Help! OSAP is confusing me

[frugal.tea]

Hi all,

I decided to make a change...next year and am going back to school (Academy of Learning, Everest, etc. haven't really decided) I cannot afford to pay for it on my own and will be applying for OSAP. My mom was telling me how she heard about something where you only pay back half of your OSAP loan. Does any one know about this? What is it and how does it work? How does OSAP work?, I'm a bit lost on that too.

Thanks in advance

[freefreefree]

I think the best way is to call them. I know in BC they are always changing their policies.

[ahatt]

I wish that was the case..because DH's OSAP loan would be paid off by now. Unfortunately, that's not entirely true.

If OSAP loans you over $7,300, you may qualify for the Ontario Student Opportunity Grant (typically you only qualify if you have very high tuition or low household income). If you are eligible for the grant, than anything above $7,300 that OSAP loans you for two semesters, you do not have to repay. It's not something that automatically happens, you have to qualify for it.

https://osap.gov.on.ca/OSAPPortal/en/A-ZListofAid/UCONT004230.html

Hi all,

I decided to make a change...next year and am going back to school (Academy of Learning, Everest, etc. haven't really decided) I cannot afford to pay for it on my own and will be applying for OSAP. My mom was telling me how she heard about something where you only pay back half of your OSAP loan. Does any one know about this? What is it and how does it work? How does OSAP work?, I'm a bit lost on that too.

Thanks in advance

[Brynhilde]

When I went to College, they reduced my loan by $14 000 just for passing my classes and having an income that qualified for the grant.

You must have a total annual loan of a certain amount in order to qualify for that grant. You also must be from a low-income family and have a low income yourself to qualify AND you must pass your classes. When you apply for OSAP and you get your Notice of Assessment (OSAP), they will tell you what if anything you are entitled to, including grants and bursaries. The repayment grant may cover your entire loan or part of it. Depends on several different factors

[Ciel]

https://osap.gov.on.ca/OSAPPortal/en/PostsecondaryEducation/OSAP/index.htm

Private college-hope you have friends who can give you their own experiences to guide you in choosing one as well as the program most likely to make you job-marketable. Don't expect to be taught-it was more self-directed learning than anything for the $$$$ someone had to pay for the accelerated program. Any program in health sciences is going to require you to get shots, CPR certification, possibly a uniform, and other paperwork done-possibly annually and by certain times. Then, after graduation, you may have reference and registration costs plus professional dues each year and even continuing education requirements. Can you afford all the related costs to pursue your new field of study? Check to see what the in-demand jobs supposedly are forecast for Ontario and determine which of them interest you. Try to find people who graduated from the related programs to get their post-graduation impressions.

OSAP-read the portal information and decide if you can take this route. While there can be an interest-free period, once it ends, you are on the hook for all interest accrued on your loan from graduation. Should your new field not be hiring and you have to use an interim job to make money, that loan will look more like a millstone when you cannot meet payments and cover your living expenses.

Other tuition possibilities, if you go to the public colleges--look for clubs, organizations and community foundations that provide grants--there could be certain criteria (i.e. money specific to certain programs, residents or grade averages) to meet in order to apply for them. There may be some deadlines coming up soon and you'd not want to miss any opportunities for money.

I have heard that public college teaching has become more of a self-study oriented process with daily requirements to do reading prior to quizzes, tests etc. on top of practical in-class work/lab work. Written work is submitted online through the college email portal. If the instructors in your program are PT and on contract, they may only get paid by the hours they are in class, so they will not likely be available outside of class hours as they won't be paid (unlike FT staff, who will have office hours at certain days/times). How would that impact your learning?

My questions are meant to prepare you for what can meet you in the classroom or even in applying for programs. Someone I know has experienced all of the above and shared their 411 with me.

[frugal.tea]

Thanks everyone

[Ciel]

If you know French and La Cite Collegiale, there is a $3000 tuition prize competition on now until January 29. As seen in L'Express:
http://www.lexpress.to/archives/7295/