Better Jobs Ontario Frequently Asked Questions for Current Students

The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Trades and Skills Development (MLITSD) will grant each student up to a maximum of $28,000 to cover tuition, books, transportation and living expenses for up to two years. Students are also expected to make a financial contribution towards their training.

• Funding over the $28,000 maximum
• Beyond 2 years of education
• Beyond 1 year of academic upgrading
• Missed or failed courses: students will have to pay an additional fee in future semesters to recover courses
• Funding beyond the end of the academic year
• School supplies such as note books, pencils, paper, etc.

Additional support may be available for: accessible learning accommodation, dependent care, living away from home and academic upgrading. Contact your Employment Ontario (EO) Case Manager or MLITSD Representative to find out more. While MLITSD will consider student circumstances on an individual basis, students should be prepared for the aforementioned restrictions.

Contact either your EO Case Manager or your MLITSD Representative.

Contact the Better Jobs Ontario Program Officer at the Community Partnerships Office and alert her/him regarding the situation.

Book costs and tuition estimates are based on the previous year’s allowances and are therefore subject to change as stated on your Better Jobs Ontario Letter of Acceptance/Better Jobs Ontario Cost Estimate). Students may contact the Community Partnerships Office to confirm the current costs of books for their program. Students should also contact their EO Case Manager or MLITSD Representative if they require an amendment to their Better Jobs Ontario contract.

It is important that students carefully monitor how they spend the money they receive through Better Jobs Ontario. MLITSD may require students to submit receipts to demonstrate that they have followed the funding guidelines outlined in their contract

If you have spent more money on books or equipment than was originally estimated on your Better Jobs Ontario Letter of Acceptance/Better Jobs Ontario Cost Estimate, you should contact the College’s Better Jobs Ontario Program Officer (Community Partnerships Office) to have the document amended. Please note however that materials, such as supplementary books or computer software (not required by your Professor or Course Outline), fabric, paper, etc. related to school projects are not covered by Better Jobs Ontario Funding and the Community Partnerships Office will not be able to issue a new letter of acceptance to cover these costs.

Better Jobs Ontario students are allowed to work no more than 19 hours per week. Always consult with your EO Case Manager or MLITSD Representative before you begin work and report all supplemental income, not identified on your original Better Jobs Ontario contract.

Scholarship/Bursaries/Awards: to apply for go to the GBC Awards page.
In the event that you need help submitting an application, please contact the Community Partnership’s Office

Part-Time Work: Better Jobs Ontario students are allowed to work part-time. Contact your EO Case Manager or MLITSD Representative to find out:

1. How many hours you are allowed to work
2. The amount of money you are allowed to make
3. What types of jobs you can work in. In addition, you can get in touch with the Career Centre for resume and job search help.

You can book an appointment with staff in the Counselling Department (Mon – Friday 8:30 – 4:30 pm) to discuss personal, academic or career related issues. If you need help finding services in your community call 211 or go on their website.

For the following services, go to the Better Jobs Ontario web page:

• Managing my finances: Service Canada
• Employment insurance: Service Canada Centre
• Income and employment help: Ontario Works
• My child's everyday needs: Ontario Child Benefit
• Child Care: Ontario Child Care Supplement for Working Families
• Medication costs: Trillium Drug Program
• Paying the rent: Provincial Rent Bank Program
• Paying the energy bills: Emergency Energy Fund
• https://www.ontario.ca/page/better-jobs-ontario

George Brown College has an affordable health clinic located on the Waterfront campus called WAVE. It is located on the 3rd floor and offers very affordable rates for dental, nutrition, hearing and even fitness services. Contact the clinic for more information.

If you are not officially a Better Jobs Ontario student, you are eligible to apply for OSAP. Applications can be filled online at: OSAP . Applications should be submitted no later than two months before the start of the semester. Other options to consider might be researching and applying for Scholarships/Awards/Bursaries or augmenting your income with part-time employment. Check with the Financial Aid Office for additional information.

The MLITSD does not typically grant program switches. However, the Ministry reviews each student’s application on an individual basis and may take into consideration extenuating circumstances or the nature of the program switch and its impact on your length of study. Students should first speak with their EO Case Manager or MLITSD Representative and the College’s Better Jobs Ontario Program Officer (Community Partnerships Office) before making any changes to their program pathway.

Students should always notify their EO Case Manager or MLITSD Representative before withdrawing. Leaving school without notifying the MLITSD could result in an overpayment of Better Jobs Ontario funding, which you may be required to pay back. Before making any changes to your registration status always speak to your EO Case Manager or MLITSD representative for further guidance.

If you have failed or dropped courses, speak to your Program Coordinator or program department to determine when you can retake this course(s) and to revise your class schedule. Also speak to the College’s Better Jobs Ontario Program Officer to assist with any necessary revisions to your SC documentation. Better Jobs Ontario funding may not be extended for course/semester re-takes. Students must advise their EO Case Manager or MLITSD Representative of changes to their course load.

Consult with you EO Case Manager or MLITSD Representative for any questions related to your Better Jobs Ontario funding. Peer Mentor + at George Brown College also offers a one hour workshop on Money Management for all students.

Contact Accessible Learning Services to get assessed. As a student registered with Accessible Learning Services, you may be eligible for a reduced course load (accommodations are determined by the nature of your disability and supporting documentation from your healthcare team), which could result in changes to the length of your program of study. While Better Jobs Ontario funding is not generally extended beyond two years of study, the MLITSD reviews each student’s application on an individual basis and may extend funding for students with disabilities. You will need to contact the College’s Better Jobs Ontario Program Officer (Community Partnerships Office) to obtain a revised Better Jobs Ontario Letter of Acceptance/Better Jobs Ontario Cost Estimate that documents your new study schedule. Make sure to follow up with your EO Case Manager or MLITSD Representative to apprise them of any program pathway/schedule changes.

The MLITSD does not provide Better Jobs Ontario funding during breaks in a student’s program of study. Students should always contact their EO Case Manager or MLITSD Representative to discuss the nature and length of the break and whether they plan to return to school at a later date. Students contemplating a break from school should also speak to their Academic Department and/or Program Coordinator to discuss how breaks in training might impact their program length and their eligibility for and date of return. This information will be very important and should be submitted to your EO Case Manager or MLITSD Representative. Students returning from a break in their programming will likely be required to submit revised documentation (Better Jobs Ontario Letter of Acceptance/Better Jobs Ontario Cost Estimate from the College) to the MLITSD in order to reinstate Better Jobs Ontario funding. Revised documentation can be obtained from the Better Jobs Ontario Program Support Officer located in the Community Partnerships Office at George Brown College.

Tuition Deposit and Late Fees:

All students are now required to pay an initial deposit of $500 once per academic year, this deposit goes toward your tuition for the first semester of the academic year. If you fail to pay the $500 deposit by the date noted on your invoice, your offer could be expired. If you fail to pay your tuition fees by the date noted on your invoice you will incur an additional $150.00 late fee.

Extra Courses/Dropped/Failed Courses:

Most programs at George Brown College require students to take a prescribed list of courses each semester. If you fail, drop, or miss courses, they aren’t typically refunded and when those courses are added later, a second charge is incurred. For students who write their placement tests and are registered in foundation or remedial courses, there will be an additional course fee for these classes which will be incurred in semester-2.

Material Fees and Academic Deadlines:

For some programs, such those within the School of Dental Heath, material fees are due upfront upon registration. These fees are part of your program’s total tuition costs, but are due before the start of the semester, so you may have to cover these costs before your Better Jobs Ontario Funding is issued. If you are accepted into one of the aforementioned programs, start planning for this upfront fee before it is due.

Academic Deadlines:

As for all College students, you have to be mindful of academic deadlines or you could be charged additional fees. There are specific dates at the beginning of each semester that you can withdraw from individual courses or an entire program with a full or partial refund.

• Maintain a good relationship with your EO Case Manager and/or MLITSD Representative and keep their contact information. If you are having trouble communicating with them, speak with the Manager of the EO Center where you submitted or Better Jobs Ontario funding application or contact the MLITSD branch where your application was processed.
• Keep receipts for all books and expenses related to your program.
• Take advantage of support services provided at GBC, such as the Community Partnerships Office, Counselling, Disabilities Services, Career Services, Financial Aid, Student Association, etc. The more you reach out, the better you will be able to advocate on your own behalf.
• Make copies of all documents that you submit to the MLITSD and George Brown College relating to your Better Jobs Ontario funding.
• Develop a budget to manage your finances while in school.