$2.3 million in bursary money distributed in the Fall process
We here at the Obiter like to think of ourselves as creative. When we realized there was going to be a shortfall in submissions for the first issue, we jumped at the chance to reprint some of the favourites from the 2015-2016 year. This is one of those articles, enjoy!
One of the first real deadlines Osgoode students face at the beginning of the school year is not an academic one; rather, it is the deadline to submit one’s bursary application. As students are acutely aware, law school is expensive and many look to Osgoode’s financial aid to offset some of the cost. On average, bursary applicants in 1L reported a resource shortfall of approximately $16,000; 2Ls, $20,000; and 3Ls, $25,000.
Students may well remember filling out the tri-part application where students listed their resources, expected expenses, and financial circumstances for the year, along with supporting documentation that forms the basis of how much, if any, money a student will receive. This year, the Obiter spoke with the Student Financial Services Office (SFS) to gain insight on the process.
Osgoode’s bursary distribution is divided into a Fall and Winter bursary process. The majority of the money is given out in the Fall process; the 2015/16 distribution saw $2,377,076 distributed to 470 students. The Winter process, with bursaries ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 is distributed around the end of March and is focussed more on debt relief and prioritizes distribution of financial aid to 3L students first, then to 2Ls and 1Ls with high financial need.
The threshold requirements for a student to receive a bursary is to apply for governmental financial assistance and to have applied for a line of credit at a banking institution. Further, the student must show that they have a shortfall of resources for the year.
How Many Got What?
In 2015/16, 570 Osgoode students submitted bursary applications. Of those, 470 students qualified to receive some money from the process. Generally speaking, bursaries are distributed in three amounts: $1,200 for low-need students; $5,000 for medium-need students; and $10,000 for high-need students. As of 6 December 2015, 177 students received the low-need amount; 211 students received the medium-need amount; 82 students received the high-need amount. Particular to this year were additional bursaries to commemorate fifty years of Osgoode-York relations, creating fifty additional $5,000 bursaries. In addition, OSAP identified a number of students who are marked to receive bursary money in various amounts.
How are the Decisions Made?
SFS reviews in detail the information provided in the bursary application. The process can be described as having two components —an objective and a subjective part.
On the objective end, SFS looks at the difference between a student’s resources and expected expenses. SFS creates an “allowable budget” which it uses as a baseline for expected expenses and requires students to provide justification if there is deviation. Also looked at is the amount of educational debt a student has, whether incurred during or before law school, and in addition, the ability of the student to meet financial commitments for the year is considered, such as how much line of credit is available.
On the subjective end, SFS looks at the written explanation from the student about his or her financial circumstances as provided in Part C of the application. SFS remarked that this section was very important in the final determination but underutilized by students. The overall financial picture is then compared to the situation of other students.
Students are also asked to answer an eclectic series of questions on subject matter such as extracurricular activities or where they grew up. The Office stresses this has no bearing on the amount determination but rather assists in determining if the amount can be taken from specific donor funds rather than from the general pool of funds.
SFS stresses there is no magic resource shortfall or debt number that triggers qualification of a certain bursary amount. The evaluation attempts to group students with similar financial situations together and varies from year to year. While there is no formal reassessment process, the Office commented that it was open to meeting with any student who wanted an explanation or to hear about unexpected financial circumstances that arise during the semester.
Is this Fair?
While any self-reporting system is subject to abuse, the process appears reasonably fair. Expenses are generally uniform because of the “allowable budget”; thus, someone paying extraordinary rent for a three-bedroom would not benefit over others, unless the expense was justified, such as the person needing three bedrooms because they also have a family. The SFS also has an expected debt amount and requires justification which protects against students benefitting from reckless spending. That said, a person could still hide resources despite the honest reporting declaration applicants are required to sign.
All about Optics?
The bursary system is in large part a redistribution game. Roughly ten percent of tuition is statutorily set aside for bursaries and a smaller amount, roughly three percent, is set aside by the Dean’s Office for financial aid and scholarships. This means that over the three year degree, a student pays into the process roughly $9,300, which may be more than what a student gets back in bursaries.
Perhaps a radical suggestion, but could a better bursary system be created by upping what some students pay in tuition? The numbers suggest that a not insignificant portion of the school is not in need of bursary funding (approximately one third) based on the number that applied for bursaries. What if students who did not apply or do not qualify for bursaries get billed an additional amount – for the sake of an example, $3,000 dollars, and the amount collected redistributed to students showing financial need.
A similar proposal was suggested at U of T law school. The proposal was for students who had secured paid employment to donate “one day of pay” to create bursaries for students who were doing unpaid internships. The proposal was heavily criticized for placing the burden of law school affordability on students and the proposal never went any further. While such proposals may be criticised as a wealth or success fee, the current bursary system is really no different.
Conclusion
Tuition is expensive; this is not groundbreaking news. Unfortunately, with the current resources available, the bursary process is not making a significant difference in the affordability of law school for the vast majority of students. So try to remember your financial circumstances when the Alumni relations office calls for donations in five years’ time.
Special thanks to Alissa Cooper and Nadia Narcisi from Student Financial Services for providing information for this article