See below for answers to common questions about:

• Entrance Scholarships
• Upper Year Scholarships
• Bursaries
• The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
• Out of Province Student Loans
• The RBC Royal Bank Student Line of Credit Program
• General Information
  
  
  

Entrance Scholarships

1. Who can receive an entrance scholarship?
   All students accepted at Osgoode are considered for all scholarships, provided they submit the Financial Statement with their admissions application.
2. Who typically receives entrance scholarships?
   The typical recipient scores above the 80th percentile on the LSAT and has an average (GPA) of 3.80. Note: fulfilling these criteria is NOT a guarantee of a scholarship. Yearly statistics vary depending on the other candidates in the pool of applicants.
3. May I submit the Financial Statement after the deadline?
   If you fail to submit the Financial Statement with your application, you will be disqualified from the entrance scholarship selection process. You should ensure that all necessary information is submitted in a timely manner.
4. Why is the Financial Statement required?
   Many of our entrance scholarships have a financial need requirement. To ensure all candidates receive fair consideration, we ask that all students submit a Financial Statement.
5. If I receive an entrance scholarship, how and when will I receive the money?
   All scholarships will be mounted to your Student Account at York University before tuition is due on August 10. You are responsible for paying the tuition balance by the deadlines. Please see MyYorku to access your account.
   
   
   

Upper Year Scholarships

1. Who is eligible to receive an upper year scholarship?
   All upper year students are considered on the basis of academic performance. In many cases, financial need is also considered. No application is necessary.
2. Why is financial need a criterion?
   In the recent past, many of our scholarships were established taking advantage of the Ontario Government's matching program. Both demonstrated financial need and Ontario residency is a requirement for these scholarships.
3. Are upper year scholarships available for out-of-province students?
   Yes, there are established scholarships that were not matched by the Ontario Government. In recent years, Osgoode has specifically fundraised for scholarships for out-of-province students. In addition, a few years ago Osgoode established the Osgoode Hall Law School Upper Year Award of Excellence, which is tailored to out-of-province students.
4. If I receive an Upper Year Scholarship, how and when will I receive the money?
   All scholarships will be mounted to your Student Account at York University before tuition is due, on September 10. Please see: MyYorku. You are responsible for paying the tuition balance by the deadlines.
   
   
   

Bursaries

1. Who can apply?
   With the exception of NCA students, any Osgoode student, who is paying fees may apply. Bursary application forms will be available online when classes commence at the time of Osgoode's registration.
2. How do I apply?
   Apply through the Online Bursary Application at the beginning of September.
3. When do I apply?
   You may apply as soon as the Online Bursary Application is available (on the first day of classes of the fall semester). Students have approximately three weeks to complete the application and submit the proper documentation. Please note that we do not notify you if your application is missing documentation. It is each student's responsibility to ensure that the submitted application is complete.
4. When are the bursaries allocated?
   Bursaries are normally allocated in November.
5. How do I get my money?
   All bursary funding will be applied directly to your Student Account at York University.  If you have no outstanding debt to York, and fees are covered in both Fall and Winter, you can request a refund cheque.
6. Are there any special requirements?
   Students must fulfill the following four requirements:
   • Osgoode requires that all students requesting financial assistance have applied to the federal and provincial student loan programs in the same year that an application is made for a bursary
   • Osgoode requires that all students have applied for a student line of credit in the same year that application is made for an Osgoode bursary
   • Students must submit an online application and provide supporting documentation for that application
   • The online application and all supporting documentation must be received prior to the specified deadline
7. What documentation is required?
   Students must be able to document the following: government loan funding, the student line of credit, a shortfall with respect to resources and expenses for the eight-month period September to April, and their cumulative educational debt load including credit card and personal debt.
8. How important is documentation?
   This is absolutely crucial in the processing of your application. Student Financial Services will NOT notify you if your application is missing documentation.
9. What happens if I am refused a government loan and student line of credit? May I still apply for a bursary?
   Yes, you may apply for a bursary but you are required to provide documentation regarding the application for, and refusal of, both sources of funding.
10. How much funding may I expect?
    If you clearly demonstrate financial need, the minimum amount that a student may receive is approximately $1,200. The maximum amount of bursary funding that a student may receive is approximately $10,000.
11. What factors determine whether a student qualifies for a bursary?
    Bursary allocation is based on a variety of factors that include, but are not limited to, existing educational debt and a myriad of particular individual circumstances. It is important that you make a strong case for yourself in the bursary application.
12. How do I fill out bursary/financial information forms regarding my spouse's financial contribution?
    If you have a partner/spouse, the most efficient way to fill out the form is to calculate your income and expenses as a single person with your partner/spouse contributing.
13. What is Early Bursary Notification?
    Osgoode uses the Financial Statement submitted with your application for admission to make an early estimate of your eligibility for bursaries. This letter of notification alerts the student as to what she/he might expect in bursary funding for the following September, as long as the student's financial circumstances remain the same as at the time of the application to law school. The purpose of early bursary notification is to encourage and assist students in budgeting for their year at law school.

Government Funding - OSAP

1. When do I have to apply for OSAP?
   Apply as early as possible. The online forms are available in February. Please see: http://osap.gov.on.ca/
2. Why do I need to apply early?
   If you apply before June 30, York University will automatically defer your tuition until your OSAP funding comes in or October 10. Please note this is only applicable to residents of Ontario. If you intend to apply for bursaries, you must have documentation regarding your results from OSAP. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you have OSAP in place well before arriving at Osgoode and before the academic year commences in September.
3. Once I submit my online application, what do I do next?
   The estimate you receive from the Ministry is an approximation only. You must print out your signature pages and immediately get them to York University's Student Financial Services office for final assessment by York. No assessment is made until the signature pages and all requested documentation are received.
4. What if I am refused OSAP?
   If you provide documentation that you applied for OSAP and were refused, you are eligible to apply for an Osgoode bursary.
5. Can I get additional support if I have a temporary and/or permanent disability?
   Students with temporary and/or permanent disabilities are strongly encouraged to check with York's Persons with Disabilities Office to determine if they are eligible for additional government assistance beyond what is given initially by OSAP. Check the York Student Financial Services link at http://sfs.yorku.ca/aid/scholarships/disabilities.htm for more information on how to apply for additional financial funding.

Government Funding: Out-of-Province Student Loans

1. How soon must I apply to my provincial government for a government student loan?
   Apply as early as possible, preferably in the late spring or very early summer.
2. Why should I apply for a government student loan early?
   Because the bursary process requires documentation, it is strongly advised that you have your government funding in place before you arrive at Osgoode and prior to the start of the semester in September.
3. What if I am denied government funding from my respective province?
   You may apply for a bursary if you submit documents showing that you have applied for and been refused a government student loan.
4. Will York University defer tuition until student loan funding comes in for out-of-province students?
   Unfortunately, the answer is no. York University will not defer tuition for out of province students. This makes it crucial for non-residents to apply for and receive government student loans and a student line of credit as early as possible.

The RBC Royal Bank Student Line of Credit

1. Why is a student line of credit required for Osgoode's bursary process?
   All students must take responsibility for identifying and securing financial resources to attend Osgoode. Additionally, if you intend to apply for an Osgoode bursary, you must provide documentation of your application for a student line of credit, along with the amount received and used on an annual basis.
2. What if I am refused a student line of credit?
   Providing you can document that you made a best effort as possible and applied for and were refused a student line of credit, you are eligible to apply for an Osgoode bursary.
3. Why does Osgoode recommend a RBC Royal Bank Student Line of Credit instead of another financial institution?
   The Student Financial Services Office and the RBC Royal Bank have created a special program to serve Osgoode students with the following features:
   • the RBC Royal Bank knows Osgoode students and programs and how our bursary program operates which is advantageous
   • in almost all cases, no co-signer is required
   • the Royal Bank representative meets students on-site at Osgoode Hall Law School during the first week of classes
   • RBC Royal Bank offers a competitive level of credit and reduced interest rate of prime + 0.5 percent
   • RBC Royal Bank offers the possibility of a continuance of your student line of credit during your fourth and articling year 
   • most importantly, the bank offers caring and convenient service throughout your three years at Osgoode
4. If I have a student line of credit from another bank, do I have to switch to the RBC Royal Bank?
   No. Osgoode will accept student lines of credit from other financial institutions. Any current student line of credit is acceptable. However, as a student you must realize that not all lines of credit are equal. The RBC Royal Bank's special program takes into account the needs of law students at Osgoode. Make sure that you are offered the same services and features at another financial institution.

General Information

1. Where can I get my tax forms from Osgoode (T2202A, T4A)?
   All tax forms provided by York University are available through your Passport York account.
2. Are there other sources of funding available?
   Yes, there are many other sources of funding and we encourage you to carefully read the information under How To Fund Law School. In particular, we continually expand our External Funding information and strongly encourage all students to research what is out there. Please see the External Sources of Funding section of our website.
3. How can I afford to come to law school?
   It is imperative that you take responsibility for your finances and create a financial plan for law school. This plan should have two components:
   
   1. Identify sources of funding such as:
      • parental and family assistance
      • government loans
      • student lines of credit
      • scholarships/bursaries
      • summer employment
      • part-time employment
      • external sources of funding
   2. Create a budget and identify estimated costs and expenses:
      • For a sample budget and approximate costs see: Will I Have Enough Money?
      • Part of creating a budget is acquiring information. Talk to your parents, colleagues, friends and your friendly banker about creative ways to cut costs
      • Most importantly, have a plan! You will be much more successful if you know how to obtain resources and limit expenses than if you "improvise as you go along." In doing so, you will lessen your financial stress and make your time in law school much more enjoyable.
4. I am a law student with children. Are there any potential sources of funding (including government programs) that I should be aware of?
   Absolutely! Please visit the OSAP site for more information. You are strongly encouraged to apply for OSAP (or for student assistance from whichever province you reside in), as all options listed in the attached file are contingent on a submitted student loan application. OSAP amounts may be higher for sole support parents and for students with dependants.
5. What are some of the other deadlines that I should be aware of in the months leading up to and during law school?
   Please consult the timeline in upcoming deadlines. If you are starting law school in September 2011, please consult the table in the Fees and Financial Information Guide.