OGS and 10 Hour Rule

[cadash]

Hello everyone,

 

I have a huge issue that I could really use some advice on. I am going into the second year of my MA program. I won OGS for 2014-2015 and I registered for the summer term for "thesis" thinking I could live frugally with the $3,700 I have leftover after summer tuition and get a head start on my thesis. However, my long term relationship is dissolving and I need to find my own place to live. To offset the costs of moving and higher rent (the cheapest bachelor apartments in this city are $700/month), I would need to pick up a summer job but OGS says you can not work longer than ten hours a week which cuts me off from most work. I likely won't get my fall funding or TA paycheck until October, although I can get a TA pay advance of $700. 

 

I emailed the awards office about it and the lady said that she can't do anything about if I work off-campus but that the Canadian Revenue Agency might audit me and give me trouble if I go that route. Aside from having to pay back my scholarship if I am found out, what are other consequences? Would it jeopardize my scholarships for next year? Am I completely screwed unless I find an under the table job? I already paid for tuition for the early summer term and have passed the refund date. Also, if I dropped the scholarship completely I wouldn't make much more than the amount at a minimum wage job anyways. 

 

I feel really stuck and I am from a poor, single parent family so I don't have anyone I can ask for money. 

[TakeruK]

Sorry to hear about this situation It sounds very stressful!

 

Here is some information that might be able to help you. But I held an OGS in 2011-2012, so maybe the rules have changed. First, some bad news: Your TA hours count as work hours too, and you will need to stay under the hours limit.

 

Also, 10 hours per week really means 520 hours per year. You can work more than 10 hours in some weeks if you work less in others. So this is good news, if you only need a summer job! From your post, it sounds like you just need a summer job, but I'm not 100% certain. If this is the case, you might have a solution right here--subtract the number of hours on your TA contract (from the 2014-2015 year) from 520 and then work that number of hours this summer.

 

If none of that helps, then while I can't advocate for breaking the OGS rules, I guess you have to do what you have to do. I think breaking the rules would definitely disqualify you from other awards and you may also have to repay your award. Do you qualify for student loans through OSAP?

[Ozone15]

Urgent: Can anyone please tell me what OGS Decision "ALTERNATE" means? I guess I did not get it or someone got it; only if he or she declines then they go onto alternate list? is the alternate ranked? Thanks! Hope to get an answer soon.

[TakeruK]

Alternate means that you are on a backup list. If someone who is awarded declines the OGS, then they will make offers to those on the alternate list. 

 

It's up to each individual school to manage the selection process so whether you are ranked would really depend on the school. Schools might have quotas for OGS awards to each department etc. too, so the ranking might be complicated.

[cadash]

I only TA during the year so the hours thing might be worth looking into, thanks! I applied for a summer TA position but unfortunately did not hear back.