Financial planning
Before you arrive in Victoria, you need to think about how you are going to pay for your tuition, student fees and living expenses. Spend some time exploring your options and considering how you will manage your finances.
Tuition & student fees
Students who do not have Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status are required to pay international tuition fees at UVic.
Estimating your tuition
The tuition fee estimator is a helpful tool for predicting tuition and student fees. Your actual tuition and student fees will depend on your program of study and your course registration.
Tuition and student fees do not include the cost of textbooks, course materials and other supplies associated with your program. You will not receive invoices for your tuition and student fees.
Paying your tuition
Once you have registered for a term, a summary of your tuition and student fees will be available in your UVic student account.
- visit tuition, fees and budgeting for instructions on how to pay your tuition and student fees
- third party billing information is available for students who are sponsored by an organization
- fee deadlines are available in the
Be sure to pay your tuition and student fees on time.
A penalty service charge will be added for late payments. Failure to pay tuition and student fees on time may also result in cancellation of course registration and denial of services.
Exchange students from UVic partner institutions
- you will pay tuition fees to your home university, while studying at UVic
- you will be responsible for paying all other student fees directly to UVic (e.g. MTMI fee)
Living expenses
Victoria is an expensive city with a high cost of living, and the housing/rental market is competitive. Make sure to keep this in mind as you plan your budget, and consider setting aside some additional money for unexpected costs.
Estimated costs for living in British Columbia are available on *. These estimates are based on province-wide averages, so your expenses will be higher than what is listed.
*Note: International students are not eligible to receive funding through StudentAid BC.
On-campus housing costs
All on-campus housing options include utilities such as heat, water, electricity, and internet access.
Off-campus housing costs
General information about average rental costs in Victoria is available at the following links:
Off-campus housing costs vary, and monthly rental rates may or may not include utitilies. For a list of potential extra costs to consider, visit our off-campus housing page.
Financial assistance
has a list of awards available to international students studying in Canada.
Student Awards and Financial Aid (SAFA) has information about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities for international students at UVic.
Graduate students can find information about funding opportunities through the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Employment
There are options available for gaining work experience in Canada as an international student. However, you must be able to cover the costs of your studies without relying on employment income.
Working in Canada has information about work authorization, finding work, applying for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) and filing an income tax return.
Make sure you understand the restrictions associated with working in Canada and never work without the proper authorization.
Working in Canada when you are not authorized may result in enforcement action taken by the Canada Border Services Agency. It could also negatively impact your current temporary resident status and any future applications you make under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and its regulations.