Osgoode Hall Law School Student Financial Services Office

1
Osgoode Hall Law SchoolStudent Financial
Services Office

• First Year Financial Seminar
• Wednesday, September 6, 2006
• 1230pm

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Student Financial ServicesFirst Year Financial
SeminarOutline

• The Student Financial Services Office (Who we
  are, how we can help you)
• Provincial Government Loans (OSAP et al)
• Student Lines-of-Credit (Why, where and when to
  get one)
• Osgoode Bursaries (The application process, the
  deadline, requirements, supporting
  documentation)
• External Funding (How to find it, how we can
  help)
• Tips for Saving Money (Advice to help you through
  the next 3 years)
• Thinking about the Future (What happens after
  graduation, managing debt, etc.)
• Important websites and links.

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Student Financial ServicesFirst Year Financial
SeminarThe Office and The People

• The Student Financial Services Office is located
  in Room 131, on the main floor of Osgoode.
• The Office is staffed by the Director, Penny
  Spence, and her Assistant, Nadia Narcisi.
• It is easy to reach us
• Email FinancialServices_at_osgoode.yorku.ca
• Call [phone]
• Drop by and say hi in person.
• If the Student Financial Services website
  (www.osgoode.yorku.ca/financialservices) does not
  have the answer to your question, we will!
  However, we do expect all students to read very
  carefully the information on our website in the
  first place.
• We are pleased to say that we have an open door
  policy.

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Student Financial ServicesFirst Year Financial
SeminarProvincial Government Loans

• It is essential that you apply to OSAP or if you
  are from out of province to your home provinces
  student loan program, for many reasons
• Application to a government loan program is
  required for the Osgoode Bursary Program if you
  are turned down and can document it, we will
  consider you for a bursary You should take
  advantage of any and all interest-free loans
  available
• If your OSAP has been processed, you may pick up
  your documents at the Office in Room 131 until
  the end of this month
• After September, OSAP documents may be picked up
  from Student Client Services, on the main level
  of the Student Client Services Centre you need
  your SIN card and photo ID
• Remember that if you receive more than 7,000 in
  OSAP funding, the amount above 7,000 may be
  forgiven once you graduate Forgiveness can also
  be allocated through the 3,000 Millennium
  Bursary, which some students receive in the
  winter semester as part of their OSAP allotment
• Always be sure to be dead honest with OSAP
  because you are allowed only one overaward and
  after that you will be ineligible.

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Student Financial ServicesFirst Year Financial
SeminarStudent Lines-of-Credit

• A student line-of-credit is required if you wish
  to apply for a bursary and is likely to be
  essential for most students during law school.
• Professional student lines-of-credit are tailored
  to students in programs like law who are paying
  much higher than average tuitions, so they offer
  higher limits.
• Also, many lines-of-credit (especially the Royal
  Bank option) offer very competitive interest
  rates which keeps your debt down, and in most
  cases you do not need a cosigner.
• While we do have a very special program with one
  branch of the Royal Bank and receive the best of
  service from them, application may be made to any
  financial institution.
• The advantage of putting a student line of credit
  in place is that it gives you some financial
  security, and provides you with banking
  representatives who can give you sound
  professional advice throughout your three years
  of law school and beyond.
• If you are turned down for a line of credit and
  can document it, you may still be considered for
  an Osgoode bursary.

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Student Financial ServicesFirst Year Financial
SeminarBursaries

• There is ONLY ONE Osgoode Bursary process it is
  run in September of each year.
• The bursary application is in Two Parts
• Part I - The Online Application is now available
  at www.osgoode.yorku.ca/financialservices under
  Bursaries
• Part II - The Supplemental/Cover Form, Section F,
  must be printed off at the end of your Online
  Application and attached to all your Supporting
  Documentation.
• The FIRM, FINAL deadline for both parts is
  Monday, September 25, 2006. There will be no
  exceptions to this deadline.
• Supporting Documentation is submitted to Nadia in
  Room 131, and should include
• Proof of application for a government student
  loan
• Proof of application for a student
  line-of-credit
• Proof of all existing education-related debt.
• Bursaries are usually awarded in November and
  appear on your Student Account.

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Student Financial ServicesFirst Year Financial
SeminarExternal Funding

• Listen Up -- There is Free Money out there! You
  just have to find it!
• The Office of Financial Services to pleased to
  have in place a new part-time External Funding
  Coordinator position. Jessica Zagar, a second
  year student who has been working with us all
  summer is available by appointment for the fall
  and winter semesters to help you research
  specific bursaries and scholarships.
• You may contact her at JessicaZagar_at_osgoode.yorku.
  ca
• In the Student Financial Services Office, Room
  131, there are two Yellow Binders on the top of
  the filing cabinet to assist you with your search
  for external funding, and the bottom drawer holds
  extensive files of external funding opportunities
  which you are invited to review.
• The Student Financial Services website has a
  selection of external funding options listed.
• Watch for postings on the bulletin boards outside
  Room 131 and regular articles in the Obiter Dicta.

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Student Financial ServicesFirst Year Financial
SeminarMoney Tips

• Download Money Pennys Finance Tracker at
  http//www.yorku.ca/osgoode/financialservices/docu
  ments/MoneyPennysFinanceTracker.xls
• Check out the Financial Tips The Things You
  Need to do while at Law School on our Website.
  And, continue to reference the sample budget
  under Will I Have Enough Money? on the Student
  Financial Services website www.yorku.ca/osgoode/f
  inancialservices/
• Take note of the advice on saving money offered
  in this session, and review the tips once in a
  while.

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Student Financial ServicesFirst Year Financial
SeminarThinking About the Future

• While the first week of law school is
  overwhelming, believe it or not, many students
  are already wondering about what happens after
  graduation!
• Student Financial Services offers an Upper Year
  Financial Seminar covering topics like
• How to manage your debt after graduation
• When your loans and line-of-credit become due
• Owning vs. renting your home, mortgages
• RRSPs and other savings options.
• The website www.osgoode.yorku.ca/financialservices
  / has much of this information under Upper Year
  Financial Seminar for you to peruse.

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Student Financial ServicesFirst Year Financial
SeminarImportant Links

• All of this information is available on our
  website www.osgoode.yorku.ca/financialservices/
• The RBC website is www.royalbank.ca. You can also
  contact Vesna at vesna.spasevski_at_rbc.com or (905)
  738-6052
• External funding search engines such as
  http//studentawards.com or http//scholarshipscan
  ada.com may be helpful
• Sites like www.places4students.com and
  www.viewit.ca can be useful for finding
  affordable housing