Short answer: Ontario's average undergraduate tuition is $9,306 a year for 2026/27 (Statistics Canada, up 3.6% from $8,986), the highest of any province, before mandatory fees of about $1,200 to $2,000. Arts and science degrees sit near $8,500 to $9,500 a year; engineering, commerce and computer science at the big universities run $12,000 to $17,500. Four years of tuition and fees: $33,000 to $53,000. The 2019 freeze ended: domestic tuition may rise up to 2% a year from 2026-27 to 2028-29.

One year of university in Ontario, by program

Institution fee schedules 2025-26, Ontario universities, including compulsory ancillary fees. Deregulated programs (engineering, commerce, CS at some schools) charge more than the provincial average.

What a year really costs, with rent

Toronto and Ottawa rents sit at the top of the range; Thunder Bay, Sudbury and Windsor at the bottom. Residence with a meal plan is usually $12,000 to $17,000 for eight months.

That table is why Ontario university graduates who borrowed owe about $30,600 on average (Statistics Canada) while four years of tuition is around $36,000: loans pay for rent, not only tuition. Living at home for a four-year degree saves $50,000 to $70,000.

How Ontario compares

Statistics Canada 2025/26, tuition only, before fees.

What lowers it

• OSAP grants. The grant portion is not repaid. Families under about $90,000 usually get a meaningful grant; under $60,000 it covered most of tuition until 2025-26. Ontario changed OSAP for study periods starting August 1, 2026: the provincial grant portion is capped at 25% (it was up to 85%), so more of the same package arrives as a loan. The federal portion, about 60% of a typical package, is unchanged. Expect higher graduate debt than the figures on this site, which are from the class of 2020. The estimator at ontario.ca/osap takes ten minutes.
• Entrance scholarships. Most Ontario universities give automatic awards for admission averages over 80, from $1,000 to $4,000 in first year. Nobody applies; it is on the offer letter.
• Co-op. Waterloo, Laurier, Guelph and others run paid work terms of $8,000 to $15,000 each. A co-op degree takes five years but can pay for a large share of itself.
• College first, then transfer. Ontario college-to-university pathways (ONTransfer.ca) let a student do a cheaper diploma first. Not for everyone, but cheaper.

See it with the same numbers for every route: Nursing, Commerce, Computer science, Electrician, or take the five-minute quiz.

Average tuition figures: Statistics Canada, Tuition and living accommodation costs survey, 2025/2026 (table 37-10-0045-01), domestic full-time undergraduates, tuition only. Program totals: institution fee pages, 2025-26 and 2026-27, tuition plus mandatory fees. Quebec out-of-province rate: Government of Quebec, in force since fall 2024.

Quick answers

How much is one year of university in Ontario?

Average tuition is $8,958 for 2025/26 plus about $1,200 to $2,000 in mandatory fees, so roughly $10,000 to $11,000 for arts, science and nursing. Engineering, commerce and computer science at U of T, Waterloo and Western run $12,000 to $17,000. Add $1,200 for books and $14,000 to $20,000 if living away from home.

How much does 4 years of university cost in Ontario?

About $32,000 to $36,000 in tuition and fees for arts, science and nursing, $40,000 for commerce, and $50,000 to $52,000 for engineering or computer science at the largest schools. With rent and food away from home, four years is $110,000 to $130,000; living at home, about $60,000.

Is university tuition frozen in Ontario?

Not any more. Ontario cut tuition by 10% in 2019 and froze it until 2025-26. Under the February 2026 framework, domestic in-province tuition may rise up to 2% a year for 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29, then by the lower of 2% or inflation. Out-of-province and international tuition are set separately.

What are university tuition fees in Ontario for 2026?

For 2026-27, about 2% above 2025-26: $8,500 to $9,700 for regulated programs and $12,000 to $17,500 for deregulated ones. The provincial average is $9,306 (Statistics Canada, September 2026). A few programs applied larger one-time adjustments, for example uOttawa Telfer at 7.5%.

Which Ontario university is cheapest?

Tuition is similar across regulated programs ($8,000 to $9,000), so the real difference is rent. Lakehead, Laurentian, Nipissing, Algoma, Trent and Windsor are in cheaper cities; Toronto and Ottawa cost the most to live in. Living at home beats every scholarship.

Figures are medians and typical costs from Job Bank, Statistics Canada, provincial wage surveys and institution fee pages, verified in 2026; the data page lists every source. Your own numbers will differ by employer, region and overtime.