Tuition Tax Credit: Full Explanation of the T2202 Form
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June 25, 2021
7 min
In This Article
We understand that taxes can be confusing for everyone, especially students who have less to no experience filing them. That’s why we’ve made it easy for you by including all of the must-know information about the T2202 form in one short and sweet article. Whether you want to know how much you can claim now as a current student, or you’re thinking about your future self, this information will help you.
Wondering if you’re eligible for the tuition tax credit? Read along as we break down the eligibility criteria for the tuition credit so you can learn more about how to apply, how much you will receive and how it all works.
Tuition Tax Credit Canada
Before applying for the tuition tax credit or asking any questions about it, it’s important to understand what exactly the tuition tax credit is in Canada. The tuition tax credit is a credit you receive from your university that you can use to help your tax bill when you file a tax return.
You will receive an official tax form each year from your university or college showing the amount you paid for that year. This amount is then used to calculate the tax credits you can claim on your tax return.
What is a T2202?
The T2202 is a federal tax form that is for the use of eligible students who paid tuition and fees for their education. The form is used to calculate how much they are able to claim on their income tax return. This form may cover the amount paid for tuition, books and education-related expenses.
Eligibility – How Does Tuition Tax Credit Work
If you are a student enrolled in postsecondary education at any Designated Educational Institution in Canada and over the age of 16, you can claim the tuition tax credit. So typically any student who is a high school graduate and continuing their education is eligible as well as schools outside of Canada as long as their study lasts three weeks or longer.
If you are employed and your employer pays or reimburses any part of your tuition, you are no longer eligible for this tax credit. This rule also applies to parents’ employers who pay for their children’s education.
The last important part of eligibility is if you have what is considered to be an eligible course load. What’s considered to be an eligible course load is post-secondary education. If you are taking post-secondary courses but also have high school equivalency classes on the go, you will not be able to claim for the high school equivalency classes.
Student Tax Credit Canada – How much money will you get?
Since the tuition tax credit is a non-refundable credit, if you owe any taxes on any income you’ve earned, the credit may help to reduce your tax bill but it may not generate a refund. If you aren’t able to use the full credit, the remaining amount will be carried forward to the future tax year or transferred to an eligible family member.
Unused Tuition and Education Amounts
Tuition Carry Forward
If you don’t have any taxes to claim and the tuition fees you can carry them forward to use for the following year.
Tuition Transfer
After you claim your tuition fees, if there is a remaining, unused balance, you can choose to transfer the current year’s amount to someone else. There are guidelines that must be followed that permit who you can transfer this remaining balance to.
You may transfer it to:
- Your spouse or common-law partner
- Your parent or grandparent
- Your spouses or common-law partner’s parent or grandparent
A maximum of $5,000 of the current year’s tuition amount can be transferred to reduce the amount of tax owing.
How to Claim Tuition Tax Credit
To claim your tuition tax credit you must have one of the following forms which is provided by your educational institution:
- Form T2202, Tuition and Enrolment Certificate
- Form TL11A, Tuition and Enrolment Certificate – University Outside Canada
- Form TL11C, Tuition and Enrolment Certificate – Commuter to the United States
- Form TL11D, Tuition Fees Certificate – Educational Institutions Outside Canada for a Deemed Resident of Canada
If you do not receive one of these forms from your institution you should contact them to see if they can provide them to you. The only alternative is you may receive an official tax receipt that reflects all of the fees you have paid.
International Student Tax Return in Canada
If you’re an international student that is studying in Canada, you might have to file a tax return if you are considered a resident of Canada. This would also mean that you would also be eligible for the tuition tax credit in the same way that any other student is.
The process you need to follow for filing a return depends on your residency status. You may be considered a newcomer to Canada, a non-resident of Canada, deemed resident or deemed non-resident.
Can I claim the tuition tax credit?
You can claim the tuition tax credit if you have paid tuition for school that was taken at a post-secondary institution and are over the age of 16. What you are studying must also be certified by the Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada.
You cannot claim the credit if:
- Your tuition was paid or reimbursed by your employer or your parent’s employer.
- Your fees were paid by a federal, provincial or territorial job training program.
- Your fees were paid under a federal program to help athletes.
How do I claim last year’s tuition tax credit?
In order to claim tuition tax credit, you must have an official tax receipt or a completed T2202 form. If you paid less than $100 for the year to any particular educational institution that is not able to be claimed.
You may claim tuition costs, books, room and board, transportation or any other student association fees. These cannot be claimed by your parents.
Why can’t I claim my tuition on my taxes?
You may not be able to claim tuition on your taxes if you don’t meet the eligibility requirements of:
- You have paid tuition for school that was taken at a post-secondary institution
- Are over the age of 16.
- What you are studying must also be certified by the Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada.
The tax credit is also non-refundable which means you can’t create a refund out of tuition tax credits. The amount you receive can only go towards the taxes you paid. Any additional or unused amount will be carried forward to the next tax year.
Tuition Tax Credit Canada Calculator
It’s easy to calculate your tuition tax credit. All you do is multiply the total amount of tuition you paid on the receipt or tax form you received by the federal tax credit rate – for 2020 that is 15%. You also receive a provincial tax credit depending on where you live. This ranges between 4% to 15%. The combination of these calculations is the amount you will receive in the credit.
Studying at Robertson College
Whether you attended school this past year, or are looking for a new program, Robertson College is a great career college that offers a variety of different programs. Robertson’s tuition is also eligible for the tuition tax credit, so you can complete a program quickly and still receive the benefit.
Robertson offers a wide variety of programs according to different categories including:
There is sure to be a program that is right for you and aligns with your career goals. By offering different ways to learn, it’s easy for anyone to attend Robertson.
At Robertson, our goal is to provide you with the best education to prepare you for life in the workforce as quickly as possible. We understand that people are eager to kickstart their careers and work so they can provide for themselves and their families as quickly as possible. Our programs are comprehensive and quick so we can get you working quickly.
