Fee & Cost of Living Estimates

If you are seeking to begin a program of graduate studies at the University of Alberta in Fall 2020 or later, you should follow three steps in estimating the total cost of your studies:

  1. Learn about the instructional fees you will pay;
  2. Learn about the non-instructional fees (most of them mandatory) that you will pay;
  3. Learn about the cost of living in Edmonton.

The following lists provide information for international students and Canadian students respectively. (For the purpose of these lists, Canadian students refers to both Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents.)

Please note that all of the material presented here is a guideline only, designed to provide a rough estimate of these costs. Actual costs may vary. Additional details are available on our Tuition and Fees page.


International Students

International students should follow the following steps in estimating fees and costs.

(1) Estimating Instructional Fees

If you are an international student admitted to a graduate program in Fall 2020 or later, you can find information about your instructional fees here.

Note that at the moment, sample instructional fees are available for students in the Fall 2020 cohort (those entering programs in the Fall 2020, Winter 2021, Spring 2021 and Summer 2021 terms).

If you are hoping to enroll at a later date, please use these figures as a general guideline knowing that instructional fees for later terms are subject to change.

(2) Estimating Non-Instructional Fees

If you are an international student admitted to a graduate program in Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022 or Summer 2022, you can find information about non-instructional fees here.

Note that at the moment, non-instructional fees are available for the Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 terms.

If you are hoping to enroll at a later date, please use these figures as a general guideline knowing that non-instructional fees for later terms are subject to change.

(3) Estimating the Cost of Living in Edmonton (Not Included in U of A Fee Assessments)

Please note that this estimate is a guideline. Living costs vary greatly based on the type of accommodation, whether you are sharing accommodation with roommates, and your overall standard of living. All figures are in Canadian dollars (CAD) and they exclude tuition costs.

Single Adult Two Adults, One Child*
Item Monthly Annually (September to August) Monthly Annually (September to August)
Housing $900 - $1,200 (one bedroom) $10,800 - $14,400 $1,400 - $2,000 (3-bedroom house) $16,800 - $24,000
Utilities $240 - $450 $2,880 - $5,400 $240 - $450 $2,880 - $5,400
Internet & mobile phone $170 $2,040 $240 $2,880
Food $200 - $300 $2,400 - $3,600 $550 - $650 $6,600 - $7,800
Clothing - $500 + $200 for winter clothing - $1,500 + $600 for winter clothing
Transportation (Bus) Included in student fees (U-Pass program) Included in student fees (U-Pass program) $95 for the second adult + $70 for the child $1,140 for the second adult + $840 for the child
Educational Supplies** - $1,600 - $1,600
Child Care and School Fees - - $1,000 $12,000
Recreation $75 $900 $200 $2,400
Cost of Living Total (excluding tuition)
$1,585 - $2,195 $21,320 - $28,640 $3,795 - $4,705 $49,240 - $60,160

For more thorough information and sources for the information above, CLICK HERE

* One graduate student, one additional adult, and one child under 12 years of age in full-time child care.

** Not included in graduate tuition and mandatory fees.

All cost estimates are in Canadian dollars (CAD).

Please note that the costs above are estimates only. The amounts are based on sources from 2016-2017 and are intended to serve only as a general guideline. Actual costs will vary according to many factors such as personal preference, household type, vendor, and more. For precise cost information, please contact vendors (e.g. landlords, mobile companies, bookstores, etc.) directly to confirm pricing.


Canadian Students

Canadian students and Permanent Residents should follow the following steps in estimating fees and costs.

(1) Estimating Instructional Fees

If you are a Canadian student or Permanent Resident admitted to a graduate program in an upcoming term, you can find information about some instructional fees here.

Note that at the moment, fees are available for students in the Fall 2021 cohort (those entering programs in the Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 terms).

If you are hoping to enroll at a later date, please use these figures as a general guideline knowing that instructional fees for later terms are subject to change.

In addition, please note that fees for only some programs and courses are provided at this link, as various others have non-standard fee structures. If you are unsure about whether your program has non-standard fees, or whether a particular course has non-standard fees, please consult the department that offers it (this non-standard fees list, while helpful, may not be comprehensive).

For more information, contact grad.fees@ualberta.ca.

(2) Estimating Non-Instructional Fees

If you are a student admitted to a graduate program in Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022 or Summer 2022, you can find information about non-instructional fees here.

Note that at the moment, fees are available for the Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 terms.

If you are hoping to enroll at a later date, please use these figures as a general guideline knowing that non-instructional fees for later terms are subject to change.

(3) Estimating the Cost of Living in Edmonton (Not Included in U of A Fee Assessments)

Please note that this estimate is a guideline. Living costs vary greatly based on the type of accommodation, whether you are sharing accommodation with roommates, and your overall standard of living. All figures are in Canadian dollars (CAD) and they exclude tuition costs.

Single Adult Two Adults, One Child*
Item Monthly Annually (September to August) Monthly Annually (September to August)
Housing $900 - $1,200 (one bedroom) $10,800 - $14,400 $1,400 - $2,000 (3-bedroom house) $16,800 - $24,000
Utilities $240 - $450 $2,880 - $5,400 $240 - $450 $2,880 - $5,400
Internet & mobile phone $170 $2,040 $240 $2,880
Food $200 - $300 $2,400 - $3,600 $550 - $650 $6,600 - $7,800
Clothing - $500 + $200 for winter clothing - $1,500 + $600 for winter clothing
Transportation (Bus) Included in student fees (U-Pass program) Included in student fees (U-Pass program) $95 for the second adult + $70 for the child $1,140 for the second adult + $840 for the child
Educational Supplies** - $1,600 - $1,600
Child Care and School Fees - - $1,000 $12,000
Recreation $75 $900 $200 $2,400
Cost of Living Total (excluding tuition)
$1,585 - $2,195 $21,320 - $28,640 $3,795 - $4,705 $49,240 - $60,160

For more thorough information and sources for the information above, CLICK HERE

* One graduate student, one additional adult, and one child under 12 years of age in full-time child care.

** Not included in graduate tuition and mandatory fees.

All cost estimates are in Canadian dollars (CAD).

Please note that the costs above are estimates only. The amounts are based on sources from 2016-2017 and are intended to serve only as a general guideline. Actual costs will vary according to many factors such as personal preference, household type, vendor, and more. For precise cost information, please contact vendors (e.g. landlords, mobile companies, bookstores, etc.) directly to confirm pricing.


For additional questions about fees, please contact grad.fees@ualberta.ca.