Accessing Ontario Resident Tuition Rate

Tuition rates for domestic non-Ontario residents enrolled in undergraduate, professional, and Ivey graduate programs are based on the province of residence and program of study. Non-Ontario residents may request to be charged Ontario Resident tuition rate by submitting a Non-Ontario Resident tuition fee exemption application and supporting documentation before term deadlines.

How to access Ontario resident tuition rate?

You may qualify to pay Ontario Resident tuition rate by providing acceptable documentation for one of the following scenarios. Western reserves the right to request additional documentation to validate the information you submit.

If you are a single dependent student and your parent’s primary residence is in Ontario

Acceptable documentation: Proof to confirm your parent's residency in Ontario AND Documentation to demonstrate your dependent relationship with your parent.

Submit one of the following to confirm your parent's residency in Ontario:

a) Your parent’s most recent Notice of Assessment confirming residency in Ontario.
b) If your parents are recently deceased and at least one of your parents was residing permanently in Ontario at the time of death, submit the Official death certificate and your parents’ most recent Notice of Assessment confirming residency in Ontario.
c) Your parent’s residential lease agreement or property tax bill AND one of the below documentation:
-Confirmation of your parents' employment in Ontario (e.g., pay stub or letter from employer or T4).
-Valid Provincially Issued Photo Identification (e.g., Ontario Driver’s Licence, Ontario Photo Card).
-Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid (T4E).
-Statement of Old Age Security (T4A) or statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits (T4A) (P).
-A utility bill (e.g., hydro, gas, water, cable, cell phone).

Submit one of the following to demonstrate your dependent relationship with your parent:

a) Your Canadian long form birth certificate or foreign birth certificate (translated to English) with parental information.
b) Proof of adoption documents with parental information.
c) Your parent's immigration documentation from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada including the list of accompanying family members. (e.g., Record of Landing (IMM 1000), Confirmation of Permanent Residence, Notice of Decision document from IRCC)

If you are an independent student and Ontario is the most recent province you have resided in for at least 12 consecutive months, not including time as a full-time post-secondary student

Acceptable documentation:

a) Your recent Notice of Assessment confirming residency in Ontario.

OR

b) Your residential lease agreement or property tax bill AND one of the below documentation:

    -Your confirmation of employment in Ontario (e.g., pay stub or letter from employer or T4)
    -A utility bill (e.g., hydro, gas, water, cable, cell phone).
    -Valid Provincially Issued Photo Identification (e.g., Ontario Driver’s Licence, Ontario Photo Card).
    -Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid (T4E).

If you are married or common law and Ontario is the last province your spouse or common-law partner has lived in for 12 months in a row, not including time as a full-time post-secondary student

Acceptable documentation:

a)Proof of Marriage

A Canadian marriage certificate or Foreign marriage certificate translated into English AND A statement from your spouse that Ontario is the last province they lived in for 12 months in a row, not including time as a full-time post-secondary student. 

b)Proof of Common Law Status 

Declaration of a common-law union (IMM 5409) or a notarized affidavit of common-law status AND A document with both names providing evidence of co-habitation for the last 1 year such as a tax statement, mortgage statement, property tax bill, or lease agreement.

c)Proof of cohabitation for any period and proof of dependent children (natural or adoptive).

Proof of a dependent child:

A Canadian long form birth certificate with parental information, a foreign birth certificate translated into English with parental information, or proof of adoption with parental information. 

AND

Proof of cohabitation:

A document with both names providing evidence of co-habitation such as a tax statement, mortgage statement, property tax bill, or lease agreement.

AND

Submit one of the following to confirm your partner’s residency in Ontario:

a) Your partner's most recent Notice of Assessment confirming residency in Ontario.
c) Your partner's residential lease agreement or property tax bill AND one of the below documentation:
-Confirmation of your partner's employment in Ontario (e.g., pay stub or letter from employer or T4).
-Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid (T4E).
-Statement of Old Age Security (T4A) or statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits (T4A) (P).

If you are an Indigenous Person of Canada (e.g First Nations, Inuit, and Metis)

We will confirm your status with the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. 

If you are a Youth in Extended Care

Acceptable documentation:

A letter from the Children’s Aid Society official confirms the care of the student. The letter must have the official’s name, official letterhead, contact information, signature, date, and the address of the Children Aids Society’s office.

If you have been approved for permanent residency through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program

Submit one of the following:

  • Proof of Permanent Resident status.
  • Confirmation of Permanent Resident letter.
  • Approval in principle letter from the IRCC.

If you became a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Protected Person and have not lived in any other Province for 12 months

Submit one of the following:

  • Proof of Permanent Resident status AND Record of Landing (IMM 1000) AND a statement that you have not lived in any other Province for 12 months.
  • Proof of Protected Person or Convention Refugee Status AND documentation confirming the first port of entry and date of entry to Canada AND a statement that you have not lived in any other Province for 12 months.

If you are receiving or have received funding from OSAP

If you received OSAP in the current year, no further documentation is required.

If you received OSAP in a previous year, you must submit proof of loan assessment.

How to apply?

Completed Non-Ontario resident tuition fee exemption application (download form here)and supporting documentation should be uploaded through secured online DocDrop.

Deadlines:

Apply for Fall/Winter Term  November 1st
Apply for Winter Term only February 1st
Apply for Summer Term June 1st

Notes:

  • Deadlines are strictly enforced.
  • Fee adjustments take place from the term that the fee change has been approved. Retroactive fee adjustments for previous terms will not be granted.
  • Students registered for Fall/Winter term but only taking Winter courses cannot apply for the fee exemption for the Winter term only. These are for students registered from the Winter term only.

Definitions

Parents

The term ‘parent’ or ‘parents’ refers to one or both birth parents, adoptive parents, step-parents, legal guardians, or official sponsors.

Dependent Student

You are a dependent student if all of the following are true:
  • You are not married or in a common-law relationship; and
  • You are not separated, divorced, or widowed; and
  • You are not a parent; and
  • You have been out of high school for less than 6 years before the start of your study period; and
  • You have not worked full-time for at least 24 months in a row.

Independent Student

You are an independent student if one of the following is true:

  • You are married or in a common law relationship; or
  • You are a parent; or
  • You have been out of high school for 6 or more years at the start of your study period; or
  • You have worked full-time for at least 24 months in a row; or
  • both your parents are deceased.

Youth in Extended Society Care (formerly referred to as a Crown Ward)

If you have been placed in the care and custody of the Crown by a court order made under the Youth and Family Service Act or have expired out of extended society care without being publically adopted.

Permanent Resident

A permanent resident within the meaning of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act:

  • a person who has been granted permanent resident status and has not had that status revoked;

OR

  • a person who has been approved 'in principle' for permanent resident status in Canada. Evidence of this is a letter that confirms that Citizenship and Immigration Canada has determined that he/she is eligible for immigration to Canada or meets the eligibility requirements to apply for permanent resident status in Canada. Such letters must be dated prior to the Term deadline.

Protected Person

A person, and their dependents, who:

  • has been determined to be a protected person, including a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection, within the meaning of subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) or the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. A protected person document issued under section 31(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act or a “notice of decision” issued by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada or by the IRB must be presented.

OR

  • is a refugee claimant who applied to the federal government for Convention refugee status prior to January 1, 1989, and can provide documentation from Citizenship and Immigration Canada to that effect

Common-law Relationship

You are living in a common-law relationship if you and your spouse have cohabitated continuously for a period of at least 1 year.

Approved in Principle (AIP) and Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR)

According to the Government of Canada, a permanent residence application has been “approved in principle” when they have received a letter from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) stating that they meet the permanent residence eligibility requirements, but they have to pass the medical, security and background checks. Students can present their Approval in Principle or an official Acknowledgment of Receipt letter as proof of this status.