Cost of Studying in Canada in 2026/27: Tuition, Living Costs and Study Permit Funds

An international bachelor's student in Canada pays roughly $23,600–53,100 (CAD 33,350–75,000) a year in tuition: at the low end of our sample is OCAD University including fees, at the high end is engineering at the University of Waterloo. College diplomas cost less — EduCanada gives $11,330–17,710 (CAD 16,000–25,000) a year including mandatory fees and health insurance. On top of tuition, IRCC requires proof of at least $16,610 (CAD 23,448) for first-year living costs if you apply for a study permit on or after September 1, 2026, to study outside Quebec. In practice, a first year of undergraduate study in Toronto with off-campus housing easily exceeds $46,000, while a first PhD year at the University of Toronto's standard rate is about $21,000 before the funding package.

This guide covers 2026/27 prices at specific universities, why the study permit amount is not your real budget, provincial health insurance costs, the payments due before your first term, and legitimate ways to lower the total. Figures come from official university, IRCC and provincial pages; USD conversions use European Central Bank rates of September 24 and 29, 2026 (1 USD ≈ 1.4117 and 1.4180 CAD), rounded. For the wider picture, see studying in Canada.

How much a year of study costs by program type

Canadian prices depend first on the type of program, then on province and faculty. International students pay a separate international fee, several times higher than what citizens and permanent residents pay.

Averages are useful context, but you cannot budget with them: within one university, faculties can differ by more than $15,000 a year. You need the fee for a specific program and entry year.

University tuition for 2026/27

The table shows international fees for students starting in fall 2026. Where a university quotes tuition together with fees, this is noted.

How to read these numbers:

• "Tuition" and "tuition plus fees" are different lines. Waterloo and OCAD quote totals that include incidental fees such as the student union, transit pass, athletics and the student health plan. At U of T, UBC and York, add fees and insurance on top.
• Programs with a premium fee may not charge it in year one. At U of T, Computer Science and Commerce students pay the general Arts & Science fee ($46,830 (CAD 66,110)) in first year and a higher fee from year two; the university's report lists $51,120 (CAD 72,480) and $55,120 (CAD 78,160) for these cohorts in 2027/28.
• Fees rise every year. U of T projects a 4% increase in international undergraduate fees for 2027/28. UBC caps increases at 3% a year for the next four years for students starting in 2026/27.
• Co-op changes the payment schedule. At Waterloo you pay no tuition during paid work terms, but there is a co-op fee of $590 (CAD 836) per term.

For choosing an institution, see our guides to universities in Canada and universities in Toronto.

College or university: what the price difference buys

A college costs roughly half as much as a university, but the two sell different things. A college diploma, advanced diploma or graduate certificate is an applied credential lasting one to three years. Universities award bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.

An example from Toronto: for 2026/27, Centennial College lists $12,750 (CAD 18,005) for the first year of a standard program and $13,580 (CAD 19,167) for engineering technology and transportation programs, with ancillary fees charged separately.

The price gap interacts with post-graduation work rules. If you applied for your study permit on or after November 1, 2024, a college graduate needs a program in an eligible field of study to qualify for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP). General business administration, marketing, accounting and hospitality management are not on the list. Bachelor's, master's and doctoral graduates have no field-of-study requirement. A cheap college program outside the list can therefore become an expensive choice if you plan to work in Canada after graduating. Details are in our guides to working while studying and the PGWP and colleges in Canada.

Master's and PhD: where you pay and where you get paid

Graduate programs in Canada fall into two groups with opposite budgets.

At U of T, international tuition for most PhD programs is aligned with the domestic rate of $4,400 (CAD 6,210) a year. The funding package is stated in the offer letter and varies by department, so compare programs by the amount in the offer.

The federal doctoral award, the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral, is worth $28,330 (CAD 40,000) a year for 36 months. International students can compete only once registered in a Canadian doctoral program, and only through their university; up to 15% of awards go to international applicants. See our guides to scholarships in Canada and master's degrees in Canada.

Study permit funds versus real living costs

IRCC checks that you can pay, without working in Canada, for tuition, living expenses and return transportation. The living amount is fixed and depends on family size.

Three details applicants often miss:

• The living amount excludes tuition and travel. You show first-year tuition separately (a receipt or funds in an account) and add transportation.
• For programs longer than one year, the officer expects a plan for the remaining years, such as a multi-year scholarship or evidence of parents' employment.
• Bank statements should cover the last six months and show where the money came from. A large unexplained deposit weakens an application. A GIC — a deposit with a Canadian bank paid out in instalments after arrival — is also accepted.

The IRCC figure is a floor, not a forecast. Toronto Metropolitan University publishes its own 2026/27 estimate of a student's annual costs in Toronto:

Off-campus rent, food, transit and personal expenses at the low end already add up to about $17,840 (CAD 25,300), more than the IRCC minimum. Quebec runs its own financial check for the Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ), using amounts set by the province's immigration ministry (MIFI).

Health insurance by province

Health coverage for international students is set provincially, so the same budget line looks different depending on where you study.

UHIP covers doctors, diagnostics and hospital care but not prescriptions, dental care or glasses. Those come from a separate student health and dental plan that many universities include in mandatory fees.

One-time costs before your first term

These payments arrive before or alongside tuition. Keep them as a separate line so you do not dip into the funds you show for the permit.

Citizens of Russia should add a trip abroad: biometrics can still be given at a visa application centre in Russia, but since January 28, 2026 Russian centres no longer accept passports or documents, so the passport for the visa goes to a centre outside Russia, for example in Yerevan, Tbilisi, Almaty or Astana. The process is covered in our Canada study permit guide. If you have lived in Russia, Kazakhstan or another listed country for six months or more in a row during the year before you come, you also need an immigration medical exam for a stay longer than six months.

Three sample first-year budgets

These examples show how the total builds up; they are not a calculation for any particular family. Fees are official 2026/27 figures; living costs use the TMU estimate or the IRCC minimum.

The gap between the first two scenarios is not only tuition. A college program is shorter, but its PGWP conditions are stricter; a degree costs more but has no field-of-study test for the PGWP.

Legitimate ways to lower the total

• Compare the full program cost, not the first-year fee. Four years of U of T Arts & Science with projected increases cost more than four times $46,830 (CAD 66,110).
• Apply by the main deadline. Many universities automatically consider international applicants for entrance awards: UBC for the International Major Entrance Scholarship and the Outstanding International Student Award; York, for the fall 2026 intake, for first-year awards of $3,530–10,580 (CAD 5,000–15,000) based on your average. At UBC Okanagan every new international undergraduate receives $5,640 (CAD 8,000) a year.
• Look at co-op programs. At Waterloo you pay no tuition during work terms and keep your placement salary. You can spend that income on study, but you cannot count it in the funds shown for the permit.
• At graduate level, compare research and professional programs. At U of T the difference is $23,700 (CAD 33,460) versus $51,600 (CAD 72,850) a year, and a research program may come with funding.
• Do not build the budget on job income. Off-campus work during terms is capped at 24 hours a week, and IRCC explicitly requires funds without Canadian employment.
• Book housing early. University residence is often cheaper than off-campus rent, but places are limited and allocated by application date.

When and how you pay

Most universities bill by term: fall in early September, winter in January. Waterloo states that you pay one term at a time and that the exact amount appears in your account about a month before the term begins. U of T opens fall and winter charges in ACORN from mid-July.

A deposit or part of tuition is usually due before the study permit application: under IRCC rules, a provincial attestation letter (PAL) is generally issued after you accept your offer and pay part or all of your tuition. Plan this payment into the spring and summer before departure.

Paying a Canadian institution from Russia needs separate checking — bank, currency, beneficiary details and a receipt you can use for the permit. Use lawful routes only; see how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.

Common budgeting mistakes

• Counting tuition only. Fees, insurance, books and a housing deposit add several thousand dollars a year.
• Treating the IRCC minimum as a spending plan. In Toronto and Vancouver it is below the real cost of rent and food.
• Mixing fee categories. Ontario and Canadian student rates do not apply to international students.
• Ignoring annual increases. Budget every year of the program with a margin for fee rises.
• Showing money deposited just before applying. Without an explained source, such funds weaken the application.
• Choosing a college program on price alone. For a post-college PGWP, the field of study must be on IRCC's list.

FAQ

Sources

• IRCC: proof of financial support — checked September 24, 2026
• IRCC: PAL/TAL and required documents — checked September 24, 2026
• IRCC: fees — checked September 24, 2026
• IRCC: visa application centres and medical exam country list — checked September 24, 2026
• IRCC: off-campus work and PGWP eligibility — checked September 24, 2026
• EduCanada: study costs — checked September 24, 2026
• University of Toronto: 2026-27 Tuition Fee Report and fees page — checked September 24, 2026
• UBC: undergraduate tuition 2026/27 and health insurance — checked September 24, 2026
• University of Waterloo: tuition — checked September 24, 2026
• York University: tuition — checked September 24, 2026
• Toronto Metropolitan University: tuition and fees — checked September 24, 2026
• OCAD University: 2026/27 international fee schedule (PDF) — checked September 24, 2026
• Centennial College: tuition 2026-2027 — checked September 24, 2026
• UHIP: 2026/27 rates — checked September 24, 2026
• Québec: conditions for international students — checked September 24, 2026
• NSERC: Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral — checked September 24, 2026
• USD conversions use the ECB reference rates of September 24, 2026 (EUR/USD 1.1367, EUR/CAD 1.6047, i.e. 1 USD ≈ 1.4117 CAD) and September 29, 2026 (EUR/USD 1.1355, EUR/CAD 1.6101, i.e. 1 USD ≈ 1.4180 CAD).

Program-specific budgets, requirement checks and study permit documents are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Admission decisions are made by the institution; study permit decisions by IRCC.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.