Canadian students at the University of Alberta and at post-secondary institutions across the province won't face rising tuition costs next year, as the Government of Alberta has announced that they are extending the tuition freeze for the 2018-19 academic year. Tuition rates were initially frozen in 2014, and will remain consistent until the end of the academic year in 2019. The freeze applies to mandatory non-instructional fees, which means that no new or increased fees can be levied by the University of Alberta.

This year, the provincial government has committed to provide up to $17 million in backfill funding to post-secondary institutions, intended to compensate for lost tuition revenue. This ensure that students should receive the same quality of education and services on campuses across the province. The province estimates that students beginning their studies in 2018 in a program with an average tuition rate will see savings of approximately $1,500 over the course of a four-year degree thanks to the tuition freeze.

“This is an important step in ensuring that post-secondary education remains affordable for all students,” said Reed Larsen, VP External of the University of Alberta Students’ Union and the chair of the Council of Alberta University Students. “We’re very pleased with the extension of the tuition freeze for another year, and the additional funding means that students’ quality of education will be protected.”

The extension of the tuition freeze comes as the Government of Alberta continues work on its tuition review, which began in 2016. The results of the tuition review are expected to be announced in the new year, and will result in new policies governing how tuition and fees are regulated going forward.

While the continued feeze ensures that education costs will remain stable for domestic students, the freeze does not apply to international students. . Since tuition was first frozen at the 2014-15 levels, international student tuition has increased by seven per cent, significantly outpacing inflation. Alberta’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by only three per cent in the same time period.

“International students still feel that they have been forgotten,” said Marina Banister, president of the University of Alberta Students’ Union. “International student have been left out of the equation. Since the freeze, their tuition has increased to help balance the University’s books. Students are advocating that the tuition regulation be moved into legislation, and is expanded to include international student tuition.”

The Students' Union continues to advocate for a sustainable tuition model that keeps tuition affordable and accessible for all students, both domestic and international.