Interest-Free Status

If you have received full-time student loans in the past and need to place them into interest-free and payment-free status you may be able to do so if one of the following situations applies to you:

  • You are returning as a full-time student and have applied for government student loans.

If you are returning as a full-time student and you have applied for government student loans, you can receive an automatic confirmation of enrolment provided you are registered in at least a 60% course load in both the fall and winter semesters.  You must ensure that you submit all of your student paperwork to have this processed automatically (even if you are not receiving student loan money).

  • You are returning as a full-time student and you are not receiving government student loans.

If you are returning as a full-time student and you are not receiving government students loans then you must submit a request either via your OSAP portal (Ontario residents) or the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC; all other provinces excluding Quebec, Nunavut, and Northwest Territories).  These requests will be reviewed and processed electronically.

If you are a resident of Quebec, Nunavut, or the Northwest Territories you must submit the documentation as provided to you by your provincial or territorial lender.

Notes on interest-free status

It is important to note that you must submit your electronic request no later than 15 days before the end of your 6-month grace period.  Failure to do so may result in interest to accumulate on any pre-existing student loans.  It is your responsibility to ensure the documentation is submitted on time.

If any of the following are true you are not eligible to receive interest-free or payment-free status:

  • You are no longer registered as a full-time student at Lakehead University (we are unable to process these requests for study periods that have ended).
  • Forms submitted after 15 days remaining in your interest-free period, or for your study period may not be accepted, we will try to process but cannot guarantee that they will be processed in time by the Ministry.
  • You have defaulted on previous student loans.
  • You are a part-time student.
  • You drop below a 60% course load (40% course load for students with a permanent disability) in any semester before the end of your study period.  If you drop below this course load you must submit another document for your next semester that you are considered a full-time student.