Last checked: 11 October 2026
Part-time OSAP is for students taking 20% to 59% of a full course load in an approved program. It helps with direct study costs, including eligible travel and child care. Rent and other personal living costs need a separate funding plan.
The 2026–27 application is open for study periods starting August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. It considers several federal awards and the separate Ontario Part-Time Grant.
Applicants generally need Ontario residency and Canadian citizenship, permanent residence or protected person status. Your school and program must be approved for OSAP.
Use your school’s course load percentage
Your school defines a full course load and confirms the share you are taking. For example, Waterloo lists 0.5 undergraduate units as 20% and 1.0 units as 40%. Those figures are specific to Waterloo; use the calculation for your own program.
Course loads cannot be averaged across terms to qualify for part-time funding. Ontario’s application guidance gives the example of a 70% first term and 40% second term: they cannot be combined into a 55% course load.
Students with a verified permanent disability or a verified persistent or prolonged disability can choose full-time OSAP at 40% or more. Both disability categories are included in Ontario’s current guidance. The OSAP Disability Verification Form establishes the status; a persistent or prolonged disability also requires an attestation in later academic years.
At a course load between 40% and 59%, confirm with financial aid which application fits your verified disability status before submitting.
Costs included in the assessment
Part-time funding can cover tuition, recognized compulsory fees, books and supplies, eligible transportation and child care. Ontario’s own postsecondary policy includes local transportation among part-time education costs. The amount allowed depends on your study arrangements and assessed need.
Recognized compulsory fees include co-op or placement fees, laboratory fees and certain other school charges. Technology fees and software must be mandatory for the program. Your school sends program and cost information to the ministry.
Use the student budget planner to put these study costs beside rent, food and utilities. Part-time OSAP does not assess personal living expenses.
Grants and loans under the 2026–27 rules
The August 2026 changes to the full-time provincial funding model increase the loan share. Part-time OSAP lists its awards separately, so use the part-time assessment to identify the grants and loans available to you.
Part-time funding uses a separate set of awards. Ontario’s current 2026–27 table still lists the Ontario Part-Time Grant, up to $500 per academic year, alongside federal part-time grants and loans. The outstanding Part-Time Canada Student Loan balance cannot exceed $10,000 at any time.
The 25% provincial grant cap is not a formula for your entire part-time package. Federal part-time grants and the Ontario Part-Time Grant are separate awards. Ontario’s published part-time materials do not clearly confirm the same cap for the Ontario Part-Time Grant; use the amounts on your assessment.
Ontario’s part-time application help allows a grant-only request. Declining the loan removes the entire assessed loan amount from the money available for your costs; the grants alone can leave a substantial shortfall. The size of that shortfall comes from your assessment.
Deadlines and documents
| Length of your study period | Application deadline | Supporting documents |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 20 weeks | 40 days before the period ends | 40 days before the period ends |
| 21 weeks or longer | 60 days before the period ends | 40 days before the period ends |
These are Ontario’s submission deadlines. For study periods of up to 20 weeks, the application and supporting documents share the same deadline. Use the end date recorded for your study period, including its exam period where applicable. If an assessed payment has not arrived, use the OSAP payment-delay guide to trace the outstanding step.
After submission, upload the documents listed in your account and complete a Part-Time MSFAA when required. A Part-Time MSFAA is separate from a full-time agreement.
When your course plan changes
Adding or dropping a course can change your funding status. Report application changes in writing through financial aid or the Optional Uploads link on your Required Documents page.
To remain eligible for future part-time OSAP, you must pass every funded course. If you fail or leave one unfinished, Ontario requires a successfully completed term funded without OSAP before you qualify again.
Returning to school after a long break? Our mature student guide covers admission routes. Your school also has its own bursary applications: Algonquin, for example, offers needs-based bursaries to part-time students, subject to available funds.
