International Fee Exemption

Who is exempt from international fees?

International students who fall within one of the following categories may be eligible to pay domestic fees:

  • Dependents of Canadian Citizens/Indigenous Person’s
  • Dependents of Permanent Residents
  • A person who has been approved “in-principle” for permanent resident status in Canada and their dependents
  • A visitor with a work permit and dependents (there are some exclusions)
  • A visitor with diplomatic status and dependents
  • Protected Persons and Dependents

Please review the Definitions section below for more details regarding these categories.

How do you apply for an international fee exemption status?

  • Apply for an international fee exemption by reporting your status and providing supporting documentation to your registrar office.
  • Supporting documentation provided must be received before the deadlines listed below.
  • Exceptions to deadlines will not be permitted.

Please contact your registrar office to apply for an international fee exemption.

Please note, documents submitted for International Fee Exemption purposes may be verified with the issuer to validate their accuracy and authenticity (e.g. CRA, IRCC).

How do you renew/maintain your international fee exemption status?

  • Present updated supporting documentation to your registrar office before your status expires.
  • If your international fee exemption status changes mid-way through one of the study periods, obtain an extension prior to the beginning of your next study period. Failure to do so will result in a return to international fees in all future study periods.
  • You may also be required to prove your status at the request of the University any time during your studies.

Note: If your exemption status has changed as a result of circumstances beyond your control (e.g., you are the dependent of a diplomat whose parent is reassigned to another country), you may be able to continue your studies with an international fee exemption status until the completion of your current program. This extension will not apply to future programs or degrees following the completion of your current program or degree. Please visit your  registrar office for more information.

What are the deadlines for you to apply for an international fee exemption?

Study Period1 Level of Study Deadline2
Fall-Winter Undergraduate or Graduate November 1
Winter only Undergraduate or Graduate February 1
Summer Undergraduate June 1
Summer Graduate June 30
Summer Term 2 Only3 Undergraduate July 25

Notes

  1. A tuition adjustment will take place in the study period that an international fee exemption has been approved. Retroactive fee changes for previous study periods will not be granted.
  2. Exceptions to deadlines are not permitted.
  3. Term 2 of the summer session is defined as the duration of S courses or the second half of Y courses.

What supporting documentation is required?

Please use the table below to assist you in providing the appropriate supporting documentation. Additional documentation may be requested at the discretion of your registrar office. Where applicable, students will be required to prove their dependent relationship with their parent, spouse, or common-law partner.See section below for required documentation to prove a dependent relationship.

All documentation presented must be original, valid, and in the same legal name as it appears in ACORN . If the photo on your photo ID is more than 5 years old, additional photo identification may be required to confirm your identity. The names on both photo identification documents should match.

Please see the Definitions section below for a list of University accepted Government-Issued photo ID.

  • Documentation from student

    All of the following documents are required:

    • Passport
    • Study permit
    • Proof of dependent relationship

    Documentation from Parent, Spouse or Common Law Partner

    One of the following sets of documentation are required:

    • Canadian Passport; or
    • Nexus Card; or
    • Birth Certificate + Government-Issued Photo ID; or
    • Canadian Citizenship Card; or
    • Canadian Citizenship Certificate + Government-Issued Photo Id; or
    • Certificate of Indian Status Card (issued by DIAND/INAC/AANDC) or new Secure Certificate of Indian Status Card (SCIS).

  • Documentation from Student

    All of the following documents are required:

    • Passport
    • Study permit
    • Proof of dependent relationship

    Documentation from Parent, Spouse or Common Law Partner

    One of the following sets of documentation are required:

    • Valid Canadian Permanent Residency Card; or
    • Signed Confirmation of Permanent Residence Visa (e.g., IMM 5292, IMM 5688) + Government-Issued Photo ID; or
    • Record of Landing (IMM 1000) + Government-Issued Photo ID

  • Documentation from Student

    All of the following documents are required:

    • Passport
    • Study permit
    • “Approval-in-Principle” letter/email from IRCC

  • Documentation from Student

    All of the following documents are required:

    • Passport
    • Study permit
    • Proof of dependent relationship

    Documentation from Parent, Spouse or Common Law Partner

    All of the following documents are required:

    • Foreign passport
    • “Approval-in-Principle” letter from IRCC

  • Documentation from Student

    All of the following documents are required:

    1. Passport
    2. Study permit
    3. Valid work permit with a specified employer in Canada
    4. Letter of employment

  • Documentation from Student

    All of the following documents are required:

    • Passport
    • Study permit
    • Proof of dependent relationship

    Documentation from Parent, Spouse or Common Law Partner

    All of the following documents are required:

    • Passport
    • Valid work permit with a specified employer in Canada

    Letter of Employment

  • Documentation from Student

    All of the following documents are required:

    1. Foreign, Consular, or Special Passport
    2. Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Identity Card
    3. Letter Confirming diplomatic appointment

  • Documentation from Student

    One of the following sets of documentation is required:

    • Foreign, Consular, or Special Passport + Proof of dependent relationship; or
    • Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Identify Card + proof of dependent relationship

    Documentation from Parent, Spouse or Common Law Partner

    All of the following documentation is required:

    1. Foreign, Consular, or Special Passport
    2. Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Identity Card
    3. Letter Confirming diplomatic appointment

  • Documentation from the Student

    One of the following sets of documentation are required:

    • Valid government-issued photo identification (i.e., Passport or Single Journey Travel Document – IMM 5485) + Study Permit + “Notice of Decision” issued by Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB); or
    • Valid government-issued photo identification (i.e., Passport or Single Journey Travel Document – IMM 5485) + Study Permit + A protected person document (IMM 5520) issued by issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada under section 31(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

  • Documentation from Student

    All of the following documentation is required:

    • Valid government-issued photo identification (i.e., Passport or Single Journey Travel Document – IMM 5485)
    • Study permit
    • Proof of dependent relationship

    Documentation from Parent, Spouse, or Common Law Partner

    One of the following sets of documentation is required:

    • Valid government-issued photo identification (i.e., Passport or Single Journey Travel Document – IMM 5485) +  “Notice of Decision” issued by Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB); or
    • Valid government-issued photo identification (i.e., Passport or Single Journey Travel Document – IMM 5485) + A protected person document (IMM 5520) issued by issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada under section 31(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

  • Proof of Dependent Relationship

    Dependent relationship between student and parent(s)

    One of the following documents is required:

    • A Canadian long form birth certificate with parental information
    • A foreign birth certificate translated into English with parental information
    • Parent’s Record of Landing document (IMM 1000) with list of accompanying family members
    • Parent’s Confirmation of Permanent Residence Visa with list of accompanying family members
    • Notice of Decision document from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada with list of accompanying family members
    • Proof of adoption documents with parental information

    Proof of Marriage (spousal status)

    One of the following documents is required:

    • Canadian marriage certificate
    • Foreign marriage certificate translated into English

    Proof of Common Law Status for a Period of 3 Years

    Please note, documents submitted for International Fee Exemption purposes may be verified with the issuer to validate their accuracy and authenticity (e.g. CRA, IRCC, landlord). Falsifying information is fraud and is punishable under Canadian law. It is also a serious academic offence under the U of T Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters Penalties for forgery under the Code may include multi-year suspensions or even expulsion from the University.

    One of the following documents is required: 

    • Declaration of a common law union (IMM 5409)
    • Notarized affidavit of common-law status 

    AND  all of the following documents are required: 

    Note: Filing multiple years of tax returns retroactively will not be accepted (e.g., filling three years of returns in the current tax year).

    AND one of the following documents is required: 

    • Property tax bills demonstrating three years of cohabitation at the same address with both partner’s names.
    • Residential lease agreements demonstrating three years of cohabitation at the same address with both partner’s names. 

Definitions

  • A citizen of Canada within the meaning of the Citizenship Act, or a person registered as Indigenous within the meaning of the Indian Act in Canada.

  • A permanent resident within the meaning of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act:

    1. a person who has been granted “permanent resident” status and has not had that status revoked; or
    2. a person who has been approved “in-principle” for permanent resident status in Canada. Evidence of this is a letter which confirms that Citizenship and Immigration Canada has determined that he/she is eligible for immigration to Canada and meets the eligibility requirements to apply for permanent resident status in Canada. Such letters must be dated prior to the enrolment count date and presented prior to the enrolment report due date.

  • A visitor, and his/her dependents, who is authorized to work in Canada having been issued a work permit.

    The following students are excluded from this category:

    1. A visitor who is a graduate teaching assistant;
    2. A visitor, and his/her dependents, holding an open work permit;
    3. An international student holding a work permit to complete his/her co-op, internship or medical residency employment;
    4. An international student holding an open work permit for post-graduate work (usually for up to three years of work opportunities upon graduation);
    5. An international student whose spouse or common-law partner has received a work permit as a result of the international student holding a valid Study Permit;
    6. An international student holding an “Off-Campus Work Permit”.
    7. International clinical fellows and dependents
    8. Dependents of post-doctorate fellows who received their study permit prior to their parent, spouse, or common law partner receiving their work permit

  • A visitor who is admitted to and remaining in Canada with official accreditation from the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, who has entered Canada, or is in Canada,  to carry out her/his official duties as:

    1. a diplomatic or consular officer; or
    2. a Canadian government-accredited representative or official of a country other than Canada, of the United Nations or any of its agencies, of any intergovernmental organizations of which Canada is a member; or
    3. a dependent (see Section 1.1.7 for definition) or a member of the staff of any such diplomat, consular officer; representative or official accredited to Canada by the Canadian government;  or
    4. a member of a foreign military force or of a civilian component; thereof admitted to Canada under the Visiting Forces Act or any dependents of such personnel.

  • A person, and his/her dependents, who:

    1. has been determined to be a protected person, including a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection, within the meaning of subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) or the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.  A protected person document issued under section 31(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act or a “notice of decision” issued by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada or by the IRB must be presented; or
    2. is a refugee claimant who applied to the federal government for Convention refugee status prior to January 1, 1989, and can provide documentation from Citizenship and Immigration Canada to that effect.

  • One of the following original and unexpired government-issued identification documents will be accepted to validate identity:

    • Passport
    • Canadian Driver’s License
    • Canadian Provincial Photo Card
    • Nexus Card
    • Permanent Resident (PR) Card
    • Certificate of Indian Status (with photo)
    • Canadian Armed Forces Identification Card
    • Department of Foreign Affairs International Trade Identity Card
    • Single Journey Travel Document with photo
    • Refugee Protection Claimant Document with photo

  • Dependents are defined as:
    a) a spouse;
    b) a common-law partner;
    c) a dependent child

    Dependent Child
    A dependent child is a child who is a biological child who has not been adopted by a person
    other than the spouse or common-law partner, or an adopted child; and who is in one of the
    following situations of dependency:

    a) under age 22 and not a spouse or common-law partner;
    b) enrolled continuously at a college, university or other educational institution and
    dependent substantially on the financial support of the parent since before age 22 or
    since becoming a spouse or common-law partner if that occurred before age 22; or
    c) a person with a disability who has been financially supported substantially by his or her
    parents, and who is unable to be self-supporting because of the disability.