I’m a Canadian citizen that is currently studying in a US high school. I am looking to head back to Canada for university as it’s a lot cheaper while still offering a top notch education. I was wondering if I’d pay the tuition for international students since I’m currently studying at a US high school or if I would pay the tuition for Canadian citizens. Thanks and stay safe.
I researched this recently and based on my research, at least in BC and Ontario, it is based on citizenship and not residency. Definitely check the websites of the schools you are interested in, but that was the result I found when researching. Thanks!
We live in the US, but my children and I have dual citizenship. We were in a similar situation.
Yes, if you are a Canadian citizen, then you will pay as a Canadian citizen. At some universities you will pay the out of province rate. If you have already lived in Canada you might pay in-province rates in whatever province you used to live in. However, most universities in Canada have the same price for in-province and out-of-province students, and even if the rate is different in most cases the difference is very small. If you are a Canadian citizen but you have never lived in Canada at all, the last time that I checked you would pay the in-province price at McGill.
We did find that guidance counselors in the US tend to be clueless about Canadian universities other than McGill and Toronto. There are quite a few very good universities in Canada. There are a few people here on CC who are familiar with some of the universities in Canada. Let us know if you want suggestions.
One nit that we found: A few universities in Canada missed the fact that my daughters are Canadians. Along with their acceptance letters, a few universities sent information about how to apply for a student visa and information about costs for international students. I called and found out that all we needed to do was to fax them a copy (or email a scan) of either her Canadian passport or her certificate of Canadian citizenship. This was quite easy and we have subsequently been paying Canadian tuition (with a very good exchange rate from our perspective).
As you have indicated, you will save a bundle of money and get a great education if you attend university in Canada. If you have good grades, another advantage is that admissions at top universities in Canada is predictable and straightforward.