Ontario students receive 30 per cent tuition rebate

Through January, the provincial government both delighted and enraged students across Ontario with one of their most hopeful financial assistance programs to date.

Falling under the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), which helps provide students with loans, grants and bursaries every year, this new incentive initiated by the Ontario government involves a 30 per cent tuition rebate for students each year – about $800 per semester.

However, simply being a post-secondary student is not enough to qualify. The restrictions dictate that one must be a full-time university or college student at an Ontario university and in a program one can enter directly from high school. But, the two most limiting restrictions are the fact that one must be no more than four years removed from high school, and their parents combined gross income cannot exceed $160,000 annually.

Luke Speers, Brock University Students' Union (BUSU) Vice-President of University Affairs, said the people at BUSU like the program, but that it is not perfect.

"This helps us, but it also puts us in a bit of an awkward spot because there are a lot of students at Brock who don't qualify for this grant," he said. "To create this program the government had to cancel other grant programs that we liked."

These cancelled grant programs include the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship, the Textbook and Technology Grant and the Ontario Trust for Student Support. The changes were necessary to support the new $420-million program, but have spurred even further controversy for those who do not qualify for the rebate.

The Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship will likely be missed most, but when one looks at the numbers, it is evident that this new program will provide for more students. The Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship provided on average $2,000-$3,000 per year for approximately 15,000 students. This rebate program will allocate an average of $1,600 per year to over 320,000 students.

"It's worth half as much, but it affects 20 times as many students. So, there's a net benefit, and we've got to say we like it, but we don't like the fact we had to give up something that we also liked for it," said Speers. "The province is starting to realize they don't have an infinite amount of money, so they're not just writing cheques anymore."

Speers offered his condolences and advice by presenting some possibilities for those losing scholarships or grants they once had.

"For those students, I'm sorry. They lost a good grant. We don't like that it's gone, but look at Brock and try to find something else that is being offered. Just because the provincial line is gone, doesn't mean the Brock line is gone," he said. "Brock has put a lot of money into entrance scholarships and scholarships for people with high academic standing. OSAP is not the only financial assistance option. If someone no longer qualifies for OSAP, then [they should] apply to [the scholarships Brock offers]."

This new program has been heavily debated, as it may be too exclusive and may deny too many students, but the Ontario Liberal Party decided that this was the best way to effect the greatest number of people in need.

"We would have liked everyone to get something, but if they had to pick someone – O.K., I see why, it makes sense," said Speers. "It's not fair in the sense that a lot of people are going to lose, but for the ones who are going to win? It's going to be hard to argue that they weren't the ones who probably needed it a lot."

On behalf of BUSU, Speers wanted to let students know that they may have to apply for the rebate before they can receive it. Students who are not receiving OSAP loans this semester do not automatically qualify, and need to apply online before Mar. 31 to receive the rebate. Those who are receiving OSAP should automatically receive their rebate, but if one does not arrive, should speak with OSAP on the matter.

"We're doing everything we can, but it's not picking up as much as we would have liked. Only about 65 per cent of those eligible have picked up on it," said Speers. "If you don't think you'll qualify, you should still apply. Don't assume you won't get it because you didn't get OSAP because that's the wrong assumption."

For more information about the tuition rebate including how to apply, please visit ontario.ca/30off