Student Loan Outcomes of Ontario Transfer Students

One of the main drivers of transfer pathway development across various jurisdictions has been the potential cost savings or ‘efficiencies’ of seamless transfer. Broadly speaking, improving credit recognition shortens time-to-completion for transfer students, saving them both time and money. And, with respect to vertical transfer more specifically—meaning the movement of students from community colleges to universities—it is assumed that savings are to be had through the completion of courses at the cheaper community college rate. Surprisingly, there has been very little work done within Ontario to ground these assumptions about the link between transfer and savings. In this first report on this topic, ONCAT examines the relationship between various pathways and the propensity of students to borrow and the amount borrowed.