If you are a post-secondary student and struggling to pay for food and rent, you might assume that OSAP(Ontario Student Assistance Program) or student loans disqualify you from Ontario Works Eligibility for Students. This is not correct. The rules for students on OW are complex. Some students are not eligible at all while others can receive increased assistance.
And some students can work and keep all of their earnings. This article explains exactly who qualifies for the Ontario Works Eligibility for Students, whether student loans affect your OW support, and what you need to do if you are attending college or university while receiving OW monthly payments.
Ontario Works Eligibility for Students Who are Full-Time
A single applicant or participant who is attending a certified post-secondary educational institution full-time is not eligible for Ontario Works if they are in receipt of a student loan under OSAP or the Canada Student Loans Act. The same applies if they are not eligible for a loan because of their parents’ income level or because they defaulted on a previous loan. You can not receive OSAP and Ontario Works, both at the same time. The student loan is considered your primary source of financial support.
Sole support parents and members of a family benefit unit may be eligible for assistance. If the amount of financial support you receive through OSAP for personal living costs does not exceed your budget requirements. According to Ontario Works eligibility for Students, it can provide a top-up to cover the difference. Your family situation also matters in this situation.
What Is Considered Full-Time Attendance?
You are considered a full-time student if you meet two conditions.
| Requirement | Details |
| Course load | 60% full-time study (40% if permanently disabled) |
| Program length | Degree/diploma/certificate program of at least 12 weeks over 15 consecutive weeks |
If you are meeting both conditions, you are a full-time student under the Rule of Ontario Works Eligibility for Students. Your eligibility will be assessed based on the rules described above.
What Is Considered Part-Time Attendance?
| Student Type | Part-Time Course Load |
| Regular student | 20% to 59% of a full course load |
| Student with permanent disability | 20% to 39% of a full course load |
Part-time students are treated differently. Student loans, grants, bursaries, and awards provided to part-time students are exempt from income. They are also exempt as assets as long as the student remains in attendance in the program of study for which they are intended. Part-time students have more flexibility to receive Ontario Works.
Sole Support Parents and Families
The strict rule against full-time students on Ontario Works does not apply the same way to sole support parents or families. If you have children and you are the only parent supporting them, you may be eligible for a top-up even while attending school full-time.
How it works
Ontario Works reviews the financial support from OSAP for personal living expenses. If it is less than your budgetary requirements under OW, you will get the difference. You must meet all other eligibility requirements, including asset limits and participation rules.
Example
| Item | Amount |
| OSAP personal living allowance | $600/month |
| Ontario Works budgetary requirements | $1,200/month |
| Difference (OW top-up) | $600/month |
| Result | Ontario Works fills the gap |
How Student Loans Are Calculated for OW Purposes
Not all student loan money is treated the same. Ontario Works eligibility for Students separates student funding into two categories:
Direct educational expenses
Direct educational expenses include tuition, fees, books, instructional supplies, transportation, and child care. These amounts are fully exempt as income and assets as long as you remain in attendance in your program. You do not report them, and they do not reduce your OW payment.
Personal living costs
Personal living costs are the money left over after subtracting educational expenses from your total OSAP funding. This amount is chargeable income. It is not exempt. It will reduce your Ontario Works payment.
The formula is simple. Total OSAP loans, grants, bursaries, and awards minus educational expenses equals your personal living allowance. That personal living allowance is the amount that Ontario Works counts as income.
Example
| Item | Amount |
| Grant funding | $3,500 |
| Loan funding | $6,500 |
| Total funding | $10,000 |
| Education costs (tuition/books) | -$5,000 |
| Personal living allowance | $5,000 |
| Chargeable income | $5,000 |
| Treatment | Averaged over the study period and deducted from OW |
What If Your Student Loan/OSAP Is Delayed?
Many students apply for Ontario Works because their OSAP funding has been delayed or is pending approval. Classes have started, but the money has not come through. In this situation, you may be eligible for the Temporary Ontario Works eligibility for students assistance.
Student-aid emergency funds
There is a condition that you must first access any student-aid emergency funds available through your post-secondary institution. Many institutes have internal emergency funds for students whose OSAP/loans are delayed. You must apply for those funds before coming to Ontario Works.
If no SAEF is available, you may apply for Ontario Works while you wait for your student loan. You must sign an Agreement to Reimburse form. This form states that you will repay the Ontario Works assistance payment you received once your student loan is approved. An Assignment and Direction form is not used in these situations. Only the Agreement to Reimburse is required.
In case you do not repay the OW assistance, an overpayment will be established and recovered. You can not dishonor the agreement.
OW While Earning for Post-Secondary Students
If you are a full-time post-secondary student and working in a part-time job, your earnings are fully exempt from income and assets limits. Here are some conditions, but the general rule says that payment for a student’s work can not reduce the original payment.
According to the Ontario Works eligibility for Students, the same rule applies to amounts paid under a training program. If you receive money from a training program while attending school full-time, that money is also exempt.
In case you work 10, 15, or 20 hours per week, you can keep every dollar you earn. Your OW payment won’t be reduced. You do not have to choose between working and studying. You can do both.
If you are a part-time student, the earnings exemption rules may apply differently. You should speak with your caseworker about your specific situation.
Micro-Credential Programs: Short-Training Ventures
Micro-credentials are short-duration training opportunities designed to prepare Ontarians for the labour market. These programs are not considered full-time post-secondary education for social assistance purposes.
If you join a micro-credential program, your Ontario Works eligibility for students remains the same. You do not lose your benefits simply because you take a micro-credential course.
All OSAP funding for micro-credential programs is intended for educational expenses. As a result, it is fully exempt from income and assets. You do not report it, and it does not reduce your OW payment. This includes the $5 per training-hour allowance for educational costs.
If you receive OSAP for both a micro-credential program and a regular full-time or part-time post-secondary program, the portion for the micro-credential is exempt. The portion for the regular program is treated under the standard student rules.
Dependents Who Attend Post-Secondary School
If you have a dependent child or adult who is not your spouse and attends post-secondary school, the rules are favourable. Funds provided to dependents for direct educational expenses and personal living costs are fully exempt from income and assets. This applies as long as the dependent remains in attendance in the program for which the funding is intended.
If your dependent adult child attends full-time post-secondary education away from the parental home, they are still considered to be residing in your home until they complete their studies. Full assistance on behalf of that dependent is maintained in your benefit unit. You continue to receive the full amount for that dependent while they are away at school.
Status of Indian and Inuit Students
If you are a Status Indian or Inuit student attending or planning to attend a certified post-secondary institution full-time, you have an additional commitment. You must apply for financial assistance for education through Indigenous Services Canada.
Indigenous Services Canada provides financial support to eligible Status Indian and Inuit students under the Post-Secondary Student Support Program and the University College Entrance Preparation Program. You must make reasonable efforts to access these resources as a rule of Ontario Works eligibility for Students.
Your caseworker needs proof of your application to Indigenous Services Canada before approving any Ontario Works assistance.
What If You Quit School or Become Part-Time?
You might start a program full-time and then decide to quit or you might reduce your course load to part-time. In either situation, the treatment of your student loan money changes.
- If you quit school completely, all retained proceeds from your student loan, grant, bursary, or award are considered income and assets.
- The loan amounts that were provided for personal living costs are averaged over the intended study period.
- This could create a significant amount of countable income and affect your eligibility.
Based on Ontario Works eligibility for students, if you change to a part-time study program, any portion of your student loan that was provided for personal living costs and has been retained by you is considered income and assets. It is averaged over the intended study period. Your caseworker will also review your part-time study plan. Depending on the time commitment involved, you may be required to participate in additional employment assistance activities.
In both situations, you must tell your caseworker immediately.
Documents You Need to Provide to a Caseworker
If you are applying for Ontario Works, you must provide documentation to your caseworker to determine your Ontario Works eligibility for Students
- Copy of OSAP Assessment Summary.
- OSAP Notice of Assessment or Reassessment
- Official letters from the provincial government
- Notice from the federal government
- Letter from an educational institute
- Student loan, grant, bursary, or award docs
- Receipts for tuition, books, equipment, and other required expenses
Living and Learning Grant for Former Crown Wards
If you are currently or formerly in extended society care, previously known as being a Crown ward, you may receive the Living and Learning Grant. This grant is treated specially under OW.
The OW Living and Learning Grant is not intended to reduce the amount of OSAP funding you receive. For social assistance purposes, this grant is fully exempt. It is not included in the calculation of your personal living allowance. It does not count as chargeable income. You can receive this grant without any reduction to your Ontario Works payment.
OW eligibility for Students: Not Eligible for OSAP
If your OSAP loan is not approved, there are two common reasons for denial.
- Your parents’ income level might be too high.
- You might have defaulted on a previous student loan payment.
In both situations, a single student attending full-time is not eligible for Ontario Works. If you are a single full-time student and you are not qualified for Ontario Works eligibility for Students for a loan because of your parents’ income or because you defaulted, you cannot receive OW.
Family benefit units and sole support parents are treated differently. Even if you are not eligible for OSAP, you may still qualify for Ontario Works if your other circumstances meet the requirements. You should still apply and provide documentation of your OSAP ineligibility.
If you are getting confused after reading multiple rules on Ontario Works Eligibility, you can check our free OW Eligibility Calculator.
Other Financial Resources for Students
Ontario Works eligibility for students is expected to be familiar with other financial resources available to students. You should be referred to these resources when appropriate. If you are having difficulty repaying your student loans, you may be eligible for interest relief programs for Ontario Student Loans and Canada Student Loans. These programs can reduce or eliminate your monthly loan payments.
The OSAP website at ontario.ca provides detailed information about eligibility for loans and other financial supports. Employment and Social Development Canada’s website and Indigenous Services Canada’s website also provide useful information. Your caseworker can help you find the right resource.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can a single full-time student with OSAP get Ontario Works?
No. A single applicant or participant who is in full-time attendance at a certified post-secondary institution is not eligible for Ontario Works if they are in receipt of a student loan under OSAP or the Canada Student Loans Act.
2. Can a sole support parent who is a full-time student get Ontario Works?
Yes, possibly. If the amount of financial support you receive through OSAP for personal living costs is less than your family’s budgetary requirements, Ontario Works can provide a top-up to cover the difference.
3. What is considered full-time attendance for OW purposes?
You are a full-time student if you are enrolled in at least 60% of a full course load (40% if you have a permanent disability) in a program leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate that is at least 12 weeks long over 15 consecutive weeks.
4. Are student loans counted as income for Ontario Works?
Only the personal living allowance portion counts. Total OSAP funding minus direct educational expenses (tuition, books, fees, child care) equals your personal living allowance. That amount is chargeable income. Educational expenses are fully exempt.
5. What if my OSAP loan is delayed and classes have started?
You may apply for temporary Ontario Works assistance. However, you must first access any student-aid emergency funds available through your institution. You must also sign an Agreement to Reimburse and repay the OW assistance once your loan arrives.
6. Can I work a part-time job while attending school full-time on OW?
Yes, and your earnings are fully exempt. The earnings of persons attending full-time post-secondary school are exempt as income and assets. You keep every dollar you earn without any reduction to your OW payment.
7. Do micro-credential programs affect my OW eligibility?
No. Micro-credential programs are not considered full-time post-secondary education for social assistance purposes. OSAP funding for micro-credentials is fully exempt as income and assets.
8. What if I quit school or drop to part-time status?
You must tell your caseworker immediately. All retained student loan proceeds become income and assets, and the personal living allowance is averaged over the intended study period. You may also be required to participate in additional employment activities.
9. Are Status Indian and Inuit students treated differently?
Yes. You must also apply for financial assistance through Indigenous Services Canada (Post-Secondary Student Support Program or University College Entrance Preparation Program) as a condition of OW eligibility.
10. What documents do I need to provide as a student?
You must provide your OSAP Assessment Summary, Notice of Assessment, or official letters from the government or your institution showing your total funding and educational costs. If actual costs are higher than shown, provide receipts for tuition, books, and equipment.
