How much does a year of high school in Canada cost?

Cost is usually the first thing families want to pin down, and it depends mainly on whether you choose a public school district or a private school, and on where the student lives.

• Public district tuition: Published full-year tuition for secondary students across 105 public school districts ranges from CAD 9,500 to CAD 18,500 (Canada High Schools school database, October 2026).
• Homestay: Among districts that publish a monthly homestay fee, it ranges from about CAD 830 to CAD 1,600, with a median of about CAD 1,150. A ten-month school year at the median is about CAD 11,500.
• Private schools: Private schools on this site charge about CAD 18,400 to 45,200 for tuition only, and about CAD 34,450 to 88,100 with boarding. CAIS-accredited boarding runs about CAD 75,200 to 105,200.
• Working estimate: Public tuition plus ten months of homestay comes to roughly CAD 18,000 to 35,000 before application fees, insurance, flights and personal spending. This is our arithmetic from published fees, not an official figure.
• Yearly changes: Schools set new fees each year. Always confirm the current fee schedule with the district or school before you budget.

Please note: Fee ranges come from the Canada High Schools school database, October 2026, and are updated periodically.

Official sources: CAPS-I: Accommodation for international students · CAPS-I: Standards of Practice · Toronto Catholic DSB: International tuition fees

More questions on this topic

• Are public high schools free for international students?
• What extra costs are there beyond tuition, such as insurance, uniforms and materials?
• Are scholarships available to international high school students?
• How much do accommodation and living expenses cost per year?
• Can fees be paid in instalments, or must they be paid in full up front?
• How does the refund policy work if an application or acceptance is cancelled?

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