How to repay OSAP

Repaying your OSAP

Your OSAP loans may begin collecting interest once you are no longer enrolled in full-time or part-time studies. This could mean you’ve graduated or you’ve dropped from full time to part time, or withdrawn from school (even temporarily).

You will receive a notice from the government to start repaying your loans 6 months after your last day of full-time studies.

If you are continuing as a full-time student in an OSAP-eligible program but no longer applying for OSAP, apply for a Continuation of Interest-Free Status (CIFS).

How to apply for CIFS

interest-free status

Medical and parental leave

The federal government has introduced a new leave program available to students who need to take a break from their studies for:

  • medical reasons
  • mental health reasons
  • after welcoming a child

Interest will not be added to the federal portion of your loan during your leave. You do not have to make payments back towards the federal portion of your loan during your leave. Students can be on leave for up to 6 months. At the end of this period, students can apply to extend their leave for 6 more months if needed.

This program only applies to the provincial portion of your loan ONLY IF if you have student aid through one of the following provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, or British Columbia. Ontario does not have a similar program and it is therefore not available for the provincial portion of your OSAP loan.

medical and parental leave

Who am I paying back?

The National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) handles repayment of OSAP loans and loans from all other government student financial aid programs.

Within 6 months of your last full-time study date, you’ll get a loan consolidation package from the National Student Loans Service Centre with information about:

  • Your total number of payments
  • The date of your first payment
  • The interest rates used to calculate your payment

Sign in to your account with NSLSC to:

  • Check your student loans status and balances
  • Update your contact information
  • Apply for repayment assistance
  • Request a change to the terms of your repayment

Contact NSLSC for questions about repaying your loans:

National Student Loans Service Centre

2 Robert Speck Parkway

PO BOX 4030

Mississauga, Ontario L5A 4M4

Telephone: 1-888-815-4514

Fax: 1-888-815-4657

Call Centre Hours:  Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Live chat: https://protege-secure.csnpe-nslsc.canada.ca/en/public/live-chat

NSLSC website

Help with repayment

OSAP website

The OSAP website offers a step-by-step guide to repaying your loans.

Paying back OSAP

 Orientation and Repayment seminars

The National Student Loans Service Centre offers online NSLSC Orientation and OSAP Repayment Seminars. You can sign in using a computer, tablet, Android or iPhone device.

Orientation Seminar
Repayment Seminar

Repayment assistance

The National Student Loans Service Centre’s Repayment Assistance Program (RAP) is designed to help you manage your student debt.

Find more details on the NSLSC website to see if you qualify:

Repayment assistance

Are you applying to medical school, law school or another professional program? You may be asked to verify the scholarship you won during your time at McMaster.

Verifying your scholarships

If your application asks you for a verifier for any McMaster-based scholarships you’ve won during your time as an undergrad, you can list:

  • Nancy Solano, Awards Officer
    Aid & Awards
    McMaster University
    1280 Main St. W.
    Gilmour Hall, Room 120
    Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8
    (905) 525-9140 ext 23145
    solanon@mcmaster.ca

The following general information may also be useful to your application.

Entrance scholarships

All applicants to McMaster University with an admission average of 80% or higher are eligible for Entrance Scholarships. The number of applicants is unavailable but admission statistics may be included as part of your application.

In-course scholarships

To determine your competition for any awards you won during your undergrad, you can refer to the Undergraduate Calendar and the online University statistics for the year in which you won the award.

  • Read the specific award descriptions and terms in the Undergraduate Calendar. Scholarship decisions are awarded based on these terms. Past copies of calendars are available at Mills Memorial Library.
  • The Undergraduate Calendar outlines the criteria and competition (typically available) for an award.
  • The University Statistics will provide you with the number of students in a level, faculty, program or course. Search for statistics according to the criteria for a specific award.
Fact Book (PDF)