Tuition waiver for eligible Indigenous students

The University of Waterloo will waive tuition for incoming and current students who are members of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation or Six Nations of the Grand River.   

Indigenous students who are members of these First Nations (on whose traditional territory the University of Waterloo is situated) and who are pursuing studies in an undergraduate or graduate program at Waterloo are eligible for this waiver. This is part of Waterloo’s active work toward reconciliation and is a response to the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  

This initiative continues Waterloo’s efforts to build and strengthen the University’s relationship with the Six Nations of the Grand River and the Mississaugas of the Credit.  The tuition waiver will be effective as of fall 2023; this waiver cannot be applied to terms prior to fall 2023.  

Please note that incidental fees are not covered by your tuition waiver. You can view the full list of incidental fees.

If you have questions about this or require support, please reach out to The Centre.

To further support access to education, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students from Canadian provinces and territories outside Ontario will be able to pay the same tuition as Ontario students. In recognition of the Jay Treaty, Native American students from the continental U.S. are also eligible for Ontario domestic tuition instead of international student tuition.  

To learn more about how residency affects tuition fees, please visit the Student Financial Services website.  

You must meet all of the following requirements to be eligible for the tuition waiver:

• You are pursuing studies in an undergraduate or graduate program at Waterloo. 
• You are a verified Indigenous student who is an enrolled member of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation or Six Nations of the Grand River. 

*To qualify for Ontario domestic tuition, you are a verified First Nations, Métis, or Inuk student from Canadian provinces and territories outside Ontario or a Native American student from the continental U.S. 

For further information please visit the Indigenous verification web page.

1. Submit your documents (step by step instructions on Quest) showing your Indigenous membership/citizenship with Six Nations of the Grand River or Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation
2. Tuition waiver and Ontario domestic tuition rates for out of province and Native American students will be automatically applied for eligible students within 24 hours of the Office of Indigenous Relations confirming your membership/citizenship with your First Nation

Once your Indigenous membership/citizenship documents have been submitted, Office of Indigenous Relations will verify the documents. Once verified, tuition calculation will run and automatically apply the tuition waiver if you are eligible. If you log into Quest 24 hours after receiving notice of ‘Status Verified’, you can see ‘Fees Arranged’ by clicking on the Finances tile and selecting the appropriate term (this has a column for 'Registered Status' and under it is the ‘Fees Arranged’, or ‘Not Fees Arranged'). See How do I view my tuition fees and account summary for more information.

For general questions, please reach out to The Centre, askthecentre@uwaterloo.ca, 519-888-4567, ext. 42268, or visit The Centre’s website.

For personalized support with the process, contact Lori Moses, Indigenous Student Service Specialist l2moses@uwaterloo.ca.  

You can submit your documents of citizenship/membership at any time, including during the application process, and you can update your information on Quest whenever needed. However, we recommend you complete the Quest Indigenous Declaration form as soon as you are able when activating the tuition waiver. This process only needs to be done once.

Your forms must be completed by the first day of the second month of that term.  For example:

• Winter 2025: Submit by February 1, 2025
• Spring 2025: Submit by June 1, 2025
• Fall 2025: Submit by October 1, 2025

If you're like most students, you'll use multiple sources of money to pay for university. While scholarships are generally based on academic achievement, most loans, grants, and bursaries are based on financial need. But what does "financial need" mean? It's the difference between your costs (tuition, textbooks, housing and food, personal expenses, transportation) and what you and your family are expected to contribute toward your education. Learn more about the many financial aid opportunities for Indigenous students at Waterloo. 

Additional financial aid 

Financial assistance programs have become increasingly important with the rising cost of post-secondary education. Student Awards & Financial Aid (SAFA) provides the necessary programs, information and advice to assist students as they pursue their goals at Waterloo. Their programs include government aid, including the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP); awards, scholarships and bursaries; as well as work-study opportunities. For more information, contact SAFA.  

Sponsors and third-party funding  

Some Indigenous students may receive funding for their studies by their band or other third-party sponsor. This funding is referred to as third-party sponsorship and may cover tuition, incidental fees (including insurance), and living expenses. However, not all fees charged to your Quest student account may be covered by your sponsor. If you or your sponsor need more information about how third-party sponsorship is processed,  contact Student Financial Services using the Third Party Sponsorship form. 

If a sponsor or thirdparty will be paying some or all of your tuition, textbooks, incidental fees and/or university housing costs, you must complete the Promissory Note before the published deadline.  The Promissory Note is in Quest > Finances > Promissory Note. For additional information, please visit the Student Financial Services website.