Financial Aid Advisor
- Kitchener, ON, Canada
Full-time
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Job details
- Job type
- Full-time
- Apply by
- Posting language
- English
- Posted
Original job description
Position Summary
Full-Time Support Staff, replacement position
(First consideration for support staff and academic positions will be given to internal applicants in accordance with the respective collective agreements)
The Financial Aid Advisor supports students by providing expert guidance on the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) and other funding sources. This role involves processing financial aid applications, interpreting policy, resolving complex issues and collaborating across departments to ensure students receive timely and accurate financial support.
Successful candidates will be required to conduct work within Ontario and must be available to work on campus as required. It is anticipated that this position will meet the department's needs through a hybrid work arrangement, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with 2-3 days on-site at the Doon campus, located at 299 Doon Valley Drive in Kitchener, ON, and 2-3 days working remotely.
Responsibilities
OSAP
Full-Time Support Staff, replacement position
(First consideration for support staff and academic positions will be given to internal applicants in accordance with the respective collective agreements)
The Financial Aid Advisor supports students by providing expert guidance on the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) and other funding sources. This role involves processing financial aid applications, interpreting policy, resolving complex issues and collaborating across departments to ensure students receive timely and accurate financial support.
Successful candidates will be required to conduct work within Ontario and must be available to work on campus as required. It is anticipated that this position will meet the department's needs through a hybrid work arrangement, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with 2-3 days on-site at the Doon campus, located at 299 Doon Valley Drive in Kitchener, ON, and 2-3 days working remotely.
Responsibilities
OSAP
- Interpret and apply OSAP policies outlined by the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence, and Security (MCURES)
- Assess application data to determine student eligibility for provincial and federal funding
- Review complex and sensitive supporting documentation from government agencies, education and financial institutions, medical professionals, social and legal services, etc.
- Validate the authenticity of documents and professional credentials
- Review French-language OSAP forms and refer to the Bilingual Advisor or the Ministry for processing
- Review student citizenship status and residency history to confirm eligibility for OSAP
- Maintain confidentiality and ensure compliance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and privacy standards
- Identify and escalate atypical applications for special case assessment
- Write and maintain internal process guides and manuals
- Report suspected fraud to the Ministry in conjunction with the Associate Registrar
- Advise students on funding programs, eligibility, budgeting and potential options
- Meet with students to provide support on complex financial aid inquiries
- Verify the accuracy of financial need assessments
- Offer budget planning and money management guidance for students
- Troubleshoot issues with the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC)
- Recommend financial aid options for students with complex financial or family situations
- Refer students in emotional distress due to financial hardship to financial support programs or campus support services, where appropriate
- Analyze student academic performance to determine OSAP eligibility
- Review student discontinuance decisions and apply academic penalties to the OSAP file
- Analyze cases of academic failure or non-participation
- Issue academic progress penalties (e.g., probation, restriction)
- Assess student documentation to determine continued funding eligibility; reassess and reinstate OSAP eligibility for students who meet the terms of their probation or restriction
- Analyze student OSAP issues and recommend appropriate appeals
- Ensure required documentation is collected and submitted
- Review Personal Circumstance Review (PCR) requests for academic progress penalties and provide recommendations to the appeal committee
- Update OSAP applications with PCR outcomes and process any resulting changes
- Administer OSAP funding, enrolment confirmations, and account reconciliations
- Process student refunds and loan repayments
- Monitor NSLSC transactions and resolve funding or account issues
- Represent Student Financial Services at college recruitment events
- A two-year diploma in business, communications, social sciences, French, French studies or related field is required
- Minimum three years of practical experience in student or client services and experience working with multiple large database systems, ideally in an educational environment
- Direct experience working with OSAP, other financial aid or social assistance programs, including eligibility criteria or case management, is required
- Experience with sensitive and confidential information and understanding of FIPPA legislation
- Strong communication and client service skills, with the ability to respond with tact, diplomacy, integrity, and professionalism
- Ability to interpret and explain complex government and institutional policies and procedures
- Ability to deliver professional, efficient customer service in high-demand environments
- Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly in Excel
- Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills to interpret policy and address student concerns effectively
- Ability to communicate clearly with diverse student populations, including those whose first language is not English, students with disabilities and students at high risk of academic failure
- Comfortable working both independently and in a team environment
More about this job
Responsibilities
Advise students on OSAP and other funding options, assess eligibility, process applications and funding transactions, and resolve complex financial aid issues. Review academic progress and appeals, maintain privacy and compliance, and collaborate with campus departments and external agencies to support students.
Requirements
A two-year diploma in business, communications, social sciences, French, French studies, or a related field is required, along with at least three years of practical student or client services experience. Candidates must have direct experience with OSAP, financial aid, or social assistance programs, familiarity with confidential information and FIPPA, strong communication and analytical skills, and proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
Skills
- OSAP Policy Interpretation
- Financial Aid Advising
- Eligibility Assessment
- Application Processing
- Case Management
- Student Services
- Confidential Information Handling
- FIPPA Compliance
- Policy Interpretation
- Appeals Processing
- Academic Progress Reviews
- Budget Planning
- Problem-Solving
- Decision-Making
- Microsoft Excel
- Database Systems
Visa sponsorship
Not detected in the job text
Categories
- Education
- Finance & Accounting
- Customer Service & Support
- Administrative
Keywords
- Ontario Student Assistance Program
- OSAP
- Financial Aid
- Student Funding
- Ministry Policy
- Eligibility Criteria
- Application Processing
- Case Management
- FIPPA
- Privacy Compliance
- Confidential Information
- Academic Progress
- Academic Probation
- Academic Restrictions
- Appeals
- Personal Circumstance Review
- NSLSC
- Enrolment Confirmation
- Account Reconciliation
- Loan Repayments
- Fraud Reporting
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Excel
- Database Systems
- Budget Planning
- Money Management
- Student Services
- Customer Service
- Document Verification