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Practical Information

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees vary among schools and programs. The range of fees for full-time international students by province, based on the academic year of two semesters for 2004-2005, was as follows:

Note: Figures quoted are in American dollars, based on a USD$1 = CDN$1.15 exchange rate.
Source: Statistics Canada, 2005.

Financial Aid

Most Canadian universities are accredited by the U.S. Department of Education as eligible institutions for the HOPE Scholarship and Lifetime Learning tax credits, and the Student Financial Assistance Programs(including Stafford Loans). To confirm a certain university's eligibility, search for its Federal School Code on-line.

To apply for student loans guaranteed by the US federal government, you must complete a Free Application For Student Aid (FAFSA) available on-line or by calling (800) 433-3243. Contact the U.S. Department of Education for more information.

Scholarships

Individual universities offer a wide variety of scholarships and grants. The universities' student financial services offices can provide detailed information about general or program-specific awards available to American students. For additional scholarship information visit studentawards.com or scholarshipscanada.ca.

Living Expenses

The cost of living will depend on the individual's spending habits and the geographic location of the school. CanLearn and Live, Learn and Succeed have cost calculators and budget estimators to help you determine what your education will cost and how much money you will need. Information about living expenses and both on- and off-campus housing is also available from the individual universities.

Visa Requirements

If you are an American citizen or permanent resident, you need a student authorization from Citizenship and Immigration Canada to study in Canada. Upon acceptance into a Canadian university, you may apply for your student authorization at a CIC Office in the U.S. or at any Canadian port of entry (border crossing).

When applying, you must bring:

• a valid form of identification (e.g. passport, original birth certificate);
• the original letter of acceptance from the Canadian educational institution; and,
• evidence of adequate funds to cover tuition and living costs for your entire stay in Canada.

Documents supporting this last requirement may include a letter from your bank or your parents' employers, bank statements for the past several months, and/or your parents' and your latest tax returns.

Non-Americans should contact your local Citizenship and Immigration Canada Office (Canadian mission or embassy) to learn about visa requirements.

Foreign students at Quebec schools must apply for a Certificat d'acceptation du Québec (Quebec certificate of acceptance) from the provincial Ministère des Relations avec les citoyens et de l'Immigration (Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration).

Working on Campus

Foreign students may work while attending school in Canada, generally under the following conditions:

• on campus;
• as part of a course of study, such as a work term during the year or cooperative program; or;
• after graduation in a study-related job for up to one year.

If you want to work off-campus you will need to apply for an employment authorization.

Admissions Procedures It is important to do your research before choosing a school. Click for a list of Canadian universities and colleges. Start your search by looking at your institutions of choice on the internet. Each university website has information for prospective students as well as international students. There you will find information on residences, student life and programs offered as well as important application deadlines and admission requirements. To have an information package sent to you, contact the schools directly. To apply to a school, contact the admissions or registrar’s office at the beginning of your senior year to determine when the application deadline is. Many schools have different deadlines so be sure to check. You can get application forms either on line or directly from the institution. In most cases you apply directly to the institutions of your choice. However if you are applying to a school in Alberta, British Columbia or Ontario, you need to apply through a centralized office which will process your application and forward it to the school. Canadian universities require U.S. students to submit SAT I/II scores as part of the application package. Many universities recognize Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) results. With these you may be permitted to register in upper year classes or given credit. Contact each institution to find out what specific requirements they may have. If you are coming to Canada to study and your primary language is not English, you may need to take an English proficiency test. This is done by taking a standardized English test such as TOEFL, IELTS or CAEL. Contact the schools to determine if you need to take these tests. If you are studying at a French institution language proficiency tests are carried out by each individual institution. To learn more about French language study programs click here.