Let us take a look at how much you will have to invest to be a student at U of T and live in Canada. Please note that these are ballpark figures that will aid you in financial planning. The exact amount will vary depending on your choice of course, ancillary fees, the campus, lifestyle choices, your choice of accommodation, and other such factors.
Another important thing to note is that, as an Indian student or any international student in a Canadian university, the tuition fee for you can be as high as almost ten times the fees for a domestic Ontario student. So, when you are looking up the fees for your specific course, ensure you are checking the fees for your category.
That said, let us take a look at the tuition fees at U of T.
Course |
Fees for International students |
General Bachelor’s Degree Courses |
CA $62,580 |
Undergraduate Medicine |
CA $95,147 |
Graduate Level Courses |
CA $39,000 – CA $70,000 |
Besides your tuition, you should also account for “Incidental and Ancillary Fees” charged by the university. Incidental Fees are charged for services such as student societies, campus-based services, athletics and recreation facilities, and student insurance (health and dental plans). While you can opt out of some of these services, a major part of it is compulsory to all international students of U of T.
On the other hand, ancillary fees cover things like field-trip, or special equipment provided for coursework or lab, as well as other administrative costs you might incur such as transcript fees or library fines. This part of your fees is extremely specific to your course of choice and the activities you choose.
After this major chunk comes your actual cost of living in Toronto. You have to take a call between on campus accommodation or living outside the university campus. You should also account for transport, food, phone/ internet bill, personal care, books and some entertainment expenses.
If you are choosing U of T student accommodation, the fees per year for your stay can range between CA $12,000 and CA $22,000, depending on if the room is private or shared and the residence that you choose. Most housing options are closer to the lower end of the above mentioned range.
Here’s a sample budget for an undergraduate student, studying in the faculty of applied science and engineering, living on campus.
If you choose to live off campus, you can budget around CA $2,000 to $2,500 per month for rent. With the current housing crisis in Canada, the costs of renting a place has increased and there is a shortage of student-friendly accommodation. This has also led to the Canadian government capping the number of international student visas. While this has caused a lot of worry for international students, it should not outright stop you from applying to a world-class university such as the University of Toronto. If your application is eligible to be selected by UoT, the probability of you getting your student visa is also very high.
If the numbers look staggering, do not worry. The university has a number of scholarship options, if you are looking for financial aid. The next section will cover the scholarships for Indian students in detail.
Important Note:
According to the Canadian government mandate, you are required to show proof of financial support to prove that you can support your life in Canada. Starting January 1, 2024, an international student must prove their ability to afford CAD 20,635 per year as cost of living, not including tuition.