Admissions Office and Registrar
Financial Aid
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Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is a government program that provides financial aid to eligible students during their studies. OSAP offers grants (money you don’t have to pay back) and student loans (money you have to pay back after you finish your studies).
OSAP funds can help you pay for:
- Tuition and other fees
- Books, equipment, supplies and materials
- Living expenses (full-time students)
- Childcare (full-time and part-time students who have children)
To apply, to check your eligibility, to look up the application deadlines and other important dates, or to get more information, visit ontario.ca/page/osap.
If you receive OSAP funding, you must:
- Read and follow all the terms and conditions of the Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA)
- Use the funding to pay your tuition, mandatory fees, and study-related expenses
- Tell OSAP about any changes to your personal circumstances or program of study
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
- Complete the required steps with the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) if you stop studying full-time
If you do not meet these requirements, you could:
- Have your financial aid reassessed or reduced
- Have some grants converted to loans that you must repay
- No longer be eligible for future OSAP funding
- Have to pay additional interest
- Be subject to debt collection
- Have your credit rating affected
A change to your studies, personal circumstances or income may affect your eligibility or the assessment of your OSAP application. Tell OSAP about any change as soon as possible, especially if you:
- Change your course load
- Switch from full-time to part-time studies
- Switch from part-time to full-time studies
- Change programs
- Withdraw from your studies
- Experience a personal change that affects your financial situation, such as a change in marital status, the birth of a child or a name change
If your financial situation changes during your studies, inform the Financial Aid Office so the impact on your OSAP account can be assessed.
Contact us before making any updates. Our team can tell you if:
- You need to file a tax return
- Certain sources of income must be reported, such as employment income, government benefits, or external scholarships
- Supporting documents are required
Depending on your situation, you may update your information through the OSAP portal, by completing a form, or by submitting supporting documents. Requirements may vary depending on the case.
If you continue your studies after a probation period, you may need to submit the Acknowledgement of Academic Probation form. Depending on your situation, other documents such as transcripts. Check your messages in the OSAP portal and the section on academic progress to see which documents are required and how to submit them.
If your academic progress remains unsatisfactory, you may lose OSAP eligibility for at least one year and up to five years.
Full-time course load
- 40% or more if you have a permanent, persistent, or prolonged disability
- 60% or more in all other cases
Part-time course load
- 20% to 59%
Note: A course load below 20% is not eligible for OSAP.
Online programs
For most online programs, Collège Boréal and OSAP do not calculate course load the same way. This means you may be considered full-time at the College, but part-time for OSAP.
Certain changes can affect your course load and OSAP status:
- Failing a course
- Withdrawing from a course
- Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)
- Credit transfer
Withdrawing from just one course can change your status from full-time to part-time for OSAP.
These changes can lead to:
- An amount to repay
- Some grants being converted to loans
- A reassessment of your financial aid
- The start of your loan repayment period if you are no longer studying full-time
The Financial Aid Office can review your academic path and determine whether a course can be added to your timetable to increase your course load.
Note: Courses that are not part of your current term in your program cannot be added, except in the final semester.
You must start repaying your OSAP loans six months after you stop studying full-time. This six-month period begins when your studies end or when you switch to part-time studies.
Depending on your situation, you may be eligible for the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). The National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) explains how repayment works and what interest may apply.
See this guide (French only) to learn more about repaying your loans.
Government Resources
There are government programs that help full-time student cover the costs of their post-secondary education (tuition, textbooks, instruments, transportation, childcare and housing), according to their financial needs. Your financial aid application must be addressed to the government entity responsible for post-secondary education in your province of residence, that is, the place where you have always lived or the last place you lived for twelve (12) consecutive months while not a full-time student.
The most frequently used government financial aid programs are, by province or territory:
- Ontario residents – Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
- Quebec residents – Loans and Bursaries program
- New Brunswick residents – Student Financial Services
- Manitoba residents – Manitoba Student Aid
- Newfoundland and Labrador residents – Student Aid Newfoundland and Labrador
- Prince Edward Island residents – Student Loans, Bursaries, Grants and Awards
- Saskatchewan residents – Student Loans
- British Columbia residents – Student Aid BC
- Alberta residents – Alberta Student Aid
- Nova Scotia residents – Student Assistance
- Northwest Territories residents – Student Financial Assistance
- Yukon residents – Financial Support for Students
- Nunavut residents – Financial Assistance for Nunavut Students
National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC)
The National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) is a third-party agency that works closely with the Government of Canada to disburse your financial aid, and supports you in every step of the process, from the time you apply for aid until it is repaid.
You will be able to easily access and consult all your student loan information through a secure and personalized account. It is important to monitor this account and update your information as needed, to keep it in good standing.
To contact the NSLSC or for more information, visit the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) | Centre de service national de prêts aux étudiants (CNLSC) (canada.ca)
Work-Boréal
Looking a job during your studies? What could be better than working right here at Collège Boréal?
The Work-Boréal program was created to help students with a financial need work in their area of interest or field of study. To be eligible for the Work-Boréal program, you must satisfy the following criteria:
- Demonstrate a financial need;
- Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0;
- Be enrolled full-time in a Collège Boréal post-secondary program;
You must not work more than 15 hours per week, up to a maximum number of hours per semester, which will be predetermined.
If you are looking for a job with Work-Boréal, you can contact the Financial Aide office to check the job postings.
Scholarships
With support from the Boréal Foundation and the generosity of many donors, the Financial Aid Office offers a variety of scholarships.
Each year, about 3,000 scholarships are available to students at all Boréal sites.
You can apply for scholarships during different terms of your program. Check the academic calendar for application periods.
Contact us
Financial Aid Office
