Tuition & other fees
Tuition fees, books & supplies
Residence fees & meal plans
Transportation & entertainment
Estimated first-year costs
The following fees are averages based on fall 2011. Actual amounts for fall 2012 will likely be higher and will be available in July 2012. All figures are in Canadian dollars.
Tuition fees, books & supplies
The following tuition amounts are based on a full course load of 5 or more courses per term. Details and amounts for upper years are available on the Finance Office website.
Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident
| ||
| Faculty or program | Domestic tuition | Books & supplies |
Accounting and Financial Management**, Applied Health Sciences, Arts, Biotechnology/Chartered Accountancy**, Computing and Financial Management**, Environment, Mathematics, Mathematics/Chartered Accountancy**, Science | $5,500 | $2,000 |
| Architecture | $7,200 | $4,200* |
| Business Administration (WLU) and Mathematics (Waterloo) Double Degree | $6,600 | $2,000 |
| Computer Science, Business Administration (WLU) and Computer Science (Waterloo) Double Degree | $10,000 | $2,000 |
| Engineering, Software Engineering | $10,900 | $2,000 |
*For Architecture students, the estimated amount for books and supplies includes the purchase of a laptop.
**For accounting and finance programs, as with most university professional programs, tuition is significantly higher in your upper years.
International students (study permit) Additional expenses:
| ||
| Faculty or program | International tuition | Books & supplies |
| Applied Health Sciences, Accounting and Financial Management**, Arts, Computing and Financial Management**, Environment | $18,700 | $2,000 |
| Architecture*, Engineering, Software Engineering | $27,000 | $4,200 |
| Mathematics | $20,000 | $2,000 |
| Science | $19,500 | $2,000 |
*For Architecture students, the estimated amount for books and supplies includes the purchase of a laptop.
**For accounting and finance programs, as with most university professional programs, tuition is significantly higher in your upper years.
Additional notes:
- Tuition and fees are paid per 4-month academic term.
- You do not have to pay for the entire year (2 terms/8 months) at once.
- Your actual tuition and residence fees will be posted in Quest – Waterloo's online student information system – after you've enrolled in classes.
- For Aviation programs – The additional cost of the Professional Pilot Training is projected to be approximately $55,000 over 3 calendar years.
Residence & meal plan fees
The following amounts are for fall 2011. Actual amounts for fall 2012 will likely be higher and will be available in May 2012. All figures are in Canadian dollars.
| Residence & meal plan fees – UW Residences | |||||
| Residence | Room type | Fall term | Winter or spring term | Meal plan per term | Total for 8 months |
| Mackenzie King | Single (4-person suite) | $3,800 | $2,500 | Optional $0 - $1,600 | $6,300 - $9,300 |
| UW Place | Single in a 2-bedroom suite | $3,400 | $2,300 | Optional $0 - $1,600 | $5,700 - $8,800 |
| Single in a 3- or 4-bedroom suite | $3,200 | $2,200 | $5,400 - $8,500 | ||
| Double room (2-person bunk bed) in a 3-person suite | $3,000 | $2,000 | $5,000 - $8,100 | ||
| Single | $3,200 | $2,100 | Required $1,900 - $2,300 | $9,100 - $9,900 | |
| Interconnecting | $3,000 | $2,000 | $8,900 - $9,600 | ||
| Double | $2,900 | $1,900 | $8,600 - $9,300 | ||
| Residence & meal plan fees – University College residences | |||||
| Residence | Room type | Fall term | Winter or spring term | Meal plan per term | Total for 8 months |
| Conrad Grebel | Double | $4,500 | $4,500 | $9,000 | |
| Renison | Single (semi-private bath) | $5,200 | $5,200 | $10,400 | |
| Double (semi-private bath) | $4,800 | $4,800 | $9,700 | ||
| Single (upper-year students only) | $4,900 | $4,900 | $9,800 | ||
| Double (traditional) | $4,500 | $4,500 | $9,000 | ||
| Double (upgraded) | $4,700 | $4,700 | $9,300 | ||
| St. Jerome's | Single (normally upper-year students) | $5,000 | $5,000 | $10,000 | |
| Double | $4,600 | $4,600 | Included | $9,300 | |
| St. Paul's | Single | $4,900 | $4,900* | $9,900 | |
| Double | $4,600 | $4,600* | $9,200 | ||
*For St. Paul's, deduct $400 from your residence fees if you'll be living in residence in the spring term rather than the winter term.
| Living off campus | |
| Living costs | $6,200** |
**Includes estimated amounts for rent, local transportation, and groceries. Visit the Off Campus Housing website for more details.
Additional notes:
- Fees are paid per 4-month academic term.
- You do not have to pay for the entire year (2 terms/8 months) at once.
- Your actual tuition and residence fees will be posted in Quest – Waterloo's online student information system – after you've enrolled in classes.
Transportation & entertainment
The following list will give you an idea of some of the costs associated with living in Kitchener-Waterloo.
| Transportation | |
| Grand River Transit (local bus) – with your UPASS you don't have to pay extra to ride a bus anywhere in the cities of Kitchener or Waterloo. You simply show your WatCard to the bus driver! | Free (included in fees you pay with your tuition) |
| FED Bus, University of Waterloo to Toronto, London, or Hamilton | Round trip – $20.00 One way – $11.00 |
| Greyhound (bus), Kitchener to Toronto, round-trip, student fare | $28.20 |
| Via Rail (train), Kitchener to Toronto, round-trip | With ISIC Card – $42.00 Youth rate – $46.20 |
| Airways Transit, University of Waterloo to Toronto's Pearson International Airport, one-way | $75.00 |
| On-campus visitor parking (lots C, N, W, X) | Pay & display – $5.00 |
| On-campus visitor parking (lot X) | Free on weekends |
| On-campus student permit parking | Per term – $140.00 |
| Entertainment | |
| Waterloo Galaxy Cinemas, single admission | Regular rate – $10.50 |
| Princess Cinema (independent movie theatre), single admission | Member – $7.00 Non-Member – $10.00 Membership – $12.00 |
| Oktoberfest festhallen ticket | $5.00 – $18.00 |
| Waterloo Entertainment Centre ticket | $24.00 – $30.00 |
| St. Jacob's Farmer's Market | Free |
| Chicopee Ski & Summer Resort | Adult full-day lift pass – $40.00 |
| Elora Gorge (camping, swimming, tubing) | Tubing package – $24.00 |
| Miscellaneous | |
On-campus gym membership | Free (included in fees you pay with your tuition) |
| Orientation Week, residence & faculty program | Free (included in fees you pay with your tuition) |
Estimated first-year costs
The following are estimated total costs for an 8-month school year and include tuition, incidental fees, books & supplies, housing, and other costs†.
| Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident - Estimated total first-year costs for 2 terms/8 months | |
| Faculty or program | Total |
Accounting and Financial Management, Applied Health Sciences, Arts, Biotechnology/Chartered Accountancy, Computing and Financial Management, Environment, Mathematics, Mathematics/Chartered Accountancy, Science | $17,400-$21,900 |
| Architecture | $21,600 |
| Business Administration (WLU) and Mathematics (Waterloo) Double Degree | $20,700-$23,000 |
| Computer Science, Business Administration (WLU) and Computer Science (Waterloo) Double Degree | $21,900-$26,400 |
| Engineering, Software Engineering | $22,800-$27,300 |
| International students (study permit) - Estimated total first-year costs for 2 terms/8 months | |
| Faculty or program | Total ($ Cdn) |
| Applied Health Sciences, Accounting and Financial Management, Arts, Computing and Financial Management, Environment | $31,400-36,000 |
| Architecture*, Engineering, Software Engineering | $39,700-$46,500 |
| Mathematics | $32,700-$37,300 |
| Science | $32,200-$36,800 |
†Other costs include $2,900 for estimated costs of telephone, entertainment/recreation, personal care, and laundry/clothing.This amount will vary depending on your personal needs.
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