University tuition fees

In the 2002/03 academic year, undergraduate students in all faculties will pay an average of 4.1% more in university fees than in 2001/02. Although the rate of increase has been slower in the past three years than it was in the 1990s, average tuition fees continue to rise more quickly than inflation.

This fall, undergraduate students will pay an average of $3,733 in tuition, up 4.1% from $3,585 in 2001/02. This is almost double the average tuition of $1,872 in 1992/93, the result of significant increases during the 1990s. From 1990/91 to 2000/01, average undergraduate tuition fees rose 135.4%, more than six times faster than the 20.6% increase in inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

The 4.1% increase in 2002/03, which follows a 4.0% increase in 2001/02, is the largest in three years. However, the rate of increase of tuition fees has slowed in this decade. During the last three years, tuition rose an average of 3.9% per year, a rate less than half that recorded in the 1990s. From 1990/91 to 1999/2000, tuition fees rose by an annual average of 9.6%.

Average undergraduate tuition fees will increase at universities in six provinces: Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. The largest average tuition fee increase will be in British Columbia at 25.2%, followed by New Brunswick at 8.4%. The increase in British Columbia follows a tuition freeze in the province over the previous seven years.

Average undergraduate tuition fees will drop 10.1% in Newfoundland and Labrador and 0.9% in Saskatchewan. This is the third consecutive year that the university in Newfoundland and Labrador has frozen or lowered tuition fees. Manitoba universities have also frozen their tuition fees for the second year in a row.

For the sixth consecutive year, tuition fees will be frozen at Quebec universities for residents of Quebec. Quebec residents attending university in that province will pay an average of $1,675, the lowest tuition in Canada. For residents of other provinces attending university in Quebec, average undergraduate tuition fees will be $4,171 this fall, up 3.8% from 2001/02.

Average undergraduate tuition fees of $5,214 in Nova Scotia remain the highest in Canada. At $4,634, Ontario students continue to pay the second highest average undergraduate tuition fees in Canada. However, the 3.2% increase in average undergraduate tuition fees in 2002/03 in Ontario is the smallest since 1978/79.

Dentistry, medicine and law have highest fees

The most expensive programs at universities in Canada, measured by average tuition, continue to be dentistry, medicine and law. Students in dentistry will pay $8,997 on average this year, more than double the average $3,605 that arts students will pay.

Law and medicine students will also face the largest fee increases in 2002/03. Law students will pay $5,019 on average this year, up 14.7% from 2001/02. Students in medicine will pay $8,062 on average, up 8.1% from 2001/02.

Graduate fees rise more rapidly

For the sixth consecutive year, students in graduate programs at universities will face higher fee increases than students in undergraduate programs. In 2002/03, graduate students will pay $4,948 in tuition fees, up 11.1% from 2001/02. Since 1997/98, tuition fees for graduate programs have risen 11.5% per year, compared with 6.1% per year for undergraduate programs.

Graduate students in British Columbia will face the largest increase in tuition fees in 2002/03 (+31.2%). However, graduate students in Nova Scotia ($8,598) will pay the highest tuition fees in the country, followed by those in Ontario ($7,983). Graduate fees will be reduced by 10.0% in Newfoundland and Labrador and frozen in Manitoba for the second consecutive year; for Quebec residents attending university in Quebec, graduate fees will be frozen for the sixth consecutive year.

Average tuition fees will increase 6.1% to $10,476 for international students at the undergraduate level, and 3.9% to $10,181 for those at the graduate level. Tuition fees for international students will increase in all provinces except Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Additional fees also rise

Undergraduate university students will pay an average of $538 in additional compulsory fees, 14.2% more than in 2001/02. This is the largest yearly increase in additional fees since 1999/2000. Since 1993/94, additional fees have risen a total of 81.1%, similar to the 84.5% increase seen in undergraduate tuition fees over the same time period.

Average additional fees will increase in every province except Saskatchewan this year. Additional fees average $538, varying from $272 in New Brunswick to $732 in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Information is also available on the cost of accommodation on campus.

For general information or to order data, contact Client Services (1-800-307-3382; 613-951-7608; educationstats@statcan.gc.ca). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Todd Robertson (613-951-4711; todd.robertson@statcan.gc.ca) or Bernard Bourgoin (613-951-1506; bernard.bourgoin@statcan.gc.ca), Centre for Education Statistics.