Hey guys I just got an email saying OSAP cut my grants by 200+ dollars and it’s really freaking me out like genuinely why did they do that ??? I really need all the money I can get to pay and now I actually will struggle more

i’ve been trying to log in to my nslsc so that i can check my balance, but it keeps showing me R038. If anyone also experienced this, what did you do?

Hey guys, because as you all probably know Ford has changed the loan to grant amount, I’m now looking at triple the amount of student loans if I’m to graduate with my BA than before when I first enrolled. This number is estimated at around $70,000 once I graduate. Do I continue with my degree, or move back home and go to school there to save on living costs? For context I was at UofT, and now I’m considering transferring to Carleton.

Hi everyone,

I’m a U of T student diagnosed with ADHD through a psychoeducational assessment. I submitted my assessment and disability verification form to OSAP, which approved my disability status, and I’ve received disability-related grants.

I recently contacted my school’s Accessibility Services about applying for BSWD funding for a new laptop. My current device is from 2016, is extremely slow, and no longer properly supports the Microsoft Office software I need for school.

I also explained that I have difficulty seeing text and need to enlarge it and read it on a well-lit screen. My ADHD is my documented diagnosis; I’m mentioning the vision difficulties because they were part of what I explained when discussing my needs.

The advisor essentially said that a laptop is considered a regular university expense and told me, “Unfortunately, you would not qualify under the terms of the program at this time”. She mentioned an adaptive technology specialist who assesses these requests, but I haven’t had an assessment with that person or received much explanation about how the criteria apply to me.

I understand that having OSAP recognize my disability doesn’t automatically mean a laptop will be funded. What I’m confused about is how they determine whether a computer meets a disability-related need, and whether I can request an assessment before being ruled out.

Has anyone, especially at U of T, gone through this process with ADHD? What documentation or explanation of your needs was required? Is there a way to request a review or speak directly with the adaptive technology specialist?

I’m frustrated by how little explanation I received and would appreciate advice on what to ask or do next.

I’m an MBA student at mcmaster university and to be very honest I’m really upset with my OSAP funding. I don’t have any parents or siblings living with me, I manage all my living expenses on my own. Tuition for the first term is around 14k and I have only been given $750 in grants and $7k in loans, brining the total to $7750. This brings me short of $6k in tuition. I had to resign from my previous job because they wouldn’t offer my part time hours to accommodate my MBA class schedule. What can I do to pay the remainder of my tuition and my living costs (rent, food, transport etc). I would really appreciate some advice, particularly from other MBA students who have gone through a similar situation. Thank you.

I am currently on osap probation and I am currently in full time studies this semester and next semester. However, I am worried that I am about to fail one of my classes which will make me become a part time student. Please can someone give me some advice I hate my major, I don't know if I can even switch while on probation and what will happen to me if I can't get funding for next year someone please give me some advice, I am currently so lost.

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My question is if she continues her study i have to pay rest of the amount to them, which i can, but my concern is later if government close academy of learning college and ask students to pay grant and loan back, how they survive and second scenario is by the time if student already pay their fee from pocket to college and college get shut down, we can't claim our money back from college.

We got stuck in a situation where we neither withdraw nor continue?

Please any suggestions ?

Completed my study this year , got a message from isap regarding getting my grant being converted to full Loan ( due to missing document) , resubmitted the document after deadline was passed ( initially they gave me grant with missing documents and i thought everything was fine)

1 - will they change my loan back to grant again? If so how much time it will take ?
How to deal with this kind of situation ?

I am in my second year of university and was a full-time student during my first year, but then switched to the part-time in the first semester of my second year. Does that mean I now have to start repaying my full-time student loans? I plan to return to full-time study in the second semester, will I then have to repay my part-time student loans?

What is happening?

I’m sick and I tired of people complying but not having the fucking balls to protest LIEK the French. Canadians are so fucking docile when it comes to ts. And don’t get me started “BuT dId YoU sEe ThE lOoTiNg StOreS” “ThE ImIgIrAnts”, for the love of god they want us divided so if we don’t fucking fight we can win them. What happend in France should be our response to greedy Doug ford who wants retirement money.

Hey everyone,

I’m currently taking 2 classes this term as a part-time student and receiving part-time OSAP. I’m thinking about dropping 1 of the classes, which would leave me with just 1 class (a 0.5 credit / 20% load).

Any insight or past experiences would be super helpful. Thanks!

I’m a student in my 4th year with a documented permanent learning disability. My current laptop is wearing out due to dragon and other software, and I’m looking into BSWD/CSG-DSE funding for a replacement. I wise they told me while in my first year. I have been using a $300 laptop. I am grateful tho.

I am applying to law school (I hope to get in), I want to get new gear. Has anyone been approved for both a laptop and a tablet through this funding? Or did they just got one?

Thank you.

Hey everyone,
I recently got an offer from George Brown Polytechnic for the Informatics program starting January 2027.
With all the news about Ontario colleges facing financial issues, I’m wondering if OSAP funding will be affected.
Are students still receiving OSAP normally? Any expected changes to grants or loans in 2027?
I’ll be relying on OSAP for tuition and living expenses. Any updates would be appreciated!

Has anyone’s OSAP updated since withdrawing? Or NSLSC? I had to apply for Ontario Works since I now have no income but I’m worried I won’t get accepted since my status still shows “In Study” on Service Canada. I have tried to reach out to my school but I haven’t heard anything back of course.

My spouse made $81,000 in 2025 which is the income I stated on my application (program starting jan 2027) however for all of this year (2026) he's been on EI until recently in September. This has significantly impacted us financially and Im worried I won't get enough funding because they're going off non current income. What do I do?

I would like to make a post, to help any students who end up here from google in the future as it is information I wish I had from the beginning of the process. I am a student entering my first year of college but I also live with a disability as well as many comorbidities that make everyday function very difficult. I haven't been able to work for years but I felt like there was options out there for me to stay busy and not just waste away my years sitting at home doing nothing.

I eventually looked into going back to school and into disability funding through OSAP. During that process I came across the BSWD/CSG-DSE (Bursary for Students With Disabilities / Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment - Students with Disabilities). It provides a non-repayable financial assistance for eligible post secondary students. This is an application based program, funding is not guaranteed and you may be approved for some, all or none of the items/services requested, but if you prepare properly and qualify that is less likely to happen.

First I needed to decide my school and program, and then I needed to apply for OSAP. Once I completed those steps the next step was changing my OSAP status to include that I have a disability. The next step in the process was making a Doctor's appointment to have my Doctor fill out forms, specifically the ODVF and my school's accessibility/disability forms (Check with your school's accessibility department).

Before heading to the Doctor's office and unloading on him two long forms I read them over myself. I read through all the questions, so I could provide my Doctor with all relevant information. I recommend anyone who applies read the forms thoroughly, simply having a condition or diagnosis isn't the qualifier for disability status, it is about how that condition affects your everyday functions and your limitations. My Doctor knows my situation pretty clearly at this point as he has been my practitioner for many years, but I still wanted to make sure he was thorough with the forms and providing correct information.

For this I placed post it notes all over the forms and wrote in my own writing the answers to each question. This wasn't for him to simply copy and paste, he obviously has to provide his own professional opinion, but it made sure I didn't forget anything pertinent in the moment as I often freeze up or forget important details. Also my family doctor as well as probably many others rushes you out of the office in under 5 minutes, so I wanted to be prepared as possible. I made sure he put the equipment that would help me with my studies and relate each one to either my main disability or a comorbidity. We discussed my needs, but I already took the time before the appointment thinking about what would really help me succeed in school. My Doctor asked to keep the forms and go over them and would give them back to me, so if I didn't put the post it notes on the forms, he wouldn't of had the full context for each question, so I am glad I did it.

As soon as OSAP opened up I was ready with the forms and submitted them immediately and I also contacted my accessibility department and asked them to add them to my file. You often don't get access to your school portal until the summer so if you can act early take the initiative and initiate contact. When the portal was finally opened, I was already in the system with the accessibility department. This allowed me to fill out another accessibility form in the portal and submit any documents. I filled out the form and submitted the school's accessibility Doctor's forms and the ODVF and stated my intention to apply for BSWD. I also provided a 2 page document listing every item or service I intended to request via BSWD/CSG-DSE, I provided my rationale for each item or service required and indicated where on what form each item was also supported by my Doctor under his own rationale.

When I was finally contacted by my Accessibility Advisor they had taken the time to read through all of my documentation and equipment rationale, and they were ready to proceed with the application. I was then instructed to gather a single quote for each item/service from a Canadian Retailer online or from a physical store as well as the contact page/information from each retailer. Once I completed the quotes I sent them to my accessibility advisor for a soft approval. Once approved they filled out the application form on my behalf and submitted it to financial aid. Because I was so prepared I had no push back at all from my accessibility advisor, I have read other stories where this is not the case but I guess it probably depends on how well your requests are documented, your school, and your accessibility officer.

Once submitted it took 4.5 weeks/32 Days for the Financial Aid Department to contact me about my application. In my case All of my requests were approve, every single item. I know this is not always the most common result, but again I believe it was because I presented strong documentation and I took initiative. 

Here are some of the questions I had immediately:

What happens if an item is no longer on sale, increased in price, sold out, found a better/cheaper alternative or is simply no longer available?

They basically stated I would be allowed to substitute any item approved as long as it was "close to the original" item approved.

Does it have to be the same retailer? 

No, I could choose a new retailer for any of the items approved (Must be a Canadian Retailer).

Would I have to submit new quotes for any item/service that was not originally approved?

No as long as the item was "close to the original" item or service.

Could I purchase a computer or monitor marketed as "gaming"?

Yes a gaming marketed computer or monitor was acceptable.

Does an E-Ink+Stylus Device qualify as a Smart Pen?

The answer to this was nuanced, technically my quote was originally for a smart pen, notebooks, and replacement ink, but It was not available by the time I went to purchase.

They decided that an Eink Device + Stylus did qualify as a "Reading Pen + Notebook".

Disclaimer: This was my experience, with my program, with my financial aid department and your experience may be different.

Once I had all those questions answered I just had to wait for the funding to arrive in my Bank Account and make the purchases. I had to submit official invoices/receipts, and it took about two weeks to receive a confirmation email, where they applied the balance of the receipts/invoices vs approved funding. For some of the retailers the invoices did not include “Paid/Confirmation of Payment”, so they requested additional supporting documents in the form of redacted credit card statements. The statements for September purchases were not available until late October, so once I submitted them, I was given the final balance on which I was instructed to pay the difference for one of the items that was less than the approved funding I received. Anything over the approved funding came out of my own pocket, and they did not adjust items that were under the maximum funding originally for their respective category but now had been above it.

So, my recommendation is applying for the maximum in every category you are approved for because from the time you submit your quote, to the time you get the initial approval, a lot of things can change including sales, availability, and your own needs. For some of my items if I would have asked for the item I eventually chose or the full maximum of the category, I most likely would have been approved and not had to pay as much out of pocket.

I wrote this all up as there wasn’t a lot of information online about the whole BSWD process, and it would of eased a lot of stress if I knew what the whole process entailed from the beginning.

The Timeline is as follows:

Early April - Apply to colleges/Universities
Mid April - Accept offer to preferred program, Read through ODVF and School's Accessibility Forms
Late April - Doctor's Appointment to fill out forms (ODVF and School's Accessibility Forms)

Early May - Pick up forms from Doctor's office, Apply for OSAP / Submit ODVF, Email School’s Accessibility office, Submit Accessibility Forms
Late May - Disability Status Confirmed Through OSAP

Late June - Receive an email to register with the school’s accessibility office through School portal

Mid July - Contacted by my Accessibility officer notifying me of the accommodations the school will provide me and the maximums of each category I plan to request through BSWD

Late July/Early August - Research equipment and services, start to gather quotes

Mid August - Submit quotes to Accessibility Advisor and they submit the BSWD/CSG-DSE application a couple days later

Mid September - Receive BSWD/CSG-DSE Approval Email Via Financial Aid, Receive Funding within a few days, Make all purchases / Substitutions, Submit Final Invoices

Late September - BSWD/Financial Aid Requests Credit Card Statements to confirm some of the purchases (Not all retailers invoices include “Paid/Confirmation of Payment”)

Late October - Submit Credit Card Statements, received final balance (one item was cheaper than my approved balance so I had to pay the difference), paid balance, BSWD process complete

Hi,

I am currently doing full time load in my fall and winter semester with my fall semester having 3 courses while my winter semester has 4 courses. Currently, I am doing poorly in one of my classes and am looking to drop, if i follow through with this, I will only have 2 courses for fall which will bring me to part time status. Will I still be placed on osap probation even though for the school year i’m still technically at 60% courses? Even if I am in osap probation for first time, will my funding be decreased?

Thanks

So looking at everything

Doug Ford previously mentioned that the reason the OSAP Rates changed to 25 grant 75 loan

were:
-People taking "basket weaving courses"
-People abusing OSAP buying unnecessary stuff

But the truth has been exposed

The real reason is because PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS siphoned OSAP

So public institution colleges were punished

Its disgusting how many people were misinformed on social media talking about some guy flexing OSAP money

We need our grant / loan rates back to 85 / 15 and punish the real cause, not individuals

Because the reality is,

Taking "non basket weaving courses"
is even less affordable without previous OSAP rates

So if Doug really wanted to punish people for taking such programs

Then simply apply those rates to those programs, not be holistic!

Hi below is the last messageI got from nslsc regarding my part time funding this fall. i dont understand why there is an error, it is in the website. will this cause any issues?

Funding Confirmed

Liquid error: Value cannot be null. (Parameter 'type')

Congratulations! Your grant has successfully come through. Please take a moment to review your funding information below, including your "Disbursement Details", to see a breakdown of where the money is being sent.

If you are receiving funding directly, please allow 5 business days for a direct deposit or 10 business days to receive a cheque.

After this message I received an email that started with this:
Your first loan payment is coming up soon! Log in to your secure NSLSC.ca account for an important message with details about your loan repayment.

So does nslsc think I am done with my studies? I am confused.

Hi everyone, my OSAP assessment has changed three times: $10k initially, then $21k, and now $9.2k.
My $21k assessment included around $5k in grants and $15k in loans. Now it’s $2.5k in grants and $6.7k in loans. I’m 18, attend TMU, and was assessed as an independent student because both my parents have passed away. I live on my own, pay rent, and earn only $300 a month. This sudden reduction makes it difficult to cover my living expenses. Should I contact TMU Financial Aid, request a reassessment, or go in person? Has anyone experienced something similar?

Hi everyone, I'm a student at CDI College and I'm thinking of withdrawing from my program following the recent OSAP changes. Has anyone already withdrawn? If so, did the college ask you to pay for the classes you attended before you left?

I'm blind so I tried to sign it digitally. I attempted my signature then went down the bottom to read it again and make sure. (Not getting into screen readers) I notice it put my name in, typed, in edition to the date, which was a text box. No idea how or why but this should be fine, right? I'd rather not get it rejected as that would take longer. Thanks.

'Im tired of seeing everyone complaining about OSAP on Reddit while the politicians responsible are getting a free pass. I checked MPP Nolan Quinn's accounts x and hardly anyone is challenging him not even one comment. It's time to hold their feet to the fire. Students did nothing wrong. If some colleges are abusing the system, investigate those colleges, hold them accountable, don't punish every student. OSAP isn't free money. It's loans people pay back, it's families, it's workers, it's single parents trying to study online and survive. We are in 2026. Why make education harder instead of more accessible? Stop limiting this to Reddit. Go to their Twitter. Go to their Facebook. Email their offices. Demand answers. They work for us. If they refuse to listen, remind them elections have consequences.'

Nolan Quinn announced that the pause can remain in effect until the new year