Financial Info

Planning Your Budget

You may wonder how much a year at university will cost! While expenditures at university will vary by student, the chart below will give you a general idea for a typical McMaster student. This budget estimates tuition, residence room and meal plan costs in the on-campus example, and expenses for a shared three-bedroom apartment in the off-campus living example.

Check the links in the chart for more detailed information
  At Home (Local) At Home (Commuter) On-Campus Off-Campus
Tuition Fees
$6,020**
$6,020**
$6,020**
$6,020**
Accommodation
$0
$0
$4,445
$3,665***
Food (Meals)
$900
$900
$3,000
$2,650
Books and Supplies
$1,215
$1,215
$1215
$1215
Personal Expenses
$1,000
$1,000
$1,000
$1,000
Transportation
$0*
$2,100
$0*
$0*
Entertainment
$1,000
$1,000
$1,000
$1,000
Total
$10,135
$12,235
$16, 690
$15, 650

* a Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) bus pass is included as part of the student's supplementary fees.
** tuition fees including all supplementary fees, for 2008/09 range from $5,582 - $7,748 for Canadian students and from $13,693 - $20,611 for visa students
*** based on shared living expenses

Entrance Scholarships

Honour Awards

  • automatic award (does not require a separate application)
  • based on final admission average
  • students completing their high school credentials in Canada or Canadian citizens/Permanent Residents completing high school outside of Canada are eligible for these awards provided that they meet the academic critieria

Bursaries

Bursaries are granted on the basis of financial need, and are available to all registered McMaster students who apply and qualify.

  • our online bursary application is available during the fall of your first year
  • a bursary is a grant which does not require repayment
  • students must apply to OSAP (or other government loans) prior to applying for bursary funds

Working on Campus

Finding part-time employment on campus is a great way to offset some of your university expenses. At McMaster, we offer our students a wide range of opportunities to earn a few extra dollars as well as gain valuable work experience.

  • more than 670 jobs on campus.
  • employment available in over 100 departments across campus
  • positions range from administrative support, customer service and athletic coordinators to research support
  • Fall/Winter application available online beginning August 1
  • average salary is $9 - $10 per hour

Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)

last updated October 2008