A portion of private career colleges in Ontario has driven significant growth in student financial aid recipients, as per recent data. The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) saw a substantial rise in the number of grant and loan recipients at a select few of the 170 career colleges. Some institutions experienced a rapid increase from under 100 OSAP recipients to several thousand within a brief period.
In the 2024-25 academic year, seven career colleges collectively received approximately $385 million in provincial grants for students. This amount matched the total grants awarded to students across all publicly funded colleges in Ontario, surpassing funds allocated to university students.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government made substantial cuts to student assistance grants earlier in the year, excluding career college students from accessing OSAP due to unsustainable costs. Recent data indicates a notable surge in OSAP recipients at career colleges compared to universities and public colleges.
Career Colleges Ontario, the sector’s representative body, expressed concerns regarding the performance of a small number of institutions. The organization is collaborating with government officials to address potential issues related to a surge in OSAP applications that lack justification.
Five career colleges were recently disqualified from receiving OSAP grants for the upcoming academic year based on concerns about asynchronous learning programs affecting student participation. The province extended OSAP eligibility to students in online programs during the pandemic, but later made changes to address program integrity.
The Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities plans to introduce legislative measures to manage the excessive growth in student aid, enhance accountability, and ensure responsible use of public funds. The Academy of Learning, which saw significant growth in OSAP recipients, attributed the increase to demographic changes and emphasized the integrity of its operations.
Notably, some Academy of Learning locations experienced extraordinary growth in OSAP recipients, with one location witnessing a 1,300% surge in student aid applications. The unusual spikes in OSAP usage at these institutions contrast with trends seen in other provinces, highlighting a unique situation in Ontario.