ABOUT OSAP
Ontario Special Bursary Program
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Purpose and Objective
The Ontario Special Bursary Program (OSBP) helps students with low family incomes participate in postsecondary education on a part-time basis at an Ontario university or college of applied arts and technology.
Students attending full-time or part-time academic upgrading programs may also be eligible for OSBP assistance. (OSBP funding is designed to assist students to get their first degree, diploma, or training program certificate).
The basic assumption of OSBP is that the student is pursuing his or her studies on a part-time basis because he or she is unable to attend on a full-time basis due to family responsibilities or other personal circumstances. For this reason, OSBP is designed mainly for students with dependents who are in receipt of assistance through Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program or who have low family income.
The objective of this program is to
- Assist financially needy students studying on a part-time basis who are attending approved publicly-funded Ontario universities and colleges of applied arts and technology.
- Encourage financially needy students to pursue postsecondary studies for the first time.
- Encourage financially needy students to pursue academic upgrading or training program that will enable them to advance their employment-related skills on a full-time or part-time basis.
Value
The maximum amount of bursary you can receive is $2,500 per academic year. The bursary is not taxable, although you will be issued a T4A. The bursary may cover tuition and other compulsory fees and may provide an allowance for books, equipment, and local transportation. Help with child-care costs may also be available.
Eligibility Requirements
You can apply for the Ontario Special Bursary if you:
- are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or Protected Person as defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada);
- are an Ontario resident; You are considered to be an Ontario resident if you have resided in Ontario for 12 consecutive months up to the beginning of your program of study. If you have been residing in Ontario only for the 12 months preceding your program of study and you were attending a post-secondary institution during this 12-month period, you are not considered to be a resident of Ontario.
- have a low family income;
- are not receiving a Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan or a Part-Time Canada Student Loan;
- are taking part-time postsecondary courses or are taking full-time or part-time courses to upgrade your academic skills;
- are taking a course that is at least four weeks in length;
- are attending a provincially-assisted university or college of applied arts and technology in Ontario;
- are taking a course that leads to a first certificate, diploma, or degree.
In the case of incarcerated students, provincial residency is to be determined based on the student’s province of residence for the 12 consecutive months before incarceration.
Note: If you have extra education-related expenses resulting from a disability, you may also be able to apply for a Bursary for Students With Disabilities. Contact your financial aid office for more information.
How to Apply
To apply, you must fill out the Ontario Special Bursary Program application form. You can print the Ontario Special Bursary Program application. Application forms are also available from the financial aid office of the institution you plan to attend.
Deadline
The deadline for applying is the last day of the month in which your program begins.
Receipt of Funding
The bursary is paid by cheque and distributed through the financial aid office at your postsecondary institution.
