University in Canada costs tuition plus everything that comes with being a student: housing, food, books, transit and a phone. Tuition is the part that is easiest to compare, because Statistics Canada publishes the average for every province. Living costs depend far more on whether you live at home, in residence or in a shared rental, and in which city.
Across Canada, the average undergraduate tuition for a full-time Canadian student is $8,021 for 2026/2027. By province it runs from $3,718 in Newfoundland and Labrador to $10,373 in New Brunswick. This page covers tuition by province, what drives the rest of the bill, and where to find the funding and tax pages. For the other ways to pay, see the student money guide.
Average tuition by province (Canadian undergraduates)
| Province | Annual tuition (2026/2027) | Four years at that rate |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $3,718 | $14,872 |
| Prince Edward Island | $8,691 | $34,764 |
| Nova Scotia | $10,029 | $40,116 |
| New Brunswick | $10,373 | $41,492 |
| Quebec (all Canadian students) | $4,156 | $16,624 |
| Ontario | $9,306 | $37,224 |
| Manitoba | $6,247 | $24,988 |
| Saskatchewan | $10,167 | $40,668 |
| Alberta | $8,260 | $33,040 |
| British Columbia | $7,117 | $28,468 |
| Canada | $8,021 | $32,084 |
Source: Statistics Canada, table 37-10-0045-01, average undergraduate tuition for full-time Canadian students, weighted across programs. Statistics Canada marks the latest year as preliminary. The four-year column multiplies one year by four; actual tuition usually rises a little each year. The Quebec average covers all Canadian students studying in Quebec; Quebec residents pay a lower government-set rate of $103.92 per credit in 2026/2027, about $3,118 for a 30-credit year before institutional fees.
Tuition by program
The provincial averages are weighted by enrolment across programs. Professional programs, such as dentistry, medicine, law, pharmacy and engineering, charge above the average, while arts, humanities, education and general science programs tend to sit below it. Statistics Canada publishes undergraduate tuition by field of study in its tuition tables, and each school posts its own fee schedule, which is the figure to budget with.
What else you’ll pay for
| Cost | What drives it |
|---|---|
| Housing | Living at home, in residence or in a shared rental; city rents vary widely (see rent and vacancy data by city) |
| Food | A residence meal plan, which some schools require for first-year students in residence, or groceries |
| Books and supplies | Program: lab, studio and professional programs cost more; used books and library reserves cost less |
| Transit | Many schools include a transit pass in student fees; commuting from home can cost more |
| Phone, internet, personal costs | Your own choices |
| Ancillary fees | Each school’s student union, athletics, health plan and technology fees, charged on top of tuition |
Typical monthly totals for students in Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax and smaller cities, and how to build your own, are on the student budget by city page.
International students
International undergraduates pay much higher tuition: the Canadian average for international undergraduates is $42,062 in 2026/2027, and in Ontario $50,088. Study-permit funds, work limits and health coverage are covered on international student finances.
How to pay for university
- Grants, which you don’t repay, come from your province and, except in Quebec, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, the federal government, through one student aid application: see provincial student grants by province and Canada Student Grants.
- Student loans come through the same application: Ontario students apply through OSAP, and every province’s program is in the student loans hub. If income is low after school, the Repayment Assistance Plan can reduce payments.
- A bank line of credit is the other borrowing option, compared on student line of credit vs student loan.
- RESP savings that a family built up are withdrawn as educational assistance payments and contributions; how the plan and its grants work is on the RESP guide.
- Scholarships, bursaries, co-op and part-time work are covered on paying for school without loans.
Tax relief for students
Eligible tuition reduces tax through the federal and provincial tuition tax credit, claimed from the T2202 slip your school issues; the current year’s unused amount can be partly transferred to a spouse or common-law partner or to a parent or grandparent, and what you don’t transfer can be carried forward. Interest on government student loans also earns a federal credit. Students who work file under the rules on taxes for students who work.
The bottom line
Tuition differs by province by a few thousand dollars a year, but where you live while studying usually moves the total more: living at home removes the largest cost. Grants are worth checking first because they don’t have to be repaid, and the application for them is the same one used for government loans.
Related reading
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them on September 24, 2026. How we check facts.
- Statistics Canada: Document
- Statistics Canada: Canadian and international tuition fees by level of study (current dollars)
- ulaval.ca: Fall 2025 - Winter 2026 | Québec students | Tuition