‘Caught in the middle’ More than 500 private career colleges impacted by OSAP freeze
The Ontario government has suspended OSAP eligibility for hundreds of private career colleges following a potential criminal investigation into the sector. Institutions and students are currently facing uncertainty regarding funding for ongoing education programs.
Why it matters
This decision impacts the financial stability of thousands of students and the operational viability of private educational institutions across Ontario.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct the number of OSAP-eligible career colleges to 242. A previous version noted the total number of private institutions in the province, not all of which were eligible for financial support.
Hundreds of private career colleges are scrambling to assess their options after the Ford government cut off their eligibility for student loans and grants in the wake of a potential OPP criminal investigation into the sector.
On Tuesday, the province revealed that six private career colleges were suspected of taking advantage of Ontario’s student assistance program (OSAP) after the ministry of colleges and universities noticed a number of red flags.
While six institutions were suspended by the ministry, the government said it would take a broad approach to the entire sector in order the “support the integrity of the OSAP system” by pausing their eligibility altogether.
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