When I landed in Canada, I didn’t arrive with a safety net.
I arrived with two suitcases, foreign credentials, and a quiet promise to myself: Hindi ako susuko.
Like many newcomers, I quickly realized that if I wanted to practice in a regulated field, I needed Canadian education. So I enrolled in a Paralegal Diploma program — and I was only able to do that because of the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).
That support changed my life.
So when I hear about reductions in grants and shifts toward more loans, I don’t just see policy changes. I see real people whose timelines, confidence, and futures may be affected.
Personal ito.
What’s Changing for 2026–2027?
For the 2026–2027 academic year, the following changes apply:
Students will continue to be assessed based on financial need, but the mix of provincial grants and loans is changing.
Students at publicly assisted colleges, universities, and other public and private institutions in Ontario will receive more of their assessed provincial student aid in the form of loans.
Students attending career colleges in Ontario will receive their provincial student aid entirely in the form of loans.
Let that sink in.
Financial need assessment remains. But the structure of support is becoming more loan-heavy.
For some students, that may be manageable. For others — especially newcomers — that shift changes everything.
Starting Over Is Already Expensive
People don’t talk enough about how expensive it is to start over in Canada.
Tuition. Books. Licensing exams. Transportation. Rent. Groceries. Winter clothing. Professional fees.
As a newly landed immigrant, I didn’t have Canadian credit history. I didn’t have generational support. I didn’t have a financial cushion.
What I had was determination — and access to OSAP grants.
The grant portion mattered. It reduced the pressure. It allowed me to focus on studying instead of constantly worrying about debt piling up.
Kung puro loan lang sana iyon, baka nagdalawang-isip ako.
“Paano kung hindi ako makahanap agad ng trabaho?”
“Kaya ko ba bayaran ito?”
When you are building from zero, debt feels heavier.
Why This Hits Newcomers Harder
Many immigrants need Canadian credentials to:
Enter regulated professions
Bridge foreign education
Gain credibility in the local job market
For career college students especially — who will now receive provincial aid entirely as loans — the risk calculation becomes sharper.
Not everyone has a fallback plan.
Hindi lahat may tutulong kapag nahirapan ka.
A loan-only model increases hesitation. And hesitation can delay integration by years.
Education Is More Than Tuition
We often discuss immigration in terms of labour shortages and economic growth. But access to education is a key integration tool.
When newcomers can upgrade their skills quickly, they move out of survival jobs faster. They contribute more. They stabilize their families. They build roots.
When grant support decreases, some will still push through. Others may pause. Some may walk away.
That ripple effect matters.
My Honest Reflection
Completing my Paralegal Diploma changed my professional trajectory in Canada. It gave me direction, legitimacy, and opportunity.
I will always be grateful that when I needed help, meaningful grant support existed.
Policy changes are part of governance. I understand that. But behind every adjustment is a real person calculating risk.
Someone like the version of me years ago — hopeful, anxious, determined.
Someone whispering: Kaya ko ‘to.
My hope is that despite the changing grant-loan mix, students — especially newcomers — continue to find pathways forward.
Education is not just an expense. For many of us, it is the bridge between survival and stability.
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