Tuition Fees in Canada

  Today I came across a website that is a valuable resource for people thinking about going to university. The website is called Canada's Higher Education and Career Guide. It offers tuition and fee information from Canadian universities. Just click on the province where the university is located and then find your school in the list. The link will lead you to the school's website with more information about finding relevant school costs.

Click this link to see Tuition and Fees @ Canadian Universities.

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Why You Should Get A Job

Having a job while you're in school is a great way to earn some extra income. There are 3 main reasons you should get a job:

1. Increase Your Quality of Living
You can use the extra money  for having more fun while you are at school. It's great to have cash for dates, parties, and school breaks. You'll also be able to afford more and better things such as food and clothing.

2. Pay Your Bills
If you're like most people, "mommy and daddy" aren't paying your whole way through school, you'll need money to pay bills such as rent, cellphone, car insurance, internet, tuition, and books.  Having a job well help keep your bill payments on track.

3. Prepare for your future
If you think you don't need a job because your school/living costs are covered, you are wrong. Even if you are receiving assistance, loans, bursaries, etc it is a good idea to get a job. You can keep this money in a a savings account/savings bonds to help pay off loans after graduation. You can also save up for something like a new car.

It's best to balance your earnings. For example, you could use a little for fun, most towards school costs, and some into savings. But you need a balance that works for you. Start by covering all necessities like tuition, books, supplies, rent, groceries, and transportation. Then you can use any extra money for things like entertainment and shopping. If possible try to keep some for savings. It's important to have a financial plan in mind for after graduation.

In future posts I will help you prepare for and find a job.

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Textbooks: Tip #1 Buy Used

Let's face it. Textbooks are outrageously expensive. But there are a few things we can do to save some big bucks.

Tip #1 Buy Used Books

If they are available try to buy your textbooks used. A lot of people think used books are out-dated, the pages have been highlighted to death, and are, overall, in terrible condition. But this is not always the case, you can find up-to-date books that are very-gently used. Here is a list of places you can find them:

• Campus Bookstores: Some schools allow students to sell their rarely used textbooks back to the school. At first glance they appear new but you can save up to 50%. Whenever I found a used copy of a book I needed, I grabbed it before they were all gone. In every case I never once found a mark, tear, or missing pages.

• Students: Some students try to sell their books on their own. Look for postings on your school website, Facebook, your student email, and flyers around campus. These books are usually up-to-date editions because they were purchased the prior semester. 

• Online: When used books were not available on campus I look online. Just remember that you may have to pay for shipping and you will have to wait for delivery. Also be sure that it is the right book (author, ISBN, publication date, edition) and that you trust the seller. There are several places to buy used book. These are the best: Chapters.ca, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, Textbookexchange.ca.

Please leave a comment if you have any tips or stories about buying used books!

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Finding Cheap Textbooks

One of the most expensive parts of going to school can be the cost of books (depending on your program). In my university program my average books costs per semester were $600. One of my books cost $160 and I never used it once. Sometimes I feel that textbooks are a huge waste of money. Most of  my books were rarely used. Professors just used slides from the book and posted them online or didn't refer to the book at all. Anyways, in most cases it is important to buy the books. Here are a few tips to saving money.

1) Buy Used Books: If they are available buy them used. You'll save a lot of money and most times they are in great condition. You can find offers throughout the campus from other students or from your campus bookstore. You can buy used books online too. Textbookexchange.ca is a Canadian site where you can buy and sell textbooks but I have never used this site.

2) Compare Prices Online: This is something I tried this semester and I wished I had done it all along. Most of the books I ordered arrived in a few days and I saved about 30%. One of my textbooks costs $170 in my bookstore and was $116 online. Be sure to use trusted websites. I recommend Chapters.indigo.ca and Amazon.ca.

3) Buy Electronic Texts: I bought one text book from Coursesmart and saved over $100. I got a subscription for 180 days and could access it online anytime. This is perfect for anyone that brings a laptop to school or you can do what I did and just print what you need.

4) Share: If you have are really good friend in your class, you can buy one textbook and split the costs.

Don't be afraid to shop around for textbooks. It takes a little time but you can save a lot. I saved more than $180 on my textbooks this semester.

Related Links:
What can we do about textbook prices?
How Textbook Publishers Manipulate Costs for Students
University Tuition and Fees Calculator
Recommended Read: The Host

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Applying for Loans

If you need more financial assistance you might want to look into applying for a loan. OSAP is the best place to go for student loans in Ontario. You can click here to visit their site. If you are eligible you can get a loan with no interest or payments until you graduate. You may also qualify for exclusive bursaries. You may also find student loans through your bank, province/state assistance, or your school.

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Finding Scholarships

With the fall semester approaching it's time to start applying for scholarships. I applied for bursaries and scholarships directly through my school website. It was so easy. I just filled out one small application and it automatically entered me into any ones I qualified for. I already received a $500 bursary from my school (gotta love free money).

StudentAwards.com is also a good place to find scholarships that most people over look, and so, you might have a better chance. Apply for as many as possible; it doesn't hurt to try even if you think you don't qualify.

I signed up for studentawards and I found lots of scholarship opportunities. Just be careful what you sign up for because I have been getting some spam mail from the site. You can use this website to find scholarships but I recommend that you apply for them directly through the official scholarship's website if they have one.

Additionally, some corporations offer scholarships to their employees. Ask your manager for information about this because you might not find anything online about it.

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Money Management Tips for Students

Let's face it, not everyone's parents are paying their way through school. There are many of us that need to come up with the money on our own. This helpful article gives some good ideas for college students to keep in mind. Whether your in debt or just tight on cash, it's important to have savings for emergencies, job loss, unexpected expenses like car repairs, and so on.

Top Money Saving Tips for College Freshmen

Save Money and Reduce Stress With These Financially Sound Strategies
by Mike Hardcastlefor About.com

Making the transition from high school student to college student can be confusing. There are a lot of changes and many new responsibilities. Adapting to college is full of life lessons and the biggest lesson involves handling money.

Living at Home Is Easy
When teens live at home there are many financial decisions that they never have to make. Parents worry about how much to spend on housing, food, bills, clothes and entertainment. These things never have to cross the high school students mind.
In college teens suddenly have to handle these things on their own. If you spend money recklessly you will quickly find yourself tapped.
Smart money saving tactics can make a major impact on your finances and your future. Here are some tips and ideas to make your financial transition that much easier.

Know Your Cost of Living
Make a list of your mandatory monthly expenses so you understand where your money has to go. Things like, rent, utilities, transportation, groceries, parking, school supplies, debt repayment, and student or activity fees fall in this category. Once you know where your money has to go each month you'll be able to set up a discretionary fund and a savings plan.

Give Yourself an Allowance
Put yourself on an allowance for things like entertainment, eating out, clothing, and special purchases. Stay on budget no matter how tight things get. It's never too early to start saving money. Even if it's only $20 a week try to put something aside in a savings account.

Become Frugal
Look for creative ways to save money. Consider carpooling, public transit or enviro-friendly biking as a means of getting around. Bring lunches and snacks from home. Buy your text books and lab supplies second hand if possible. Instead of paying a tutor set up a peer study group in classes that you need extra help with.

Understand Your Debt Load
Student loans aside there are other ways that students get in to debt. Credit card companies target cash strapped students, most of whom are inexperienced with unsecured debt.
When handled responsibly credit cards can be good things to have. If you do any shopping on the Internet you will probably need to have a credit card. Many credit card companies offer theft and fraud protection. Read the fine print of your credit card agreement to find out if you’re covered for these things.
It's a good idea to have a credit card for emergencies or for major purchases like books or a bike but avoid using plastic for day-to-day spending or for entertainment.

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Canadian Tuition Hikes of 25%

As was mentioned in a post from early in December, schools are want to increase tuition to help them out during this recession. (click here for the post and to read why this is a bad idea).

Finally some numbers have been estimated and it seems these hikes are actually going to happen.

This article describes the current situation of college/univeristy tuition. The article is from ParentCentral.ca.

25% tuition hike touted

February 26, 2009

Dramatic tuition hikes must be part of a recession survival plan for Canada's ivory tower, warns an education thinktank.

Colleges and universities must consider charging more, despite a middle-class backlash, if they hope to avoid diluting the quality of education during the economic crisis, says the report by the non-profit Educational Policy Institute.

The report predicts fee hikes of up to 25 per cent in the next couple of years – in line with increases during the last recession – which would generate $1 billion to $2 billion for recession-hit campuses.

Caught between the surge in enrolment that happens in every recession, and the looming slowdown in government grants and private donations, Canada's colleges and universities must consider hiking fees, boosting student aid and cutting the ranks of big-ticket senior staff, said the report.

The good news, say the authors, is that many Canadians can afford to pay more. "The average net tuition a student pays in Canada, once you factor in inflation and tax credits, has gone up less than $90 in the past 10 years – to $4,066 from $3,985 – while family incomes have increased a lot," said analyst Alex Usher, co-author of the report by the institute, based in Toronto, Virginia and Australia.

"Also, there is a smaller percentage of students borrowing to pay their tuition, because so many have been able to find work," said Usher, whose report states bluntly, "The question in Canada is not whether families can contribute more (to tuition): on average, they can."

John Milloy, Ontario's minister of training, colleges and universities, said he was not willing to "get into a numbers game" yet because the province's 5 per cent cap on yearly tuition hikes for most programs doesn't end until September 2010.

"But obviously we're in a tough economy and it's no secret our resources are limited. However this government has said we do not want finances to ever be a barrier to a qualified student having access to post-secondary education."

In fact, any fee hikes during a recession are "an absolutely absurd proposal," said Shelley Melanson, chair of the Canadian Federation of Students' Ontario branch.

"It's fascinating that while every government in the world is saying we can't raise taxes, to increase what is really a flat tax on students – tuition – completely ignores the reality of the economy."

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What can we do about textbook prices?

As you may have noticed, textbook prices are outrageous! I spend around $500 on books every semester, that's about average for all students. My most expensive book was more than $160. And I didn't use it once! The professor said, "I know its expesive but you'll need it". And guess what . . . I DIDN'T NEED IT! What a waste of money.

If you are pissed at the prices you're paying for books there are some things you can do to help:

1. Buy used books when you can
2. Sell your books, but make sure you won't need them in the future
3. Share with a friend, only if you can depend on them
4. Buy online copies if available

There is a group in the USA that are trying to fight against high textbook prices. They say that the prices are so high because, #1 the want to make as much money as they can, and there are no competitors to force price reductions. But another cause of this problem lies with the faculty, because ultimately it is the professor that picks the required book. And of course the pick the newest, most expensive edition, that often don't have used copies available to buy.

So this group started the Make Textbooks Affordable campaign. They have researched the textbook market and are trying to get the prices to go down. I personally think that the government should regulate these prices. If the government wants a future of educated citizens they need to make it more affordable, and textbooks are just too costly. They are scamming students!!!

Anyways, you can check out their website to learn more about their cause. I know that this is just in the US but may encourage the same efforts in Canada. Also you can find other resources to reduce your textbook costs.

The video below is about this issue.

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Tuition Increases to Help Canada Out of Recession

The financial crisis in the US economy is inevitably affecting us here in Canada. McGuinty wants to increase tuition fees for Canadian students to create more funds for the government. But according to an article from Canadian Business Online this is not the best way to help the economy. This article outlines some of the challenges we (the students) arefacing because of the recession.

McGuinty tuition fee increases no way to pull province out of recession and into knowledge economy

Nov 5, 2008 - 14:25 EST
TORONTO, Nov. 5 /CNW Telbec/

By allowing university tuition fee hikes of 4 to 8 per cent every year, the McGuinty Liberals are going in the wrong direction to pull the province out of recession, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario. Instead, the province needs to graduate more students in order to build a strong, knowledge-based economy that will take it out of its new "have-not" status within Canada, according to CUPE Ontario Secretary-Treasurer Fred Hahn.

"Every year that this government raises tuition fees means that less and less young people are entering the workforce with the skills needed to fuel the success of knowledge-based industries," Hahn told thousands of students gathered at Queen's Park today to stop tuition fee increases. "And with every tuition fee increase, more working families lose the opportunity to send their kids to university."
The McGuinty government . . . read more

Discussion: What do you think? Should tuition fees increase to better serve the economy in a time of crisis? Or is it more important to educate future graduates?

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