Hey students! Want $1,500 back? Filing your taxes could literally pay for your next semester.

Being a student in Canada is expensive. 

Tuition, groceries, rent, textbooks, iced coffee (no judgment)… It all adds up FAST. And with most grads saying it’s tougher than ever to land that first “real” job, every dollar matters.

Here’s the good news: most Canadian students actually get money back when they file their taxes. Like… real money.

H&R Block crunched the numbers, and guess what? Over 80% of students got a refund last year and the average student refund was almost $1,500. ^*

Yes. One. Thousand. Five. Hundred. Dollars.
Imagine what you could do with that… textbooks, rent, groceries, spring break, or just finally replacing that laptop that sounds like a jet engine.

So, if you’ve ever thought, “I don’t make much money, do I even need to file?”
The answer is: YES. 

Because filing is how you unlock all your student credits and benefits. Let’s break down the biggest ones, in actual human language.

Student tax credits in Canada: What to claim for a bigger refund.
 

1. Federal Tuition Tax Credit.
This is the big one — and it’s yours even if you made zero dollars last year.

You can claim:

• Tuition fees of $100+
• Fees for skill-development courses from certified institutions
• Exam fees for professional/trade occupations
• And if you don’t use the full credit? Carry it forward or transfer up to $5,000 to a parent/grandparent/partner.

Pro tip: Grab your T2202 form from your school’s portal (usually posted late February).

2. Canada Training Credit (Ages 25–65).
If you’re a mature student, this one’s for you.

• 2025 limit: $1,250
• It’s refundable, meaning you can get the cash even if you owe zero tax
• Just check your 2024 Notice of Assessment to see your personal limit

You can claim this and the tuition credit together, but the training credit reduces how much tuition credit you can carry forward or transfer.
 

3. Provincial Tuition Credits.
Still available in:

• BC, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, NWT, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, PEI, Yukon, Quebec.
• If you’re studying in one of these places, claim it!

4. Student Loan Interest Credit.
Still paying interest on eligible student loans?
You can claim it — and carry forward unused amounts for five years.
 

5. Student Disability Tax Credit.
If you (or your parents, if they claim you as a dependent) qualify for the disability tax credit, you may also be able to claim a student disability credit. More credits = less tax owed.
 

6. Childcare expenses.
You can claim:

• Daycare
• Babysitters
• Summer camps
• Approved childcare services

If childcare helped you attend class, it may be deductible.
 

7. Moving expenses.
Full-time student who moved 40 km+ to attend school?
You might be able to claim:

• Travel
• Storage
• Temporary living costs
• Transportation
• Other relocation expenses

Keep those receipts!
You can check out this blog to learn more about claiming moving expenses: Moving expenses in Canada (2026): What you can claim, what you can't, and how your move affects your taxes.

8. Scholarships, grants & bursaries.
Great news: a lot of this income is tax-free.
The rules differ depending on full-time vs part-time status, so check before filing.

What you need before filing.
Start collecting:

• T2202 (school portal)
• T4 (if you worked)
• Scholarship or bursary statements
• Student loan interest statements
• Receipts for tuition, childcare, moving, exam fees, etc.

Don’t wait until April 29 at midnight when the filing panic hits.
(We’ve all been there. It’s not fun.)

Pro tip: Download our handy tax checklist to help you prepare.
 

Frequently asked questions.