Overview

You must successfully complete a full-time course load and progress towards finishing your program to remain eligible for full-time OSAP and Ontario Learn and Stay Grant funding.

Failure to meet academic progress requirements will result in increasing penalties for each offense, with timed restrictions to your funding for a predetermined number of years.

The first offence committed will result in being placed on academic probation. Further failures to meet progress requirements will result in the following lengths of ineligibility for funding:

  • first restriction: 1 year
  • second restriction: 3 years
  • third restriction: 5 years
  • fourth restriction: indefinite until loans are fully repaid

Successful completion of a full-time course load

You must achieve passing grades in at least 60% of a full course load as defined by your institution for each academic term or study period you receive full-time OSAP funding or the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant.

Students with verified permanent disabilities or verified persistent or prolonged disabilities may choose to be considered a full-time student if you’re taking at least 40% of a full course load.

You must self-identify as having a disability when applying for the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant or OSAP and submit the OSAP Disability Verification Form to be considered for this benefit.

Withdrawing or changing your course load

You could be placed on academic probation or restricted from receiving further funding if you withdraw from full-time studies or drop below the required full-time course load.

Successful progression through studies

You must make academic progress through your program while in full time studies.

For example, the following are considered failures to make academic progress:

  • switching programs multiple times
  • constantly repeating a program
  • taking multiple programs at the same level of study

Active participation

A course is considered a failure and removed from your course load for the purposes of determining academic progress for full-time OSAP and the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant if you fail to actively participate in a course by:

  • not attending any classes or seminars
  • not completing any course assignments
  • not taking any course exams

Periods of study plus one

You can apply for full-time OSAP and the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant only for the number of periods of study specified by your institution for completing that program of study, plus one additional study period. The period of study is specified by your institution.

For example, if you’re in a:

  • 1 year program, you can receive up to 2 years of funding
  • 2 year program, you can receive up to 3  years of funding
  • 4 year program, you can receive up to 5 years of funding

You’re no longer eligible for more full-time OSAP or the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant for that program if you have reached the study period maximum for your program. This applies even if you’re in good standing academically or you haven’t reached the lifetime limit on OSAP funding.

For example, you may become ineligible for more full-time OSAP and the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant for the balance of your program if you exceed the time to complete your program because:

  • you take less than a full course load each year
  • you have failed and have had to repeat courses

Exemption:

Students with verified permanent disabilities or persistent or prolonged disabilities are exempted from this policy.

Repeating courses

Generally, if you’re progressing through your program, you receive OSAP and Ontario Learn and Stay Grant funding only once for each course in your program. In some circumstances, you may be considered for OSAP funding to repeat one or more courses provided that you’re making overall satisfactory academic progress.

For example, if you:

  • failed a course and want to repeat it to try for a passing mark
  • did not achieve the minimum grade required to advance in your program
  • took an extended break in your studies and now you need to repeat one or more course(s) because the program content has changed significantly

You may receive OSAP and Ontario Learn and Stay Grant funding to repeat a course once only. Any additional attempts to complete a course cannot be used in your OSAP or Ontario Learn and Stay Grant funding calculation or towards your full course load.

Reviews for personal circumstances

If you’re unable to meet academic progress requirements due to personal circumstances beyond your control (for example, serious injury, family crisis), you may submit a review to your financial aid office and be exempted from meeting OSAP and Ontario Learn and Stay Grant academic progress requirements.

This would be for the period in which you experience these circumstances. You must provide documentation to support this review.