Why Halton District School Board?
Families looking for a secular public school near Toronto with a wide range of academic choices consider this board. It serves Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville, and sits between Toronto and Niagara Falls. It has about 67,000 students across its 90 elementary and 18 secondary schools.
- Academic variety: Suited to students who want IB, AP and a broad pool of electives.
- Experienced program: Suited to families who want a board with a long history of hosting international students. The program has run continuously for more than twenty years.
- ESL need: Suited to students who start with language support and then move into regular academic classes.
Reasons: experience, broad course choice and an all-inclusive fee
- Established program: The international program started in 2002, so admission, placement and follow-up processes are well developed.
- IB and AP: Both are offered, so students can choose the academic route that matches their target university. French Immersion and Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs are also available.
- Full ESL program: Seven schools run a complete ESL program, so students with developing English are placed in an appropriate school.
- Electives: Courses include accounting, entrepreneurship, marketing, computer animation, web design and robotics. Students can also choose theatre, visual arts, music, home economics and technical education.
- Foreign languages: French, German and Spanish are taught, so students can add a third language alongside English. Core subjects are mathematics, science, English, social studies and history.
- All-inclusive fee: The application fee and annual health insurance are included in tuition, so families face no surprise charges.
- 16 secondary schools: International students are accepted at 16 high schools, so school choice can be based on where the student will live with a host family. Sports and visual arts programs also run at these schools.
Cost analysis: what one school year costs
| Item | CAD | As published on CAPS-I |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition, one school year | 17,575 | $17,575 |
| Application fee | 0 / included | included in Tuition |
| Health insurance | 0 / included | included in Tuition |
| Homestay, full year | see text | Please contact Canada Homestay Network, Educatius, Silong International Education Services |
| Total of the published items, without homestay | 17,575 | Homestay is priced by the homestay provider and is not included in this total. |
Tuition alone works out to about CAD 1,758 per school month over a 10-month year. Flights, pocket money, the study permit fee and biometrics are not included.
The tuition figure comes from the district's CAPS-I page. We could not confirm it, or the school year it applies to, on the district's own website on 11 October 2026; we request the current fee schedule for you before you apply.
The other items are taken from the district's CAPS-I member page, read on 11 October 2026. Items shown as "see text" could not be read as a single amount and are left out of the total.
How this fee compares
At CAD 17,575, this fee is CAD 2,075 above the median of CAD 15,500 among 32 public school districts in Ontario.
Outcome: a university-oriented high school education with wide choice
- Personalized course plan: Students can build a schedule around business, computing, arts or technical courses.
- Strong preparation: IB or AP courses document academic level for university applications. Full-year and single-semester options are available, and students from Grade 1 to Grade 12 can be admitted to the international program.
- Predictable fees: Annual tuition is CAD 17,575, and a single semester costs CAD 8,787.50. Both figures include the application fee and insurance, so families see school-related costs as one line item.
- Broad community: About 380 international students attend, so students make friends from many countries. The nearest airport is Toronto Pearson International Airport.
Who it suits and what to consider
- Cost: Tuition is among the highest in this group of boards. Homestay and guardianship fees are separate and are quoted by providers such as Canada Homestay Network. Families should confirm the current fee with the school before applying. The board also names Educatius and Silong International Education Services as providers.
- Entry rule: Full-year students can only start in September. February entry is for semester students only.
- Early application: The deadline is April 30 for September and September 30 for February. Visa timing must be planned in advance. A Study Permit is required for studies longer than six months and is issued by IRCC. Secondary school study is exempt from the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL). Students under 17 who arrive without a parent must have a guardian appointed in Canada.
Let us discuss which Halton high school suits your child. Book a free preliminary consultation with Canadian Edu Centre.