OPINION
Tuesday, February 2, 2016 9
The 2016 Bursary Process Explained
Over $2.3 million in bursary money distributed in the Fall process
-
henry limheng
One of the first real deadlines Osgoode students face at the beginning of the school year is
not an academic one; rather, it is the deadline to
submit one’s bursary application. As students are
acutely aware, law school is expensive and many
look to Osgoode’s financial aid to offset some of
the cost. On average, bursary applicants in 1 L
reported a resource shortfall of approximately
$16,000; 2Ls, $20,000; and 3Ls, $25,000.
Students may well remember filling out the
tri-part application where students listed their
resources, expected expenses, and financial circumstances for the year, along with supporting documentation that forms the basis of how much, if any,
money a student will receive. This year, the Obiter
spoke with the Student Financial Services Office
(SFS) to gain insight on the process.
Osgoode’s bursary distribution is divided into
a Fall and Winter bursary process. The majority
of the money is given out in the Fall process; the
2015/16 distribution saw $2,377,076 distributed
to 470 students. The Winter process, with bursaries ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 is distributed around the end of March and is focussed
more on debt relief and prioritizes distribution of financial aid to 3L students first, then to
2Ls and 1Ls with high financial need.
The threshold requirements for a student to
receive a bursary is to apply for governmental financial assistance and to have applied for a line of credit
at a banking institution. Further, the student must
show that they have a shortfall of resources for the
year.
How Many Got What?
In 2 01 5/16, 570 Osgoode students submitted bursary applications. Of those, 470 students
qualified to receive some money from the process. Generally speaking, bursaries are distributed
in three amounts: $1,200 for low-need students;
$5,000 for medium-need students; and $10,000 for
high-need students. As of 6 December 2015, 177 students received the low-need amount; 211 students
received the medium-need amount; 82 students
received the high-need amount. Particular to this
year were additional bursaries to commemorate fifty
years of Osgoode-York relations, creating fifty additional $5,000 bursaries. In addition, OSAP identified a number of students who are marked to receive
bursary money in various amounts.
How are the Decisions Made?
S F S re v i e w s i n d e t a i l t h e i n fo r m ation provided in the bursary application. The
process can be described as having two components —an objective and a subjective part.
On the objective end, SFS looks at the difference between a student’s resources and expected
expenses. SFS creates an “allowable budget” which it
uses as a baseline for expected expenses and requires
students to provide justification if there is deviation.
Also looked at is the amount of educational debt a
student has, whether incurred during or before law
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