Financial Aid McMaster _______________

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Financial Aid _at_ McMaster_______________
Welcome to the hype. Summer Transition
Program July 5, 2007
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Overview of Presentation

• This presentation was created by McMaster
  University for the hype. Summer Transition
  Program for students with disabilities
  transitioning from high school to university.
  The purpose is to inform prospective students of
  funding options for post-secondary education
• Questions and answers will be addressed at the
  end of the presentation
• For more info contact
• Office of Student Financial Aid Scholarships
• McMaster University, [phone] ext. 24319
• Email awards_at_mcmaster.ca or visit
  http//sfas.mcmaster.ca

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Office of Student Financial Aid Scholarships

• Gilmour Hall, Room 120
• [phone] ext. 24319
• e-mail awards_at_mcmaster.ca or osap_at_mcmaster.ca
• web http//sfas.mcmaster.ca

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Office of Student Financial Aid Scholarships

• Administers government and University financial
  aid programs such as OSAP, bursaries, work
  programs, scholarships etc.
• Offers drop-in counselling re financial aid and
  budgeting Monday through Friday (9am 12pm
  1pm 4pm)
• Responds to student inquiries by phone, in
  person, on the web and through email

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Financial Aid Scholarships

• The world of financial aid and scholarships can
  be overwhelming. This portion of the
  presentation is designed to explain the key areas
  of support provided by
• The Ministry of Training Colleges and
  Universities (MTCU) - Ontario Student Assistance
  Program (OSAP)
• McMaster University - entrance scholarships,
  bursaries, work programs and our role in OSAP
  processing
• Your community, associations and employers -
  external scholarships and bursaries

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OSAP

• What is OSAP?
• The Ontario Student Assistance Program
• Allows residents of Ontario to access integrated
  Federal and Provincial student assistance in the
  form of loans and non-repayable grants
• Intended to assist students to meet the costs of
  post-secondary education
• How do students apply?
• Online at http//osap.gov.on.ca There is no
  application fee and you receive an immediate
  estimate of funding available to you
• Downloadable PDF application form available at
  http//osap.gov.on.ca A 10 processing fee
  applies

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OSAP

• Deadlines? Apply by
• July 15th to meet McMasters online Payment
  Agreement (PA)
• It is the STUDENTS responsibility to confirm and
  meet all deadlines
• Who is eligible to apply?
• Canadian citizens, Permanent residents and
  Protected persons in Canada who meet Ontario
  residency requirements
• Students who attend full-time in 2007-2008 (60
  of a full-course load) Students with a permanent
  disability may reduce course load to a minimum of
  40
• We recommend all eligible students apply!

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OSAP Students with a Permanent Disability

• What is OSAPs definition of a PERMANENT
  DISABILITY?
• A functional limitation that is caused by
  physical or mental impairment that restricts a
  students ability to perform the daily activities
  necessary to participate in studies at a
  post-secondary level or in the labour force, and
  that is expected to remain with the student for
  the students expected life.
• What documentation is required to prove my
  disability status?
• Acceptable proof of disability documentation
  includes
• medical documentation from an appropriate health
  care professional or,
• a learning disability assessment from a qualified
  assessor supporting the students permanent
  learning disability
• Students may obtain a proof of disability form
  signed by the disability coordinator in Centre
  for Student Development (CSD) to confirm that the
  required documentation is on file in the
  disability services office. The signed proof of
  disability form would then be submitted to the
  Office of Student Financial Aid Scholarships to
  satisfy the OSAP requirement or that of the
  part-time government student assistance
  application.

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OSAP

• How much might students expect to receive?
• OSAP considers program costs, basic living costs,
  parental income, and student assets and income
• Other factors
• Number of dependents in family
• Number of dependents at a post-secondary
  institution
• 2007-08 maximum OSAP entitlement for a single
  student is 350/week of study (11,900 for a 34
  week fall/winter session)
• Try the new OSAP Access Window funding
  estimator available on-line at http//accesswindow
  .osap.gov.on.ca

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OSAP

• Process errors, documents required to support
  application and corrections
• Responsibility of the STUDENT!
• Forward Signature pages and supporting
  documentation to Office of Student Financial Aid
  Scholarships
• Funding not released until all supporting
  documentation is received and processed by the
  Office of Student Financial Aid Scholarships
• Complete your OSAP file by submitting signature
  pages and all supporting documentation by July
  20th to ensure QEII-Aiming for the Top
  Scholarship consideration and funding is
  available for pick-up in September

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OSAP

• Entitlement
• Students may view their entitlement online at
  http//osap.gov.on.ca
• Loan Pick-up for McMaster Students
• In person with identification noted below,
  September 4th 14th, in the McMaster University
  Student Centre (MUSC 314/315)
• Proof of Social Insurance Number (SIN card
  photocopy is acceptable, or a piece of Government
  of Canada official documentation such as Canada
  Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment, a Canada
  Pension Plan Statement of Contributions or a
  Confirmation of Social Insurance Number from
  Service Canada)
• Validated student ID card, valid government photo
  ID (i.e. drivers licence) and personal banking
  information/void cheque
• The surname and given name on the students proof
  of SIN must be the surname and given name
  provided on the OSAP application. All
  identification presented should be in these
  names
• Students sign OSAP confirmation of enrolment
  form to verify income and program of study
  information

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OSAP

• Accessibility Issues Related to OSAP Pick-up?
• The McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC
  314/315) is accessible by elevator. If there are
  accessibility issues relating to your disability,
  please contact the Office of Student Financial
  Aid Scholarships prior to the OSAP release to
  discuss an alternate arrangement for picking up
  your OSAP.

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OSAP

• OSAP Appeals
• Added flexibility provided by the MTCU to allow
  students to be considered for OSAP or to increase
  entitlement
• Must meet conditions of specific types of
  appeals, supporting documentation requirements
  and applicable deadlines
• Students should visit the Office of Student
  Financial Aid Scholarships to discuss appeals

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McMaster Entrance Awards

• McMaster Entrance Awards are automatically
  granted to Level 1 students entering University
  directly from a Canadian high school who have a
  final admission average to program of 80.00 or
  higher
• Entrance Awards are renewable for a students 2nd
  through 4th year at University based on
  full-time status and achievement of an 80.00
  average (9.5 Sessional Average) in each year of
  study (See terms and conditions in the
  Undergraduate Calendar)
• Paid directly to your student account by the
  start of August available for use on the Payment
  Agreement (PA)
• There are four levels of McMaster Entrance
  Awards
• Final Admission Annual Potential Value
• Average Value (over 4 years)
• --------------------------------------------------
  -------------------------
• 95 3,000 12,000 Presidents Award
• 90 - 94.99 2,000 8,000 Honour
  Award
• 85 - 89.99 1,000 4,000 Honour
  Award
• 80 - 84.99 750 3,000 Honour
  Award

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Bursary for Students with Disabilities

• What is BSWD?
• The Bursary for Students with Disabilities is a
  government bursary program intended to help
  students with permanent disabilities meet the
  exceptional education costs that are related to
  their disability and their attendance at
  post-secondary studies.
• BSWD cannot be used for tuition, books, living
  costs or other costs that are already included in
  the OSAP assessment but must be used specifically
  for disability-related educational needs.
• How do students access BSWD funding?
• Students must apply and qualify for funding
  through one of the following government programs
  OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program), PT/CSL
  (Part-Time Canada Student Loan Program), PT/CSG
  (Part-Time Canada Study Grant for High-need
  Part-time Students Program) or OSBP (Ontario
  Special Bursary Program)
• BSWD applications must be submitted by the Centre
  for Student Development (CSD)
• Students meet with a CSD coordinator to discuss
  their eligibility for BSWD funding. The CSD
  coordinator will identify the students
  exceptional education-related needs and recommend
  items or services that may assist the student
  with their studies.
• Students must complete and submit a BSWD
  application (including estimates) by the Ministry
  deadline dates each academic year.

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Bursary for Students with Disabilities

• Accountability
• The Ministry requires that every dollar of BSWD
  is accounted for with receipts verifying the
  purchase of the item or service that was approved
  by the students disability coordinator.
• It is expected that students will submit receipts
  to the Office of Student Financial Aid
  Scholarships or the Centre for Student
  Development within 30 days of receiving the
  bursary funding.

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Canada Study Grants for Students with Disabilities

• What is the Canada Access Grant for Students with
  Disabilities (CAG-PD)?
• The Canada Access Grant for Students with
  Disabilities is a federal grant
• It is an up-front grant with a maximum value of
  2,000 per academic year automatically determined
  through the OSAP assessment process and displaces
  the first 2000 of federal loan funding with
  non-repayable grant funding for eligible students
• How do students access CAG-PD funding?
• Students who apply for OSAP and self identify as
  a student with a permanent disability will
  receive consideration
• Students MUST provide the Office of Student
  Financial Aid Scholarships with acceptable
  proof of disability. The full amount of the
  students approved CAG-PD will be issued as part
  of the students first OSAP distribution. The
  funding will be disbursed by the National Student
  Loans Service Centre upon negotiation of the
  document.

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McMaster Bursary Program

• Non-repayable grants
• Student must submit an online bursary application
  available on MUGSI October 15 through November 15
  
• Application process deadlines at
  http//sfas.mcmaster.ca
• First priority is to assist OSAP recipients
• If student is eligible, bursary will be paid
  directly to your student account in January NOT
  available for use on the Payment Agreement (PA)

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External Scholarships Bursaries

• There are hundreds of organizations, external to
  McMaster, which provide scholarship and bursary
  funding to students continuing their
  post-secondary education. These include
  scholarships and bursaries available specifically
  to students with permanent disabilities
• Further information on post-secondary
  scholarships specifically for students with
  permanent disabilities may be available through
  the Centre for Student Development, Disability
  Services
• For more info on external scholarship and bursary
  providers, visit McMasters Student Financial Aid
  Scholarships Web site
• http//sfas.mcmaster.ca/search/

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McMaster Work Programs

• Average 10 hrs per week during the study period
  full-time employment available in the summer for
  on-campus jobs
• Needs-based
• Applications available each academic year on
  MUGSI as follows Fall/Winter starting August
  1st Summer starting March 1st
• Jobs posted on the Career Services website at
  http//careers.mcmaster.ca

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Thanks for your participation!

• Questions Answers

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Contact Us

• McMaster University
• Office of Student Financial Aid Scholarships
• 1280 Main Street West
• Gilmour Hall, Room 120
• Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8
• [phone] ext. 24319
• E-mail awards_at_mcmaster.ca or osap_at_mcmaster.ca
• Web http//sfas.mcmaster.ca