Your Guide to Various OSAP Affidavits
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- An OSAP Affidavit is used when students applying for financial aid cannot provide official documentation to prove certain facts in their application.
- All OSAP Affidavits must be signed and commissioned by an authorized official, such as a notary public or commissioner of oaths.
- OSAP Affidavits include personal details and a truthful declaration of facts.
- An authenticated OSAP Affidavit is legally binding, ensuring accuracy and compliance in the application process.
- NotaryPro offers free OSAP Affidavit templates and 7-minute online notary services to streamline the process for students.
If you’re a student who requires financial assistance from the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), you may need to submit an OSAP Affidavit. You need an OSAP Affidavit if you cannot provide official documentation to prove certain facts you outline in your OSAP application.
To make drafting and your OSAP Affidavit as easy and convenient as possible, NotaryPro offers a variety of free OSAP Affidavit Templates. You can avoid the hassle of making an appointment with a notary public and spend less time drafting a document. This blog will cover when you’re required to submit an OSAP Affidavit, how to create one, and how to get it commissioned.
What is an OSAP Affidavit?
An OSAP Affidavit is a sworn document that must be signed before an authorized official, like a notary public, commissioner of oaths, or lawyer. It contains a written statement of facts provided by the person making the Affidavit (called the deponent or affiant). An Affidavit must be authenticated, meaning the affiant affirms that the contents of their Affidavit are true before the authorized official.
If you lack the documents required to prove certain personal facts, OSAP may ask you to submit an Affidavit with your application. An OSAP Affidavit enables you to complete the OSAP application process and secure financial assistance for your studies.
Once your Affidavit is validated, it has the same effect as swearing to tell the truth under oath in court. Therefore, your OSAP Affidavit must be completed accurately and truthfully. In Canada, intentionally affirming false information in your Affidavit is considered perjury. According to Canada’s Criminal Code, perjury is an indictable offence and can result in significant consequences.
Does a Notary Need to Sign My OSAP Affidavit?
In Canada, all Affidavits (including your OSAP Affidavit) must be commissioned to be considered valid. Your OSAP Affidavit needs to be commissioned by a notary public, lawyer, paralegal, or commissioner of oaths.
You can get your OSAP Affidavit commissioned online by uploading your OSAP Affidavit and booking a virtual notary service appointment. A notary will confirm your identity and ensure you understand what you’re signing. Once you affirm that the contents of your OSAP Affidavit are true before the notary, they’ll witness your signature. Next, they’ll sign your OSAP Affidavit and stamp it with an official notary seal. Book an appointment to get your OSAP Affidavit commissioned online, in under 7 minutes with NotaryPro!
What is OSAP?
The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is a government-funded financial aid program that helps students pay for college or university. OSAP is available to Ontario residents of any age. However, applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons.
OSAP assists with costs related to books, tuition, living expenses, school supplies, and childcare. The amount of funding you’re eligible for depends on your educational expenses, course load, and financial circumstances. Funding amounts are also based on family size, income, dependents, and other factors. For micro-credential programs, program hours are also taken into consideration.
You are automatically considered for both grants (money you don’t need to pay back) and loans (money you need to pay back). If you only want to accept the grant and not the loan, you can decline the loan upon application approval.
You can use OSAP to attend any private or public college or university in the world. However, if you’d like to use OSAP for a micro-credential program offered by an Ontario postsecondary institution, the program must be OSAP-approved.
When do I Need an OSAP Affidavit?
You’ll need an OSAP Affidavit if you don’t have the official documents required to prove certain facts you detail in your application. Your unique situation will determine the specific type of OSAP Affidavit you’ll need. Some personal circumstances you may need to prove with an OSAP Affidavit include:
- Sole support parent status
- Common-law relationship status
- Marital status (including widowed, separated, or divorced)
- Indigenous identity status
- No income earned (for you, your spouse, or your parent)
- Foreign or non-taxable income earned (for you, your spouse, or your parent)
Free OSAP Affidavit Templates
Below is a list of our free OSAP Affidavit templates; simply choose the one you need to get started!
OSAP Affidavit of No Income (Student, Spouse, or Parent)
This OSAP Affidavit proves that a student, their parent(s), or spouse earned little to no income in a particular year. If you need to complete an OSAP Affidavit of No Income, include the following information:
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- Personal information, including the person’s full name and current permanent address
- Where they resided the previous year
- The dates they resided in Canada and/or outside of Canada
- Why they had no income during that period
- How they met daily living expenses while having little to no income
OSAP Affidavit of Common-Law Status
This OSAP Affidavit is used to prove your and your partner’s common-law relationship status. In Ontario, your relationship becomes common-law when you’ve been continuously living together, in a conjugal relationship, for three years (outside of marriage). You must have lived together for a minimum of three years as of your first day of classes. If you share a child by birth or adoption, you are considered common-law no matter how long you’ve lived together.
Your Affidavit of of Common-Law Status should include:
- A signature from both you and your spouse
- Personal information, including your full name and current permanent address
- Confirmation that you’ve lived in a conjugal relationship outside marriage, continuously for at least three years, or
- State that you’ve lived together in a conjugal relationship of some permanence and share a child naturally or by adoption
OSAP Affidavit of Sole Support Parent Status
An OSAP Affidavit of Sole Support Parent Status confirms you’re a sole support parent when you don’t have documents to prove this. You’d use this Affidavit if you lack the documentation to prove your single, separated, divorced, or widowed status — or custody arrangement details.
To be considered a sole support parent in Ontario, you must be separated, divorced, widowed, or single. You must also have a dependent child (or children) living with you at least 50% of the time during your study period. If you receive child support from your former partner, you can still qualify for sole support parent status.
Your dependent children can be your natural, adoptive, or foster children. Each child must also be under 18, but if they’re older than 18, they must:
- Be enrolled in high school taking at least a 60% course load
- Be enrolled in a full-time college or university program and out of high school for under six years
- If they’re attending school abroad, you must be the parent the child lived with last
- Have a disability and be wholly dependent on you
Your OSAP Affidavit of Sole Support Parent Status should contain the following information:
- Personal information, including your full name and current permanent address
- Confirmation that your child(ren) will live with you at least 50% of the time during the academic year
- The date of your separation or divorce (if applicable)
- Custody arrangement details
- Child support payment amounts you recieve
If you are widowed, you must also provide a copy of your spouse’s death certificate. Learn more about sole support parent status and whether you qualify.
OSAP Affidavit of Marital Status (Separated, Married, Widowed, Divorced)
If you’re married, separated, divorced, or widowed — but don’t have documents to prove this, you might need an Affidavit of Marital Status. Accepted documents to prove marital status include a marriage certificate, separation agreement, divorce order, death certificate, or divorce judgment.
To complete an OSAP Affidavit of Marital Status, you cannot have any dependent children living with you during your study period. If you are married, your Affidavit must be signed by both you and your spouse. Additionally, your OSAP Affidavit of Marital Status should include the following:
- Personal information, including your full name and current permanent address
- Your and your spouse’s signatures (if you are married)
- The reason(s) why you don’t have the required documentation to prove your marital status
- The date and location of your marriage (if applicable)
- The date of your separation or divorce (if applicable)
OSAP Affidavit of Foreign or Non-Taxable Income
If you, your spouse, or your parent(s) earned foreign or non-taxable income that wasn’t reported to CRA, they may need an Affidavit. You’d use this Affidavit if you cannot produce the required documents to prove your foreign or non-taxable income.
Our free OSAP Affidavit of Foreign or Non-Taxable Income can be completed in minutes. You can customize the Affidavit to prove foreign or non-taxable income for yourself, your parents, or your spouse. Your OSAP Affidavit of Foreign or Non-Taxable Income should include:
- Personal information, including your/thier full name and current permanent address
- The last year you/they were living in the foreign country (if applicable)
- The total amount of foreign income you’ve received in the foreign country’s currency
- The reason(s) you’re unable to provide the required documentation
- The source(s) of your foreign or non-taxable income payments
Sources of Non-taxable or foreign income include but aren’t limited to:
- Employment income
- Income earned outside of Canada
- Child support received
- Income earned on a Canadian First Nations Reserve
- Rental income
- Gifts and inheritances over $3,600
- Life insurance compensation
- Lottery winnings over $3,600
- Investments of any type (e.g., bonds, stocks, or GICs)
- Lawsuit Settlements
- Strike pay from a union
- Investment Gains
- Interest, dividends, or capital gains from tax-free savings accounts (TFSA)
- Spouses and parents must report scholarships as non-taxable income if the scholarships weren’t reported on Line 15000 on their income tax return
OSAP Affidavit of Indigenous Identity
All students who apply for OSAP assistance are expected to contribute $3,600 toward post-secondary studies. If you identify as Indigenous and provide acceptable documentation to confirm your Indigenous identity, you are exempt from the student fixed contribution. You may also qualify for additional grant and loan funding for Indigenous students.
If you don’t have one of the documents OSAP requires to confirm Indigenous identity, OSAP may ask that you submit an Affidavit. Your Affidavit of Indigenous Identity should include the following information:
- Personal information, including your full name and current permanent address
- A declaration of their Indigenous identity
- The category of Indigenous Peoples you self-identify as (e.g., Inuk, First Nation, Métis, or an alternative term to describe your Indigenous ancestry and/or identity)
Making Changes to Your OSAP Profile
You are responsible for ensuring that the information in your OSAP profile is up to date. You can make certain updates to your personal information yourself, using your OSAP account.
If there’s been a change that you cannot update through your account, you must request that the change is made in writing. You would address your written request to the ministry, its contractors, agents, or other authorized third-party administrators. If you aren’t sure where to start, contact your local OSAP financial aid office for assistance.
What Information Should Your OSAP Affidavit Contain?
The information required in your OSAP Affidavit will vary depending on your circumstances and the type of Affidavit you need. In general, an OSAP Affidavit should include the following details:
- Your full legal name
- Your current permanent address
- The number of children you have (if applicable)
- The birth dates of your children (if applicable)
- Your marital status (if applicable)
- Your signature
- A notary’s seal and signature
Documents to Include with Your OSAP Affidavit
OSAP may require additional documentation to support the information you provide in your Affidavit. Supporting documents include lease agreements, mortgage documents, utility bills, a letter from your employer, and more.
Submitting your OSAP Affidavit and supporting documents by the deadline will help ensure that you receive your financial aid on time. You must submit all documents to your financial aid office no later than 40 days before the end of your study period. To submit supporting documentation to OSAP, log into your OSAP account, click “Submitted Applications”, and then click “View Documents & Print/Upload”.
Get Started with a Free OSAP Affidavit Template Today!
Getting started on your OSAP Affidavit is simpler than ever with our free, plug-and-play templates! Simply choose your template, fill it out, and meet with one of our Notary professionals today! You can meet with a professional from the comfort of your home or office, online in minutes.
If you have any questions, feel free to connect with us, and we’ll be happy to assist!