Financial Aid & Awards Frequently Asked Questions

Transcription

1 ENROLMENT SERVICES Financial Aid & Awards Frequently Asked Questions OSAP Questions 1. What is a Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA)? The MSFAA is the student loan agreement that has replaced the paper loan certificate. You are only required to sign the MSFAA once in your lifetime. By signing the MSFAA, you agree to the terms and conditions for holding federal and provincial funding. In addition, it allows for the electronic release of OSAP funding directly into your back account. The MSFAA process is in place for all OSAP recipients. If you did not receive OSAP in the last two years, you must print your MSFAA after you submit your OSAP application. Complete your MSFAA and bring it to a designated postal outlet. Once the MSFAA is received by the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) then your OSAP funds will deposited into your bank account at the start of your study period. Visit the NSLSC website for more information about the MSFAA Visit the OSAP website to complete your OSAP application 2. How do I apply for OSAP? It is strongly recommended that you apply online at Submit your OSAP application, print the consents and declaration pages and forward them to Financial Aid & Awards, Enrolment Services at U of T or upload them through your OSAP application. If you are a returning applicant you may not need to submit any documentation. If you did not receive OSAP in the last two years, print the MSFAA, sign it, complete your banking information and take it to a designated Canada Post Outlet with two pieces of appropriate identification. Canada Post will verify your identity and then forward your MSFAA to the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) for processing. Don t delay. Submit your MSFAA as soon as possible to ensure your funding is processed in time for the start of your studies. Note: If you received OSAP in , you already signed your MSFAA so you do not have to do it for Financial Aid & Awards Frequently Asked Questions 1

2 3. I ve submitted my OSAP application. What happens next? Once your OSAP application has been accepted as complete, your MSFAA has been processed by the National Student Loans Service Centre (new OSAP applicants only), and your full-time enrolment has been confirmed by U of T, your funds are ready for disbursement. In the first few weeks after classes begin, your funds will be deposited electronically into your bank account. 4. How do I register or pay fees if I won t receive my OSAP funds until my classes begin? OSAP recipients may register at U of T before receiving their OSAP funding No minimum payment is required. The University permits students to register beginning in mid-july without paying the Minimum Payment to Register amount on their Student Web Service/ACORN invoice if they have been assessed by OSAP and OSAP has determined that they will receive at least $1 in OSAP funding. Information is available at Student Accounts regarding the OSAP/Government Student Aid Tuition Fee Deferral. 5. How do I submit an OSAP tuition fee deferral? If a student applies for OSAP and OSAP has been determined that the student will be receiving at least $1 in OSAP funding, the University will allow a student to defer paying their tuition fees until the assistance arrives. Students can complete the OSAP/Government Student Aid Tuition Fee Deferral Online form by logging in to the Student Web Service and selecting Financial Accounts. In the Financial Accounts area, students can select OSAP/Govt Deferral. Students who are unable to access the OSAP/Government Student Aid Tuition Fee Deferral tool on the Student Web Service must visit their college or faculty to request a manual tuition fee deferral. Enrolment Services will not be processing manual fee deferrals. 6. I have enough savings to last until the end of first term. When should I apply for OSAP? You should apply for OSAP as soon as possible (do not wait until you have run out of money!). Apply early, 8-10 weeks prior to your study period start provides ample time to process your application, and if there are any errors, time to make corrections. There are application and processing deadlines that will prevent you from receiving funding if you wait too long. 7. Where do I pick up my loan certificate for my OSAP funding? There are no more loan certificates to pick up. When a student applies for OSAP, at the end of the application process, they must print two types of documents: 1) Signatures pages; 2) Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA). The MSFAA is a new document that replaced the loan certificate starting in OSAP applicants who did not receive OSAP in must complete the MSFAA and Financial Aid & Awards Frequently Asked Questions 2

3 bring it to a designated postal outlet. Once the MSFAA is received by the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC), then the OSAP funds will deposited into the student s bank account. Students who received OSAP in do not have to complete the MSFAA because they did so in and you only have to complete this document once in your lifetime. 8. How do I pay my fees with OSAP? Once your OSAP funds are deposited into your bank account, you are expected to pay your U of T fees promptly. If you indicated on your OSAP application that you wanted your OSAP funds to be redirected automatically to U of T to pay your tuition fees, please be aware that this process is not in place at U of T. Immediately after you receive your government funds, you will have to pay your fees on your own. If you do not receive any funding, you are still responsible for paying your fees and must begin doing so as soon as you receive notification of ineligibility/refusal. You can access your personalized fees invoice from the Student Web Service to determine the amounts and due dates for your fees. Instructions are available at Student Accounts. The University charges a monthly service charge beginning on October 15 and every month thereafter on the outstanding balance of all fees owing. 9. How is my OSAP released to me? You must be registered in a full-time course load in each term of study in order to receive your OSAP funds. You cannot average your course load between terms. OSAP funds are disbursed in two installments. Generally, for a two-term study period, 60% of the funding will be disbursed in the Fall, and the remainder in the Winter term. The first installment will be deposited directly into your bank account after the University confirms your full-time registration in September. If you applied by mid-june, this should happen by the first or second week of classes. Half way through your study period, you must complete your Confirmation of Student Income form on the OSAP website in order to receive the second installment of your OSAP funds. Instructions will be sent to you by the Ministry about a month before your second disbursement. 10. What if I selected on my OSAP application to Redirect my OSAP funds to U of T? U of T will not be redirecting students OSAP funds to the University. Even though you may have elected to have your OSAP funds redirected to U of T, no fees will be redirected. Immediately after students receive their government funds, they will have to pay their fees on their own. If students do not receive any funding they are still responsible for paying their fees and must begin doing so as soon as they receive notification of ineligibility/refusal. You may access your personalized fees invoice from the Student Web Service to determine the fees owed to U of T Financial Aid & Awards Frequently Asked Questions 3

4 11. Why does my Student Account say I owe fees when I have already indicated on my OSAP application that I want to redirect my OSAP funding to U of T to cover my tuition? U of T will not be redirecting students OSAP funds to the University. Even though you may have selected to have your OSAP funds redirected to U of T, no fees will be redirected. Immediately after you receive your government funds, you will have to pay your fees on your own. If you do not receive any funding, you are still responsible for paying your fees and must begin doing so as soon as you receive notification of ineligibility/refusal. You can access your personalized fees invoice from the Student Web Service. 12. How do I know if my OSAP loans/grants have been processed? You can check the processing status of your OSAP application on the OSAP website. You will need to know your Ontario Access Number (OAN) as well as your password to access this information. It is recommended to begin checking your OSAP status no earlier than 4 6 weeks after you have submitted your signed consents and declaration pages to the Financial Aid & Awards at Enrolment Services. If your OSAP application has been processed, you can also check the amount you are eligible to receive from the government for this academic year. 13. Do I need to confirm my income to OSAP? You must confirm your income before the release of your second installment of OSAP funds. It is your responsibility as a borrower to inform OSAP of any changes in your financial situation throughout the school year. Instructions will be sent to you by the Ministry about one month before your second installment of OSAP is scheduled to be released. Check your or online OSAP status regularly for instructions. 14. How do I change my address so that OSAP knows? OSAP recipients must keep their address and contact information up to date with the Ministry, National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) and U of T. OSAP: Students log in to their OSAP accounts to change their addresses at the OSAP website National Student Loans Service Centre: University of Toronto: log in into the Student Web Service Financial Aid & Awards Frequently Asked Questions 4

5 15. I live in another Province. Can I apply for OSAP? No. If your home province is not Ontario, you must apply to the Ministry or Department of Education in your home province for financial assistance. Out of Province Students are not automatically considered for UTAPS; if you would like to be considered for UTAPS funding you should submit an application by November 30. You will need your aid assessment from your home province to complete the application. 16. What if I have OSAP funding from previous years? If you have a previous Canada Student Loan, Ontario Student Loan, and/or Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan and plan to continue your studies, you must ensure that your previous loan(s) are placed in interest-free status so that you do not have to repay the loan(s) and interest while you are in school. You must ensure that your previous lender(s) and/or the NSLSC know that you are studying full time. There are two ways to do so: 1. If you are receiving OSAP in You don t have to do anything. The ministry will electronically inform your previous lender(s) and/or the NSLSC that you are still in school. 2. If you are NOT receiving OSAP in or your OSAP funding will be delayed this semester Submit to Financial Aid & Awards at Enrolment Services a signed Continuation of Interest-Free Status (CIFS) form as soon as your semester begins. The CIFS form is available from the OSAP website under Forms or from Enrolment Services, and must be signed by your registrar s office. Once Financial Aid & Awards has processed your CIFS form, the information will be electronically forwarded to your lender(s) and/or the National Student Loan Service Centre. Please note that this process usually takes a few business days. 17. Do I have to notify Financial Aid & Awards at Enrolment Services of any changes to my status? Yes. Failure to notify Enrolment Services of any of the changes listed below may result in your restriction from receiving further OSAP funding: Income prior to and/or during the study period (e.g. part-time work, external scholarships and awards) Financial situation (for you and/or your family) Marital status (yours or your parents) Address during the school year (e.g. living at home or away) Other changes to your personal information (e.g. children information, changes in citizenship status) Course Load (i.e., dropping courses or applying for Advanced Standing) speak to a Enrolment Services BEFORE making any changes to your course load as it may affect your eligibility for OSAP funding Financial Aid & Awards Frequently Asked Questions 5

6 Program of study - speak to Enrolment Services BEFORE making any changes to your program as it may affect your eligibility for OSAP funding Academic progress (i.e., withdrawal from full-time studies, failure to progress academically) 18. I didn t get enough OSAP. Can I get any more? Visit your financial aid office and ask about OSAP reviews. There are a number of OSAP reviews available. If you meet criteria for an OSAP review, your financial aid office will reassess your OSAP application using the review documentation you have provided and you may be reassessed for more funding. However, the maximum OSAP loan funding available is: $365/week of study for single students; $565/week of study for married students, students in common-law relationships, and single parents. 19. What does it mean if I m on Academic Probation for OSAP? If you re on Academic Probation for OSAP, it means that you didn t successfully complete your studies last year while you were on OSAP and that for the next academic year, your academic progress will be monitored closely. This happens if you don t complete your required course load or if you receive funding and then drop classes. During your OSAP probation, you can still receive OSAP funding. However, you also will be expected to pass the courses you registered for. If you pass your courses, then the Academic Probation will be removed from your OSAP file. If you don t pass your courses, then you will be restricted from OSAP funding for an entire school year. 20. Can I get OSAP funding if I have defaulted on my OSAP loan? If you defaulted on the Canada portion of your OSAP loan, you can rehabilitate the loan and get further funding. For more information about Canada Student Loan rehabilitation, contact the National Student Loans Service Centre at If you defaulted on the Ontario portion of your OSAP loan, you must either repay your Ontario loan in full or rehabilitate your loan in order to receive future funding. Students may contact the following agency to determine the current status of their provincial debt and which private collection agency has the debt. Account Management and Collections Branch Ministry of Finance Telephone: (within GTA) Or toll free: Financial Aid & Awards Frequently Asked Questions 6

7 21. When do I start repaying my OSAP loans? As a borrower, it is your responsibility to fulfill your obligations and repay your student loans and overpayments to keep your loans and credit in good standing. You are expected to begin repayment of their student loans 6 months after you stop being a full time postsecondary student. For example, if you leave full time studies on April 30, your first student loan payment would be due in November. If you are experiencing financial difficulties in meeting your repayment obligations, there are programs to help. For more information about your repayment options, visit the National Student Loans Service Centre website or phone Will I be notified when I have to start repaying my OSAP loans? The National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) will send you a consolidation agreement during the six months after you stop being a full-time student. Ensure that NSLSC always has your most current address. Contact NSLSC ( ) if you do not receive your consolidation agreement. 23. What can I do if I experience financial difficulties when repaying my student loans? If you ever think you may not be able to afford your payments, contact the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) at for information on their repayment assistance programs. Remember that missing payments on your student loans has consequences, including affecting your credit rating and your eligibility for future OSAP assistance. 24. What financial aid programs are available for part-time students? OSAP and U of T both offer Financial Assistance for Part-Time Students Part Time OSAP available to undergraduate and graduate students registered in certificate, degree or diploma programs, apply online through the OSAP website Noah Meltz Grant (includes the institution Funded Special Bursary) available to undergraduate students registered in certificate, degree or diploma programs. For financial aid purposes, part-time is defined as less than a 60% course load in a particular term of study. For undergraduate students, this means that you re taking less than 1.5 credits in a term. A term is defined as September to December, January to April or May to August. Students with permanent disabilities who are enrolled in 40% to 59% of a full course load have the option of applying for either Full-Time OSAP or Part-Time OSAP. If a student with a permanent disability is in receipt of social assistance (such as Ontario Disability Support, Ontario Works) for their living expenses, applying to Part-Time OSAP may be a more viable choice for funding their educational costs and to limit their student loan debt Financial Aid & Awards Frequently Asked Questions 7

8 Students who are registering in the Academic Bridging Program (part-time) or undergraduate degree/certificate students taking two credits for the fall/winter session may apply for the Noah Meltz Grant and/or Part-Time OSAP. Note: The number of credits in which a student must be registered to be considered for the Meltz Grant is increasing from one to two for the fall/winter session. Previously, students taking one credit for the fall/winter session were encouraged to apply for Meltz funding. Fee deferral forms may be obtained when the Part-Time OSAP signature pages, supporting documents and/or the Meltz Grant application are submitted to Enrolment Services. The fee deferral form is then taken to the students registrar s offices or Student Accounts. Part-Time OSAP will continue to be released on paper funding documents for The Noah Meltz Grant will be paid through the SWS/ACORN system. 25. What s UTAPs? How do I apply? UTAPS stands for the University of Toronto Advanced Planning for Students program. It s a program that is used to meet students financial needs not addressed by OSAP or other government programs. OSAP recipients don t need to apply. They ll automatically be considered. U of T students receiving funding from another province/territory or a First Nations band are also eligible for consideration, but they need to apply online. 26. How do I change the banking information I provided when I applied for OSAP? Students who need to change their banking information for their MSFAA (Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement) must complete the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) Bank Account Information Change Request for Electronic Disbursements form. This completed form and supporting documentation are submitted to NSLSC to update. Forms are available from the NSLSC. 27. How will I get my OSAP if I don t have a bank account? Students must set up their own bank accounts for OSAP direct deposit. See questions #1 and # I earned more money during the summer than I thought I would. How can I let OSAP know? How is it going to affect my OSAP funding? Half way through the study period, students must complete the Confirmation of Student Income form on the OSAP website which may affect the second installment of their OSAP funds. Instructions will be sent to the students by the Ministry about a month before their second disbursement. 29. If I withdraw from studies, how will it affect my OSAP funding? Financial Aid & Awards Frequently Asked Questions 8

9 Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress. That means that students are required to successfully complete the academic requirements of their program to continue to be eligible for OSAP. Frequent or multiple program switches, drops, withdrawals and/or repeats of programs that are funded by OSAP may be considered lack of academic progress and direction. Contact Enrolment Services for further details. These are some of the consequences to withdrawing from full-time studies while on OSAP: - Your loans will become repayable 6 months after you withdraw from full-time studies. - An over-award will be created due to a reassessment of your OSAP entitlement as a result of your withdrawal. - There will be OSAP Academic probation or restriction placed on your file because you did not maintain full-time standing during your OSAP funded study period. 30. I ve received OSAP in the past but I m not receiving it in What can I do so that I don t have to start repaying my loans? You will need to complete a Continuation of Interest-Free Status form. Print one out from the OSAP home page or pick one up from Enrolment Services then have your registrar sign off on the form. The Continuation of Interest-Free Status cannot be updated before the start of your term. AWARDS Questions 1. How will I know I received an award? The University of Toronto begins offering Admission Scholarships at the time a student is admitted beginning in February and completing the scholarship offer process in May. Offers are sent out both with the admission packages and under separate cover during this time period. Most faculty and college scholarship offers are made at the same time. 2. How are awards paid? Payment will be applied to the student s fees account after registration in September. The scholarship funds are first applied to any fees owing. A deferment of fees may be requested if the scholarship value is at least the value of the minimum required fees payment. Information about fees deferral and fees payment is available at the Student Accounts website: If the award amount exceeds the fees owing, then the remainder will be issued to the student. It will be deposited directly into your bank account. If you have not already done so, please set up direct deposit on ROSI. You can sign up for this option by recording your bank account details on the SWS (ROSI) If I reduce my course load to part-time status, will this affect my eligibility for an award? In most cases yes, dropping to part time study will affect the eligibility for admission scholarships. Students who withdraw from study or drop to part time may be required to repay all or part of their award. Students who wish to appeal the award condition based on Financial Aid & Awards Frequently Asked Questions 9

10 unforeseen or special circumstances may do so in writing to the office or division which offered the award. The scholarship committee will review the appeal and determine if special consideration is warranted. 4. How will an award affect my OSAP funding? Students who are receiving OSAP assistance during the academic year and receive a bursary/award or scholarship, are required to notify Financial Aid & Awards, Enrolment Services of the additional funds received. To determine if the bursary has made a difference in your OSAP assessment, please visit the OSAP website regularly at Last Updated: August Financial Aid & Awards Frequently Asked Questions 10