Tuition, payments, and financial aid

Money can be tight when you’re a student, but that doesn't mean you should give up on your dream to study what you love in a location you’ve dreamed of. There are many ways to finance your program abroad so it becomes an affordable experience you’ll remember for a lifetime.

ONTARIO STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (OSAP)

Students participating in an exchange are registered as full-time students at Waterloo. So if you are currently eligible to receive OSAP, you can still receive OSAP for your exchange term(s) abroad. Please refer to the OSAP website for more information. Have more questions about OSAP while abroad? Contact the Student Awards & Financial Aid Office.

Awards

Each year the University of Waterloo distributes awards to support undergraduate students participating in international experiences! Look for award opportunities, like International Experience Awards,  administered through the Student Awards & Financial Aid Office.

Graduate students can also access the following funding opportunities through the Graduate Studies Office. 

Graduate funding and awards database

External award resources

Graduate Student Research Dissemination

David Johnston International Experience Awards for graduates

Don’t forget about any faculty-specific scholarships. Just ask your Faculty Exchange Representative for more information.

What are my expenses?

Tuition

  • If you’re participating in an exchange program, you are required to pay all compulsory incidental fees and your tuition fees will be assessed at the University of Waterloo for the respective term abroad. You will be charged for 2.5 units whether you take three, four or five courses abroad. No matter where you end up travelling, it’s your responsibility to pay your tuition fees by the applicable term deadline to avoid late fees. The process for paying your tuition fees remains the same as it would for any other academic term at Waterloo. 
  • If you’re participating in a study abroad program, your tuition fees will be assessed at the host school for the respective program. Remember to carefully review all the payment details listed by the host.

Living expenses

Whether you calculate expenses by term, or on a monthly basis, you will need to pay for housing, food, books/supplies, and airfare. Most host schools provide an overview of approximate costs, which can be found on Waterloo Passport, or directly on the host's website. We would recommend that you research these costs and make a travel budget. Don’t forget to factor in the difference between your host country currency and the Canadian dollar when calculating!