How (and when) to apply for OSAP

If you’re planning to apply for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), our financial aid officers recommend you apply as soon as possible, but at minimum eight weeks before the term begins.

That means you should be submitting your application now if you hope to have your money by the start of the fall 2023 term.

Please note the following instructions are for students who are Ontario residents and Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons. Review OSAP eligibility criteria.

How to apply for OSAP

1. See how much funding you can get. Use the OSAP calculator to get an estimate of how much you could receive in grants (money you keep) and loans (money you repay). The amount depends on your education expenses, course load and personal financial situation.
2. Register online for an OSAP account. Create a new account here or if you have a pre-existing account, log in here. You’ll need your Ontario Access Number (OAN). Keep your log in information in a safe place, as you will use it every year you apply for OSAP.
3. Fill out the application online. It takes approximately 15 minutes. You can also save it midway through and come back to it if you need to.
4. Submit your Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement. The Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA) is a lifetime student loan agreement, so only needs to be completed once. Register for your online account with the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) and complete your MSFAA online.
5. Submit your signature pages and supporting documents. You may need your parent(s) or spouse to sign a separate declaration and signature page. We recommend that you use the upload function right in your OSAP application to submit your documents for the quickest processing.
6. Track your application status. After you submit all your documentation, your application will be processed. You can log in to the OSAP website to track its progress.

For more detailed instructions on each step listed above, follow our step-by-step OSAP guide.

If you need assistance, please contact our financial aid officers. They’re here to help! Please email financialaid@georgiancollege.ca or call 705.722.1530.

Other tips for financial planning

Check out this money in, money out infographic to help you plan your student income and expenses.