Financial Planning
The pursuit of higher education comes with its costs, but we’re here to remind you there are financial aid, supports and resources that can help offset some of those costs.
We know every student is unique with their own life circumstances, and so has different financial needs from their peers. You may already know the differences between scholarships, awards, bursaries and loans—and if you don’t, then you’ve come to the right place—but these are only one part of the equation. Have you ever explored supplemental sources of income? Or tried estimating your costs per term, to help you budget for the school year? This is the place to start.
We'll guide you through the financial paths you can take on your educational journey!
Our financial aids and supports
Learn about the different financial aid and support options you'll have access to at SFU. Go
Your income opportunities
Explore ways to finance your education with income opportunities through SFU. Go
Know your costs
Understand the differences between the fixed and variable costs you'll typically incur. Go
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Our financial aid and supports
Learn about the different financial aid and support options you'll have access to at SFU.
Your income opportunities
Explore ways to finance your education with income opportunities through SFU.
Know your costs
Understand the differences between the fixed and variable costs you'll typically incur.
Undergraduate cost calculator
Punch in some numbers in our calculator to determine an estimate of your costs and to budget your term. Go
Speak to an Advisor
Connect with a Financial Aid Advisor over the phone, or schedule a 30-minute in-person or remote advising session with them. Go
Undergraduate cost calculator
Punch in some numbers in our calculator to determine an estimate of your costs and to budget your term.
Speak to an Advisor
Connect with a Financial Aid Advisor over the phone, or schedule a 30-minute advising session with them.
You can find opportunities to fund your education through a variety of scholarships, awards and bursaries available to all eligible SFU students. Different financial resources have different eligibility requirements, so take some time to explore your options below!
Scholarships
Scholarships are awarded to students in recognition of their outstanding academic achievements and are available to Canadian and international students.
Awards
Awards recognize leadership, athletic achievements, contributions or involvement in the community, and are available to Canadian and international students.
Bursaries
Bursaries provide a supplemental source of funding to students with demonstrated financial need and are available to Canadian and international students.
STUDENT LOANS & GRANTS
Students enrolled in eligible programs can apply to a variety of government assistance options, including student loans and student grants (non-repayable funding).
US students
Several financial assistance options, including US Federal Direct Loans and US Veterans Affairs benefits are available to US students studying in Canada.
Canadian Indigenous Students
Additional financial assistance opportunities are available to students who identify as "Indigenous peoples of Canada" (specifically to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit).
Students with Disabilities
Students with documented disabilities may be eligible for financial aid and additional grants and/or bursaries available through the federal and provincial governments.
Youth in Care
If you are living – or have lived – as a youth in care in BC, you may qualify for financial support to cover some of the costs of your education.
Scholarships
Scholarships are awarded to students in recognition of their outstanding academic achievements and are available to Canadian and international students.
Awards
Awards are given to students in recognition of their leadership, social or athletic achievements, or contributions and involvement in the community; awards are available to Canadian and international students.
Bursaries
Bursaries provide funding to students with demonstrated financial need and are available to Canadian and international students.
STUDENT LOANS & GRANTS
Students enrolled in eligible programs can apply to a variety of government assistance, including student loans and grants (non-repayable funding).
Canadian Indigenous Students
Additional financial assistance opportunities are available to students who identify as "Indigenous peoples of Canada" (specifically to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples).
Students with Disabilities
Students with a disability may be eligible for additional grants and/or bursaries available through the federal and provincial governments.
Did you know?
OPEN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CURRENT STUDENTS
Each term, the Undergraduate Open Scholarship recognizes and supports undergraduate students who are highly qualified academically. No application is required—all current students are eligible!
ENTRANCE AID FOR FUTURE STUDENTS
Entrance scholarships, entrance awards and entrance bursaries all support new undergraduate students entering SFU. Each type of aid recognizes different achievements or needs, with varying levels of academic requirements. Find out which ones you’re eligible for!
Paid opportunities on campus or through Co-op can earn you supplemental income that you can use towards funding your education or necessities in your lifestyle. They’re also ways to gain valuable experience and make connections across the SFU community.
Work-Study
The Work-Study Program gives students with financial needs the opportunity to work in their field and participate in research-based projects that are offered part-time and on-campus.
Co-Op
Co-operative Education integrates academic study with relevant, work experience in the field, such as business, industry, government, not-for-profit and community-based organizations.
Jobs on Campus
Various opportunities are offered on campus, from teaching and research assistant positions to producing for SFU’s media platforms, to retail positions at the SFU Bookstore or around UniverCity, to name a few.
Budgeting is an essential, yet often-overlooked step in a student’s educational journey. To properly budget for expenses as an undergraduate student, you should consider of the various costs you might incur during your university years.
We suggest you take a few moments to think about the most obvious—and not so obvious—costs in your daily life before you start using the budget calculator in the next section.
Fixed costs vs variable costs—what's the difference?
Fixed costs are expenses that don’t change very often. But when they do, it usually happens over time due to inflation or other economic factors beyond your control. With that in mind, you can more or less expect to pay the same amount month-by-month or term-by-term over the next year or two. Compared to variable costs, you can think of fixed costs as somewhat “non-negotiable” in terms of how they fit in your life as a student.
Examples of your fixed costs:
- Tuition – Varies with your program of study and department, plus the number of courses you take that term.
- Student fees – e.g. Student Services, Student Activity, Recreation-Athletics fees
- Housing – e.g. off-campus rent or SFU Residence fees (plus meal plan), renter's insurance
- Fixed utilities – e.g. mobile, internet, cable TV or streaming services
- Fixed transportation – e.g. transit fares (including U-Pass or monthly passes), parking pass, car insurance
Variable costs are expenses that can vary each month, and depending on your personal consumption for that period, can go up or down with less predictability. It’s easy for anyone to underestimate the money spent here and there, but it can quickly add up. The good news is, with proper budgeting and sticking to a financial game plan, you can not only predict but also cover these costs.
Examples of your variable costs:
- Textbooks + school supplies – This varies with each course; plus, the number of courses you take that term.
- Documents - e.g. student visa, study permit, travel insurance, English language proficiency tests and other documentation
- Variable utilities – e.g. gas, heat, electricity or hydro
- Food – e.g. groceries, dining out, meal subscriptions, delivery app fees
- Health + wellbeing – e.g. gym memberships and fitness classes, mental health care, personal care
- Transportation – e.g. gas, car maintenance and repairs, bike tune-ups
- Shopping – e.g. clothing, electronics, furniture and houseware, gifts
- Entertainment – e.g. social activities, events
- Travel – e.g. ticket fares, accommodation, tour package fees
- Pets – e.g. food, pet care, vet visits, pet insurance
As you can see, variable costs cover all areas of your life; some are essential to your health and wellbeing, including food, while many others fall under “wants” or “nice-to-haves” rather than “needs”. Considering all your fixed and variable costs together, try to think about the things you can and can’t do without when budgeting for your undergraduate studies.
bulb-61 Food for thought
Food security is a real concern for many university students, since food and grocery expenses can quickly add up. Take advantage of these on-campus resources to alleviate some of your food-related costs:
- SFSS Food Bank Program
The food bank program gives food bank vouchers redeemable at certain locations to students in need, once per term. - Embark Sustainability's Food Rescue
The Food Rescue program champions food justice and reduction of food waste by redistributing items to SFU students for free or by donation. - SFU Food Pantry
The pantry is a food bank for students in need of emergency food and hygiene supplies, made possible through a network of local charities across the Lower Mainland. - SFU Community Free Fridge
The Free Fridge is a low-barrier and nonjudgmental way for you to access food and reduce food waste. Think of those little free libraries you see around town—but with food! - SFU Student Meal Plans
Meal plans offer a convenient and cost-effective way for you to get fresh meals daily, with a variety of plans to suit your dietary needs. Did we mention it’s all-you-can-eat?
Now that you’ve had some time to think about your fixed and variable costs, it’s time to crunch the numbers! Remember, this undergraduate cost calculator only provides an estimate of your expenses per term (four months) and isn’t meant to compute exact figures down to the cent. Take your time to fill in your answers—the more information you provide, the more representative the results will be of your expenses in reality.
If this is your first term at SFU, you may want consider adding technology costs if you need to purchase a tablet or laptop to support your studies. You may also want to consider travel costs if you live away from home and plan to go back and visit once per term.
This calculator is based on 2024/2025 tuition and fees and will be updated in June 2025 with 2025/2026 tuition and fees.
Use this as a starting point in managing your financial expectations, as you plan your undergraduate studies at SFU on a term-by-term basis.
Did you know?
One option available to students facing financial difficulty during university is the Tuition Payment Plan. Your account will be considered in financially good standing for the term signed up, and 2% monthly interest will be applied to the outstanding balance.
TIP #1:
Think about some of the examples of fixed and variable costs in the section listed above to paint a more representative picture of your expenses per term.
TIP #2:
Don't forget to look for student pricing when signing up for video or music streaming services, or student discounts when attending events or buying apps/software and computer equipment. Student banking services and credit cards also exist, so do a bit of research when shopping around for anything!
TIP #3:
As an SFU student, you have access to many on-campus services and supports for your personal wellbeing at no extra cost, such as the Rec Centre and Health & Counselling. For your academic wellbeing, check out the Student Learning Commons!
Call or Email Us
SFU's Financial Aid and Awards Advisors can respond to your questions about government-issued student financial assistance, as well as questions you may have about SFU-based bursaries, scholarships, awards and other funding opportunities. For inquiries:
- Call us at 778 782 6930 from Monday to Friday, 10:00 am - 12:30 pm and 1:30 - 3:30 pm
- Email us at fiassist@sfu.ca
You can also schedule an appointment with one of our Advisors for a more in-depth advising session.