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Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)

Glossary/Common Terms​

For a comprehensive list of OSAP terms and their definitions, you can visit the Ontario Website.

The Academic year begins on September 1 and ends on August 31 of the following year. The study period start and end dates align with Humber’s term start and end dates found on the Academic Calendar.

An “affidavit” is a sworn document that is signed before a lawyer, a commissioner of oaths (who may not be a lawyer), or a notary public, swearing or affirming that the contents of the affidavit are true. A commissioner of oaths is generally available at community legal clinics, municipal or township offices, and law offices.

Securing a source of payment before registration begins through options such as: OSAP funding, a Humber Payment Plan, Scholarship/Bursary, RESP or third-party sponsorship. Students are responsible for making sure the arranged funding is deposited to their Humber Student Account to pay for the full balance of tuition fees as planned by the start of the term.

Bursaries are awarded primarily based on financial need, although academic excellence, extracurricular activities, and community involvement may all be considered. OSAP recipients are still eligible to apply for bursaries. Humber offers several different types of bursaries including those found at humber.ca/bursaries.

A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that is secured by cryptography which makes it nearly impossible to counterfeit or double-spend. As of 2022-23, cryptocurrencies must now be reported as other assets when completing an OSAP application.

Dependent students are defined as students who:

  • Have never been married or in a common-law relationship; and
  • Have never been a single parent with legal custody and financial responsibility for supporting child(ren); and
  • Are pursuing postsecondary education within
    • four years of leaving secondary school for the Canada Assessment
    • six years of leaving secondary school for the Ontario Assessment; and
  • Have not worked full-time for 24 months in a row by the start of their study period.

Current and former individuals in Extended Society Care (previously known as Crown Wards) and other youth 21-24 years old who left the care of a Children’s Aid Society may be eligible for a Living and Learning Grant. This grant provides additional funds above the regular full-time OSAP aid limits. Individuals are automatically considered for this grant when they submit a Full-time OSAP Application. Supporting documents may be required to confirm eligibility. ​

Individuals 18 to 24 years old as of the start of their study period who were in Extended Society Care with an Ontario Children’s Aid Society and were adopted on or after August 1, 2013, may also be eligible. Contact the Financial Aid Office for details on the review process to be considered for this grant.

External awards are provided and administered by external government, corporate or community organizations. OSAP recipients are still eligible to apply for external awards. Opportunities can be explored at humber.ca/external-awards.

Financial need means you may not have the necessary funds and resources to cover the cost of your education. Demonstrated financial need can be calculated from your individual and your family's expected contribution, and the cost of your program. You can get support from different sources if you need help covering your tuition and expenses including applying for OSAP, bursaries, scholarships, and/or work study positions.

For OSAP purposes, an Indigenous person in Canada is a person who identifies as First Nations (Status/Non-Status), Métis or Inuit. As of 2022-23, students can provide an attestation to support indigenous status.

To be considered an Ontario resident, you must meet one of the following residency criteria:​

  • You have always resided in Ontario, or​
  • Ontario is the last province you resided in for 12 consecutive months without being a full-time post-secondary student, or​
  • You live in Ontario now and have lived in Canada for less than 12 months in a row.​
  • In certain circumstances, you can meet Ontario residency requirements on the basis of the residency of your spouse or parent(s) (if applicable).

When a student has received more grant or loan funding than they are eligible for as a result of updates to enrolment or financial information on the OSAP application. Some grants may be converted to loans, and repayment may be required in order to receive further financial assistance.

When completing the parental income section on the OSAP application, students must use the figures from their parents' Income Tax Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

To prevent OSAP loan overpayments and Income Verification Restriction, students must report the income accurately on the OSAP application and inform the Financial Aid Office of any income/status changes during the academic year.

A permanent and ongoing limitation and/or impairment affecting an individual’s ability to participate in post-secondary studies.

As of the 2022-23 academic year, Temporary Disability status will be replaced by Persistent or Prolonged Disability. Persistent or prolonged disability is any impairment, including physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment that has lasted or is expected to last for a period of at least 12 months. This is not a permanent disability and does not carry over to subsequent academic years. Students are required to reapply for this status each year.

A scholarship is student aid that does not need to be repaid. Scholarships may include one or more of the following criteria: academic achievement, community involvement, leadership initiatives, extracurricular activities, and in some cases, financial need. OSAP recipients could still be eligible to apply for scholarships. More information can be found at humber.ca/studentscholarships.

Prior year income for students, spouses and parents means the income reported on Line 15000 on their prior year’s Canadian income tax return plus the total value of all other taxable and Canadian non-taxable and/or foreign income received from all world-wide sources that year.

Students are also expected to report earned income, as well as other sources of income received during the study period if the total gross amount exceeds $5,600 per term. Study period income to be reported includes child or spousal support; dividends and interest earned on investments and tax-free savings accounts (regardless of the original source of the income). Students also report the amount of scholarships, bursaries and awards, and/or government income they will receive during the study period.

The Work Study program is a government and Humber-funded program that provides eligible domestic students with the opportunity to develop transferable skills through paid work on campus. The Work Study Program is needs-based, and students can apply for Work Study approval by submitting an application on their MyHumber account. More information can be found at careers.humber.ca/work-study.php.​