OSAP Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) application can be a lot. We鈥檝e answered common questions to help you navigate your application.
Getting Started
Throughout our site, we鈥檝e organized detailed information by topic. Before browsing the questions below, we recommend checking whether your topic is already covered on one of our dedicated pages (for example, How to Apply for OSAP, OSAP by Student Population, or Repay Your Loans).
This page covers some of the questions we receive most often as Student Financial Assistance at 91影视 (91影视). If you can鈥檛 find your question here, please check our for others.
Still can鈥檛 find what you鈥檙e looking for? Contact the ServiceHub and we鈥檒l be happy to help.
For a full list of OSAP deadline dates, visit Important Dates and Deadlines.
If your deadline date has passed, you can't be considered for OSAP. You can still apply for scholarships and bursaries to help fund your studies.
If the deadline date hasn't passed, the error you're experiencing could be due to the method you're using to create a new OSAP application. When creating your OSAP application, follow the steps below:
- Log in to your .
- Submit a brand new application by selecting "Apply for full-time" or "Apply for part-time" (depending on your course load) on the main applications page.
- Make sure you indicate that your study period starts in or after September to ensure you're applying for the upcoming/current academic year. 91影视's academic year runs September to August.
Yes! OSAP applications don't carry over from year to year. You must apply for every academic year or semester that you would like to be considered for funding.
The type of OSAP application you complete depends on the number of billing units/courses you'll be taking per semester:
- Full-time OSAP
If you intend to take 3 or more courses/billing units (2 or more if you have a permanent, persistent or prolonged disability), apply for full-time OSAP before the full-time deadline date. - Part-time OSAP
If you intend to take 2 or fewer courses/billing units (one course/billing unit if you have a permanent, persistent or prolonged disability), apply for part-time OSAP before the part-time deadline date.
Don鈥檛 delay applying and submitting your required documents (which will be outlined on the Required Documents page in your OSAP portal once you apply). It typically takes about 3 to 6 weeks from your date of submission for your documents to be reviewed (4 to 8 weeks during peak periods like September, January and May).
You can keep track of your submitted documents by checking our OSAP Processing Dates page. Once your document has been reviewed, you'll receive an update about your next steps through your OSAP Message Centre. Please be sure to check your OSAP Message Centre at least once a week so you don't miss any important information about your application.
Yes, you can apply for one type of OSAP for one term and another type of OSAP for another term. Applying for part-time OSAP in one semester and full-time OSAP in another won't affect your assessment.
Please check the part-time OSAP and full-time OSAP pages to learn more about eligibility. More information is also available on the Important Dates and Deadlines page.
Something to note while you apply: In order for your part- and full-time OSAP loans to remain interest-free, you must be enrolled full-time within 6 months of the last time you were confirmed as a full-time student through OSAP. For more information, check out how to Repay Your Canadian Loans and Maintain Interest-Free Status.
Typically, the part-time OSAP application is able to electronically verify your previous taxation year鈥檚 Canadian income through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). However, if your Canadian income can't be electronically verified, you'll be asked to provide documentation to satisfy your proof of income.
You can find instructions for next steps by visiting Part-Time OSAP Zero Income Attestation.
We ask that you don't link your OUAC account with your OSAP account. This can cause you to experience issues with accessing your OSAP account when your OUAC account has been closed.
If you鈥檝e already linked your OUAC account to your OSAP account, visit the OUAC website to learn how to .
If you're experiencing issues with logging in to your OSAP account, please contact the OSAP webmaster via email at webmaster.tcu@ontario.ca.
You can retrieve your OSAP Access Number (OAN) or reset your password either in person or virtually:
- In Person: You can do an OAN or password reset at any public college or university in Ontario. You don't have to complete it at the institution you attended. If you opt to come in person at 91影视, we offer OAN or password reset on a walk-in basis through the ServiceHub. Please bring a piece of photo ID and proof of your Social Insurance Number (SIN). For a specific list of accepted documents and ID requirements, please review our instructions on how to prepare for your consultation at the ServiceHub.
- Virtual: We offer virtual OAN or password resets by virtual appointment via Google Meet. To set up an appointment, please check out our .
Yes, you're permitted to apply for OSAP for the typical length of your program, plus one additional year.
For example, students in a program designed for 4 years are permitted to apply for full-time OSAP for up to 5 years. You must submit a brand new OSAP application in order to be considered for the upcoming academic year.
For more information, visit OSAP Funding Limits section on the Full-Time OSAP page.
If you're only taking intensive courses, you will not be eligible for OSAP. Intensive courses aren't considered while calculating your course load because they鈥檙e too short.
If you're taking additional courses alongside the intensive ones, we can add the cost of your intensive course to your assessment calculation. For example, if you're registered in one spring course and one intensive course, you'll need to apply for part-time OSAP, and we'll add the cost of your intensive course to your OSAP calculation.
Learn more about Intensive Courses on the Spring/Summer OSAP page.
Co-op students may only have the option to apply for OSAP for one academic semester (e.g. a 15-week work term in the fall) even if you intend to be enrolled full-time for the entire academic year (i.e. 2 semesters).
If you would like to be considered for funding for an additional semester (either fall or winter) than your OSAP application allows you to apply for at the time, please reach out to our office via the ServiceHub during the previous term to let us know. We鈥檒l amend your OSAP application to consider you for funding for the entire academic year.
Short answer: Yes.
However, in order for your Chang School courses to be considered for OSAP:
- You must be enrolled in the courses under the relevant career (e.g. undergraduate degree or Chang School certificate)
- You must be registered as part of the requirements toward the undergraduate degree or Chang School certificate you're currently enrolled in
You don't need to reach out to our office to let us know once you have enrolled in the Chang School course. Our office will adjust your OSAP application based on the information present on your student account (MyServiceHub).
For OSAP purposes, your course load is determined based on the number of billing units associated with your enrolment. Each billing unit counts as 20% toward course load.
For example, if you're taking one course that is weighted at 3 billing units, then you would have a 60% course load (3 billing units multiplied by 20% = 60%). Therefore, in this scenario, you would be eligible to apply for full-time OSAP.
To check how many billing units a course is worth, please refer to your academic program section of the Undergraduate Calendar.
In the following example pulled from the Undergraduate Calendar page for the MWF 121 course, the billing units can be found listed in the course description.
This sample course counts for 5 billing units.
In this scenario, since the course is equivalent to 5 courses, you would be considered a full-time OSAP student at a 100% course load (5 billing units multiplied by 20% = 100%).
Please note that 100% is the maximum course load you can have in your OSAP application. If you're taking more than 5 billing units, please report a 100% course load. Our Student Financial Assistance office will capture the costs of your enrolment when confirming your enrolment.
Potentially! At 91影视, full-time undergraduate students registered in 5 to 7 undergraduate billing units (continuing education courses excluded) are assessed at a flat rate. This means that whether you take 5, 6 or 7 courses, you're charged the same.
If you are taking 8 or more undergraduate billing units, please notify our office 鈥 we'll adjust your tuition fees on your OSAP application.
There's no need to notify the Student Financial Assistance office if you drop a course. Our office automatically makes relevant adjustments to your OSAP application for you throughout each semester.

Full-Time OSAP Applicants
If you drop one or more courses but remain in a full-time course load, you'll remain eligible for OSAP but may see a decrease in your funding assessment.
If you drop to a part-time course load or withdraw from all your courses, you'll lose OSAP eligibility for the rest of the semester and you will likely find a decrease in your funding assessment.
Note: Once 6 months lapse since you were last in a full-time course load and received OSAP, you will enter repayment. If you drop to a part-time course load but take a full-time course load again within 6 months and apply for either OSAP or Continuation of Interest-Free Status (CIFS), repayment won't occur.
Please note there are possible implications to your OSAP when dropping courses, such as funding overpayments, possible reduction in future funding installments in the same academic year, and/or being placed on OSAP academic probation.

Part-Time OSAP Applicants
If you drop one or more courses during a term where you received part-time OSAP, you'll be required to self-fund for the next semester that you apply for part-time OSAP and pass all the courses you take that semester.
Example:
During the fall 2026 term, you receive part-time OSAP and then drop one course. You apply and receive full-time OSAP during the winter 2027 term. You then re-apply for part-time OSAP during the fall 2027 term 鈥 you will need to self-fund during the fall 2027 term.
The MSFAA is maintained by the . We strongly encourage you to reach out to the NSLSC for assistance if you're experiencing any issues with the MSFAA as this can delay your funding.
Check out the page for options on how to connect with them.
Good question 鈥 the name is misleading! All students who wish to be considered for OSAP must complete the MFSAA, not just master鈥檚 students. The word 鈥渕aster鈥 doesn't refer to your degree type. It's the 鈥渕aster鈥 or 鈥渕ain鈥 consolidated document necessary for the OSAP program.
The MSFAA is a financial agreement between a student who accesses government assistance and the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC). It outlines terms and conditions for accepting government funding.
If you're uploading a supporting document that supports a review of your OSAP application (for reasons like adjusting your living allowance, reviewing family breakdown, or income-related documents), select Review.
If you're uploading a supporting document to update information that's no longer accurate on your OSAP application (like incorrect scholarship amounts, change of name, etc.), select Update.
If you make a mistake, don't worry! As long as you upload to either of these queues, we'll receive the paperwork.
If your OSAP file is at the 鈥渃onfirmation of enrolment鈥 stage, your enrolment will be confirmed closer to the start of your classes. Once classes start, your enrolment will be confirmed within one to 4 weeks, provided that you're still eligible.
Once your enrolment has been confirmed, funding will be released within 5 to 10 business days. You can track your funding online through your National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) account by using the NSLSC Funding Tracker.
- Fees outstanding?
OSAP funding is first sent to 91影视 to be applied towards outstanding fees. Then, excess funding (if any) is sent to your authorized bank account as per your Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA). - Already paid your fees?
Your OSAP funding will be directed to the bank account authorized on your MSFAA.
If you're a full-time graduate student, your funding typically covers the entire academic year (i.e. September to August). Winter confirmation of enrolment is typically the last confirmation of enrolment and disbursement for the rest of the academic year. Your winter OSAP installment includes both winter and spring/summer. There will be no additional funding released in spring/summer.
If you're a part-time graduate student, you鈥檒l need to submit a separate part-time application to be considered for funding for the spring/summer semester.
Dropping courses before your enrolment is confirmed can impact your OSAP eligibility. It鈥檚 important to reach out to our office via the ServiceHub before dropping a course and, ideally, before your enrolment has been confirmed. This is to make sure you're aware of the implications ahead of time.
You don't need to notify us if you add, drop or swap courses after enrolment has been confirmed. We update your application throughout the term and will capture the changes on an ongoing basis. However, there could be OSAP academic progress implications on course drops. Check your OSAP funding summary to monitor any changes to your funding.
Tip: In the future, finalize your course load before the term begins to avoid delays in funding.
If you paid your fees via online banking around the same time your OSAP was confirmed, chances are your OSAP will also be sent to 91影视 since you had outstanding tuition charges at the time of confirmation of enrolment. You can track your funding online through your National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) account by using the NSLSC Funding Tracker.
Once your OSAP funding arrives to your student account (MyServiceHub), and you notice a credit (negative number) in there, you can request a refund.
If, however, your tuition payment is applied to your student account before we confirm your enrolment for OSAP, we'll direct your OSAP funding to your authorized bank account linked with the NSLSC.
The estimated release dates on your OSAP application are auto-generated by OSAP and don't actually reflect our office's processing timelines. Please don't rely on these dates as a guaranteed timeline for when your funding will be released. They are generic to all Ontario colleges and universities.
Instead, our office will send communications about our timelines to your OSAP Message Centre. Please stay tuned there for further updates on your application!
You can't choose where funds are disbursed to.
When enrolment is confirmed and funding is disbursed, OSAP funding is first sent to 91影视 to be applied to the outstanding tuition balance (including late fees, if applicable) on your MyServiceHub account. If there's no outstanding tuition balance at the time our office confirms enrolment, or if there are any remaining funds after our office applies your OSAP funds against your outstanding balance, the funds will be directed to your authorized bank account linked with the NSLSC, the lender of student financial assistance in Canada.
The system sometimes sends notifications regarding "missing documents" for 2 reasons: either you haven鈥檛 yet uploaded your documents or you have uploaded your documents and they鈥檙e in queue to be processed.
In your OSAP portal, navigate to the Required Documents page to confirm which category you fall into:
- If you've already uploaded documents:
If an upload has been received, rest assured that we've received them. - If you haven't uploaded documents:
If there have been no uploads made by you, please promptly provide the requested documents. The necessary documents are outlined on your Required Documents page in your OSAP portal, so read it carefully. Be sure to upload within all OSAP important dates and deadlines.
OSAP documents are processed within 3 to 6 weeks from the date of submission. You can track our documents' progress on the OSAP Processing Dates page.
Once our office reviews your application, you'll receive a notification through your OSAP Message Centre.
To correct a mistake, please write a letter and upload it to your OSAP application. In your OSAP portal, you can upload the document by clicking the 鈥淥ptional/Other Documents鈥 tab at the top of your Required Documents page. Please upload it to the 鈥淯辫诲补迟别蝉鈥 queue.
This update letter must include:
- Your first and last name
- 91影视 Student Number
- Date
- Signature
- The mistake you made
- The correct information that needs to be updated
No need to worry if you've changed programs and/or have a different course load than what is indicated on your OSAP application. Our office will update your OSAP application on your behalf to reflect the program information on your student account, you don't need to contact us to request this change.
However, if you have increased from a part-time to a full-time course load or vice versa, the process to update your OSAP application is not as easy. In this case, you would need to submit a brand new OSAP application that reflects your course load status.
Visit our OSAP Income and Assets Updates page for details on what to report and how to submit your changes.
Note: Changes to income and assets may impact (e.g. increase or decrease) your OSAP funding eligibility. Please monitor your OSAP Message Centre regularly for updates to your application.