According to Statistics Canada, over the past decade, the average annual increase in tuition fees for Canadian full-time students in undergraduate programs was 4.4 per cent. Undergraduate students paid an average of $4,724 in tuition fees for the 2008-09 academic year. Graduate students paid an average of $5,777 in tuition fees in 2008-09. Additional compulsory fees for athletics, student health services, and student associations have also increased to almost $700. In addition, other costs to students can include accommodation, food, transport, books, and leisure spending, and may extend to family financial responsibilities
The provincial and territorial governments are concerned about access to postsecondary education and how the costs of postsecondary education impact who is able to attend and who is able to complete PSE studies.
CMEC has been conducting research on the affordability of postsecondary education:
- The 2007 CMEC document, Literature review of postsecondary education affordability in Canada, details the influence of income and education background on the participation of youth in postsecondary education, how postsecondary education is funded, perceptions of the costs and benefits of PSE, and accessibility by under-represented groups.
A report, A closer look at the expectations of high school students, examining the question of who does not pursue postsecondary education is being finalized for release in the next few months.