an employee benefit plan or a private
insurance plan. If the reimbursement plans do not provide 100% coverage, the amount of the uncovered balance
can be considered.
Acupuncture and holistic medications are not allowable review expenses. HIV/AIDS-related and psychotropic
medications can be considered as uninsured medical expenses in the review process. All uninsured costs will be
verified against line 330 and line 331 of the Canadian Income Tax Return (Individual) of the parent who claimed
the expenses for tax purposes. Expenses claimed in excess of the amounts allowed by CRA in line 332 will not
be considered.
11
Documentation required:
If assessment based on actual 2008 income:
• certified copy of the parent's Canadian Income Tax Return (Individual); or a working copy and a CRA Notice of
Assessment.
If assessment based on estimated 2009 income:
• receipts from the physician, dentist or optometrist summarizing the costs incurred and a letter from the parent
who will be claiming the costs on their income tax return explaining what portion of the cost was uninsured; or
• copies of all receipts for the payment of the uninsured costs being claimed, proof from the insurance company
indicating the amount of the claim being covered and a letter from the parent outlining the costs incurred
f
. ) Full - or part-time educational costs
Parents can claim the costs of tuition, compulsory fees, and books and supplies paid for either parents'
attendance at an educational institution for the year that they havereported their incomes for assessment
purposes. If the costs have been funded by government financial assistance, the costs cannot be considered for
review purposes.
Documentation required:
• receipts for the amount of tuition, compulsory fees and books purchased (receipts must indicate the name of
the educational institution attended);
• a letter from the parent indicating that he/she did not receive government financial assistance to cover or assist
with the program costs.
g) Full or part-time student loan payments or repayment of loan/grant/bursary overpayments
i) Loan Payments
A dependent student's parents may claim the minimum required full- or part-time government student loan
payments made in the year for which the student reported the parents' income to OSAP for assessment
purposes. Payments to private lenders' student loan programs cannot be considered unless the parent(s)
converted previously issued government-funded student loans to a private lender's loan program.
Documentation required - Government loans:
If assessment based on actual 2008 income:
• copy of any/all government student loan consolidation agreements between the parent(s) and the financial
institution or NSLSC; and
• a statement from the financial institution, NSLSC, collection agency orgovernment agency indicating the total
amount paid during 2008 and the minimum required payments.
If assessment based on estimated 2009 income:
• copy of the government student loan consolidation agreement between the parent(s) and the financial
institution or NSLSC; and
r
• a statement from the parent(s) indicating their minimum requi ed monthly student loan payments for 2009.
Documentation required -If parent(s) converted previously-issued government student loans to private loans;
• a signed statement from the financial institution confirming that governmentfunded student loans were
converted to a private lenders loan program. The financial institution's statement must indicate the total amount
of converted student loan, the date of conversion, and the amount of each loan payment attributed to the
previously-issued government student loan. For parentsbeing assessed using actual 2008 income, the
statement must reflect payments made during 2008. For parents being assessed using estimated 2009 income,
the statement must reflect payments made during 2009.
ii) Loan and Grant Overpayments
Parents may claim the repayment of a loan overpayment and/or the repayment of a grant/bursary overpayment
as an exceptional expense in the year for which their income was reported to OSAP for assessment purposes if
as a result of the repayment, the parent repays the loan and/or grant overpayment in full.
Documentation required:
• Loan Overpayments:
- A copy of the receipt from the financial institution and/or NSLSC showing the date and the amount of the
payment.
• Grant Overpayments:
- For grants issued by Ontario, the student is to direct the repayment of funds to the Student Awards Office. For
grant funds issued by the federal government through the NSLSC, the student must submit a copy of the receipt
from the NSLSC to the Student Awards Office showing the date and amount of payment.
12
h) Child care for dependent children with disabilities 12 years of age and over
Parents can claim the costs of child care/attendant care for their dependent children with disabilities who are 12
years of age and older in the year for which the parents have reported their incomes for assessment purposes.
Documentation Required:
If assessment based on actual 2008 income:
• certified copy of the parent's 2008 Canadian Income Tax Return (Individual);or a working copy of the parent's
2008 Canadian Income Tax Return (Individual) and a CRA Notice of Assessment
If assessment based on estimated 2009 income:
• a letter from the family which indicates the nature of the child's disability and includes an estimate of the costs
to be incurred and receipts for costs that have been paid to date for 2009.
i) Maintaining two residences
If one parent must work and live in another community away from his/her family home due to employment
a
location, he/she can claim additional living costs rel ted to the maintenance of the second residence, such as
board, lodging and return travel costs. Actual expenses can be claimed up to a maximum of 25% of the "away"
parent's reported employment income provided that the costs claimed are not covered by the parent's employer.
Documentation must be based on the year for which the parents reported their incomes to OSAP for assessment
purposes. (i.e., If the parent reported income based on actual 2008 income, all costs and required
documentation must be based on 2008, not the 2009 year.)
Documentation required:
• a letter from the parent(s) indicating that one parents must reside away from his/her family home (principal
residence) for employment purposes;
• a letter from both of the parents employers confirming the locations of each parent's regular employment;
• a copy of the rental agreement or mortgage from the second residence,
• a budget showing the monthly costs of maintaining the second residence which shows rental/mortgage costs,
basic telephone, utilities, property taxes, and other standard costs. This budget must be accompanied by
documentation providing proof of each cost claimed (i.e., a property tax assessment, telephone bill, etc).
j) Care of dependent relatives
Parents can claim as exceptional coststhe costs of care for elderly or infirm relatives residing in Canada
(excluding children) in the year for which the parents have reported their incomes for assessment purposes. The
dependent relative must be living in the parent(s) household or in an institution such as a nursing home. The
maximum allowable cost is $2,000 per relative, and an overall maximum of $4,000 per family.
Documentation required:
• a signed statement from the parents explaining the amount of support given, the address of the dependent
relative, the reason for the support, and the relationship of the parent(s) to the relative.
If assessment based on actual 2008 income:
• if the dependent relative does not reside in the family home-receipts from the nursing home or institution for 2008
• if the dependant resides in the family home -confirmation of the costs incurred and paid by the family during
2008, including all applicable receipts.
If assessment based on estimated 2009 income:
• if the dependent relative does not reside in the family home -receipts from the nursing home or institution to
date, for 2009.
• if the dependant resides in the family home - an estimate of the costs to be incurred by the family for 2009,
including all applicable receipts to date and confirmation of the costs incurred and paid by the parents for the
year prior to the start of the student's period of study.
k) Parents Working in the U.S. and Filing Taxes in Canada and the U.S.
Parents who are working in the U.S. and who file income taxes in both Canada and the U.S. may claim the
income tax liability in the U.S. as an exceptional expense This review is available only to parents who have
.
reported actual 2008 income for assessment purposes.
Documentation required:
• a copy of the 2008 Notice of Assessment fromCanada;
• a copy of the 2008 Tax Return Transcript from the U.S.; and
• a letter from the parents explaining their employment situation.
l) Parents in receipt of Indian Residential School (IRS) Payments
Indian Residential School (IRS) payments should not be included in the calculation of the parental income
contribution, as per Government of Canada direction.
Documentation required:
• The Government of Canada is finalizing program details. When supporting documentation requirements
have been finalized, this manual will be updated.
m) Parents in receipt of Hepatitis C Compensation Payments
Hepatitis C Compensation Payments should not be included in the calculation of the parental income
contribution, as per Government of Canada direction.
Documentation required:
• A copy of the Compensation Agreement.
13
REVIEWS TO ADJUST PRE-STUDY PERIOD INCOME CONTRIBUTIONS
All reviews to adjust pre-study income contributions must be submitted to the Student Awards Office on or after
the start of the period of study and before the review deadline date. Pre-study period income contributions for
students and/or spouses will not be reduced if they choose not to work in order to travel, to pursue unpaid work,
or to participate in recreational activities.
a) Student and/or spouse was only able to obtain part-time employment
The calculation of the pre-study period income contribution is based on the assumption that the student (and
spouse, if any) will each work full-time for a minimum of 30.5 hours per week at $9.50 per hour. Should the
student/spouse not find full-time employment and accept one or more part-time positions with weekly hours
totaling less than 30.5 hours, the Student Awards Office can adjust the total weekly hours worked component of
the pre-study period income contribution to the actual number of weekly hours the student/spouse worked in the
pre-study period.
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student's/spouse's employer(s) indicating the number ofweeks and the number of hours
worked by the student/spouse in the pre-study period;
• a letter from the student/spouse detailing why they were unable to work fulltime
during the pre-study period;
• proof that a minimum of 10 applications have been made by the student/spouse to find full-time employment
over the pre-study period. The documentation to provide that a job search was undertaken must containthe
following information: dates, telephone numbers, copies of resume, rejection letters, interview dates should be
provided by the student or spouse.
b) Adjusting the number of weeks available for employment
The value of the minimum pre-study period income contribution is based on the actual number of weeks in the
student's pre-study period (maximum 16). If the student and/or spouse was only able to find employment for part
of the pre-study period or was unable to work, the number of weeks available for employment can be adjusted to
reduce the pre-study period income contribution.
Student/spouse unable to find employment
If the student/spouse have been unable to secure employment through a demonstrated "on-going" job search
during the pre-study period, a review can be submitted once the period of study has started and subject to
review deadlines. Documentation must demonstrate that the student/spouse was actively looking for all types of
work and salary ranges during the pre-study period.
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student/spouse indicating the reason they were unable to find employment for the entire pre-
study period;
• a detailed job search history covering the duration of the pre-study period. The details must include contact
information for each respective employer (full address, telephone number, name of contact person, position
applied for and date of application). A copy of the job seeker's resume, rejection letters and dates of and
contacts for interviews are also part of a job search history. In lieu of a detailed job search history, the
student/spouse can provide official proof of registration with an employment agency or proof of participation in a
community job search program (e.g., Job Connect or other community employment programs). The employment
agency or community job search program should confirm that the student/spouse was registered and seeking
employment for the duration of the pre-study period as well as the date of registration. This information will be
verified.
Student/spouse temporarily ill and unable to work for all or part of pre-study period
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student/spouse indicating the reason that they were unable to work and the period of time that
they were unable to work;
• a certificate from a physician outlining the nature of the illness, the care required, and the period of time during
which the student and/or spouse was unable to work; and
• a copy of the Record of Employment issued by the spouse's employer showing reason for separation as Code
"D" (illness or injury) or a letter of approval from Service Canada indicating the spouse is in receipt of
Employment Insurance sickness benefits and the number of weeks of entitlement (if applicable)
. tudent/spouse incarcerated during the pre-study period
S
Documentation required:
• written confirmation from a corrections official outlining the dates of incarceration.
14
Student/spouse sponsored by Sports Canada and in the pre-Olympic year training for the Olympic
Games
Documentation required:
• written confirmation from Sports Canada of the time period that the student and/or spouse participated full-time
in training for the Olympic Games.
Student/spouse could not work due to a disability
Documentation required:
• a medical certificate to substantiate both the disability and the individual's inability to work because of the
disability.
Student/spouse stayed at home to care for children 12 monthsof age or younger
Documentation required:
• A letter from the student/spouse indicating the reason that he/she was unable to work during the entire pre-
study period;
• Proof of child's date of birth (e.g., birth certificate or statement of live birth)
Student/spouse stayed at home to care for children with disabilities or children who have a chronic or
life-threatening illness
Documentation required:
• A letter from the student/spouse indicating the reason that he/she was unable to work during the entire pre-
study period;
• a letter from the family physician indicating the nature of the child(ren)'s illness or disability and the care
required.
Student/spouse stayed at home to care for their elderly parent
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student/spouse indicating the reason that he/she was unable to work during the entire pre-
study period;
• a letter from the family physician indicating the nature of the parent's illness (if applicable) and the nature of the
daily care required.
Spouse is not legally entitled to work in Canada
Documentation required:
• a letter from the spouse indicating the reason why he/she is not legally entitledto work in Canada;
• written confirmation from Citizen and Immigration Canada that the spouse is not legally entitled to work in
Canada during the student's pre-study period.
Spouse enrolled in and attending an English/French as a Second Language program of study
Documentation Required:
• signed statement from the institution the spouse is/was attending confirming that he/she was enrolled in and
attending ESL/FSL training full-time (minimum 20 hours per week) during the student's pre-study period. The
confirmation must include the spouse's study-period start and end dates and classroom hours per week
c) Independent single student resides at home during the pre-study period but pays room and board to
parents
n
The pre-study period income contribution for independent si gle students living at home is calculated based on
the student's net income after deduction of the student'sliving costs assuming an at-home living allowance rate.
s
If the student pays room and board to his/her parents, the students pre- tudy period income contribution can be
calculated with a higher living allowance than the at-home rate. The amount used is the actual amount up to the
maximum away from home living allowance.
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student indicating that he/she lives at home and must pay room and board or rent to his or her
parents;
• a budget from the student outlining the actual living costs incurred by the student during the pre-study period;
• a letter from the parents confirming that the student resides(ed) with them during the pre-study period and that
they collect(ed) room and board from him/her;
• proof of room and board payment for the pre-study period (e.g., canceled cheque or receipt(s).
d) Dependent single student must live away from home in pre-study period to obtain full-time
employment
If a dependent single student did not reside with his/her parents in the pre-study period
and the reason was in order to obtain full-time employment, his/her pre-study period income contribution can be
calculated using a higher living allowance based on theactual costs incurred up to the away-from-home living
allowance.
15
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student indicating that he/she did not live at home during the pre-study period in order to find
full-time employment in a community other than the community where his/her parents reside;
• a budget from the student indicating his/her actual living expenses incurred and supporting proof (i.e., rental
agreement, utility bills, telephone bills);
• documentation from the employer confirming the location of employment and that the student was employed
full-time throughout the pre-study period.
e) Student and/or spouse have incurred exceptional expenses in the pre-study period
Exceptional expenses incurred and paid by the student and/or spouse during the pre-study period can also be
deducted from income. As this review pertainsspecifically to the student's pre-study period, expenses to be
considered for the spouse must have been incurred within the student's 2009-2010 pre- study period, regardless
of whether the student was assessed using the spouse's actual 2008 or estimated 2009 income
.) Part-time study costs
i
A single student may claim the amount of tuition, ancillary fees, and book and supply costs incurred for part-time
studies during the pre-study period. A married student may claim the amount of tuition, ancillary fees, and books
and supplies incurred for his/her spouse's part-time studies during the pre-study period. To be eligible for this
review the student/spouse's program of study must be approved for financial assistance purposes.
Documentation required:
• proof of costs incurred (receipts or an itemized statement from the educational institution's registrar);
• proof from the Student Awards Office or the Registrar that the program was approved for financial assistance
purposes.
• a letter from the student or spouse (as applicable) confirming that he/she hasnot received financial assistance
through OSAP, any other province/territoryin Canada, or any other state or country for the program of study.
ii) Full- or part-time student loan payments and repayment of loan/grant/bursary overpayments
Student loan payments
A student and their spouse, if any, may claim the minimum required full- or part-time government student loan
payments made during the pre-study period. Payments to private lenders student loan programs cannot be
considered unless the individual has converted previously issued government-funded student loans to a private
lender's loan program.
STUDENT/SPOUSE:
Documentation required -- government loans:
• copy of any/all government student loan consolidation agreements between the student/spouse and the
financial institution or NSLSC; and
• a statement from the financial institution, NSLSC, collection agency or government agency indicating the total
amount paid during the pre-study period and the minimum required payments.
Documentation required if student/spouse converted previously-issued government student loans to
private loans;
• a signed statement from the financial institution confirming that government funded
student loans were converted to a private-lenders loan program. The financial institution's statement must
indicate the total amount of converted student loan, the date of conversion, and the amount of each loan
payment attributed to the previously-issued government student loan during the student's 2008-2009 pre-study
period.
Loan/Grant/Bursary overpayments
A student and their spouse, if any, may claim the repayment of a loan overpayment as well as the repayment in
full of a grant/bursary overpayment against the pre-study period income contribution if the repayment is made
during the student's pre-study period and as a result of the repayment, the student /spouse repays the loan
overpayment and/or grant/bursary overpayment in full.
Documentation required:
• Loan Overpayments:
a copy of the receipt from the financial institution and/or NSLSC showing the date and the amount of the
payment.
• Grant/Bursary Overpayments:
For grants/bursaries issued by Ontario, the student is to direct the repayment of funds to the ministry via the
Student Awards Office. The spouse of a student should be referred tothe collection agency holding his/her
account to make repayment arrangements. Once repayment in fullby certified funds has been processed, a
receipt will be provided to the spouse which the student can submit to his/her Student Awards Office for
exceptional expense review consideration.
• For grants/bursaries issued by the federal government through the NSLSC, the student/spouse must submit a
copy of the receipt from the NSLSC to theStudent Awards Office showing the date and amount of payment.
16
iii) Pre-study period uninsured medical, dental and optical expenses
The amounts paid by the student and/or spouse for uninsured medical, dental and optical expenses can be used
to reduce the student's pre-study period income contribution providing the amounts paid were not covered by
another person, OHIP, an employee benefit plan or a private insurance plan. If the reimbursement plans do not
provide 100% coverage, the amount of the uncovered balance can be considered. Acupuncture and holistic
medications are not allowable review expenses. HIV/AIDS-related and psychotropic medications can be
considered as uninsured medical expenses in the review process.
Documentation required:
• receipts from the physician, dentist or optometrist confirming dates and amounts of any payments made during
the pre-study period;
• a letter from the student indicating that the costs werenot or will not be paid by another person or claimed
against OHIP, an employee benefit plan or aprivate insurance plan.
iv) Pre-study child/spousal support payments
If the student and/or spouse of a student is paying child support to a nondependent child (for OSAP purposes)
and/or is providing support to a former spouse, the payments can be deducted from the student's pre-study
period income.
Documentation required:
• a copy of the separation/divorce agreement indicating that the student/spouse has a legal responsibility to
make payments to a child or former spouse;
• proof that the payments have been made (e.g., receipts, cancelled cheques or a signed statement from the
former spouse or custodial parent indicating that the payments were received). Documentation provided must
confirm the dates and the amount of support paid.
v) Pre-study Legal fees
Student and/or spouse can claim the value of legal fees paid during the student's pre-study period. Legal fees
that can be considered include, but are not limited toseparation/divorce or criminal/civil cases. Legal fees that
are not permitted are those related to the purchase of a home and those related to the operation of the Student 's
or spouse's business. Amounts that have been billed but not yet paid cannot be claimed as exceptional
expenses.
Documentation required:
• an itemized statement from the student's and/or spouse's lawyer indicating the reason for the costs, date of
payments and amounts paid.
vi) Pre-study essential house repairs
Sole-support parents, married students, and single independent students can use the cost of essential house
repairs (i.e., repairs required for health and safety reasons and are typically a one-time only expense and are not
covered by an insurance plan) as a deduction against their pre-study income. Essential house repairs do not
include expenses related to the day-to-day maintenance of the family home and cannot be for cosmetic reasons
(e.g., paint, wallpaper, landscaping).
Documentation required:
• receipts itemizing expenses incurred, and the amount and dates of payments made during the student's pre-
study period.
• a letter from the student describing the type and necessity of the repair; and
• a copy of the building permit/contract for the repairs (if applicable).
vii) Pre-study funeral costs
Students can claim the value of funeral costs which were not covered by the deceaseds estate, CPP - Death
'Benefits, other government agency, or other private insurance plan benefits.
Documentation required:
• receipts from the funeral home to confirm the amount and dates of payments made during the student's pre-
study period.
• a letter from the student outlining the balance of the cost not covered from other sources (if any);
• a statement from the estate's executor/executrix, CPP-Death Benefits, other government agency, and/or other
private insurance plans outlining the costs that will be covered (if not included in the statement from the funeral
home).
viii) Pre-study additional local travel
If a sole-support parent or single student is required to travel to obtain/maintain employment and these travel
costs exceed $70 per month ($16.28 per week), actual local transportation costs can be claimed by the student.
For students using a vehicle to commute to and from work, costs incurred for car insurance and maintenance
cannot be included for review purposes.
17
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student indicating the total cost of local transportation incurred during the pre-study period;
• a detailed description of the travel (e.g., home and employer marked on a map of the area);
• documentation from the students employer that shows the student was employed and states the number of
weeks of employment.
ix) Pre-study care of dependent relatives
Sole support, married, and single independent students can claim as exceptional costs the costs of care for
elderly or infirm relatives living in Canada (excluding children). Dependent students who are receiving CPP
Disability Benefits for a dependent family member (living in Canada) with disabilities can also claim costs of care
for that family member as exceptional costs. The dependent relative must be living in the student or spouse(s)
household or in an institution such as a nursing home. The maximum allowable cost is $2,000 per relative per
academic year, and an overall maximum of $4,000 per family per academic year.
Documentation required:
• a signed statement from the student or spouse explaining the amount of support given, the address of the
dependent relative, the reason for the support, and the relationship of the student or spouse to the relative.
• If the dependent relative does not reside in the student's/family home– receipts from the nursing home or
institution to confirm expenses paid during the student's pre-study period.
• if the dependant resides in the family home -confirmation and supporting documentation of the costs incurred
and paid by the student and his/her spouse (if applicable) for the year prior to the start of the student's period of
study and an estimate of the costs to be incurred during the period of study.
• if the student is a dependent student, proof of receipt of C.P.P. Disability Benefits for a dependent family
member with disabilities.
f) Student and/or spouse reported pain and suffering award as income during the pre-study period
Pain and suffering awards, including WSIB Non-economic loss (NEL) awards, in amounts less than $100,000
are exempt from income. Any amount over $100,000 is considered to be income in the period it was received. If
payments are made for different incidents, the payments related to each incident are exempt up to $100,000.
Pain and suffering awards held that are in excess of $100,000 (per i ncidence) and which are not considered
income (as per criteria above), should be reported as ass ets on the student's OSAP application form.
Documentation required:
• a copy of a letter from WSIB, legal court document, or payment stubs specifying a pain and suffering or NEL
award, the amount(s) paid and the date(s) received.
g) Student and/or spouse in receipt of Indian Residential School (IRS) payments during the pre-study
period
Indian Residential School (IRS) payments should not be included in the calculation of pre-study period income
contribution, as per Government of Canada direction.
Documentation required:
• The Government of Canada is finalizing program details. When supporting documentation requirements have
been finalized, this manual will be updated.
h) Student and/or spouse in receipt of Hepatitis C Compensation Payments during the pre-study
Hepatitis C Compensation Payments should not be included in the calculation of the pre-study period income
contribution, as per Government of Canada direction.
Documentation required:
• A copy of the Compensation Agreement.
i) Locked-in Retirement Account (LIRA), Life Income Fund (LIF), or a Locked- in Retirement Income
Fund (LRIF)
Students and their spouse, if any, are not to report funds that are invested in a locked-in retirement savings
account (i.e., Locked-in Retirement Account (LIRA), a LifeIncome Fund (LIF), or a Locked-in Retirement Income
Fund (LRIF)) as an asset on the OSAP application. In addition, students and their spouse, if any, who gain
special access to money invested in any of these funds prior to the usualwithdrawal age (e.g., age 55) are not to
report the amount withdrawn on the student's OSAP application. Exception: Once a student/spouse withdraws
any money invested in these accounts as per the fund's usual withdrawal age (e.g., 55), he or she must report
the amount withdrawn as income in the applicable section of the student's OSAP application. Note: A locked-in
retirement savings account is an account into which an individual's pension benefit is transferred when the
individual terminates their membership in a registered pension plan. The money payable to the individual from
this locked-in account can be used only to provide retirement income and is therefore locked-in until the
individual reaches the age of 55. In Ontario, there are three types of locked-in accounts: Locked-in Retirement
Accounts (LIRA), Life Income Funds (LIF), and Locked-in Retirement Income Funds (LRIF).
18
Documentation required:
No documentation is required; student/spousal income will be verified through theIncome Verification Process.
j) Student and Spouse Elect to Split Pension Income
An adjustment to the pre-study period income contribution may be made if the student and his or her spouse
make a joint election to split pension income on their 2008 income tax returns.
Documentation required:
• a copy of the student's and spouse's 2008 Notice of Assessment from Canada Revenue Agency.
REVIEWS TO ADJUST STUDY PERIOD EDUCATIONAL COSTS FOR SINGLE STUDENTS AND SOLE-
SUPPORT PARENTS
a) Additional local travel during the period of study
i) Single students
A single dependent student is expected to reside with his/her parents if the parent's principal residence is in the
same community as the postsecondary institution and the residence is less than 40 kilometers from the
m
postsecondary institution or less than one hour fro the postsecondary institution by public transit.If a student
resides with his/her parents and the residence is more than 40 kilometers from the institution or more than one
hour from the postsecondary institution by public transit and the student commutes to the postsecondary
institution, then a student can claim additional local transportation. This review can also apply to a single
independent student who lives at home and commutes to the postsecondary institution rather than maintaining a
separate residence.
ii) Sole-support parents
If a sole-support parent maintains a residence in his/her home community to ensure continuity for his/her
children and commutes to a postsecondary institutionthat is more than 40 kilometers from the postsecondary
institution or more than one hour by public transit, a sole-support parent can claim additional local transportation
costs.
Notes:
• The standard assessment allows $70/month for local travel. If the student's actual expenses are less than or
equal to $70/month, a review will not be considered.
• For students using a vehicle to commute to and from their postsecondary institution, costs incurred for car
insurance and maintenance cannot be included for review purposes.
• A student can only claim travel expenses for the days that he/she hasclasses at the postsecondary institution.
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student indicating the total weekly cost of local transportation incurred during the period of
study;
• a detailed description of the travel (e.g., home and institution marked on amap of the area); and
• a copy of the student's course schedule to indicate days and times in school.
b) Independent single student resides at home during the period of study but pays room and board to
parents
Single independent students are assessed with an at home living allowance if they are living with their parents
during the period of study. If a student pays room and board to his/her parents, a student can be considered for
a higher living allowance than the at home rate. The amount used is the actual amount up to the maximum.
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student indicating that he or she lives at home and must pay room and board or rent to his or
her parents;
• a budget from the student outlining the actual living costs incurred by the student during the period of study;
• a letter from the student's parents confirming that the student resides with them and that they collect room and
board from the student;
• proof of room and board payments made to theparents during the study period (i.e., cancelled cheque(s)
and/or bank statements). Note: receipts are not acceptable unless substantiated by cancelled cheques and/or
bank statements showing that financial transactions actually occurred.
c) Overcrowded parental home
If a single dependent student's parental home is overcrowded, requiring the student to live away from the
parental home, a review can be considered to provide the student with a higher living allowance based on
his/her actual living costs to a maximum of the away from home living allowance ($237.91 per week; $1023 per
month;). An overcrowded home situation is one in which the student:
• does not have a bedroom (e.g., must sleep in the living room);
• shares a bedroom with more than one sibling;
• is required to share a bedroom with a sibling who is much younger.
19
The situation must be for the duration of the current period of study and not the result of a temporary situation
(e.g., an unemployed sibling returns to the parental home while seeking employment or a relative moving
in or visiting for a short period of time)
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student and parents explaining the situation;
• a budget from the student which outlines the actual living costs incurred duringthe period of study;
• proof of student's away from home living expenses during the period of study (ie: rental agreement, utilities,
telephone).
d) Problems in parental home environment
If a single dependent student cannot live in the parental home due to psychological or physical health reasons, a
review can be considered to provide the student with ahigher living allowance based on his/her actual living
costs to a maximum of the away from home living allowance. The home environment must be of an exceptionally
disruptive nature in that it is impacting the student's psychological and/or physical health and affecting his/her
ability to concentrate on studies. The home environment must be one in which the student has one or more
family members who have a:
• drug or alcohol dependency;
• physical or developmental disability;
• long-term illness of a dependent family member.
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student or at least one of the parents explaining the situation;
• written documentation from a professional third party (e.g. family physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, police
officer or social worker) who was directly involved with the situation and verifying the need for the student to be
away from the home environment;
• a budget from the student outlining the actual living costs incurred by the student during the period of study;
• proof of student's away from home living expenses during the period of study (i.e., rental agreement, utilities,
telephone).
e) Reassessments for students/families in receipt of Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits
during the period of study
Students in receipt of ODSP income support may contact theStudent Awards Office to request a reassessment
to their OSAP file. Before arranging for a reassessment, the Student Awards Office must obtain written
instructions from the student's ODSP caseworker confirming the total amount of OSAP funding that the student
can keep without affecting the student's ODSP income support. The amount confirmed by the ODSP caseworker
will be one of the following:
OSAP Allowable Educational Costs:
In most cases, the total amount of OSAP funding an ODSP recipient can keep will match the amount identified
as "OSAP Allowable Educational Costs" on the student's OSAP Assessment Summary Form.
Revised Allowable Educational Costs:
In some situations, where a student's actual direct education and transportation costs are higher than the
calculated OSAP Allowable Educational Costs, ODSP allows the student to keep a different amount. The ODSP
case worker will provide a revised amount of allowable educational costs that the student is able to keep. The
revised amount cannot exceed the "Total Funding" on the student's OSAP assessment. If the amount confirmed
by the ODSP caseworker is less than the amount of "Total Funding" on the student's OSAP
Assessment/Reassessment form, a reassessment isrequired.
Documentation required:
• written documentation from the student’s ODSP caseworker verifying the total amount of OSAP funding that the
student can keep without affecting their ODSP income supports.
REVIEWS TO ADJUST STUDY PERIOD INCOME CONTRIBUTIONS FOR SOLE-SUPPORT PARENTS AND
SINGLE STUDENTS
a) Full or part-time student loan payments and loan/ grant/bursary overpayments made during the period
of study
Student loan payments
A student may claim the minimum required full- or part-time government student loan payments made during the
period of study. Payments to private lenders student loan programs cannot be considered unless the individual
has converted previously issued government- funded student loans to a private lender's loan program.
Documentation required -- government loans:
• copy of any/all government student loan consolidation agreements between the student/spouse and the
financial institution or NSLSC; and
• a statement from the financial institution, NSLSC, collection agency orgovernment agency indicating the total
amount paid during the period of study and the minimum required payments .
20
Documentation required if student converted previously-issued governmentstudent loans to private
loans;
• a signed statement from the financial institution confirming that government funded student loans were
converted to a private lenders loan program. The financial institution's statement must indicate the total amount
of converted student loan, the date of conversion, and the amount of each loan payment attributed to the
previously-issued government student loan during the student's 2009-2010 period of study.
Loan/Grant/Bursary overpayments
A student may claim the repayment of a loan overpayment as well as the repayment in full of a grant/bursary
overpayment against the study period income contribution if the repayment is made during the student's period
of study and as a result of the repayment, the student repays the loan overpayment and/or grant/bursary
overpayment in full.
Documentation required:
• Loan Overpayments: a copy of the receipt from the financial institution and/or NSLSC showing the date and the
amount of the payment.
• Grant/Bursary Overpayments:
• For grants/bursaries issued by Ontario, the student is to direct the repayment of funds to the ministry via the
Student Awards Office.
• For grants/bursaries issued by the federal government through the NSLSC, the student must submit a copy of
the receipt from the NSLSC to the Student Awards Office showing the date and amount of payment.
b) Uninsured medical, dental and optical expenses paid during the period ofstudy
The amounts paid by the student for uninsured medical, dental and optical expensescan be used to reduce the
students study period income contribution providing theamounts paid were not covered by another person,
OHIP, an employee benefit plan or a private insurance plan. If the reimbursement plans do not provide 100%
coverage, the amount of the uncovered balance can be considered. Acupuncture and holistic medications are
not allowable review expenses. HIV/AIDS-related and psychotropic medications can be considered as uninsured
medical expenses in the review process.
Documentation required:
• receipts from the physician, dentist or optometrist confirming dates and amounts of any payments made during
the student's period of study;
• a letter from the student indicating that the costs were not or will not, be paid by another person or claimed
against OHIP, an employee benefit plan or a private insurance plan.
c) Child/spousal support payments paid during the period of study
d
If the student is paying child support for a non-dependent chil (for OSAP purposes) and/or is providing support
to a former spouse, the payments can be deducted from the students study period income
. ocumentation required:
D
• a copy of the separation/divorce agreement indicating that the student has a legal responsibility to make
payments to a child or former spouse;
• proof that the payments have been made (e.g., receipts, cancelled cheques or a signed statement from the
former spouse or custodial parent indicating thatthe payments were received). Documentation prov ided must
confirm the dates and the amount of support paid.
d) Legal fees paid during the period of study
Students can claim the value of legal fees paid during the period of study. Legal fees include, but are not limited
to, separation/divorce or criminal/civil cases. Legal fees do not include those related to the purchase of a home
and the operation of the students business. Amounts that have been billed but not yet paid cannot be claimed
against period of study income.
Documentation required:
• an itemized statement from the students lawyer indicating the reason for the costs, date of payments and
amounts paid.
e) Essential House Repairs during the period of study
Single independent students and sole-support parents can have the cost of essential house repairs (i.e., repairs
required for health and safety reasons and are typically a one-time only expense and are not covered by an
insurance plan) considered as a deduction against study period income. Essential house repair do not include
s
expenses related to the day-to-day maintenance of the family home and cannot be for cosmetic reasons
(e.g., paint, wallpaper, landscaping)
Documentation required:
• receipts itemizing expenses incurred, and the amount and dates of payments made during the student's period
of study.
• a letter from the student describing the type and necessity of the repair; and
• a copy of the building permit/contract for the repairs (if applicable).
21
f) Care of dependent relatives during the period of study
Single independent students and sole support parents can claim as exceptional costs the costs of care for
elderly or infirm relatives living in Canada (excluding children). Dependent students who are receiving CPP
Disability Benefits for a dependent familymember (living in Canada) with disabilities can also claim costs of care
for that family member as exceptional costs. The dependent relative must be living in the student's household or
in an institution such as a nursing home. The maximum allowable cost is $2,000 per relative per academic year,
and an overall maximum of $4,000 per family per academic year.
Documentation required:
• a signed statement from the student explaining the amount of support given, the address of the dependent
relative, the reason for the support, and the relati onship of the student or spouse to the relative;
• if the dependent relative does not reside in the student's/family home– receipts from the nursing home or
institution to confirm expenses paid during the student's period of study;
• if the dependant resides in the family home - confirmation and supporting documentation of the costs incurred
and paid by the student for the year priorto the start of the current period of study and an estimate of the costs
to be incurred during the period of study;
• if the student is a dependent student, proof of receipt of C.P.P. Disability Benefits for a dependent family
member with disabilities.
g) Funeral costs paid during the period of study
Students can claim the value of funeral costs which were not covered by the deceased 's estate, CPP - Death
'Benefits, other government agency, or other private insurance plan benefits.
Documentation required:
• receipts from the funeral home to confirm the amount and dates of payments made during the student's period
of study.
• a letter from the student outlining the balance of the cost not covered from other sources (if any);
• a statement from the estate's executor/executrix, CPP- Death Benefits, other government agency, and/or other
private insurance plans outlining the coststhat will be covered (if not included in the statement from the funeral
home).
h) Student/spouse reported pain and suffering award as income during theperiod of study
Pain and suffering awards, including WSIB Non-economic loss (NEL) awards, in amounts less than $100,000
are exempt from income. Any amount over $100,000 isconsidered be income in the period it was received. If
payments are made for different incidents, the payments related to each incident are exempt up to $100,000.
Pain and suffering awards held that are in excess of $100,000 (per incidence) and which are not considered
income (as per criteria above), should be reported as assets on the student's OSAP application form
. ocumentation required:
D
• a copy of a letter from WSIB, legal court document, or payment stubs specifying a pain and suffering or NEL
award, the amount(s) paid and the date(s) received.
i) Student in receipt of Indian Residential School (IRS) payments during theperiod of study
Indian Residential School (IRS) payments should not be included in the calculation of the student's period of
study income contribution, as per Government of Canada direction.
Documentation required:
• The Government of Canada is finalizing program details. When supporting documentation requirements have
been finalized, this manual will be updated.
j) Student and/or spouse in receipt of Hepatitis C Compensation paymentsduring the period of study
Hepatitis C Compensation Payments should not be included in the calculation of the period of study income
contribution, as per Government of Canada direction.
Documentation required:
• A copy of the Compensation Agreement.
k) Locked-in Retirement Account (LIRA), Life Income Fund (LIF), or a Locked-in Retirement Income Fund
(LRIF)
A student is not to report funds that are invested in a Locked-in Retirement Savings Account (i.e., Locked-in
Retirement Account (LIRA), a Life Income Fund (LIF), and/or a Locked-in Retirement Income Fund (LRIF)) as an
asset on the OSAP application. In addition, students who gain special access to money invested in any of these
accounts prior to the usual withdrawal age (e.g. age 55) are not to report the amount withdrawn on the OSAP
application. Exception: Once a student withdraws any money invested in these accounts as per the
fund's usual withdrawal age (e.g.; 55), he or she must report the amount withdrawn as income in the applicable
section of the student's OSAP application. Note: A locked-in retirement savings account is an account into which
an individual's pension benefit is transferred when the individual terminates their membership in a registered
pension plan. The money payable to the individual from this locked-in account can be used only to provide
retirement income and is therefore locked-in until the individual reaches the age of 55. In Ontario, there are three
types of locked-in accounts: Locked-in Retirement Accounts (LIRA), Life Income Funds (LIF), and Locked-in
Retirement Income Funds (LRIF).
Documentation required:
No documentation is required; student income will be verified through the Income Verification Process.
22
Bursaries and Scholarships for Current and Former Crown wards
Bursaries and/or scholarships received by current and former Crown wards from Children’s Aid Societies of
Ontario or other organizations and agencies where child welfare involvement is an eligibility criteria for the funding
may be treated like a merit-based scholarship, and are eligible for a maximum exemption of $3,500.
Documentation Required:
• A letter from the Children’s Aid Society or a court order providing proof that the individual was made a Crown
ward pursuant to a court order made under the Child and Family Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.11;
• Amount and source of the scholarship or bursary (e.g., a letter from the Children’s Aid Society identifying the
amount that the Society awarded the student); and
• If the scholarship or bursary is from a source other than a Children’s Aid Society or a Ken Dryden Scholarship,
confirmation from the source of the award that child welfare involvement is an eligibility criteria.
REVIEWS TO ADJUST EDUCATIONAL COSTS FOR MARRIED STUDENTS DURING THE STUDYPERIOD
a) Maintaining two residences
If a student lives away from his/her spouse during the period of study, he/she can claim additional living costs
related to the maintenance of the second residence. The amount allowed on review is equal to the shelter
allowance from the single student away from home living allowance and return transportation to the maximum
levels allowed single dependent students.
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student indicating that he/she is residing away from his/her spouse and the reasons why the
spouse did not relocate;
• documentation indicating the student's new address (e.g., rent receipt,telephone bill, or letter from lessor).
b) Additional local travel
Note: The standard assessment provides/includes $70/month for local travel. If the students actual expenses are
less than or equal to $70/month, a review will not be considered. If a married student maintains a residence in
his/her home community to ensure continuity for his/her children and commutes to a postsecondary institution
that is more than 40 km from the institution or more than one hour by public transit, then the student can claim
additional local transportation costs. For students using a vehicle to commute to and from their postsecondary
institution, costs incurred for car insurance and maintenance cannot be included for reviewpurposes. The
student can only claim travel expenses for the days that he/she has classes at the institution.
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student indicating the total weekly cost of local transportationincurred during the period of
study;
• a detailed description of the travel (e.g., home and post secondary institution marked on a map of the area);
• a copy of the student's course schedule which indicates days and times inschool.
c) Reassessments for Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Recipients
Married students in receipt of ODSP income support may contact the Student Awards Office to request a
reassessment to their OSAP file. Before arranging for a reassessment, the Student Awards Officemust obtain
written instructions from the student and/or spouse's ODSP caseworker confirming the total amount of OSAP
funding that the student can keep without affecting the family's ODSP income support. The amount confirmed by
the ODSP caseworker will be one of the following:
OSAP Allowable Educational Costs:
In most cases, the total amount of OSAP funding an O DSP recipient can keep will match the amount identified
as "OSAP Allowable Educational Costs" on the student's OSAP Assessment Summary Form.
Revised Allowable Educational Costs:
In some situations, where a student's actual direct education and transportation costs are higher than the
calculated OSAP Allowable Educational Costs, ODSP allows the student to keep a different amount. The ODSP
caseworker will provide a revised amount of allowable educational costs that the student is able to keep. The
revised amount cannot exceed the "Total Funding" on the student's OSAP assessment. If the amount confirmed
by the ODSP caseworker is less than the amount of "Total Funding" on the student's OSAP
Assessment/Reassessment form, a reassessment isrequired.
Documentation required:
• written documentation from the student and/or spouse’s ODSPcase worker verifying the total amount of OSAP
funding that the student can keep without affecting their ODSP family income support.
REVIEWS TO ADJUST MARRIED STUDENTS' STUDY PERIOD INCOME CONTRIBUTIONS
Exceptional expenses incurred and paid by the student and/or spouse during the period of study can be
deducted from income. As this review pertains specifically to the student'speriod of study, expenses to be
considered for the spouse must have been incurred within the student's 2008-2009 study period, regardless of
whether the student was assessed using the spouse's actual 2007 or his/her 2008 estimated income.
a) Full or part-time student loan payments and loan/grant/bursary overpayments paid during the period
of study
Student loan payments
-
A student and their spouse may claim the minimum required full or part-time government student loan payments
made during the period of study. Payments to private lenders, student loan programs cannot be considered
unless the individual has converted previously issued government-funded student loans to a private lender's
loan program. 23
Documentation required -- government loans:
• copy of any/all government student loan consolidation agreements between the student/spouse and the
financial institution or NSLSC; and
• a statement from the financial institution, NSLSC, collection agency orgovernment agency indicating the total
amount paid during the period of study and the minimum required payments.
Documentation required if student/spouse converted previously-issued government student loans to
private loans:
• a signed statement from the financial institution confirming that government funded student loans were
converted to a private lenders loan program. The financial institution's statement must indicate the total amount
of converted student loan, the date of conversion, and the amount of each loan payment attributed to the
previously-issued government student loan during the student's 2009-2010 period of study.
Loan/Grant/Bursary overpayments
A student and their spouse may claim the repayment of a loan overpayment as well as the repayment in full of a
grant/bursary overpayment against the study period income contribution if the repayment is made during the
student's period of study and as a result of the repayment, the student/spouse repays the loan overpayment
and/or grant/bursary overpayment in full.
Documentation required:
• Loan Overpayments:
•a copy of the receipt from the financial institution and/or NSLSC showing the date and the amount of the
payment.
• Grant/Bursary Overpayments:
• For grants/bursaries issued by Ontario, the student is to direct the repayment of funds to the ministry via the
Student Awards Office. The spouse of a student should be referred tothe collection agency holding his/her
account to make repayment arrangements. Once repayment in full by certified funds has been processed, a
receipt will be provided to the spouse which the student can submit to his/her Student Awards Office for
exceptional expense review consideration.
• For grants/bursaries issued by the federal government through the NSLSC, the student/spouse must submit a
copy of the receipt from the NSLSC to theStudent Awards Office showing the date and amount of payment.
b) Uninsured medical, dental and optical expenses paid during the period ofstudy
The amounts paid by a married couple for uninsured medical, dental and optical expenses can be used to
reduce the students study period income contribution providing the amounts paid were not covered by another
person, OHIP, an employee benefit plan or a private insurance plan. If the reimbursement plans do not provide
100% coverage, the amount of the uncovered balance can be considered. Acupuncture and holistic medications
are not allowable review expenses. HIV/AIDS-related and psychotropic medications can be considered as
uninsured medical expenses in the review process.
Documentation required:
• receipts from the physician, dentist or optometrist confirming dates and amounts of any payments made during
the period of study;
• a letter from the student indicating that the costs were not or will not be paid byanother person or claimed
against OHIP, an employee benefit plan or a private insurance plan.
c) Child/spousal support payments paid during the period of study
If the student and/or spouse of a student is paying child support to a non-dependent child (for OSAP purposes)
and/or is providing support to a former spouse, the payments can be deducted from the student's study period
income.
Documentation required:
• a copy of the separation/divorce agreement indicating that the student/spouse has a legal responsibility to
make payments to a child or former spouse;
• proof that the payments have been made (e.g., receipts, cancelled cheques or a signed statement from the
former spouse or custodial parent indicating thatthe payments were received). Documentation provided must
confirm the dates and the amount of support paid.
d) Legal fees paid during the period of study
A married couple can claim the value of legal fees paid during the student's period ofstudy. Legal fees that can
be considered include, but are not limited to, separation/divorce or criminal/civil cases. Legal fees that are not
permitted are those related to the purchase of a home and those related to the operation of the student's or
spouse's business. Amounts that have been billed but not yet paid cannot be claimed as exceptional expenses
Documentation required:
.
• an itemized statement from the student's and/or spouse's lawyer indicating the reason for the costs, date of
payments and amounts paid.
24
e) Essential house repairs paid during the period of study
Married students can use the cost of essential house repairs (i.e., repairs required for health and safety reasons
and are typically a one-time only expense and are not covered by an insurance plan) as a deduction against
their study period income. Essential house repairs do not include expenses related to the day-to-day
maintenance of the family home and cannot be for cosmetic reasons (e.g., paint, wallpaper, landscaping).
Documentation required:
• receipts itemizing expenses incurred, and the amount and dates of paymentsmade during the student's period
of study.
• a letter from the student describing the type and necessity of the repair; and
• a copy of the building permit/contract for the repairs (if applicable).
f) Care of dependent relatives during the period of study
Married students can claim as exceptional coststhe costs of care for elderly or infirm relatives living in Canada
(excluding children). The dependent relative must be livingin the student and spouse's household or in an
institution such as a nursing home. Themaximum allowable cost is $2,000 per relative per academic year, and
an overall maximum of $4,000 per family per academic year.
Documentation required:
• a signed statement from the student or spouse explaining the amount ofsupport given, the address of the
dependent relative, the reason for the support, and the relationship of the student or spouse to the relative.
• If the dependent relative does not reside in the family home -receipts from the nursing home or institution to
confirm expenses paid during the student's period of study.
• if the dependant resides in the family home -confirmation and supporting documentation of the costs incurred
and paid by the student and his/her spouse for the year prior to the start of the student's period of study and an
estimate of the costs to be incurred during the period of study.
g) Funeral costs paid during the period of study
Married students can claim the value of funeral costs incurred during the period of study which were not covered
by the deceased's estate, CPP - Death Benefits, other government agency, or other private insurance plan
benefits.
Documentation required:
• receipts from the funeral home to confirm the amount and dates of paymentsmade during the student's period
of study;
• a letter for the student outlining the balance of the cost not covered from other sources (if any);
• a statement from the estate's executor/executrix, CPP- Death Benefits, other government agency, and/or other
private insurance plans outlining the coststhat will be covered (if not included in the statement from the funeral
home).
h) Spouse's period of study education costs not funded by OSAP
A married student can claim the amount of tuition, ancillary fees and books andsupplies incurred for his/her
spouse's studies during the period of study. To be eligible for this review, the spouse's program of study must be
approved for financial assistance purposes and the spouse must not have received OSAP for the program of
study. The Student Awards Office should confirm that financial assistance through OSAP, any other
province/territory, or any other state or country was not provided for the spouse's program of study.
Documentation required:
• receipts or an itemized statement from the Registrar at the institution the spouse is attending as proof of costs
incurred and when paid;
• proof that the spouse's program was approved for financial assistance purposes from either the Student
Awards Office or the Registrar.
i) Spouse Working in the U.S. and Filing Taxes in Canada and the U.S.
If the spouse of a student is working in the U.S. and filing income taxes in Canada and the U.S., the spouse's
income tax liability to the U.S. may be considered as an exceptional expense to reduce the study period income
contribution. This review is available only to spouse's who have reported ac tual 2008 income for assessment
purposes.
Documentation required:
• Copy of the spouse's 2008 Notice of Assessment from Canada
• Copy of the spouse's 2008 Tax Return Transcript from the U.S.
• A letter from the student's spouse explaining their employment situation.
j) Student reported pain and suffering award as income
Pain and suffering awards, including WSIB Non-economic loss (NEL) awards, in amounts less than $100,000
are exempt from income. Any amount over $100,000 is payments are made for different incidents, the payments
related to each incident are exempt up to $100,000. considered to be income in the period it was received. If
Pain and suffering awards held that are in excess of $100,000 (per incidence) and which are not considered
income (as per criteria above), should be reported as assets on the student's OSAP application form.
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Documentation required:
• a copy of a letter from WSIB, legal court document, or payment stubsspecifying a pain and suffering or NEL
award, the amount(s) paid and the date(s) received.
k) Student and/or spouse in receipt of Indian Residential School (IRS)payments
Indian Residential School (IRS) payments should not be included in the calculation of the period of study income
contribution, as per Government of Canada.
Documentation required:
• The Government of Canada is finalizing program details. When supporting documentation requirements have
been finalized, this manual will be updated.
l) Student and/or spouse in receipt of Hepatitis C Compensation Payments
Hepatitis C Compensation Payments should not be included in the calculation of the period of study income
contribution, as per Government of Canada direction.
Documentation required:
• A copy of the Compensation Agreement.
m) Locked-in Retirement Account (LIRA), Life Income Fund (LIF), or a Locked in
Retirement Income Fund (LRIF)
A student and their spouse are not to report funds that are invested in a Locked-in Retirement Savings Account
(i.e., Locked-in Retirement Account (LIRA), a Life IncomeFund (LIF), and/or a Locked-in Retirement Income
Fund (LRIF)) as an asset on the OSAP application. In addition, a student/spouse who gains special access to
money invested in any of these accounts prior to the usual withdrawal age (e.g. age 55) are not to report the
amount withdrawal on the student's OSAP application.Exception: Once a student/spouse withdraws money from
these accounts, as per the fund's usual withdrawal age (e.g., 55), the withdrawal must be reported as income on
the applicable section of the student's OSAP application.
Note: A locked-in retirement savings account is an account into which an individual'spension benefit is
transferred when the individual terminates their membership in aregistered pension plan. The money payable to
the individual from this locked-in account can be used only to provide retirement income and is therefore locked-
in until the individual reaches the age of 55. In Ontario, there are three types of locked-in accounts: Locked-in
Retirement Accounts (LIRA), Life Income Funds (LIF), and Locked-in Retirement Income Funds (LRIF).
Documentation required:
No documentation is required; student and spousal income will be verified through the Income Verification Process
n) Student and Spouse Elect to Split Pension Income
An adjustment to a married student's period of study income contribution may be made if the student and his or
her spouse make a joint election to split pension income on their 2008 income tax returns
. ocumentation required:
D
• a copy of the student's and spouse's 2008 Notice of Assessment from Canada Revenue Agency.
Bursaries and Scholarships for Current and Former Crown wards
Bursaries and/or scholarships received by current and former Crown wards from Children’s Aid Societies of Ontario or
other organizations and agencies where child welfare involvement is an eligibility criteria for the funding may
be treated like a merit-based scholarship to be eligible for a maximum exemption of $3,500.
Documentation Required:
• A letter from the Children’s Aid Society or a court order providing proof that individual was made a Crown ward
pursuant to a court order made under the Child and Family Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.11;
• Amount and source of the scholarship or bursary (e.g., a letter from the Children’s Aid Society identifying the amount
that the Society awarded the student);
• If the scholarship or bursary is from a source other than a Children’s Aid Society or a Ken Dryden Scholarship,
confirmation from thesource of the award that child welfare involvement is an eligibility criteria.
REVIEWS TO ADJUST THE SPOUSAL STUDY PERIOD INCOMECONTRIBUTION
Where applicable, expenses and documentation must be based on the year for which the spouse's income was
reported to OSAP for assessment purposes.
a) Spouse is only able to obtain part-time employment
The spouse's minimum study period income contribution is based on the assumption that the spouse should be
able to work full-time for a minimum of 30.5 hours per week at $9.50 per hour. If the spouse was unable to find
full-time employment or worked in one or more part-time positions with total weekly hours of less than 30.5
hours, the Student Awards Office can adjust the total weekly hours worked to the actual number of weekly hours
worked. The spouse must provide documentation that demonstrates that he/she is actively pursuing full-time
employment opportunities.
Documentation required:
• a letter from the spouse's employer(s) indicating the number of weeks and the number of hours worked by the
spouse to date during the student's period of study;
-
• a letter from the spouse detailing why he/she was unable to work full time during the student's period of study;
• proof that a minimum of 10 applications to find full– time employment should have been made over the last
few months prior to the submission of the review. The documentation to provide that a job search was
undertaken must contain enough information for the Student Awards Office to verifydates, telephone numbers,
copies of resume, rejection letters, andinterview dates should be provided by the spouse.
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b) Adjusting the spousal minimum income contribution
There are a number of situations in which the spouse's minimum study period income contribution can be
adjusted to zero.
i) Spouse was unable to find employment
If the spouse has been unable to secure employment through a demonstrated "ongoing"
job search during the period of study, a review can be submitted. Documentation must demonstrate that the
spouse has been actively looking for all types of work and salary ranges to date.
Documentation required:
• A letter from the spouse indicating the reason they were unable to find employment for the student's period of
study;
• Proof of the spouse's participation in a community job search program (e.g.,Job Connect or other community
employment programs).
• A detailed job search history covering the duration of the student's period ofstudy to date. The details must
include contact information for each respective employer (full address, telephone number, name of contact
person, position applied for and date of application). A copy of the job seeker's resume, rejection letters and
dates of and contacts for interviews are also part of a job search history. In addition, the job search history
should be for a time period that covers the last few months prior to the submission of the review as well as a
sufficient portion of the period of study in order to demonstrate the spouse's "on-going" efforts to obtain
employment. In lieu of a detailed job search history, the spouse can provide official proof of registration with an
employment agency. In this situation, the employment agency should confirm that the spouse has been (and
continues to be) registered and seeking employment during the student's period of study. The date of
registration must also be confirmed.
ii) Spouse was temporarily ill and unable to work for all or part of the period of study
Documentation Required:
• a letter from the spouse indicating the reason that he/she was unable to work and the period of time that
he/she was unable to work;
• documentation from a physician outlining the nature of the illness, the care required, and the period of time
during which the student and/or spouse wasunable to work; and
• a copy of the Record of Employment issued by the spouse's employer showing reason for separation as Code
"D" (illness or injury) or a letter of approval from Service Canada indicating the spouse is in receipt of
Employment Insurance sickness benefits and the number of weeks ofentitlement (if applicable).
iii) Spouse was incarcerated during the period of study
Documentation Required:
• written confirmation from a corrections official outlining the dates of incarceration.
iv) Spouse was sponsored by Sports Canada and was in the pre-Olympic year training for the Olympic
Games
Documentation required:
• written confirmation from Sports Canada of the time period that the spouse participated full -time in training for
the Olympic Games.
v) Spouse could not work during the period of study due to a disability
Documentation required:
• a medical certificate to substantiate both the disability and the individual's inability to work because of the
disability.
vi) Spouse stayed at home to care for child(ren) 12 months of age oryounger during the period of study
Documentation required:
• a letter from the spouse indicating the reason that he/she was unable to work during the entire period of study;
• proof of child's date of birth (e.g., birth certificate or statement of live birth)
i
vii) Spouse stayed at home to care for children with disabilties or children who have a chronic or life-
threatening illness during the period of study
Documentation required:
• a letter from the spouse indicating the reason that he/she was unable to work during the entire period of study;
• a letter from the family physician indicating the nature of the child(ren)'sillness or disability and the nature of
the daily care required.
viii) Spouse is attending high school on a full- time basis (60% or more of a course load) during the
applicant's period of study
Documentation required:
• a signed statement from the high school confirming dates of study and percentage course load
.
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ix) Spouse is not legally entitled to work in Canada
Documentation required:
• a letter from the spouse explaining why he/she is not legally entitled to workin Canada;
• written confirmation from Citizen and Immigration Canada that the spouse will not be legally entitled to work in
Canada during the student's current period of study.
x) Spouse enrolled in and attending an English/French as a Second Language during the student's
period of study
Documentation required:
• signed statement from the institution the spouse is attending confirming thathe/she is enrolled in and attending
ESL/FSL training on a full-time basis (i.e., minimum of 20 hours per week) during the student's period of study.
The confirmation must include the spouse's period of study start and end dates and number of hours per day
and per week that the spouse is in class.
c) Spouse reported pain and suffering award as income
Pain and suffering awards, including WSIB Non-economic loss (NEL) awards, in amounts less than $100,000
are exempt from income. Any amount over $100,000 isconsidered to be income in the period it was received. If
payments are made for different incidents, the payments related to each incident are exempt up to $100,000.
Pain and suffering awards held that are in excess of $100,000 (per incidence) and which are not considered
income (as per criteria above), should be reported as assets on the student's OSAP application form.
Documentation required:
• a copy of a letter from WSIB, legal court document, or payment stubsspecifying a pain and suffering or NEL
award, the amount(s) paid and the date(s) received.
Spouse in receipt of Indian Residential School (IRS) payments
Indian Residential School (IRS) payments should not be included in the calculation of the study period income
contribution, as per Government of Canada direction.
Documentation required:
• The Government of Canada is finalizing program details. When supporting documentation requirements have
been finalized, this manual will be updated.
e) Spouse in receipt of Hepatitis C Compensation Payments
Hepatitis C Compensation Payments should not be included in the calculation of the study period income
contribution, as per Government of Canada direction.
Documentation required:
• A copy of the Compensation Agreement.
f) Locked-in Retirement Account (LIRA), Life Income Fund (LIF), or a Locked in Retirement Income
Fund (LRIF)
A student 's spouse is not to report funds that are invested in a Locked-in Retirement Savings Account (i.e.,
Locked-in Retirement Account (LIRA), a Life Income Fund (LIF), and/or a Locked-in Retirement Income Fund
(LRIF)) as an asset on the OSAP application. In addition, if the spouse gains special access to money invested
in any of these accounts prior to the usual withdrawal age (e.g. age 55), he or she is not to report the amount
withdrawn on the student's OSAP application. Exception: Once a spouse withdraws money from these accounts,
as per the fund's usual withdrawal age (e.g., 55), the withdrawal must be reported as income on the student's
OSAP application. Note: A locked-in retirement savings account is an account into which an individual'spension
benefit is transferred when the individual terminates their membership in a registered pension plan. The money
payable to the individual from this locked-in account can be used only to provide retirement income and is
therefore locked-in until the individual reaches the age of 55. In Ontario, there are three types of locked-in
accounts: Locked-in Retirement Accounts (LIRA), Life Income Funds (LIF), and Locked-in Retirement Income
Funds (LRIF).
Documentation required:
No documentation is required; spousal income change will be verified through the Income Verification Process.
g) Student and Spouse Elect to Split Pension Income
An adjustment may be made to a spousal study period income contribution if the student and his or her spouse
make a joint election to split pension income on their2008 income tax returns.
Documentation required:
• a copy of the student's and spouse's 2008 Notice of Assessment fromCanada Revenue Agency.
JOINT CUSTODY
Single independent students can be assessed as sole-support parents for the entire period of study if they have
joint custody of their child(ren) with their former spouse and the children reside with the applicant for a minimum
of 50% of the period of study. If the formal custody agreement indicates that the student has custody, but the
child(ren) do not reside with the applicant for a minimum of 50% of the period of study, the review cannot be
considered. A student with visitation rights only will be considered a single independent student during the period
of study. If the children are not living with the student during the pre-study or period of study, he or she can
initiate an exceptional expense review based on the amount of any child support payments he/she has made.
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Documentation required:
• A copy of the separation/divorce agreement, custody agreement or court orderwhich specifies that the student
will have custody for 50% or more of the period of study. An update from the student's lawyer is required if the
agreement differs from the current living arrangements. If the student andformer spouse did not legally update
the custody/living arrangements, then a signed statement from the former spouse is required.
• A letter from the applicant detailing the joint residence agreement during the pre-study period and the period of
study. The amount of support received from the former spouse during the time the child(ren) reside with the
applicant must also be listed in the statement.
LEGAL GUARDIANSHIP REVIEW
For OSAP purposes, a Legal Guardian means a person with whom a dependent student resides or who is
financially supporting the student in a parent-like relationship, but where the individual is not the student's parent,
step-parent, or sponsor. Court-appointed legal guardians do not always have an obligation to provide financial
support and may instead have a more limited role of administering the student's financial affairs until he or she
reaches the age of majority (in some cases this service is provided in return forremuneration), or in cases where
a support obligation exists, these obligations may end when the student reaches the age of majority (18).If a
Legal Guardian demonstrates that he or she does not live with and/or financially support the dependent student,
but is simply administering the student's financial affairs, the student, even if he or she is dependent as defined
by OSAP, should be reassessed as an independent student. If a Legal Guardian has an obligation to financially
support the student that is set out in a court order, but the obligation ends when the student reaches the age of
majority, the student, even if he or she is dependent as defined by OSAP, should be reassessed as an
independent student upon reaching the age of majority.
Documentation required:
• a detailed letter from the Legal Guardian outlining his/her relationship with the student and identifying whether
he/she is living with or financially supporting the student; or
• if applicable, a copy of the court order specifying that the legal guardian is not legally required to continue to
financially support the student beyond the age of majority.
REVIEWS TO STUDENT'S AND SPOUSE'S ASSET CONTRIBUTION
a) Reviews to adjust the vehicle asset exemption level
In the following situations, the asset exemption level for the total current gross market value of all owned or
leased vehicles can be increased from the standard exemptionlevel of $5,000 to $10,000.
i) Public transit is not available from the student's home to the postsecondary institution
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student outlining his/her transportation requirements.
ii) Public transit is more than one-hour's travel from the student's home to the postsecondary institution
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student outlining his/her transportation requirements.
iii) Public transit is not available for the employed spouse of a marriedstudent from his/her home to
place of employment
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student outlining the spouse's transportation requirements;
• confirmation of the location of the spouse's place of employment.
iv) Public transit is more than one-hour's travel from the employed spouse of a married student's home
to place of employment.
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student outlining the spouse's transportation requirements;
• confirmation of the location of the spouse's place of employment.
v) Access to a vehicle is required to fulfill the requirements of thestudent's program of studies (e.g.,
work placements) and no public transit is available between the student's home and the work
placement(s)
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student outlining his/her transportation requirements;
• confirmation of program of study requirements.
vi) Access to a vehicle is required to fulfill the requirements of a student'sprogram of studies (e.g., work
placements) and the use of public transitis more than one hour from student's home to the work
placement(s).
29
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student outlining his/her transportation requirements;
• proof of location(s) (e.g., a map) and the distance between them
vii) Spouse's employment requires access to a vehicle:
Documentation required:
• a letter from spouse's employer indicating the requirement of a vehicle for employment purposes
v
. iii) A single dependent or independent student resides at home and requires access to a vehicle in
order to commute to the institution
Documentation required:
• a letter from the student outlining his or her transportation requirements.
ix) A vehicle is required by a sole-support parent or married student to transport their dependent
children (e.g., under the age of 12) to andfrom a child care provider
Documentation required:
• a letter from student outlining his or her transportation requirements;
• proof of child care arrangement including name and address of provider.
x) The vehicle is owned or leased by a student with disabilities or a spouse with disabilities of a married
student
Documentation required:
• confirmation of student's or spouse's permanent disability consistent with OSAP's definition of a permanent
disability.
b) Adjustment to the vehicle's current gross market value
A student can request to have the value of his or her vehicle(s) or those of his or her spouse as stated on the
application adjusted if:
• the information provided on the application form is an over-evaluation of thev ehicle's value;
• the Ministry has been unable to verify the vehicle's value and has sent the student a letter (Notice of Vehicle
Verification) to indicate that the student must document the value of a specific vehicle; or
• the Ministry has verified the vehicle’s value with the Minsitry of Transportation for Ontario (MTO) and the
value provided by MTO is an over-evaluation of the vehicle value due to severe damage or excessive wear.
Documentation required:
• A letter of explanation from the student which identifies the vehicle (year, make, licence plate number) for
which a revised value is being provided;
• A written and signed independent vehicle appraisal. An independent appraisal provides current gross market
value
Note: If a student requests that the MTO value be adjusted downwards, the student must provide an appraisal
report that clearly specifies why the vehicle’s value is lower than the MTO value; depreciation is not acceptable as a
reason to adjust the MTO value. Appraisals from dealers that provide a trade-in value or wholesale value are not
acceptable as independent appraisals. The appraisal must be dated on or after the asset valuation date (i.e. 16
weeks prior to the start of the student's period of study).
i) Vehicles which have been modified to accommodate a disability
If a student or spouse owns or leases a vehicle which has been modified to accommodate a disability (e.g.,
electronic ramp), then the market value of thevehicle is not considered when calculating an asset contribution
on the student's OSAP application.
Documentation required:
• a letter outlining the nature of the modification made to the vehicle;
• the student or the spouse must self-identify as being permanently disabled;
• a medical certificate.
c) Adjustment to the vehicle's ownership
Applicants are required to list any vehicles for which the ownership is in their name (or
their spouse's name, if applicable) as of the asset valuation date. This includesvehicles that the applicant or
spouse have leased through a leasing company. The Ministry will consider removing a vehicle from the OSAP
application form under the following conditions:
i) The vehicle has been sold.
If a student and/or spouse sells the vehicle prior to the review deadline (i.e., eight weeks before the end of
his/her period of study), the value of the vehicle can bedeleted for financial need assessment purposes,
provided that the vehicle was sold for a reasonable market price and the proceeds of the sale are reflected on
the application as other assets. The student must demonstrate that the change in ownership resulted from an
arm's length market transaction. Ownership transfers to family members will not be considered. (For OSAP
purposes, family members are defined as parents, children, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, in- laws, and
cousins.)
Example:
Gross market value (as of the asset validation date): $10,000
Sale price of vehicle: $9,000
Amount owing on vehicle at date of sale: $8,000
Net proceeds of sale (sale price less amount owing): $1,000 30
Documentation required:
• A letter from the student explaining when the vehicle was sold, including whether or not this transaction
involved an immediate family member. The student must confirm that they have consulted with the Ministry of
Transportation (MTO) and that they have had the records at MTO updated.
• Documentation to confirm any debts repaid from proceeds of the sale of thevehicle. Debt must be directly
related to financing the initial purchase of the same vehicle.
ii) Termination of lease
If a student and/or spouse terminate the lease of a vehicle after the asset valuation date and prior to the review
deadline (i.e., eight weeks before the end of his/her period of study), the value of the vehicle can be deleted for
need assessment purposes. Where the lease termination results in a net increase in the student/spouse's
financial assets, the new value of financial assets must also be reported for assessment purposes. The student
must demonstrate that the change in ownership resulted from an arm's length market transaction. For example,
if the student/spouse makes arrangements to transfer the vehicle lease from his/her name to the name of a direct
family member, the value of the vehicle will not be deleted. (For OSAP purposes, family members are defined as parents,
children, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, in- laws and cousins.
Documentation requirements:
• A letter from the student explaining when the lease was terminated, including whether or not this transaction
involved an immediate family member. Student must confirm that they have consulted with MTO and have had
the records at MTO updated.
• Documentation from the vehicle leasing company confirming the net cost of the lease termination
i
.ii) A vehicle has been listed twice due to a licence plate error.
The licence plate information is a factor in matching information from MTO. If the student did not report the
licence plate information accurately, then the results from MTO would yield a vehicle listed by the student and
the same vehicle (under a different plate number)listed by MTO.
Documentation requirements:
• A letter of explanation from the student. The letter must include details with respect to make and model, year
and current market value of the vehicle.
• A copy of vehicle registration.
iv) Termination of vehicle lease after the asset validation date
If a student and/or spouse terminates the lease of vehicle after the asset validation date and prior to the review
deadline (i.e., eight weeks before the end of his/her period of study), the value of the vehicle can be deleted for
need assessment purposes. If, however, the lease termination results in a net increase in the student's/spouse's
financial assets, the new value of financial assets must also be reported for assessment purposes
. ocumentation required:
D
• documentation from the vehicle leasing company confirming the net cost of the lease termination
. ) MTO Error
v
If the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) incorrectly attributes a vehicle(s) to a student and/or spouse, then the
value of that vehicle can be deleted for financial need assessment purposes
. ocumentation required:
D
• student and/or spouse must provide proof that the records at MTO have been updated.
d) Reviews to adjust the contribution from RRSPs
i) RRSP loans taken out to purchase an RRSP
RRSP loans taken out to purchase RRSPs can be used to reduce the value of the RRSPs used in the student's
need assessment. When adjusting the value of RRSPs to be used in the need assessment, the RRSPs
purchased by the student/spouse and the outstanding RRSP loan must be valued as at the asset valuation date.
Documentation Required:
• letter of explanation from student;
• Signed and dated statement from the student's/spouse's financial institution/investment broker/investment
company stating the amount of the RRSP loan outstanding as of the asset valuation date
.i) Taxes on RRSP withdrawals
i
If a student/spouse reports the gross value of RRSPs withdrawn without taking into account the tax
implications/hold-back for the withdrawal, the value of the RRSPs used in the need assessment can be reduced
by the amount of tax the student/spouse would be required to pay for withdrawing the RRSPs.
Documentation Required:
• Signed and dated statement from the student's/spouse's financial institution/investment broker/investment
company indicating the value of the RRSP after taxes have been deducted.
31
e) Reviews to adjust the contribution from other assets
i) Pain and suffering awards
Pain and suffering awards, including WSIB Non-economic loss (NEL) awards, in amounts less than $100,000
are exempt from assets. Any amount over $100,000 is considered an asset. If payments are made for different
incidents, the payments related to each incident are exempt up to $100,000.
Documentation required:
• a copy of a letter from WSIB, legal court document, or payment stubs specifying a pain and suffering or NEL
award, the amount(s) paid and the date(s) received.
ii) Other Assets for Students with Disabilities
An adjustment to the expected contribution from Other Assets can be considered if:
• The applicant has self-identified as a student with a permanent disability; or
• A student has a dependent child with a permanent disability; or
• A student's spouse has a permanent disability.
iii) Funding from an In-Trust Account
An in-trust account is an "informal trust" set up with a financial institution to invest funds for a minor (the
"beneficiary"). A donor contributes to the plan for the beneficiary. The trustee (who can be different from the
donor) manages the investments in the account and acts on behalf of the beneficiary until the beneficiary
reaches the age of majority. The assets belong beneficially to the child and must generally be held for the child
until the age of majority. As outlined below, money held in or withdrawn from a student's In-Trust Account may or
may not be considered an asset or income when assessing the financial need.
In-Trust Accounts as Income
Withdrawals from an In-Trust Account in the current period of study that are made by the student or by the
account's trustee and transferred to the student must be reported as either pre-study or study period income on
the OSAP application, depending on when the amount was withdrawn.
In-Trust Accounts as Assets
An In-Trust Account is considered an asset only if the student has access to the funds during the current period
of study but has chosen not to withdraw the moneyto help fund their postsecondary studies. The value of the
asset must reflect the amount of funding available to the student in the current year that has not been withdrawn.
For example, if a Trust is valued at $5,000 but as per the conditions of the account the student can only access
$1,000 per year, then only $1,000 can be considered an asset. As described above, any amount the student
withdraws is considered income. If ANY of the following is true, then an In-Trust Account is exempt:
• The trustee of the account or the student cannot access the account for any reason until the student reaches a
specified age (i.e., student/trustee cannot withdraw funds during current period of study); or
• The student will not come of age during the current period of study, and the trustee has refused to exercise
discretion to remove funds from the account for the student's use; or
• The conditions attached to the account explicitly state that the funds are not to be used for postsecondary
studies.
Documentation required:
• A copy of the documentation used to determine the conditions under which the student and/or the trustee have
access to the funds; • A letter signed and dated by thestudent indicating that he/she contacted the trustee to
disburse the funding; and
• A letter signed and dated by the trustee indicating refusal to disburse any funds to the student during his/her
current period of study, if applicable, or indicating the total amount that was or will be disbursed to the student
during the current period of study.
ELIGIBILITY REVIEW – LOAN OVERPAYMENTS
When a student has negotiated loans in excess of his/her OSAP entitlement in two or more academic years, he
or she is ineligible for further funding until the repayable overpayment(s) is paid in full, or repayment of the
overaward is waived for one year due to financial hardship.
a) Repayment in Full
The student is required to repay all outstanding loan overpayments in full (with the exception of the loan
overpayment relating to the first overaward) to the financialinstitution and/or the NSLSC currently holding the
student loan(s). It is important to recognize that OSAPentitlements are updated for a number of reasons once
the academic year has ended. The amount of loan overpayment mayincrease or decrease as information
changes. The amount of loan overpayment owing by the student will reflect current information on file. Therefore,
if a prior payment(s) is less than the current balance owing, the student is ineligible until the loan overpayment
has been addressed in full.
Documentation required:
• The student must provide a copy of the receipt from the financial institution and/or NSLSC showing the date
and amount of payment.
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b) Hardship review (overpayments from prior years)
The Student Awards Office may waive the collection of a prior year's loan overpayment(s) in the currentyear
(i.e., 2009-2010 loan year) so that the student can apply for funding if the loan overpayment was due to
exceptional circumstances and if repayment of the overpayment would involve financial hardship. Note: Students
who have one or more loan overpayments generated through the student income verification process (both
payable and non-payable) cannot be considered for a hardship review. In conducting a hardship review,
consideration should be given to factors including:
• the student's ability to repay the loan overpayment; and
• whether circumstances outside the student's control led to the overpayments .
For example:
• student's course-load was reduced in-year for medical reasons;
• student withdrew from one or more courses due to a sick child;
• student was involved in a family crisis that led to the withdrawal or reduction in course load;
• the student's parent(s) underreported parental income and after incomeverification student was put in an
overpayment situation;
• as a result of income verification, it was determined that the student's spouse under-reported their income on
the student's OSAP application.
Documentation required:
• The student is required to provide the Student Awards Office with a letter of explanation and any relevant
supporting documentation (as deemed necessary by the Student Awards Office.)
ACADEMIC PROGRESS
All decisions regarding academic progress and OSAP eligibility are the responsibility of the Student Awards
Office. Students are required to satisfactorily complete the academic requirements of their program of study to
continue to be eligible for financial assistance. Inherent in this requirement is that a student will achieve passing
grades, as defined by the institution, in the minimum required course load:
• For OSAP purposes, the minimum required course load in which a student must be enrolled is at least 60% of
what the institution considers to be a full course load.
• For students with disabilities, the minimum required course load in which a student must be enrolled is at least
40% of what the institution considers to be a full course load.Students are expected to progress through the
different years of the program of study or if the program is only one-year in length and geared to employment,
the student is expected to complete the program and move into the workforce. Frequent or multiple program
switches, drops, withdrawals, and/or multiple repeats of a program, which are funded by OSAP, also may be
considered lack of progress and lack of academic direction on the part of the student. All terms of study,
including summer, must be monitored.
Academic Probation (Code 36)
Once the Student Awards Office is aware that a student is not maintaining satisfactory academic progress, the
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universitiesmust notify the student in writing of conditions that must be met in
order for the student to continue to be eligible for financial assistance in the future. The student must be
informed that while remaining eligible for OSAP in the next study period (i.e., next normal school year for the
student’s program of study),the student also will be placed on academic probation in the next study period. The
student will be required to complete the academic requirements for the probationary period of study to remain
eligible for OSAP in subsequent loan years. When an academic warning is issued, the Student Awards Office
is required to place an academic probation warning on the student's file.
a) Review required to release funds after probationary period of study
If an application is submitted for processing where there is an academic warning on the student's file and the
student has completed the probationary period of study, an assessment will be generated, but no funds will be
issued until the Student Awards Office has had the opportunity to review the application and determine whether
the student has completed the academic requirements of the probationary period (e.i., normal school year for the
student's program of study).
Documentation requirements:
• A copy of his/her transcripts relating to the probationary period. If grades are not available, the student must
provide written confirmation from his/her instructors verifying that he/she has successfully completed the
requirements for each course.
• A letter of explanation from the student relating to current academic objectives;
Exceptions: The Student Awards Office has the discretion to extend the probationary period where the Student
Awards Office is satisfied that the student has not met the academic requirements of the probationary period due
to reasons beyond the student's control (e.g. medicalconditions, family crisis). The student must provide a
written explanation along with any relevant documentation to support the claim. In the case of students with
disabilities who have failed to meet the academic requirements of the probationary period, theStudent Awards
Office may exercise discretion in establishing the terms and conditions necessary for the student to be eligible
for further OSAP funding. In doing so, the individual circumstances of the studentmay be taken into
33
consideration. The first instance in which an academic warning is upgraded to a full academic restriction is to be
deemed a 2nd failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress. The student is to be restricted from further
OSAP funding for 1 year of study (i.e., 1 normalschool year for his/her program of study, as determined by the
institution). If student has previously had a full academic restriction downgraded to an academic warning,
he/she would be subject to a longer restriction if s/he fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress on a
subsequent occasion. The period of restriction would depend on the instance of failure to maintain satisfactory
academic progress. For example:
1st instance - Warning Code 36
2nd instance - One-year restriction Code 65
3rd instance - Three-year restriction Code 65
4th instance - Five-year restriction Code 65
5th instance - All provincial funding repaid. Code 65
No time restriction (i.e., 5 years) applies at this level.
b) Reviews for students requesting further funding who are restricted from receiving further OSAP
funding under full academic restriction
The Student Awards Office can review situations where the student is requesting further funding and he/she is
restricted from receiving further OSAP funding for afull academic restriction. Once the student has been
identified as having a full academic restriction, the Student Awards Officeis expected to review a request for
further funding with due diligence. The student must demonstrate a very strong commitment to his/her studies in
order to be approved for further OSAP funding. There are two categories of reviews for students requesting
further OSAP funding who are restricted due to a full academic restriction:
• Students who self-fund during a period of OSAP full academic restriction; and
• Students who do not self-fund during a period of OSAP full academic restriction.
Students Who Self-Fund
For students who self-fund during an academic progress restriction, further OSAP funding will only be
considered if:
• The student demonstrates a clear academic/career objective (i.e., develops an education plan and maintains
f
satisfactory academic progress during the period of self-unding); and
• The student has maintained existing Canada and Ontario Student Loans and/or Canada-Ontario Integrated
Student Loans in good standing;
Documentation requirements:
• A copy of his/her transcripts relating to the relevant period(s) of study. If grades are not available, the student
must provide written confirmation from his/her instructors verifying that he/she has successfully completed the
requirements for each course in which he/she was enrolled during the restriction.
• A letter of explanation from the student relating to:
• current academic objectives;
• confirmation that existing student loans are in good standing;
• details as to how student self-funded for two terms of study;
Students Who Do Not Self-Fund
When a student who has not self-funded requests that their OSAP eligibility be reinstated, the Student
Awards Office must first determine when the restriction was placed on the student's file and the duration of the
restriction. As an example, a student restricted for one year during the August to December, 2008 term/
semester due to the 2nd failure to make academic progress would be eligible for additional funding on or
after January 1, 2010. If the student's restriction has ended as of the start of the current period of study, the
Student Awards Office may consider reinstating OSAP funding if:
• The student demonstrates a clear academic/career objective (i.e., education plan); and
• The student has maintained existing student loans Canada and OntarioStudent Loans in good standing;
Length of Earliest Reinstatement
Last Term Funded Instance Restriction of Eligibility
August - December 2008 2nd 1 Year January 1, 2010
January - April 2008 2nd 1 Year May 1, 2009
May - July 2008 2nd 1 Year August 1, 2009
August - December 2008 3rd 3 Years January 1, 2012
January - April 2008 3rd 3 Years May 1, 2011
May - July 2008 3rd 3 Years August 1, 2011
Note: The above methodology would be extended out for a five-year restriction.
Documentation requirements
• A letter of explanation from the student relating to:
• current academic objectives;
• confirmation that existing student loans are in good standing.
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ONTARIO DISTANCE GRANTS
Starting in 2009-10, only OSAP eligible students will be considered for Ontario Distance Grants.
Commuting Grant (valued at $500 per term.)
The Commuting Grant is provided to OSAP eligible students who are commuting from a permanent address
80 kilometers or more one-way from the publicly-assisted Ontario college or university they are attending and
there is no nearer institution of that type. The following student groups are eligible for this grant:
• dependent and independent students, provided they are living at home with their parents during the period of
study; and,
• married students, students in common-law relationships, and sole-support parents.
Travel Grant, (valued at $300 per academic year)
This grant is provided to OSAP eligible single dependent students who are living away from their parents'
home during the study period and the student's permanent address is 80 kilometers or more from the
nearest publicly-assisted Ontario postsecondary institution of the type the student is attending (i.e., 80
kilometers from a college if a college student, 80 kilometers from a university if a university student).
The following student group is eligible for this grant:
• dependent students.
Distance Calculation:
The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universitieswill identify qualifying Ontario Distance Grant recipients
through the OSAP application assessment process based on a calculation of thelinear distance between the
student's home postal code and the postal code of the financial aid office of the institution that the student is
,
attending. If the linear distance is greater than 60 kilometers and there is no institution of the same type nearer
than 60 kilometers, the individual is considered for a distance grant. A linear distance of 60 kilometers is used in
the calculation to approximate a driving distance of 80kilometers.
a) Reviews for Ontario Distance Grants
There are no reviews for situations such as the following:
• Student chooses to attend an institution that is more than 80 kilometersaway from home when there is an
institution of the same type within 80 kilometers from home;
• Student chooses to attend an institution more than 80 kilometersfrom home because he or she was not
accepted in a program of choice at an institutionless than 80 kilometers from home;
• Student lives less than 80 kilometersfrom a postsecondary institution of the type the student is attending, but
has chosen a program that is not offered atthat institution, except in the case of students who are continuing
their education in French at bilingual or French language institutions
• Student's permanent address or parent's home address changes during the period of study;
• Driving route is less than 80 kilometers but route of public transportation (e.g., bus) is indirect and greater than
80 kilometers.
i) Reviews for students who have been calculated to be commuting more than 250 kilometers
If the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities distance calculation determines that a student is commuting
more than 250 kilometers one way, the student will be issued a ministry-generated paragraph on the Notice of
Assessment or Notice of Reassessment explaining that the Ministry has determined that it is unlikely that the
student is traveling daily to the institution for the purpose of the Ontario Distance Grant– Commuting, and as a
result, the student has not been assessed for the grant.Additionally, if the student is commuting this distance
daily, the student is advised to contact their Student Awards Office to initiate a review to prove that he or she
meets the Ontario Distance Grant – Commuting criteria.
An invalid commuting distance of more than 250 kilometersmay be calculated, for example, in situations where
the distance calculation is based on the main campusof a college or university and the student is attending a
satellite campus that is nearer to home. While it is unlikely that a student would be commutingmore than 250
kilometers one-way to attend postsecondary studies, students who are found through thereview to be
commuting at least 80 kilometers are eligible for the Commuting Grant. The Student Awards Office is required to
confirm the actual driving distance between the student's home address and the address of the postsecondary
institution campus that the student is attending.
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Documentation required:
If the commuting distance is confirmed to be greater than 250 kilometers :
• For married students and sole-support parents, a letter from the student attesting to the fact that he or she is
commuting that distance;
• For single students, a letter from the student and the students parentsattesting to the fact that he or she is
commuting that distance and is living at home with his or her parents during the period of study.
• Documentation that proves that the student is commuting 80kilometers or more (i.e. a postal code to postal
code check on Google maps).
ii) Reviews for students attending bilingual or French languagepostsecondary institutions
Students pursuing their education in French and attending a bilingual or French language institution may be
considered for the commuting or travel grant if thefollowing conditions apply:
• The student's permanent address is more than 80 kilometersfrom the nearest bilingual or French language
institution of the same type being attended (college vs. college and university vs. university);
• For the travel grant, the student must be a dependent student living awayfrom home during the period of
study;
• For the commuting grant, the single dependent or independent student must be living at home with his or her
parents during the period of study.
iii) Reviews for students who are commuting or travelling more than 80 kilometersbut distance
calculation determines the distance is less than 80kilometers.
There may be situations where the distance calculator used in the assessment process miscalculates a distance
and does not identify a driving distance that ismore than 80 kilometers one-way between student's home
address and the nearest postsecondary institution of the type the student is attending.
• For the travel grant, the student must be a dependent student living awayfrom home during the period of
study;
• For the commuting grant, the single dependent or independent student must be living at home with his or her
parents during the period of study.
The Student Awards Office must confirm the driving distance from the student's home address to the
postsecondary institution that the student isattending, and confirm that there is no institution of the type the
student is attending within 80 kilometersfrom the student's home.
iv) OSAP eligible Single dependent student moves away from home to attend postsecondary studies but
gave a local address as permanent address on OSAP application
While dependent students are expected to report their parent's home address astheir permanent address, some
dependent students may provide their local address on their OSAP application form. To consider these students
for an Ontario Distance Grant – Travel, the Student Awards Office must confirm the following:
• Parents' home address;
• Driving distance from parent's home address to the nearest postsecondary institution of the type the student is
attending.
• Driving distance from parent's home address to the postsecondary institution the student is attending
. ocumentation Required
D
• A letter from the student and the student's parents confirming the parents' address.
• Documentation that proves that the student is commuting 80 kilometers or more (i.e., a postal code to postal
code check on Google Maps).
v) Single dependent student who is commuting more than 80 kilometersis not living at home due to
family breakdown.
The Student Awards Office must confirm the following:
• There is no postsecondary institution of the type the student is attending within 80 kilometersof the student's
permanent address;
• The student is eligible for a family breakdown review.
BANKRUPTCY AND RELATED EVENTS REVIEWS
A student's OSAP eligibility is affected if a student:
• files for bankruptcy under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada) (BIA);
• makes a consumer proposal under the BIA that is approved or deemed to be approved by a court under that
Act;
• obtains a consolidation order (Orderly Payment of Debts program) made underPart X of the BIA; or
• files a document seeking relief for the orderly payment of debts pursuant to provincial or territorial legislation.
If a student files for Bankruptcy, makes a consumer proposal, obtains a consolidation order, or seeks relief for
the orderly payment of debts, then under review, he or she may be eligible for further financial assistance
through OSAP if all eligibility requirements are met, including the specific criteria set out in this section, and if the
required supporting documentation is provided. Note: A Bankruptcy, a consumer proposal, a consolidation order,
36
or an orderly payment of debts may or may not cause the student to fail the credit check; credit check failures
cannot be addressed through the reviews set out in the this section,
a) Bankruptcy
It should be noted that the effective date of a bankruptcy does not always match the date placed on a student's
OSAP file. The effective date of the bankruptcy is the date included in the bankruptcy-related documents
provided by the student as supporting documentation and not the date placed on the student's OSAP file.
i) Students who did not receive student loans prior to the date they filed for Bankruptcy
• If the student is a discharged bankrupt, he or she does not need to provide any supporting documentation in
order for their OSAP application to be processed.
• If the student is an undischarged bankrupt, the student's OSAP application will not be processed until the
student provides documentation from their trustee indicating the date the student filed for Bankruptcy and that
the following two conditions have been or will be met:
1) neither Ontario nor Canada is a creditor in the Bankruptcy as a result offinancial assistance given to the
student through OSAP; and
2) no financial assistance given to the student through OSAP during the 2009-2010 OSAP year will be seized to
repay any creditor(s) listed in the Bankruptcy.
Documentation required:
• A letter from the student's Trustee in Bankruptcy confirming the date the student filed for Bankruptcy, that
neither Ontario nor Canada is a creditor in the Bankruptcy as a result of financial assstance given to the student
s
through OSAP, and that none of the financial assi tance issued to the student for the 2009-2010 loan year will
i
be seized to pay any creditor(s) listed in the Bankruptcy.
ii) Students who received student loans prior to the date they filed forBankruptcies Filed Prior to May
11, 2004
• If the student is a discharged bankrupt, the student's OSAP application will not be processed until the student
provides proof that they have no outstanding balance on any student loans;or if the student has been released
from their obligation to repay their student loans by reason of a court-ordered absolute order of discharge which
states that section 178(1)(g) of the BIA no longer applies to the student debt, the student must provide proof that
the order of discharge was made and that three calendar years have elapsed since the day the order was made.
Documentation required:
• A copy of the Notice of Bankruptcy.
• A letter from the student's financial institution, the National Student LoansService Centre, and/or the student's
collection agency confirming that there is no outstanding balance on any student loans issued to the student.
• A copy of the court-ordered absolute order of discharge releasing the bankrupt from their student loan debt.
• If the student is an undischarged bankrupt, the student's OSAP application will not be processed until:
1) he or she provides proof that there is no outstanding balance on any of their student loans or if the student
;
has been released from their obligation to repay their student loans by reason of a court-ordered absolute order
of discharge which states that section 178(1)(g) of the BIA no longer appliesto the student debt, the student
must provide proof that an order of discharge was made and that three years have elapsed since the day the
order was made; AND
2) the student provides proof from their trustee confirming the date the studentfiled for Bankruptcy and that the
following two conditions have been or will be met:
1. neither Ontario nor Canada is a creditor in the Bankruptcy as a result of financial assistance given to the
student through OSAP; and no financial assistance given to the student through OSAP during the 2009-2010
loan year will be seized to repay any creditor(s) listed in the Bankruptcy
Documentation required:
• A letter from the student's financial institution, the National Student Loans Service Centre, and/or the student's
collection agency confirming that there is no outstanding balance on any student loans issued to the student.
• A letter from the student's Trustee in Bankruptcy confirming the date the student filed for Bankruptcy, that
neither Ontario nor Canada is a creditor in the Bankruptcy as a result of financial assistance given to the student
s
through OSAP, and that none of the financial assi tance issued to the student for the 2009-2010 loan year will
be seized to pay any creditor(s) listed in the Bankruptcy.
Bankruptcies Filed On or After May 11, 2004
• If the student is a discharged bankrupt, his or her OSAP application will not be processed until the student
provides proof that they have no outstanding balance on any student loans;or if the student has been released
from their obligation to repay their student loans by reason of a court-ordered absolute order of discharge which
states that section 178(1)(g) of the BIA no longer applies to the student debt, the student must provide proof that
an order of discharge was made and that three years have elapsed since the day the order was made or the
;
student provides proof that they meet the following four conditions:
37
1. at the time the student filed for Bankruptcy, he or she was enrolled in an approved program of study at an
approved institution and taking the minimum required course load; and
2. the student continues to be enrolled in the same approved program ofstudy in which he or she was enrolled
at the time that the student filed for Bankruptcy; and
3. the student has not had a break in studies of longer than six months since the date he or she filed for
Bankruptcy– see details below; and
4. it has not been more than three calendar years since the date the student filed for Bankruptcy.
Documentation required:
• A copy of the Notice of Bankruptcy.
• A letter from the student's financial institution, the National Student LoansService Centre, and/or the student's
collection agency confirming that there is no outstanding balance on any student loans issued to the student.
• A copy of the court-ordered absolute order of discharge releasing the bankrupt from their student loan debt .
• A letter from the Student Awards Office confirming that the program of study in which the student was enrolled
at the time the student filed for Bankruptcy, is the same as the program of study the student is applying for
assistance to attend.
Once a student completes the program of study that he/she was enrolled in at the time of the Bankruptcy, he/she
becomes ineligible for additional student financial assistance, includinginterest-free status. A student in this
situation cannot receive further assistance to extend hisor her program of study in order to achieve additional
credentials (e.g. a graduate or post-diplomaprogram).
• If the student is an undischarged bankrupt, the student's OSAP application willnot be processed until:
1. he or she provides proof that there is no outstanding balance on any of their student loans or if the student
;
has been released from their obligation to repay their student loans by reason of a court-ordered absolute order
of discharge which states that section 178(1)(g) of the BIA no longer appliesto the student debt, the student
must provide proof that an order of discharge was made and that three years have elapsed since the day the
order was made; or the student provides proof that he or she meets thefollowing four conditions:
ed
• at the time the student filed for Bankruptcy, he or she was enrolled in an approv program of study at an
approved institution and taking the minimum required course load; and
• the student continues to be enrolled in the same approved program of study in which he or she was enrolled at
the time that they filed for Bankruptcy; and
• the student has not had a break in studies of longer than six monthssince the date of Bankruptcy; and
• it has not been more than 3 years since the date of Bankruptcy;AND
2. the student provides proof from his or her trustee indicating the date they filed for Bankruptcy and that the
following two conditions have been or will be met:
• neither Ontario or Canada is a creditor in the Bankruptcy as a result offinancial assistance given to the student
through OSAP; and
• no financial assistance given to the student through OSAP during the 2009-2010 OSAP year will be seized to
repay any creditor(s) listed in the Bankruptcy.
Documentation required:
• A letter from the student's financial institution, the National Student Loans Service Centre, and/or the student's
collection agency confirming that there is no outstanding balance on any student loans issued.
• A copy of the court-ordered absolute order of discharge releasing the bankrupt from their student loan debt.
• A letter from the student's FAO confirming that the program of study in which the student was enrolled at the
time the student filed for Bankruptcy is the same as the program of study that the student is applying for
assistance to attend.
• A letter from the student's Trustee in Bankruptcy confirming the date the student filed for Bankruptcy, that
neither Ontario nor Canada is a creditor in the Bankruptcy as a result of financial assistance given to the student
s
through OSAP, and that none of the financial assi tance issued to the student for the 2009-2010 loan year will
be seized to pay any creditor(s) listed in the Bankruptcy.
b) Consumer Proposals
i) Students who did not receive student loans prior to the date they filed a Consumer Proposal
• If the Consumer Proposal is complete, the student does not need to provide any supporting documentation in
order for their OSAP application to be processed.
• If the Consumer Proposal is incomplete, the student's OSAP application will not be processed until the student
provides documentation from their trustee indicating the date the student filed a Consumer Proposal and that the
following two conditions have been or will be met:
1) neither Ontario nor Canada is a creditor in the Consumer Proposal as a result of financial assistance given to
the student through OSAP; and
2) no financial assistance given to the student through OSAP during the 2009-2010 OSAP year will be seized to
repay any creditor(s) listed in the ConsumerProposal.
38
Documentation required:
• A letter from the student's Trustee confirming the date the student filed the Consumer Proposal, that neither
Ontario nor Canada is a creditor in the Consumer Proposal as a result of financial assstance given to the
i
student through OSAP, and that none of the financialassistance issued to the studentfor the 2008-2009 loan
year will be seized to pay any creditor(s) listed in the Consumer Proposal.
ii) Students who received student loans prior to the date they filed a Consumer Proposal- Consumer
-
Proposals Filed between August 1, 2001 and May 11, 2004
A student who files a consumer proposal between August 1, 2001 and May 11, 2004, regardless of whether the
student holds bank-held Ontario Student Loansand/or Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loans, is not
considered to be in default of the repayment of their student loans. However, the student's OSAP application will
not be processed until the student provides proof confirming the date they filed the consumer proposal
. ocumentation required:
D
• A copy of the Notice to Creditors of Consumer Proposal.
Consumer Proposal Filed On or After May 11, 2004
A student who files a consumer proposal on or after May 11, 2004, regardless of whether the student holds
bank-held Ontario Student Loans and/or Canada- Ontario Integrated Student Loans, is not considered to be in
default of the repayment of their student loans. However, the student's OSAP application will not be processed
until the student:
1) provides proof confirming the date they filed the consumer proposal;AND
i
2) provides proof that they meet the following four conditons:
• at the time the student filed for a consumer proposal, he or she was enrolled in an approved program of study
at an approved institution and taking theminimum required course load; and
• the student continues to be enrolled in the same approved program of study in which he or she was enrolled at
the time that they filed a consumer proposal; and
• the student has not had a break in studies of longer than six months since the date of the consumer proposal;
and
• it has not been more than 3 years since the date of consumer proposal;
Documentation required:
• A copy of the Notice to Creditors of Consumer Proposal.
• A letter from the student's FAO confirming that the program of study in which the student was enrolled at the
time the student filed for the consumer proposal is the same as the program of study that the student is applying
for assistance to attend.
c) Consolidation Orders (Orderly Payment of Debts Program) under Part X of he BIA t
Part X of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, Orderly Payment of Debts (OPD), provides for a mechanism to
facilitate the repayment of debts by a debtor. A court can provide a consolidation order allowing the debtor to
make orderly payments to be distributed pro rata among creditors. Not all provinces and territorieshave
implemented the OPD program, and it is not a debt management option for Ontario residents. The effective date
for a court-ordered Consolidation Order is the date of the Consent of Creditor letter plus one month. (e.g., If the
Creditor Letter is dated March 1, 2009, then the effective date for ministry purposes is April 1, 2009).
Note: Consolidation orders issued for example, by credit counselling agencies, cannot be considered under this
review unless the court has instructed a credit counseling agency to administer the file on their behalf.
i) Students who did not receive student loans prior to the date they filedor a Consolidation Order
• If the Consolidation Order is complete, the student does not need to provide any supporting documentation in
order for their OSAP application to be processed.
• If the Consolidation Order is incomplete, the student's OSAP application will not be processed until the student
provides documentation indicating the datethe student filed the Consolidation Order and thatthe following two
conditions have been or will be met:
1. neither Ontario nor Canada is a creditor in the Consolidation Order as a result of financial assistance given to
the student through OSAP; and
2. no financial assistance given to the student through OSAP during the 2009- 2010 OSAP year will be seized to
repay any creditor(s) listed in the Consolidation Order.
Documentation required:
• A copy of the consolidation order under the BIA orderly payment of debtsprovision which includes the Consent
of Creditor letter.
39
ii) Students who received student loans prior to the effective date of theConsolidation Order–
Consolidation Order occurred prior to May 11, 2004
The student's OSAP application will not be processed until:
1. the student provides proof that they have no outstanding balance on any student loans; or the student
provides a Certificate of Full Performance which proves that their obligations have been met and the debt is paid
in full; AND
te
2. the student provides documentation indicating the da the student filed for the Consolidation Order and that
the following two conditions have been or will bemet:
• neither Ontario or Canada is a creditor in the Consolidation Order as a result of financial assistance given to
the student through OSAP; and
• no financial assistance given to the student through OSAP during the 2008- 2009 loan year will be seized to
O
repay any creditor(s) listed in the Orderly Payments of Debt/Consolidation- rder.
Documentation required:
• A letter from the student's financial institution, the National Student LoansService Centre, and/or the student's
collection agency confirming that there is no outstanding balance on any of student loans issued to the student;
• A Certificate of Full Performance, if applicable;
• A copy of the consolidation order under the BIA orderly payment of debtsprovision which includes the Consent
of Creditor letter.
Consolidation Order occurred on or after May 11, 2004
The student's OSAP application will not be processed until the student providesproof that they have no
outstanding balance on any student loans or the student provides a Certificate of Full Performance which proves
that their obligations have been met and the debt is paid in full; or the student provides proof that they meetthe
following four conditions:
• when the student was issued a consolidation order, he or she was enrolled in an approved program of study at
an approved institution and taking the minimum required course load; and
• the student continues to be enrolled in the same approved program of study in which he or she was enrolled at
the time that the consolidation order wasissued; and
• the student has not had a break in studies of longer than six months since the date the consolidation order was
sought – see details below; and
• it has not been more than three calendar years since the date the student wasissued the consolidation order.
Documentation required:
• A letter from the student's Student Awards Office confirming that the program of study in whichthe student was
enrolled at the time of the consolidation order was issued isthe same as the program of study the student is
applying for assistance to attend. (See notes: Bankruptcies Filed On or After May 11, 2004 Students who
received student loans prior to the date they filed for Bankruptcy)
• A copy of the consolidation order under the BIA, including the Consent ofCreditor letter.
d) Orderly Payment of Debt pursuant to Provincial/Territorial Legislation
Some provinces or territories may have separate provisions for orderly payments of debt under provincial or
territorial legislation that are not under the Orderly Payment ofDebt provisions under Part X of the BIA. Contact
your Program Administrator to have these situations reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
e) Examples of Supporting Documentation (this list is not exhaustive)
i) Bankruptcy:
• Notice of Bankruptcy and of Impending Discharge of Bankrupt (Summary Administration)
• In the Matter of the Bankrupt of [individual's name] (Summary Administration)
• To the Creditors of [individual's name]: Notice is hereby given that the named filed an assignment in
bankruptcy on [date].
• Section 170 Report – this document will provide the bankruptcy date butdoes not verify the student's date of
birth
• Notice of Deem Taxation of Trustee's Accounts and Deemed Discharge of Trustee (trustee discharge)
• Certificate of Compliance and Deemed Discharge as Trustee or Administrator (trustee discharge)
• Insolvency Name Search – Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada (this search will provide the
name of the student, birth date, bankrupt's discharge status, practitioner's (trustee) discharge status)
ii) Consumer Proposal:
• In the matter of the consumer proposal of [individual's name].
• Notice to Creditors of Consumer Proposal
• Notice of Meeting of Creditors to Consider Consumer Proposal (this doesnot mean that the consumer proposal
was accepted)
• Amended Notice to Creditors of Consumer Proposal
• Status of Consumer Proposal – accepted/ rejected by the courts and/or the creditors
• Consumer Proposal Deemed to be Annulled
• Certificate of Full Performance of Proposal
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iii) Orderly Payment of Debts:
• "To All Creditors & The Debtor Orderly Payment of Debts Provisions being part of the Bankruptcy and
Insolvency Act Enclosed, herewith is a Notice to Creditors advising of an application by the above named debtor
for a Consolidation Order under the Orderly Payment of Debts Provisions of The Bankruptcy and Insolvency
Act."
These documents will include the Consent to Creditor letter).
• Orderly Payment of Debts – Notice of Assignment
• Orderly Payment of Debts – Notice of Motion "Granting the debtor continued relief under the consolidation
order upon the grounds that the debtor's default in making payments on the order is due to circumstances
beyond his control"
• Orderly Payment of Debts – Notice of Default
This form states the debtor is in default and the creditor is entitled to proceed
forthwith, independently of all other creditors and without reference to the Court, for enforcement of their claim
under the Consolidation Order.
• Certificate of Full Performance
f) Students with Disabilities or Medical Conditions
If an individual with a permanent disability or serious medical condition has filed for Bankruptcy, made a
consumer proposal, obtained a consolidation order, or sought relief for the orderly payment of debts, and
claims that he or she has not met all requirements to be eligible for further financial for reasons of the disability/
medical condition, the file must be forwarded to the Student Support Policy Unit, Toronto, for review.
CREDIT SCREENING APPEALS
a) Overview of Credit Check Appeals
All new OSAP-eligible applicants will be subject to a credit history check.
A "new" OSAP applicant is an individual who either:
• did not receive loan and/or grant assistance in the previous year; or,
• failed the credit history check in the previous year on the Ontario portionof the Canada – Ontario
Integrated Student Loan.
i) Ontario Credit History Check
New applicants are not eligible for OSAP funding if they have been delinquent formore than 90 days on three or
more credit accounts/loans, with a combined value of $1,000 or more, within the past three years.
ii) Federal Credit History Check
An applicant who fails the Ontario credit check may be eligible for the Canada portion of the Canada – Ontario
Integrated Student Loan and/or other federallyfunded OSAP programs (e.g., Canada Student Grant) if he/she:
• is under 22 years of age;
• has been eligible to receive the CSL, the Canada portion of the Canada – Ontario Integrated Student Loan, or
other federally-funded OSAP programs in the past; and
• has not been delinquent for more than 90 days on three or more creditaccounts/loans, each with a value of
$1,000 or more, within the past three years.
Eligibility for the Canada portion of the Canada –Ontario integrated Student Loan, according to the above
criteria will be considered when a request is submitted to the OSAP Appeal Board for a credit check appeal
.
b) Appeal
It is recognized that a poor credit history may be due to exceptional circumstances that were beyond the
student's control which led to his or her financial difficulty (including significant and unexpected loss of income or
unusual increases in expenses). An appeals process has been established for students who can demonstrate
exceptional circumstances and a strong likelihood of being able to repay their student loans
S
. ubmission Deadline
The deadline for submitting credit history check appeals is 8 weeks before the end of the student's period of
study.
Situations which can be reviewed
The situations listed below are not inclusive. Other situations may be submitted tothe OSAP Appeal Board
providing they meet two basic criteria.
• The credit history problems occurred as a result of circumstances beyond the control of the applicant and/or
spouse; and,
• There is strong likelihood that the applicant will be able to repay his/her student loans.
i) A loss or a substantial reduction in employment income
Layoff, Dismissal, or Reduction of Normal Income
If the applicant and/or spouse experienced a reduction or interruption in regular employment earnings because
of a layoff, dismissal, reduction to part-time orlower-paying work that affected the applicant's credit history, the
applicant should:
41
• In the case of a layoff or dismissal, submit a copy of the notice of layoff or dismissal, or a copy of the Record of
Employment (ROE). The reason for any dismissal should not be includedin the review documentation.
• In the case of a reduction to part-time or lower paying work, submit a letterfrom the applicant/spouse's
employer indicating the reduction in the amount of time worked or salary earned, and why this reduction
happened.
• In each case, a letter from the applicant or spouse indicating the reasons the student or spouse was unable to
find new or additional employment. The student or spouse must demonstrate that they made a reasonable effort
to find full-time work. This includes:
• A letter from the student or spouse indicating the reason they were unable to find employment for the period of
study;
• Proof of the student's or spouse's participation in a community job search program (e.g., Job Connect or other
community employment programs).
• A detailed job search history covering the duration of the period of studyto date. The details must include
contact information for each respective employer (full address, telephone number, name of contact person,
position applied for and date of application). In addition, the job search history should be for a time period that
covers the last few months prior to the submission of the review as well as a sufficient portion of the period of
study to reflect the "on-going" nature of the spouse'sefforts to obtain employment. This information will be
verified by the ministry.
• A letter from the applicant indicating how the successful completion of his/her academic program will lead to
gainful employment which will enable student loan repayment. The letter should also include the student's recent
post-secondary history, if any (e.g., years attended, programs enrolled in, programs completed).
Illness
Where a period of temporary illness prevents the applicant or spouse from workingfor a substantial period of
time, and thus affects the applicant's credit history, theapplicant should submit the following:
• a letter from the applicant/spouse indicating the reason that the applicant/spouse was unable to work during
the period of time where the credit problems occurred; and,
• a certificate from a physician outlining the nature of the illness, the care required and the period of time during
which the applicant or spouse was unable to work; and,
• a copy of the Record of Employment issued by the applicant/spouse'semployer showing reason for separation
as Code "D" (illness or injury) or a letter of approval from Service Canada indicating the student/spouse is in
receipt of Employment Insurance sickness benefits.
• a letter from the applicant indicating howthe successful completion of his/her academic program will lead to
gainful employment which will enable student loan repayment. The letter should also include a postsecondary
history, if any (e.g., years attended, programs enrolled in, programs completed).
Inability to Work Full or Part-Time Due to a Disability
If the applicant/spouse has recently become disabled or has an ongoing disabilitywhich has caused a
substantial reduction in normal income that caused credit problems, the applicant should submit:
• a medical certificate to substantiate both the disability and their inability to work full or part time because of the
-
disability;
• a letter from the applicant indicating how the successful completion of his/her academic program will lead to
gainful employment which will enable student loan repayment. The letter should include a postsecondary history,
if any (e.g., years attended, programs enrolled in, programs completed).
Changes in Family/Marital Situation
In cases where a change in family situation (e.g., divorce/separation), death of a spouse, or birth of a child
affected the normal income of the applicant/spouse and caused the credit report problems, the applicant should
submit:
• a copy of the divorce/separation papers indicating that the applicant has a legal responsibility to make
payments to the child or former spouse, and the date this became effective;
• a copy of the death or birth certificate;
• a letter from the applicant indicating how the successful completion of his/her academic program will lead to
gainful employment which will enable student loan repayment. The letter should a postsecondary history, if any
(e.g., years attended, programs enrolled in, programs completed).
42
Failure of former spouse to maintain family support payments
Where the credit problems were caused as a result of a former spouse failing tomeet his/her court-ordered
family support payment obligations, the applicantshould submit:
• a letter from his/her lawyer indicating the amount and time period which paymentsfrom the former spouse
were not made;
• a copy of the enforcement order from Family Responsibility Office; and
• a letter from the applicant indicating how the successful completion of his/her academic program will lead to
gainful employment which will enable student loan repayment. The letter should include a postsecondary history,
if any (e.g., years attended, programs enrolled in, programs completed).
ii) Unexpected or exceptional expenses
Essential Home Repairs
Where credit problems are caused by home repairs, not covered by insurance, which were necessary for health
and safety reasons, the applicant should submit:
• receipts which itemize costs paid and a statement from the applicant describing the type and necessity of the
repair (i.e., repairs required for health and safety reasons, are typically a one-time only expense, and are not
covered by an insurance plan);
• building permit/contract for the repairs (if applicable); and
• a letter from the applicant indicating how the successful completion of his/her academic program will lead to
gainful employment which will enable student loan repayment. The letter should include a postsecondary history,
if any (e.g., years attended, programs enrolled in, programs completed).
Legal Fees
Legal fees incurred and paid by the applicant and/or spouse which are related to the period of credit problems
may be submitted to appeal. Fees related to the purchase of a home and those related to the operation of a
business will not be considered.
The applicant should submit:
• an itemized statement from his/her lawyer showing amounts paid, when payments were made, and the
reasons for the cost;
• a letter from the applicant indicating how the successful completion of his/her academic program will lead to
gainful employment which will enable student loan repayment. The letter should include a postsecondary history,
if any (e.g., years attended, programs enrolled in, programs completed).
Uninsured Medical, Dental Or Optical Expenses
Where amounts paid by the applicant and/or spous e for required and uninsured medical, dental and optical
expense caused credit difficulties, the applicant should submit:
• a copy of receipts from the dentist, doctor, hospital or pharmacist (costs must not have been paid by another
person or by a private insurance plan);
• a letter from the applicant indicating how the successful completion of his/her academic program will lead to
gainful employment which will enable student loan repayment. The letter should include a postsecondary history,
if any (e.g., years attended, programs enrolled in, programs completed).
Caring for children with disabilities
If a dependent child of a married or sole-support student becomes disabled resulting in significant child
care/attendant care expenses to be incurred for thecare of the dependent child, the student should submit:
• copies of all child/attendant care receipts for the time period relating to the credit history problems;
• a letter from the family indicating the nature of the disabled child's condition;
• a letter from the applicant indicating how the successful completion of his/her academic program will lead to
gainful employment which will enable student loan repayment. The letter should include a postsecondary history,
if any (e.g., years attended, programs enrolled in, programs completed).
Caring for elderly/infirm relatives
If as a result of incurring expenses to care for an elderly/infirm relative, the applicant's credit history is impaired,
he/she can submit:
• copies of all receipts for costs incurred to care for the elderly/infirm relativefor the time period relating to the
credit history problems;
• a letter from the applicant outlining the details of the situation (i.e., nature and duration of care required);
• a letter from the applicant indicating howthe successful completion of his/her academic program will lead to
gainful employment which will enable student loan repayment. The letter should include a postsecondary history,
if any (e.g., years attended, programs enrolled in, programs completed).
43
Credit Check and Appeal Processes
• If the student is eligible for funding as part of the standard assessment process, MTCU will then check the
credit record of the applicant electronically with the credit reporting agency (Equifax).
• Only new applicants will be credit-checked, and all credit checks will be done at the time the student applies for
OSAP. The credit reporting agency will provide MTCU with the names of any applicants who fail the credit
check.
• Applicants failing the credit check test the first year will be credit checked every year.
• Any applicant who is ineligible for funding because of a poor credit historywill be sent a letter and will be
notified that this decision can be reviewed for consideration for the Canada and/or Ontario portions of the
Canada – Ontario Integrated Student Loan when an appeal is made to the OSAP Appeal Board.
• If a student has a successful credit check appeal in the previous year, butfails the credit history check for the
current year and wishes to appeal, they must submit their credit check appeal to the OSAP Appeal Board
through their Student Awards Office. The OSAP Appeal Board may expedite such appeals where there has
been no change in credit status. If the only change is an accumulation ofinterest, the student must document
this with information from the creditor(s). Note: appeal documentation and decisions do not carry over from one
year to the next; the student is required to submit a complete package for each appeal
. rocessing Credit Check Appeals
P
• Credit Check Reviews must be submitted by theStudent Awards Office at the institution the student is
attending.
• Credit Check Reviews must be submitted directly to the OSAP Appeal Board at:
OSAP Appeal Board
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
900 Bay Street, 9th Floor Mowat Block
Toronto ON M7A 1N3
• The Student Awards Office must submit a letter with appeals that summarizes the exceptional circumstances
that caused the students' poor credit history.
• Upon receiving a credit check appeal, the OSAP Appeal Board will request the student's credit file from the
credit reporting agency.
• The Appeal Board Secretariat will issue an administrative approval for theCanada portion of the Canada –
e
Ontario Integrated Student Loan if the student meets the f deral credit check criteria.
• The student's credit file along with a letter of appeal, all submitted supporting documentation, the Student
Awards Officer letter and all relevant information from the OSAPdatabase are then presented to an OSAP
Appeal Board panel. Note: appeal documentation and decisions do not carry forward from one year to the next.
If the student wants to include information from a previous year's appeal, itmust be submitted to the Secretariat
by the student through the Student Awards Office.
• The Panels of the OSAP Appeal Board normally conduct their hearings via teleconference.
• Students can expect a written decision from the OSAP Appeal Board Secretariat four to six weeks after a
complete appeal is received and reviewed by the Appeal Board.
• If a student is successful in their appeal, MTCU will issue the Canada and/or Ontario portion of the Canada –
Ontario Integrated Student Loan documentto the student's institution.
• The deadline for submitting credit check appeals is 8 weeks before the end of the student's period of study.
Credit Check Appeals for Sole-Support Parents
The Student Awards Office has the authority to approve OSAP funding for sole-support parents who fail the
credit check if all of the following conditions are met:
• the student is a sole support parent;
• the student's total debts, judgments, and collections, as listed on an Equifaxreport, are less than $30,000.00;
and
• the student's credit problems are a result of a family breakdown, exceptionalmedical expenses or
circumstances, death in the family, exceptional legal fees, exceptional child care or care of dependent relative
costs, loss of employment or similar such extenuating circumstances that are directly associated with the student
being a sole-support parent. Dates in the supporting documentation must coincide with dates in the student's
credit report.
1. Where the Student Awards Office determines the student does not meet the conditions,
students may still appeal to the OSAP Appeal Board, according to the regular Credit Check Appeal procedures.
2. Students, approved for further funding using the OSAP Appeal Board, who apply again for student financial
assistance in subsequent years but who have acquired new debt must submit a full appeal to the OSAP Appeal
Board explaining the reason behind the new debt even if thetotal debt is less than $30,000. If, however, no new
debt has been incurred by the student and their total debt is less than $30,000, then the Student Awards Office
can approve the student once more. 44
Documentation required:
i
The Student Awards Office will be required to keep the following supporting documentaton on file:
• supporting documentation proving that the student is a sole-support parent (Canada Child Tax Benefit
Statement, separation agreement, etc.);
• a copy of the student's Equifax report
• a calculation of the total debts, judgments, and collections, as listed on the Equifax report, showing that the
total is less than $30,000;
• a letter from the student describing the reasons for his or her financial difficulties, and an explanation of why
the student feels he or she will be able to repay their student loans; and
• supporting documentation to substantiate the student's stated reasons fortheir financial difficulties, such as a
separation agreement in the case of family breakdown, Record of Employment and Employment Insurance claim
information in the case of loss of employment, etc.
ONTARIO STUDENT OPPORTUNITY GRANT REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF DECISION TO DENY ELIGIBILITY
The following are the only grounds that will be considered in a review:
• withdrawal from studies because of a serious medical condition(s), medical emergency or required extended
period(s) of hospitalization;
• expulsion.
The intent of this review is to ensure that students remain entitled to the amount of OSOG they would have received
if the withdrawal or the expulsion had not occurred. In both cases, if it is determined that a student who had been
enrolled in a two-semester study period meets the review criteria set out below, the student will be awarded an
amount of OSOG that will reduce the repayable amount of the student loan to $7,000, regardless of how many
semesters the student actually completed within the 12-month period in question. Students who had been enrolled
in a three-semester study period will be awarded an amount of OSOG that will reduce the repayable debt to
$10,500, regardless of how many semesters the student actually completed within the 12-month period in question.
To be eligible for consideration, all semesters for which the student would have been entitled to OSOG must have
fallen within the same OSAP academic year. Students who had been enrolled in a one-semester study period are
not eligible for OSOG.
Withdrawal from studies because of a serious medical condition(s), medical emergency or required
extended period(s) of hospitalization
Situations that will be considered: A student withdrew from one or more academic terms during the 12-month period
before completing the term because of a serious medical condition(s), medical emergency or because the student
required extended period(s) of hospitalization; and as a result, the student:
• was not able to attend or carry out the activities required to fulfil the course requirements in that semester;
• could not reasonably have been expected to complete the semester; and
• accordingly, would have to repeat the semester.
Documentation Required:
• a letter from the student requesting a review of their OSOG eligibility, explaining the reason for the withdrawal from
studies and the date of the withdrawal;
• a certificate from a physician or other relevant regulated health provider identifying the nature of the illness,
outlining why it resulted in the student being unable to attend full-time studies, and the period of time during which
the student was unable to attend postsecondary studies; and
• a written confirmation from the institution that the student would have to repeat the semester if he/she wanted to
complete their program of studies.
Expulsion
Situations that will be considered: A student was expelled from one or more academic terms during the 12-month
period before completing the term and:
• a properly constituted appeal body has granted the student’s appealfrom the expulsion;
• the duration of the period of expulsion reasonably precluded thestudent from attending or carrying out the activities
required to fulfilthe program requirements of the semester; and
• the student cannot reasonably be expected to complete the semester; and
• accordingly, would have to repeat the semester in the loan year subsequent to the granting of the appeal.
Documentation Required:
• a letter from the student requesting a review of their OSOG eligibility,explaining the reason for the expulsion and
the beginning and enddates of the expulsion;
• a letter from the postsecondary institution, a court order or other documentation confirming that the student’s
appeal from theexpulsion had been granted by a properly constituted appeal body;and
• a written confirmation from the institution that the student would have to repeat the semester if he/she wanted to
complete their program of studies.
45
REVIEWS OF SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTSFOR PROTECTED PERSONS
Some protected persons may not be able to provide some of the required documentation in support of an OSAP
application (e.g., marriage certificate, signatures from family membersstill residing in the home country).
Reasons for the unavailability of the supporting documentation may include, but are not limited to:
• political conditions have resulted in the documents being destroyed;
• documents being unavailable to protected persons and/or their family membersbecause of race, religion,
nationality, membership in a social group or politicalopinion. The Student Awards Office may reconsider the
OSAP application without all of the required supportingdocumentation as long as the protected person's request
for review includes an explanation of why some or all of the supporting documentation is unavailable.Supporting
documentation reviews cannot be considered for a protected person who isexperiencing delays in accessing his
or her Protected Persons Status Document or who isexperiencing delays with mail service.
CLEARANCE REVIEWS FOR STUDENT RESTRICTION ISSUES OTHER
THAN ACADEMIC PROGRESS
While the Student Awards Office has authority to monitor, review and process academic progressissues, only
the ministry can consider clearance reviews for all other "student restriction issues. These other "student
restriction" issues include:
• federal restrictions only;
• provincial restrictions only;
• federal and provincial restrictions;
• breach of contract; and
• significant income variances.
The following information outlines the procedural issues and documentation requirements for reviews of this
nature. Note: Student restrictions prevent the student from applying for OSAP through the online web application,
however, the web will display information to the student that outlines the nature of the restriction and the applicable
remedy. Students may elect to complete and submit a paper application while decisions are being made to avoid the
possibility of missed program deadlines or late application penalties (application received in excess of 45 days
following the study period start date). Student restrictions apply to future eligibility for further OSAP assistance,
(i.e., loans, grants, bursaries and scholarships, and interest free status). Despite a student restriction, students
who have not defaulted on their student loan(s) may remain eligible for OSAP repayment assistance
programs such as:
• Revision of Repayment Terms;
• Interest Relief (Ontario);
• Debt Reduction in Repayment (Ontario);
• Medical Loan Forgiveness (Ontario);
• Permanent Disability Benefit (Canada);
• Repayment Assistance Plan (Canada).
Students should be directed to the National Student Loans Service Centre or the financial institution holding their
loans to discuss eligibility for repayment assistance. National StudentLoans Service Centre contact information
is provided below.
a) Federal Restrictions
Students who have defaulted on their federal student assistance debts must seek clearance through the
Government of Canada (Human Resources and SocialDevelopment Canada (HRSDC) – Canada Student
Loans Program (CSLP)). The student should be directed to contact HRSDC-CSLP, via the National Student
Loans Service Centre, at the following address:
National Student Loans Service
Centre
PO Box 4030
Mississauga, Ontario L5A 4M4
Telephone: 1-888-815-4514
If the student receives federal clearance and is approved for additional federal funding, then HRSDC-CSLP will
provide the student with a written clearance decision, known as a Clearance Letter. Students who have been
issued a Clearance Letter can request a reviewof their situation to determine whether their eligibility for further
federal funding can be considered by OSAP.
Documentation required
• A letter from the student requesting a review of their current situation.
:
• A copy of the Clearance Letter, as issued by HRSDC-CSLP.
46
Notes:
1. Federal Clearance Letters are valid for one year from the date of issue. Students inmulti-year programs will
therefore be required to obtain a new federal clearance letterfor each academic year. If the clearance letter is
not received/processed prior to the one year expiry date, it is considered invalid for review purposes.
2. "Conditional" Clearance Letters issued by the federal government are not consideredvalid for OSAP
clearance purposes. These letters issued by CSLP outline the stepsthe student must take in order to receive
official federal clearance only.
3. A letter from a lender (e.g., a bank, financial institution or the NSLSC) indicating the student's federal
assistance is in good standing will NOT be accepted in lieu of the Clearance Letter from HRSDC-CSLP. If the
student only has a federal restriction, federal clearance will allow the OSAP application to process for full
funding, depending upon all other eligibility factors. If the student only has a federal restriction, then provincial
clearance is not required. The student must contact the Canada Student Loans Program to request clearance
in order for their OSAP application to be processed.
b) Provincial Restrictions
Generally, students who have provincial student assistance debts and who have a provincial restriction on their
file are not eligible for further provincial assistance until the provincial debt has been repaid in full. Students may
contact the following provincial agency to determine the current status of their provincial debt and which private
collection agency currently has the debt:
Ontario Shared Services
Collection Management Unit
40 Elm Street Suite 41A
Sudbury, ON P3C 1S8
Telephone: 416-326-0500
Toll free within area codes 905, 705, 613, 519, 807 & 416:
1-800-387-5604
Fax: 416-326-0526
Once the provincial debt has been paid in full, students can request a review of theirsituation to determine
whether they are eligible for further funding.
Documentation required:
• A letter from the student requesting a review of their eligibility for further provincial funding, including
information on the current status of their provincialdebt; and
• Proof that the provincial debt has been repaid in full (e.g. most recentstatement of account from the agency
holding the debt).
c) Provincial and Federal Restrictions
If the student has a federal and a provincial restriction issue, then upon receipt of proofof federal clearance from
the student, the ministry will release the current OSAP application for processing for federal funding only.
Additional provincial funding will be provided once two conditions have been met:
• proof of federal clearance (above); and
• completion of a successful review to remove the provincial restriction.
d) Significant Income Variances – Student Income Verification
The ministry verifies student income as reported on the OSAP application against income information provided
to Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) by the student. If theministry determines a significant variance between
these income amounts, then the student is notified in writing of the duration of the resulting restriction. The letter
provides available review options. Reinstatement of eligibility after receipt of afull income verification restriction
cannot occur until:
• The end of the period identified in the letter; and
• The day the student repays all interest and principal owing on the outstanding Ontario portion of any Canada-
Ontario Integrated Student Loan (issued on or after Au gust 1, 2001) and Ontario Student Loans (issued prior to
August 1, 2001, if applicable). Students who meet the reinstatement conditions and who wish to be considered
for further student financial assistance must contact:
Student Support Branch
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
PO Box 4500
189 Red River Road, 4th Floor
Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6G9
Telephone:(807) 343-7260
Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD/TY): 1-800-465-3958
Fax: (807) 343-7278.
Students must include supporting documentation to show their Ontario funding has been repaid in full.
47
Allowable Significant Income Variance Reviews
1. Revised Income Tax Information
A student may notify the Student Awards Office that the income information provided to the ministry by CRA has
been reassessed by CRA. Note: The Student Awards Officecan use the on-line inquiry system (student income
section of the OSAP application) to determine the dateupon which the ministry verified the income reported on
the student's OSAP application. The CRA reassessment information provided by the student to theStudent
Awards Office must be dated after the date upon which the ministry conducted incomeverification.
Documentation required:
• A letter from the student requesting a review of their current situation,including an explanation of the reason for
the CRA reassessment.
• A copy of the student's most recent Notice of Reassessment as issued by CRA. Once this information has
been reviewed by the ministry, the student will be issued a decision regarding his/her eligibility for further
funding.
2. Conflicting Income Amounts – Process for Verification of Income
In the case of conflicting income amounts reported to OSAP and CRA, a student will be issued a letter from the
ministry at the time that income verification iscompleted. The letter will include a Verification of Income form that
the student must complete providing more detailed information and documentation regarding the timing and
amounts of income received. This form must be submitted to theministry in order to have the student's situation
reviewed. The form includes specific instructions on the supporting documentation that must be provided to
support the student's review request.
e) Breach of Contract–Verification and Compliance Unit
Students who have been restricted based upon an audit of their individual files are issued a detailed letter by the
ministry outlining the reason for the restriction and theduration of the restriction. Reinstatement of eligibility after
receipt of a Code 61 restriction cannot occur until:
• The end of the restriction period identified in the letter;and
• The day the student repays all interest and principal owing on the outstanding Ontario portion of any Canada-
Ontario Integrated Student Loan (issued on or after August 1, 2001), Ontario Student Loans (issued prior to
August 1, 2001, if applicable) and other funding identified in the letter. Students who meet the reinstatement
conditions and who wish to be considered forfurther assistance must contact:
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
Verification and Compliance Unit
Student Support Branch
900 Bay Street, 9th Floor Mowat Block
Toronto ON M7A 1N3
Telephone: (416) 212-6650
Fax: (416) 325-3096
Student must include supporting documentation, as set out in the letter from the ministry.
CLEARANCE FOR STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED MEDICAL LOAN FORGIVENESS
Medical Loan Forgiveness is available to individuals who have permanent disabilities thatsubstantially reduce
their earning capacity for their lifetime, and as a result, are unable to repay their student loans without incurring
exceptional hardship. When an individual is eligiblefor Medical Loan Forgiveness, the entire amount of the
outstanding Ontario Student Loan debt is forgiven, including loan, grant, and bursary overpayments,if any. An
individual who receives Medical Loan Forgiveness is not restricted from applying for student assistance from the
government of Ontario in subsequent years. The following information outlines the policy relating to situations
where an individual has received Medical Loan Forgiveness and there are other restrictions on the individual's
file that would stop the processing of applications for further student assistance. Restrictions relatingto federal
student loan debt are not affected when a student receives Medical Loan Forgiveness and would remain on the
individual's file.
a) Loan Overpayments
Any payable and/or non-payable overpayments that are included in the amount that iswritten-off through
Medical Loan Forgiveness must show as having been "paid."When a student has received Medical Loan
Forgiveness, the student's entire debt, including any overpayments, has been written off and the Ministry has no
authority to request repayment.
48
b) Code 61 (Breach of Contract) and Code 67 (Significant Income Variance)
If there is a Code 61 or Code 67 on the file at the time an individual is granted Medical Loan Forgiveness, the
requirements for reinstatement of eligibility for further studentfinancial assistance are as follows:
• Any requirement to repay the debt would be lifted; and • The years of restriction based on the scorecard
assessment must be completed. When a student has received Medical Loan Forgiveness, the student's entire
debt has been forgiven and the Ministry has no authority to request repayment. However, Medical Loan
Forgiveness does not remove restriction periods that may be associated with Codes 61 and 67, based on the
scorecard assessment.
c) Academic Progress
When an individual is granted Medical Loan Forgiveness, any academic progress restrictionson the individual's
file is removed.
d) Individuals who Received Medical Loan Forgiveness prior to July 10, 2004
Ministerial approval was granted May 2006 to treat all individuals who received Medical Loan Forgiveness the
same, regardless of when Medical Loan Forgiveness occurred. As a result, these recipients are no longer
required to repay their suspended debt prior to receiving further funding.
49
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I submit my appeal?
All appeals should be submitted to the Student Awards Office, Gordon Hall, 74 Union Street,
Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6.
What is the deadline for submitting appeals?
All appeals must be submitted to the Student Awards Office at least 8 weeks prior to the end
of the study period. (Appeals received within the last 30 days of the study period cannot be
processed.)
How long does this appeal take?
Appeals that can be handled at the Student Awards Office level will be processed within four
weeks. (However, appeals may take longer during high volume periods.) Appeals that must
be submitted to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities may take eight to ten
weeks.
How do I find out if the appeal is accepted?
Students may check their OSAP accounts on the web at http://osap.gov.on.ca to determine if
a change has occurred as a result of their appeal. Alternatively, students may telephone
1-866-330-3331 (toll free). Both the OSAP website and the 1-866 number are available 24
hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Student Awards Office will contact those students who have submitted a review that is
complete or that has been denied. The student will be contacted through their Queen's
University email account
If a student has questions regarding his/her appeal, please contact the Student Awards Office
and ask to speak to an OSAP Awards Officer.
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