University of Toronto: Admission, Fees and Scholarships for International Students

The University of Toronto admits students straight from national school systems, including the Russian attestat and most CIS certificates, with no foundation year, provided grades in the required subjects are strong and English is proven by a test. Applications for September 2027 go through Ontario's OUAC system by 15 January 2027, and the university recommends applying by 7 November 2026. In 2026/27 first-year international tuition is $46,620 (CAD 66,110) in Arts & Science and $51,380 (CAD 72,860) in Engineering, before housing. For a study permit you also need to show $16,540 (CAD 23,448) for a year of living costs.

Founded in 1827, U of T is 21st in the THE World University Rankings 2026, ahead of McGill (41st) and UBC (45th).

Can you get in with a school certificate from Russia or the CIS?

Yes. U of T's country requirements list the Russian Attestat o Srednem (Polnom) Obshchem Obrazovanii as the minimum qualification, and it treats school certificates from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Georgia the same way. Unlike many UK universities, it does not require a separate foundation year.

Meeting the minimum is not the same as being competitive. The university states that it cannot admit every applicant who meets the requirements and selects on academic strength, mainly grades in the prerequisite subjects of the chosen programme. A senior-year English course is compulsory for everyone, and its mark counts towards your admission average.

Offers are conditional. They are based on your previous year's grades and your mid-year results in the final year. The final certificate must confirm that level.

Engineering has its own rules. The Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering asks applicants from the Russian system for an attestat with maths, physics and chemistry, and does not consider anyone with a final or interim mark below 4 in any of them. All engineering applicants also complete the Engineering Supplemental Application (Online Student Profile) and pay a $47 (CAD 67.32) assessment fee.

Documents. Upload transcripts only once your Join U of T or Engineering Applicant Portal opens. Documents not in English or French need notarised translations. U of T may make a provisional decision on uploaded copies, but an official transcript sent by the school is always needed to finalise the offer, and documents are never returned.

For the wider Canadian picture, see studying in Canada.

Which campus and which programme?

All three campuses award the same University of Toronto degree, but their programmes, setting and living costs differ.

Admission categories. For many programmes you apply to a broad category rather than a specific major. Arts & Science on St. George has six: Commerce, Computer Science, Humanities, Life Sciences, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences. You choose your specialist, major or minor at the end of first year, and popular programmes such as Computer Science and Rotman Commerce have their own entry conditions at that point.

Up to three applications. In one cycle you can apply to three different programme areas or campuses, but only once per area: UTM, UTSC and St. George Engineering is fine, two Arts & Science categories is not. Each application is assessed separately and decisions arrive at different times.

Colleges. Arts & Science students on St. George belong to one of seven colleges: Innis, New, St. Michael's, Trinity, University, Victoria or Woodsworth. The college shapes your residence, community and some awards; teaching is organised by the faculty.

How to apply: 2027 timeline

1. Pick the right form. If you live outside Canada, have never studied there and are applying only to U of T, use the University of Toronto International Application ($140 (CAD 196), about $140). If you also want other Ontario universities, use the OUAC Undergraduate Application. Submitting both cancels the second one without a refund.
2. Wait for your JOINid. About a week after applying you receive portal access. Do not send documents before that.
3. Complete your checklist in the portal: transcripts, English test results and any supplementary forms.
4. Accept your offer by the date in the offer letter; some offers require a non-refundable deposit, refunded only in exceptional cases such as a study permit refusal.
5. Get your PAL and apply for the study permit. U of T issues the Provincial Attestation Letter after you accept and pay the deposit.

Applications that reach U of T from OUAC after a programme has closed are cancelled without a refund, so leave a margin.

English requirements and the International Foundation Program

Undergraduate requirements are the same for every programme, and scores must come from a single sitting. IELTS One Skill Retake and TOEFL MyBest scores are not accepted.

You are exempt only after four or more years of full-time study at a Canadian school or at an English-language school in a country where English is the dominant language. Scores must be sent directly by the testing organisation.

International Foundation Program (IFP). Often overlooked: U of T runs its own route for international school graduates who meet the academic requirements but not the English score. IFP combines a conditional offer with intensive academic English and for-credit courses on St. George; the fall session lasts eight months and the summer session eight weeks. It is available for Arts & Science, Architecture and Music, and you apply through the normal undergraduate application by 15 January. UTM and UTSC run their own conditional English programmes, ACE@UTM and Academic English @ UTSC.

How much does U of T cost in 2026/27?

International undergraduate fees from the university's Tuition Explorer for the 2026/27 fall-winter session:

• First year is charged at the base rate. Higher "deregulated" fees for Computer Science and Rotman Commerce apply once you are admitted to the programme and have 4.0 credits.
• Rates are set every year, usually in spring. Four years of Arts & Science at today's rate is at least $186,490 (CAD 264,440) in tuition alone.
• UHIP health insurance is compulsory: $670 (CAD 948) for September to August, billed with tuition.
• Incidental fees (student societies, campus services, athletics, health and dental plans) are about $1,480 (CAD 2,100) a year on St. George and $1,600 (CAD 2,267) in Engineering.

If you are paying from Russia, see how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.

Scholarships for international students

As a publicly funded institution, U of T does not offer need-based aid to international students and advises looking for funding at home. Merit awards remain; none of them excludes applicants by nationality, but competition is intense.

Pearson is open to international students finishing secondary school in 2026/27 (or who graduated no earlier than June 2026) and starting in September 2027. Only the school can nominate, one student a year; schools new to the programme must register by 9 October 2026. U of T states that the Pearson office does not work with agents, so treat any "guaranteed Pearson" offer as fraud. For other options, see scholarships in Canada and scholarships abroad in 2026.

Residence and housing

Residence is guaranteed for new full-time students entering their first post-secondary programme who complete the U of T Residence Portal application by 31 March and accept their offer by 2 June.

Published St. George rates (university website, September 2026):

Where meals are optional, budget for food separately. Most students move into private rentals after first year, and rent becomes the largest cost after tuition. The IRCC living-cost figure of $16,540 (CAD 23,448) is a legal minimum, not a realistic downtown Toronto budget.

Master's and PhD admission

Graduate applications go directly to each programme through the School of Graduate Studies (not OUAC); deadlines and documents vary.

• Master's: an appropriate bachelor's degree from a recognised institution with at least a mid-B average in the final year or senior courses. SGS's International Credentials Equivalencies (ICE) database shows how foreign degrees and grades compare.
• PhD: a relevant master's with at least B+; direct entry from a bachelor's only where the programme allows it, with A− or better.
• English: IELTS Academic 7.0 with 6.5 per band; TOEFL iBT 93 with 22 in Writing and Speaking, or 4.5 on the new scale (Writing 4.5, Speaking 4.0). Some programmes ask for more.

International PhD students pay the same tuition as domestic students ($4,460 (CAD 6,330) in 2026/27); only the UHIP health insurance charge differs. Since fall 2025, PhD students in the funded cohort receive a minimum package of $28,210 (CAD 40,000) a year including tuition, about $21,860 (CAD 31,000) net. Contact potential supervisors before applying to research programmes; professional master's degrees are usually self-funded. Master's and doctoral students at public institutions no longer need a PAL for the study permit (from 1 January 2026). More on graduate study: master's in Canada.

Study permit, work and PGWP

Study permit. Apply online to IRCC after admission: $105 (CAD 150) plus $60 (CAD 85) biometrics. Undergraduates need a PAL from the university.

Funds. For applications from 1 September 2026 you must show first-year tuition, travel and $16,540 (CAD 23,448) for living costs, with six months of bank statements and the source of funds, plus a plan for later years.

Applicants in Russia. Since 28 January 2026, Canadian visa application centres in Russia no longer accept passports or documents. When IRCC requests your passport, submit it at a VAC outside Russia and plan the trip into your timeline.

Work. Up to 24 hours a week off campus during term and full time during scheduled breaks.

After graduation. Bachelor's, master's and PhD graduates can apply for a PGWP with no field-of-study requirement but need CLB 7 in all four skills. Programmes of two years or more can lead to a PGWP of up to three years; master's programmes of at least eight months also qualify for up to three years. IRCC makes all permit decisions. Details: Canada study permit and working while studying and PGWP.

Is U of T the right choice?

U of T suits strong school leavers with high grades in their prerequisite subjects and a first-year budget of at least $65,000 including housing, and future researchers heading for a funded PhD. If you want a co-op-centred degree or a smaller environment, compare it with the University of Waterloo, UBC and McGill, or browse universities in Canada and universities in Toronto.

Mistakes that cost time or money

• Waiting until 15 January instead of applying by 7 November for early consideration.
• Submitting both the International Application and an OUAC application.
• Relying on IELTS One Skill Retake.
• Applying to Engineering with a 3 in physics or chemistry.
• Budgeting four years at the first-year rate.
• Missing the 31 March residence deadline.
• Planning to hand in your passport at a VAC in Russia.
• Showing funds that appeared in the account just before applying.

FAQ

Do I need to have my school certificate recognised before applying?

No. U of T assesses national certificates itself against its country requirements. You need notarised English translations and, to finalise the offer, an official transcript from your school.

Can I apply without IELTS or TOEFL?

Not unless you have studied four years in Canada or at an English-language school in an English-speaking country. Duolingo, PTE Academic and Cambridge C1/C2 are also accepted, and if your grades are strong but your English score falls short, the International Foundation Program is an option.

How much does a year at U of T cost?

In 2026/27, first-year Arts & Science tuition is $46,620 (CAD 66,110) and Engineering $51,380 (CAD 72,860); with incidental fees and UHIP, $48,990 and $53,890. St. George residence starts at $9,620 (CAD 13,645) per academic year without meals.

When should I apply for 2027?

Through OUAC by 15 January 2027, ideally by 7 November 2026. Documents are due 1 February 2027 for Arts & Science and 15 January 2027 for Engineering. Pearson candidates must apply by 16 October 2026.

Can I get a full scholarship?

At undergraduate level only the Pearson Scholarship is full, with about 37 awards a year worldwide and a school nomination required. Other entrance awards are $7,050–10,580 (CAD 10,000–15,000) for first year. PhD students receive a funding package by default.

How do the three campuses differ?

The degree is identical. St. George is the historic downtown campus with most faculties and the colleges; UTM and UTSC each have 15,000+ undergraduates and their own programmes, and UTSC offers 50+ co-op programmes.

Can I work while studying and stay afterwards?

Yes: up to 24 hours a week off campus in term and full time in breaks. After a bachelor's, master's or PhD you can apply for a PGWP with CLB 7 English. IRCC decides.

Can StudyU help with a U of T application?

Under a service agreement, we help choose the programme and campus, prepare the OUAC application, translations, supplementary forms and study-permit documents. Admission decisions are made by the university and permit decisions by IRCC.

Sources

• U of T: International high school requirements by country; Requirements for international high schools
• U of T Engineering: Out of country high school applicants
• U of T: Dates & deadlines; How to apply; Applications; Required documents; International student timeline
• U of T: English language requirements; English language transition programs and IFP
• U of T Tuition Explorer 2026/27; Tuition fee schedules; University fees
• Pearson International Scholarships; Admission awards; Financial aid for international students
• U of T: Housing; Our three campuses
• SGS General Regulations; SGS English proficiency; PhD base funding
• IRCC: Proof of financial support; PAL/TAL; Work off campus; PGWP eligibility; PGWP length; Fees; Visa application centres
• THE World University Rankings 2026: University of Toronto

USD amounts are converted at the ECB reference rate of 29 September 2026 (CAD 1 = $0.7052) and rounded.

Matching a U of T campus and programme to your profile and planning for the 2027 deadlines are provided under an agreement with StudyU; to start, send us a request.

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