Completing Your Loan/Grant Certificate and Negotiating Your Loan

Loan/Grant certificate

When you get your loan/grant certificate you must:

1. Have the institution you are attending confirm your enrolment by completing and signing the Confirmation of Enrolment section of the loan/grant certificate (not to be confused with the “Confirmation of Enrolment Form” described elsewhere).
2. Attach a void cheque to the "Student’s Deposit Information" section of the loan/grant certificate or have your financial institution complete this section in order to have your funds deposited directly to your account. If you do not, your assistance will be mailed directly to you.
3. Sign the loan/grant certificate in FIVE (5) places and keep a copy for your files.
4. Take the loan/grant certificate to a designated Canada Post outlet or the NSLSC kiosk at your postsecondary institution. This process is called "negotiating your loan". A NSLSC kiosk will be set up at most provincially-assisted universities and colleges of applied arts and technology in Ontario during registration. Contact your financial aid office to determine if and when the kiosk will be available at your institution. You will be required to show your Social Insurance Number card (or any other Government of Canada official document that indicates your Social Insurance Number) and one piece of government-issued photo ID to provide proof of your identity. If you are going to school outside Canada, you must mail your loan/grant certificate to the NSLSC.

Where are the designated Canada Post outlets?

Check this link for the designated Canada Post outlet nearest you. If a designated Canada Post outlet is not accessible, call the NSLSC for further instructions.

Assignment of Funds By Your Institution

The institution you are attending may indicate on the loan/grant certificate that a portion or the total amount of your assistance is to be paid directly to the institution you are attending to cover tuition fees or any emergency loans given to you. Your signature is required to authorize this redirection of funds to your institution.

Ontario Power of Attorney

You may use the Ontario Power of Attorney (POA) form if you are studying out of the country or out of the province during the 2009-2010 academic year, and want to have another person (e.g., your parent(s)) negotiate your funding (i.e., Certificate of Loan/Grant Approval and Eligibility – “loan/grant certificate” ) on your behalf.

You must complete and submit two (2) POAs to the National Student Loans Service Centre.

• Ontario Power of Attorney
• Canada Student Loans Program Power of Attorney

The forms need only be submitted once during the 2009-2010 academic year, regardless of the number of funding certificates you may negotiate during the year.

It should be noted that the Power of Attorney forms are specifically designed to assist with the negotiation of OSAP funding.  They cannot be used for any other purpose, and do not provide access to information under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. 

If you would like further information on the Canada Student Loans Program POA, visit the Canlearn website at http://www.canlearn.ca.

Deadline Date for Negotiating Your Loan 

Your completed loan/grant certificate must be received at the NSLSC within 30 days of the date on which your institution signed the document. In addition, the loan/grant certificate must be received before the last day of the month of your study period end date, as printed on your loan/grant certificate, or it will be deemed invalid.