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.
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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