Money Matters

How much are tuition fees?

The expenses associated with a university education are comprised of both direct costs such as tuition fees, books, and equipment, as well as the living expenses incurred while studying. To learn more about the costs associated with attending university, visit the University Finances page for future students.

You can plan your finances and estimate your education expenses with the Financial Planning Calculator.

Contact information

Master of Information

The MI degree can be completed on either a full-time or part-time basis. It is typically completed in two years full-time, or six years part-time. The program follows a minimum degree fee structure.

Fees are charged per term, not by the number of courses you’re enrolled in each term. Detailed tuition fee breakdowns can be found on the Student Accounts page.

See below for more information about what happens if you take less than or more than the expected time to complete your program.

Master of Museum Studies

The MMSt degree is typically completed over 2 years, and is offered on a full-time basis only. The program follows a minimum degree fee structure.

Fees are charged per term, not by the number of courses you’re enrolled in each term. Detailed tuition fee breakdowns can be found on the Student Accounts page.

See below for more information about what happens if you take less than or more than the expected time to complete your program.

Combined Degree Program

The CDP program is typically completed over 3 years, and is offered on a full-time basis only. CDP students are charged tuition according to the following schedule:

  • Year 1: Full-time MI fees
  • Year 2: Full-time MMSt fees
  • Year 3: Full-time MI fees

See below for more information about what happens if you take less than or more than the expected time to complete your program.

PhD

The PhD program is offered on a full-time basis only. The Faculty of Information pays students’ tuition fees for years 1-4 of their program. Beyond Year 5, students are responsible for paying tuition fees – though you may still be able to defer your fees so that you don’t need to pay them at the beginning of the year. See the Student Accounts page for details about deferring fees.

Summer tuition and fees (all graduate programs)

Students enrolled in the Fall and Winter session prior to the start of the Summer session are not required to pay additional tuition fees if they wish to take Summer courses.

Even though graduate students do not pay summer tuition fees, they are still eligible to apply for Summer OSAP.

Students returning from a Leave of Absence at the start of the Summer session (i.e., who were not enrolled in the prior Fall and Winter session) will need to pay summer fees. Contact Student services for more information.

How do I pay tuition, and when?

The University Student Fees office has outlined the different options for how students can make tuition payments.

You must pay the minimum amount to register by the registration deadline each year (usually September 1).

You are only considered “registered” once you have made the minimum tuition payment. You can enrol in courses before making a tuition payment, but you need to make a payment by the registration deadline in order to maintain your course enrolment. Failure to make payment or successfully defer your fees by this date may result in you being removed from your courses.

Deferring Tuition Payment (to a Later Date)

You may defer tuition payment if you are:

  1. Receiving government financial aid: Students who are receiving an eligible form of government financial aid can defer their fees payment directly on ACORN.
    • If deferred successfully, students in this category are not required to make their Fall term tuition payment until late September.
    • If you are unable to defer directly on ACORN, you can:
      1. Complete the Fee Deferral Request Form on the Student Accounts page
      2. Email this form and a screenshot/PDF of their Notice of Assessment to Student Services. Please screenshot the student funding screen, which contains details of the disbursement and the status of the application. This funding screen usually becomes available for students to view once an assessment has been made.
  2. Receiving a Major Award or Scholarship:* Students who are receiving an award in an amount equivalent to or greater than the tuition fees for one term can defer their fees.
    • If deferred successfully, students in this category are not required to make a tuition payment until the end of the academic year.
    • You will not be able to defer directly on ACORN. Instead, defer using the process below:
      1. Complete the form Registration Without Payment Form on the Student Accounts page
      2. Together with the award letter, email ischool@utoronto.ca for processing

*Eligible major awards/scholarships include: UofT/iSchool Fellowships, OGS, SSHRC/CGS-M, CGS-D, Research Stipend or Teaching Assistantship or Graduate Financial Support from Departmental or Principal Investigator Research Funding.

  1. Receiving PhD Funding: Students in Years 1-4 of the PhD program are guaranteed funding in an amount greater than the tuition fees for one term. They can defer their fees.
    • If deferred successfully, students in this category are not required to make a tuition payment. The Faculty of Information will pay your fees on your behalf.
    • You will be able to defer directly on ACORN. If you encounter difficulties, contact Student Services at inquire.ischool@utoronto.ca.

International Tuition Fees Exemption

In certain circumstances, an international student may be exempted from paying international tuition fees and eligible to pay domestic tuition fees instead. Please review the eligibility criteria on the U of T Fees website.

Students who meet the eligibility criteria to be exempted should contact at inquire.ischool@utoronto.ca

What if I complete my Master’s degree faster, or slower, than expected?

In certain circumstances, an international student may be exempted from paying international tuition fees and eligible to pay domestic tuition fees instead. Please review the eligibility criteria on the U of T Fees website.

Students who meet the eligibility criteria to be exempted should contact at inquire.ischool@utoronto.ca.

What if I complete my Master’s degree faster, or slower, than expected?

Faster than expected

Students who complete the degree in less than the expected time (i.e., less than 6 years as a part-time student or less than 2 years as a full-time MI/MMSt student or 3 years as a CDP student) will receive a balance of degree fee.

This fee is calculated as the difference between a) what you have already paid, and b) the total cost of two years of full-time program fees. In other words if you have paid less than the total cost of the program, you’ll be charged the difference.

The balance of degree fee is assessed just prior to graduation. The payment due date for the balance of degree fee is three months from the student’s convocation. If the fee is unpaid, students are charged the monthly service fee of 1.5% compounded (19.56% per annum).

Slower than expected

Students who need to take longer to complete degree requirements (i.e., more than 6 years as a part-time student or more than 2 years as a full-time MI/MMSt student or 3 years as a CDP student) will be charged additional tuition fees for each additional term needed.

For full-time students, full-time tuition will be charged even if the student only has one course to complete, as full-time students are locked into the full-time status at the beginning of the Year 2 Winter term. It’s not possible to change to part-time status for your final term.

If students have paid more than the minimum degree fee due to the longer time taken to complete the degree requirements, there is no refund of fees.