Hi, so during first year i dropped second semester due to family issues, it was after the deadline for refund so lost all the money on second semester. Im wishing to enroll again next year, will i be on any problems with OSAP ? , i recieved an email from them with just a link to continuing OSAP, but i hear from people years ago that i have to write a letter and include it with my MFSAA or something ? help ;'(

?????????

Hey hey

The letter thing only happens when you’re put on OSAP probation, which occurs when a student fails to meet OSAP’s required 60% course load rule.

In that situation, in the following years of OSAP use, you’re required to write a letter that explains more or less what went wrong in the year you missed their requirement, what you’ll do to fix that, yada yada yada. And then if you fail to pass at least 60% while you’re on probation, you’ll find yourself on OSAP suspension for one year (which is exactly what it sounds like).

But yeah, if you’re on probation, you’ll definitely be notified by someone. THAT is when you need to include a letter.

I’m a little confused though cuz as far as I understand… well, you technically did NOT meet the requirement of 60% (a.k.a. three courses per semester), so I really wonder why you have yet to be contacted. :/

Weird…

Maybe have a chat with enrolment services just to be safe?

Cheers!

aska

Hi,

I did horribly in my first year and ended up on both academic and OSAP probation as a result of my grades. Probation was a wakeup call, so I made a lot of changes and achieved significantly better grades this year. Unfortunately however my CGPA remains below 1.50 so I will be continuing on probation. Will my continued probation status affect OSAP? I am unsure as to whether or not OSAP will continue to grant loans to me because I did not clear my probation by the end of this session. Will I need to write letters to them again about my situation and progress, or will I simply be denied further funding?

Thank you for your time!

?????????

Hey hey

To be clear, UofT probation and OSAP probation are two separate things.

I’m sure you know how they both work since you’ve dealt with the two in a previous year, so as long as you’re at least meeting the requirements for OSAP, nothing should really change for you. As far as I understand, you’re just going to be writing your letter with every application, so no big change.

Basically, a student can go through their four years of university with a steady and unfortunate CGPA of say 1.5, and maybe go in and out of academic probation but never actually see the dark side that is OSAP probation. While UofT looks at specific grades, OSAP just cares about where you pass or fail.

So if you did well enough this year that you met the pass-three-courses-per-term requirement, your OSAP letter writing process will just be the same as always.

But if you HAVE been suspended by OSAP, I’m sure they’d contact you! So just get started on your next letter cuz I’m pretty sure you’re fine. 🙂

Cheers!

aska

Dear Aska,

I am stuck in a situation that has me very depressed and confused, I just finished my 3rd year on Osap at Utsg New college, during fall term I took and passed 5 courses, but in winter term I took 4 courses but was only able to pass 2, Osap requires 3 credits by the end of 8 months while taking 1.5 credits each session, i seem to have fulfilled this requirement but i am very confused if I also have to pass 1.5 credit each session, I was placed on Osap probation during first year, and if I do not meet the satisfied academic progress requirement I could be suspended for my last year, which has got me very depressed 🙁 , Can you please clarify this situation for me.

Thanks

?????????

Yo.

Oh god. A money question. I can barely handle my own OSAP dealings…

It’s okay. I’ve got this.

Okay so no, you did not fulfill the 1.5 full credits per semester requirement as while you finished the first semester with 2.5 full credits you finished the second with only 1.0. Understand?

So yes. From all that you’ve told me, sounds like you’re going to end up on OSAP Suspension, but I would recommend talking to Enrollment Services to clarify everything. They’ll probably give you a run down on what it means and what you can possibly do to fix things.

But from what I heard from my OSAP Guy, here’s what I can advise you to do to appeal:

1) You can continue the letter thing you’ve probably had going on since your first probation, but also include some supporting documentation to explain WHY you did poorly in second semester (e.g. extenuating circumstances, sickness, blah blah blah).

OR

2) You can continue the letter thing again and ALSO include a letter from an academic adviser explaining why you did poorly that second semester. This means you should probably make contact with your registrar asap.

However, if neither of these work and you have absolutely no way of paying, sadly, all I can tell you is take a year off and… well, work. Or apply for a ton of scholarships. Or work in the summer. Whatever works for you!

xoxo,

aska

Hi Aska,

I’m so glad to have stumbled across your page. I have a problem with OSAP that is really bothering me as I find it very unfair. So I was a full-time student in Quebec for a French program this last winter 2012 session and my period end-date was April 30, 2012.

The problem is I faxed OSAP my continuation of interest-free status form sometime in March and thinking that they received it. Stupidly on my end, I didn’t bother to call in to check because I assumed they got it because the fax went through. Coming home thinking that my study period end-date was April 13, 2012 (last day of class, no exams, and because the program was not apart of the university), I called the National Student Loan Thurs, April 26th to see what my interest rate was. However, I quickly found out that interest already started to accumulate since January 2012. I asked them if they got the form and they said no, but can do an “investigation” on it and I should call back Wed, May 2nd. Called back that day and no luck, they have nothing. I asked if I can re-send the form and told me I could but it’s up to OSAP if they accept it or not.

So asked OSAP if they received anything from me and they said no, and I asked if I can re-send it and they said yes. At this point I didn’t thinking of asking my school if they keep the form on file. Instead, I was thinking I would need fax the form to the school to fill out then re-send it back to me etc…so the date on the form would be after the study period..so I was worried they wouldn’t accept it.

Then a light bulb came up and I decided to call the school to see if they have the form on file and they did! With the date stamped March 2nd, and with the study-period end date being April 30th, 2012! At that time I sooo regret not calling the school earlier because then I wouldn’t be going through all this hassle still!!

Anyways, keeping my hopes high, I faxed it to them anyways on May 2nd.

Today, I just spoke with OSAP today and they told me that they can’t update my student status because they received the form AFTER the study period date…(even though it was only TWO days after!! With March 6th stamped on the form for when it was filled out by the school!)

So I re-capped my story to them but nope, they don’t care. They said I needed to show proof that I faxed it on what date to what number. But stupidly on my end, I threw away the fax receipt. Even when I explained to them what happened.

It pisses me off because there was most likely an error on their end but they never want to accept it. I just don’t understand how my form cannot be accepted even though the school stamped it with a date that was during the study period, and that I only sent it 2 days after the end-date!! What difference would it make if I had sent it on Monday (April 30th), instead of Wednesday (May2)?? Obviously they would still be able to process it. But instead, I’m left with an extra 4 months of interest to pay when I was in fact a full-time student during those 4 months.

Could you advise me on anything I could do at this stage?? I asked if there was anyone who I can speak to about this issue and they said no, but I can write a letter to explain what happened, but the they don’t think OSAP will accept it anyways…WTH??

Sorry, this email is getting too long…but I just want to add that this is not the first time this has happened. In my 3rd year uni, the
school forgot to send in my confirmation of interest-free status form so OSAP thought I wasn’t in school and started withdrawing money. So I contacted OSAP and they said they didn’t get any updates, I need to contact the school. Contacted the school, went through like 5 different people to get my issue across, and had to write a long letter explaining everything, that I applied for OSAP, the number of times I went to Student Financial to inquire about it, what did the person told etc….Basically, instead of the school taking the responsibility for their fault, I had to show proof on my end and explain everything myself. And finally I got my loan at the end of the school year and interests deducted off.

??????????????????????-

Phew – well I can’t say you didn’t give me the full story.

Don’t get me wrong, OSAP can be a hard cold soul sometimes but in this sitiuation they?might … just maybe … not be wrong.

The reason that they can’t accept the March?6th date stamp that your school put on the form is because that is the date that the school filled out the form, not neccessarily when you sent it. You could have gotten the form filled out on the 2nd and waited two months (for some not-being-able-to-let-go reason) and then sent it in. I’m sure you realize that you should have called and/or kept the sent fax receipt, so I’m not going to harp on that. The way OSAP is looking at it, is that there is no proof that the form was sent on the date you said.

Sure they may not have lost the form, but it’s your interest payments and therefore your responsibility to? make sure the form is in the right hands. I’m sure they have had this situtaion before because the back of the form bluntly states: “Misdirected forms will not be backdated”.

I’m sorry to say, but this also isn’t the school’s fault either. I can’t believe I’m quoting a? form with such small print on it, but it states in the “Where do I submit my form” little area:
” *If you are attending an OSAP-approved postsecondary school in Ontario, submit the completed form to the financial aid office at your postsecondary school.

*If you are attending a postsecondary school outside Ontario, a secondary school in Ontario or a non-OSAP? … blah blah blah … the completed form must be received by the Ministry no later than the deadline dates set out above (you can’t see above, but its pretty much April 30th in your case) and then they say where you should mail the form”

This form is what tells OSAP you are full-time in school and because you were outside of Ontario, it was your responsibilty to let OSAP know instead of the school, who would submit this form on your behalf after you filled it out in an Ontario school.

Sure you can write a letter, but when it comes down to it, you have do not have proof (other than your word, and other fibbers have ruined the honour code for you), and you submitted after the date, not matter how maybe days late, it was late.

tenderly yours,

aska

———————————————

Hey Fraidy Cat,

This is a little bit of a tricky situation. Technically you took those courses, and paid for them, so according to OSAP you took the required course load, but they will assess your overall course load of passed courses too. So if you take? 5 classes, pass them all , then you have reached your 60% for the year.

Assuming from the fact you said you are not a motivated individual that you did not take 5 courses, you will most likely be suspended. You can challenge the suspension but OSAP can?be bit of a PMS-ing girlfriend, so?you either have to have some?pretty extreme personal situations going or proof you are turning your?life around.

?Give Admissions and Awards a shout or even make an appointment with your academic/financial advisors.

I know <slaps wrist> … sending you to others for information is annoying, but it’s better than giving you the wrong information and you coming after me in my sleep.

forever with one eye open,

aska

———————————————

Heyo,

No it sadly doesn’t cover tuition for everyone, it really depends on how poor you are, but more importantly how poor your parents are. If you have been out of highschool for less than 4 years, OSAP will put your parents incomes into consideration when calculating your need. Unfotrunately if your parents makes a decent amount of money, than you will not be entitled to as much. OSAP makes assumptions. For example, that your parents will assist you with school.

Now despite how fair the little OSAP machine tries to be, it doesn’t always provide students with enough (even though their calculations say it does). There are various other outlets that you can consider:

1) UTAPS

2) Student Line of Credit

3) Each college has an financial advisor. I highly suggest going to talk with these chaps. They assess?your finacial need and then, if you need some extra dough, they will present your?case to a bursary board. They also have endless amounts of scholarship information in their brains.

forever thinking of zombies when seeing the word brains,

aska

Heres my problem, sadly last year (2008-2009) I was put on academic
probation. It was my first year of uni but this year (2009-2010) I have
passed all my classes and have achieved a pretty good GPA compared to last
year. I spoke to a financial aid councellor and he told me I was in good
standing now.. I want to apply for OSAP this year because I’m having a
financial crisis…both of my parents are out of work, I have used all of my
RESP and am currently in the west coast trying to find a job to help fund my
school year.

In addition, after reading most of the forums, I found that most people sent
OSAP letters explaining why they weren’t as successful as they hoped during
their semesters. I, did not do this because I wasn’t aware that I had to.
The letter that I receieved from OSAP in 2009 basically stated I was on
academic probation and needed to pull up my grades in order to receieve
financial assistance. Will this affect me recieving OSAP? Should I send a
letter now stating I’ve done much better in my classes and explain my
financial situation??

Other than sending a letter, is there anything specific I would have to do
in order to apply for osap again this year? I have tried calling the OSAP
office but due to the 3 hour difference I either get a hold of them and get
hung up on or the line is busy. Their phone line isn’t very helpful. I am is
great need for financial assistance and do not want to consider taking a
year off

????????????????

At the risk of sounding like old perv who gets off on people talking about their financial need, are you an OSAP virgin? According to our financial counselor here at the Innis Registrar’s office, if this is your first time applying for OSAP – there is no need to present a letter about your previous year on academic probation. The letters you’ve read in past forums (ours?) are from students who’ve been on OSAP before and had to justify taking another loan for a year that produced failing grades.

But that doesn’t apply to you, right?

I understand that you are in West Coast right now, and are seeking the advice of like, me, so the first thing you should do is contact your college registrar about the business of applying for OSAP. The OSAP website is somewhat straightforward about how to apply and the specific information you’ll need to fill out. But if you have additional questions, call your registrar and ask to speak to someone there.

OSAP recommends that you apply 10 weeks before the study period starts. Here is the eligibility requirements.

Hope that helps!

xoxo, Askastudent