Postsecondary education just got more affordable
Thursday, January 05, 2012 by: SooToday.com Staff
ABRIDGED NEWS RELEASE
DAVID ORAZIETTI, MPP
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Orazietti announces 30 percent reduction in postsecondary tuition
Province makes education more affordable for local students and families
SAULT STE. MARIE - The province is making postsecondary education significantly more affordable for Sault Ste. Marie's students and families with an across-the-board 30 percent reduction in tuition for college and university students, David Orazietti, MPP announced today.
“By reducing tuition costs by 30 percent for students at Algoma University and Sault College, our government is delivering important financial support so that more individuals have the opportunity to gain a postsecondary education," said Orazietti. “We strongly believe that one of Ontario’s greatest assets is its education system and these significant savings will make postsecondary learning much more affordable for local families and students.”
Starting immediately and applying to the winter semester, eligible full-time university students will receive a tuition reduction of up to $800 and full-time college diploma or certificate students will receive a tuition reduction of up to $365.
Once the program is fully implemented in September 2012, eligible university students will get $1,600 deducted from their tuition and eligible college students will get a $730 deduction.
In total, the new tuition grant will save each student up to $6,400 for an undergraduate university program and $2,920 for an undergraduate college program.
The exact amount of the reduction is based on a 30 percent average undergraduate tuition for college and university in Ontario.
The amount of the reduction will always be 30 percent of average tuition, so it will increase proportionately with the rate of tuition inflation.
An estimated 86 percent or about 310,000 students will qualify for the provincial tuition savings.
All students currently receiving OSAP will be automatically assessed.
Students will not have to qualify for OSAP to be eligible for the new tuition grant.
A simple on-line application will be available to all other students as of January 5.
Eligibility includes students who are less than four years out of high school, enrolled full-time at an Ontario publicly funded university or college, and whose parental income does not exceed $160,000.
The tuition grant will be available every year for up to four years of an undergraduate program.
Students with disabilities may receive the grant for up to six years of study.
This initiative will bring the average amount of tuition paid by undergraduate students in Ontario to below the Canadian average.
The new tuition grant will be paid directly to universities and colleges and will be deducted from students’ tuition bill.
Over the last eight years, the province has greatly improved access to provincial loans and grants for students by doubling student assistance supports.
“Since 2003, our government has passed Bill 80 making Algoma University independent, invested in the construction of a new Bio-Sciences building at Algoma University, a new Academic Building at Sault College and, most recently, a new Student Athletic Centre at Sault College because we are committed to further developing innovative programs and attracting more students to our local schools and our community,” said Orazietti. “The province is continuing to build on the support we have provided for the revitalization of Sault Ste. Marie’s postsecondary schools so that local students have even greater access to state-of-the-art learning tools and facilities.”
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