Financing Tips for International Students

1. What type of tuition fees do I pay - domestic or international?
2. Are there scholarships for international students?
3. Is there financial aid available for international students?
4. What else can I do to help pay for my education?
5. What should I do if you applied as a visa student but will become a permanent resident in the near future?

1. What type of tuition fees do I pay – domestic or international? 

With the exception of tuition costs, international students, Canadian citizens, and permanent residents pay the same fees for all other university expenses – books, supplies, and living expenses. Depending on the program and residence options that you choose, the costs will vary.

Visit the Financing website to get started on building your budget.

Keep in mind additional costs such as

• applying for your study permit
• cost of flights
• updating your passport

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2. Are there scholarships for international students?

Waterloo offers a number of scholarships, which range from $500 for one year to $38,000 over 4 years. In most cases, these scholarships are based on academic performance and do not require a separate application. The exceptions are some scholarships for Mathematics, Computer Science, and Accounting and Financial Management.      

• The Engineering International Scholarship/Grant is open to all students entering first-year Engineering on a study permit. Valued at $5,000 a year, the grant is awarded in recognition of outstanding academic and extracurricular achievement and higher costs for international students.  It can be renewed in your upper years. 

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3. Is there financial aid available for international students?

Bursaries and government loans are typically available only to students who are Canadian citizens and eligible for the Ontario Student Assistant Program (OSAP).

You should check with your high school; alumni association; national and local governments; and the Canadian Embassy, Consulate, or High Commission in your home country to see what other scholarships, loans, and grants are available for students studying abroad.

Canadian Scholarship Sites

• Tips for planning your finances and repaying your loans 
• Scholarships Canada
• Student Awards.com
• Higher Education Scholarships through the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

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4. What else can I do to help pay for my education? 

• Enrol in a co-operative education program and gain paid work experience.  You can earn between $42,000- $74,000 CAD by the time you graduate.
• Apply to the International Work Study Program -- on-campus jobs for international students who need to assistance paying for their education.
• Take a part-time job on campus.  International students are eligible to apply to hundreds of part-time and full-time jobs on campus. No work permit is required.
• Obtain a work permit and work off campus.  After studying at Waterloo for 6 months, you're eligible to work off campus with a student work permit for
  
  • up to 20 hours/week (part-time) during the school year, and
    
  • up to 40 hours/week (full-time) during the summer break.

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5. What should I do if you applied as a study permit student but will become a permanent resident in the near future?

Bring your original documents, either your Record of Landing or your Permanent Resident card to the Registrar’s Office so that we can make a copy to update your status on our system. Any changes to tuition fees, scholarships, and/or grants will be adjusted accordingly, after this change is processed.

Deadlines for changes to be made in order to take effect for a specifc term are as follows:
Fall term         October 30
Winter term    January 29
Spring term     June 30

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