Immigration Status
Students belonging to the categories described below are eligible to pay domestic tuition fees. If you belong to one of these categories, you must present official documentation to Enrolment Services, Office of Registrarial Services. Refer to the table below for the required documentation. To effect a change of fees in a particular semester, the documentation must be presented to Enrolment Services prior to:
- June 30 for the Summer Semester
- November 1 for the Fall Semester
- February 1 for the Winter Semester
Exceptions to deadlines will not be permitted. Retroactive fee changes for previous study periods will not be granted.
Documentation for Fall 2026 must be submitted after Fall course selection in July. All documents must be valid for the duration of the term in which you are requesting domestic fees. Employer's letters must be dated on or after July 1, 2026.
Please allow 15 business days for the review of submitted documentation. Documentation may be submitted in person, or by email from your University of Guelph email address to es@uoguelph.ca.
Eligible Groups and Required Documentation
| Category | Description of Eligible Group | Documentation Required |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian citizen | A citizen of Canada within the meaning of the Citizenship Act. | Valid passport or birth certificate |
| Dependent of a Canadian citizen | A dependent (see definition) of a citizen of Canada within the meaning of the Citizenship Act. | 1. Original passport of the Canadian Citizen 2. Birth certificate of the student 3. Passport of the student 4. Study permit of the student |
| Permanent resident | A permanent resident within the meaning of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, i.e. a person who has been granted "permanent resident" status and has not had that status revoked. | Permanent resident card or Confirmation of Permanent residence paperwork along with valid government photo ID |
| Dependent of a permanent resident | A dependent (see definition) of a permanent resident within the meaning of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, i.e. a person who has been granted "permanent resident" status and has not had that status revoked. | 1. Permanent Residency Card of the permanent resident and associated documents 2. Birth certificate of the student 3. Passport of the student 4. Study permit of the student |
| Person who has been approved “in-principle” for permanent resident status in Canada | As determined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, a person who is eligible for immigration to Canada or who meets the eligibility requirements to apply for permanent resident status in Canada. | 1. Passport of the student 2. “Approval-in-Principle” letter from IRCC |
| Dependent of a person who has been approved “in-principle” for permanent resident status in Canada | A dependent (see definition) of a person who is eligible for immigration to Canada or who meets the eligibility requirements to apply for permanent resident status in Canada (as determined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada). | 1. Passport of the person who has been approved “In principle” for permanent resident status 2. “Approval-in-Principle” letter from IRCC 3. Birth certificate of the student 4. Passport of the student 5. Study permit of the student |
| Visitor with a work permit | A person who is authorized to work in Canada, having been issued a work permit. Refer to the exclusions for this category. | 1. Passport of the student 2. Valid employer-specific work permit 3. Letter from employer 4. Study permit of the student |
| Dependent of a visitor with a work permit | A dependent (see definition) of a person who is authorized to work in Canada, having been issued a work permit. Refer to the exclusions for this category. | 1. Passport of the visitor with the work permit 2. Valid employer-specific work permit 3. Letter from employer 4. Birth certificate of the student 5. Passport of the student 6. Study permit of the student |
| Visitor with diplomatic status | A visitor who is admitted to and remaining in Canada with official accreditation from the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, who has entered Canada, or is in Canada, to carry out her/his official duties as: a) a diplomatic or consular officer; b) a Canadian government-accredited representative or official of a country other than Canada, of the United Nations or any of its agencies, of any intergovernmental organizations of which Canada is a member; c) a member of the staff of a diplomat, consular officer, representative or official accredited to Canada by the Canadian government; or d) a member of a foreign military force or of a civilian component; thereof admitted to Canada under the Visiting Forces Act. | 1. Passport of the student 2. Proof of diplomatic status |
| Dependent of a visitor with diplomatic status | A dependent (see definition) of a diplomat, consular officer, representative or official accredited to Canada by the Canadian government. | 1. Passport of the visitor with diplomatic status 2. Proof of diplomatic status 3. Birth certificate of the student 4. Passport of the student |
| Convention refugee (protected person) | A person who has been determined to be a protected person, including a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection, within the meaning of subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) or the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. | 1. Passport of the student 2. Notice of Decision issued by the Immigration and Refugee Board |
Dependent of a Convention refugee (protected person)
| A dependent (see definition) of a person who has been determined to be a protected person, including a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection, within the meaning of subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) or the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. | 1. Passport of the protected person 2. Notice of Decision issued by the Immigration and Refugee Board 3. Birth certificate of the student 4. Passport of the student 5. Study permit of the student |
| Native American, Alaskan Native or Native Hawaiian | A person who possesses a Native American, Alaskan Native or Native Hawaiian citizenship document from tribes that are state or federally recognized. | Native American, Alaskan Native or Native Hawaiian citizenship document |
Please note: We may request additional documentation and all submitted documents may be verified with the issuer (e.g., IRCC).
Additional definitions:
Dependents:
- a spouse;
- a common-law partner (to verify common-law status, an affidavit signed by both spouses, confirming that they are living together in a conjugal relationship for not less than three years, or that they are living together in a conjugal relationship and are raising any children of whom they both are the natural or adoptive parent, is required);
- a dependent child or the dependent child of a spouse or common-law partner; or
- a dependent child of the dependent child referred to above.
Dependent Children:
A dependent child is a child who is a biological child who has not been adopted by a person other than the spouse or common-law partner, or an adopted child; and who is in one of the following situations of dependency:
- under age 22 and not a spouse or common-law partner;
- enrolled continuously at a college, university or other educational institution and dependent substantially on the financial support of the parent since before age 22 or since becoming a spouse or common-law partner if that occurred before age 22; or
- a person with a disability who has been financially supported substantially by his or her parents, and who is unable to be self-supporting because of the disability.
Exclusions for visitors with a work permit and their dependents
The following students are excluded from the categories of visitors with a work permit and their dependents, and are not therefore eligible to pay domestic tuition fees:
- a visitor who is a graduate teaching assistant;
- an international student holding a work permit to complete his/her co-op, internship or medical residency employment;
- an international student holding an open work permit for post-graduate work (usually for up to three years of work opportunities upon graduation);
- an international student whose spouse or common-law partner has received a work permit as a result of the international student holding a valid Study Permit; and
- an international student holding an “Off-Campus Work Permit”.