University Fees: Opting out, revisited

A long while ago (in 2016) I wrote Hidden Costs of Canadian Universities: A Guide to Opting Out of Fees. It was written as my youngest daughter was attending Queen’s University. The article outlined the fees that were being charged and which ones you could opt out of. Spoiler Alert: the health and dental insurance was an easy money savings if your kids are covered under your plans.

One of my dedicated readers sent me an update of Queen’s fee schedule. I applaud Queen’s for publishing this information in the name of transparency.

University Fees in 2026

You can see all the data from the Queen’s undergrad website here (it is a PDF file). It is an extensive breakdown of the fees by program, and the document is about 27 pages long.

Remember that “opting out” is not withholding the payment, you must pay all fees first. At Queen’s, eligible students normally pay the assessed amount and complete the formal opt-out process within the designated period, providing proof of comparable coverage. Missing that deadline can mean losing the refund.

Easy Part Health Charges

The easiest way to save money on the fees is the Health and Dental programs. If you don’t have insurance, I would keep these; they are a little pricey, but it means your child is covered. Yes, in Canada you should have health insurance.

If the student already has comparable health and dental coverage, check the formal opt-out rules immediately. You will generally need proof of coverage and must submit the request during the designated opt-out period. The admin fee seems a bit sketchy to me, given I would guess the University administers this, under the auspices of someone like Canada Life or the like.

Bad News Mandatory Fees

The Mandatory Fees are substantial. The total is $925.40 , and you have to pay those. In there, the biggest line item seems to be the fitness program fees.

Now that $925 is the basic mandatory fees from the Queen’s documentation. There are other fees that are mandatory that are added depending on which program the student enters. Look for those as well.

Comparison to 1985

I remember in my day the fees I paid were about $600 a term (4 months), which seems to be corroborated by Stats Canada’s data. This means the current mandatory fee schedule I have presented is comparable to what my parents paid for an entire year back then. Yes, 41 years ago is a long time period, but it does make me scratch my head too. My bill back then was for Tuition AND Fees (FYI).

Redux University Fees Perspectives

Whether you are paying for your child’s education, hopefully with help from an RESP, or not, going to University is not cheap anymore.

Quick shots to keep in mind

• I am not saying Queen’s is a bad place or anything like that, but they are one of the pricier universities in Ontario.
• If your child goes to school near home, that can save a lot of money, since they don’t have to pay for room and board.
  • Another big expense is if the child is a LONG way away (say in another province or such); coming home for Fall and Spring Break and holidays is not cheap either.
• I have no idea how Textbooks (or whatever they are called now) work. Used to be you could get used textbooks, but with licensing and such, is that even possible?
• In provinces like Quebec, the fees (for Quebecers) are still pretty darn cheap compared to Ontario. If your child is going to go to a University in the near future, go to the school’s website; most have a Fees and Tuition page to tell you how much this is going to cost, initially.

Current tuition context

Statistics Canada estimated average Canadian undergraduate tuition at $7,734 for 2025–26, an increase of 1.4% from the previous academic year. That is tuition alone, before the enjoyable add-ons arrive.

Final Thoughts

University and Post-secondary programs are getting pricey. If you have a newborn, I have no concept of how the system will work when they are eligible. Plan financially for this with an RESP and your TFSA. You could also say, “they will pay for it themselves”, but what will the price be by then?

University Fees FAQ