Students are being encouraged to gather the information required in order to apply prior to the deadline at www.ontario.ca/30off.

“This grant is significant because it promotes access to a post-secondary education,” says Dr.  Steven E. Franklin, president and vice-chancellor of Trent University. “This initiative also complements the long standing investments Trent University makes each year in financial aid for which we are consistently ranked number one among primarily undergraduate universities in the nation.”

The 30% Off Tuition Grant

Thanks to the Government of Ontario, post-secondary students may now apply for a 30% off tuition grant and receive money that they will not have to repay.

The 30% off tuition grant has been created to make postsecondary education more affordable for full-time undergraduate university and college students. For two terms beginning in fall 2012, the grant will pay:

• $1,680 a year for students in a degree program at a college or university
• $770 a year for students in a certificate or diploma program at a college

Who is eligible for the 30% off tuition grant?

More than 300,000 full-time students in provincially-funded colleges and universities are eligible for the grant each year. Students are eligible for 30% off tuition if:

• they’re a full-time student at a public college or university in Ontario
• they’ve been out of high school for less than four years
• they’re in a program they can apply to directly from high school (e.g., undergraduate level)
• they meet the citizenship and residency requirements
• Their parents’ gross income (total before taxes) is $160,000 or less

How to Apply

The 2012-13 tuition grant application is open. Students who apply for OSAP are automatically considered for the 30% off tuition grant. If students don’t qualify for OSAP, they may still be eligible for the tuition grant and need to apply.

To apply, students need three things:

• Their Social Insurance Number
• Their parent(s)’ Social Insurance Number(s)
• The amount on Line 150 of their parent(s)’ 2011 Canadian Income Tax Return(s). 

To complete the application, students need to:

• Go to Ontario.ca/30off and click the ‘Apply Now’ button

• Login using their existing OSAP access number or register as a new online user (They will get a unique i.d. number and create a password. Students should keep this in a safe place.)
• Complete and submit the online application
• Print the signature page of the application – have their parent(s) sign it
• Bring or send the signed document to the Financial Aid Office of their college or university.

The deadline for applications is 90 days before the last day of students’ study period.

Find out more and apply for the new 30 Per Cent Off Ontario Tuition at 1-800-449-4478 or www.ontario.ca/30off