Important News Regarding OSAP Processing

RECENT NEWS....

OLD NEWS.....

August 31, 2010 - On-Site NSLSC Representation

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the NSLSC reps were not on-site as scheduled on August 30.  The NSLSC is now on-site to process your OSAP funding.  For the week of August 30, they are located in the lobby of the Faculty of Education building.  Starting September 7 - 17, they will be set up in the CAW Student Centre.

We greatly apologize for this inconvenience.

July 15, 2010 - Changes to the OSAP Merit Based Scholarship Exemption

For the 2010/2011 academic year,  the federal government has made a change to the way it assesses non-merit based scholarships.

Previous to 10-11, merit based scholarships in the federal assessment received an $1800 deduction. Non-merit based scholarships received a deduction of $50 per week. In 10-11, a change has been made to allow a flat $1800 deduction to all scholarships (merit and non-merit based).

With the changes to the provincial assessment with respect to income ($3500 deduction for earned income, scholarships and bursaries) AND the new federal assessment rule, there is no longer a merit-based scholarship exemption required. 

Students who have been assessed with a merit-based scholarship exemption up to July 14 may receive a reassessment notice subsequently due to these changes to the federal assessment criteria.  No action is required on the students part and no follow up is required with our office.

May 15, 2010 - Canada Study Grant Calculation Issues for Students with Summer OSAP Reinstatements

On Friday, May 7, 2010, the OSAP program identified an issue with the OSAP assessments for students who are returning or reinstating their OSAP funding for the Summer 2010 semester.

It was identified that students were assessed with more grant funding than the yearly maximums that are allowed by the federal government.  At the request of the OSAP program, the University of Windsor has identified our students who have been affected.

Students affected were sent emails on May 12, 2010 according to the status of the new funding certificate.

Students will fall into one of the following categories:

1. You picked up your OSAP funding between May 3 and May 11, validated and negotiated your funding with the National Student Loan Service Centre and are expecting the funds to be transferred into your bank account within the week of May 10 - 14.

   > The NSLSC has returned your funding certificate to the OSAP program for cancellation.  The OSAP program has reissued your funding which will be sent to the Student Awards & Financial Aid Office (SAFO) within one week of cancellation.  The SAFO will email you once your document arrives again and you will need to go through the process AGAIN of claiming, validating and negotiating your document.

   > For these students, our office has undertaken the initiative of processing emergency loans for you that will be available in the Cashiers Office on Friday, May 14 to assit you with covering your living/book expenses.  We will ask that if you require the emergency loan, to go to the Cashiers Office with proper ID to claim your advance and sign the Emergency Loan Agreement form.  There will be no cost to you.  When your new funding certificate arrives, the Cashiers Office will deduct your emergency loan from your new document.  If you do not require the emergency loan, simply advise the Cashiers Office when you go to validate your new funding certificate.

2. You have not yet picked up your OSAP funding and are planning to pick it up during the week of May 10 - 14.

   > We have cancelled your funding certificate in order to have it reissued with the proper funding amounts.  These documents should be available in our office on or after May 20.  Our office will email you once the document arrives again.  If you require an emergency loan, please notify our office and we will process one for you provided that you meet the eligibility requirements at no cost to you.  We will remit the value of the emergency loan from your new funding certificate.

If you will experience financial hardship as a result of this error, our office can provide you with a letter, for example, to provide to your landlord to confirm that these delays were due to circumstances that were above and beyond your control.

Our office greatly regrets the inconvenience that this has caused our students and we will do the best that we can to support you through this unfortunate situation.