Come fall 2025, UCalgary’s tuition is set to increase, a new financial aid program will continue, and student residences will be full—but the campus will be relatively unchanged.

According to the University of Calgary, tuition for domestic undergraduates and masters students will increase by two per cent.

International tuition will increase by four per cent, while thesis-based tuition will not change in 2025-26.

In a news release from UCalgary on the increases, Board of Governors Chair Mark Herman said that the increases were approved after careful consideration.

“The University of Calgary maintains rates in line or below those of other post-secondary institutions across the country,” Herman said.

A general fee increase for student services, campus recreation, and athletics was also approved at four per cent.

Among the changes to help with rising post-secondary costs is the new, First Generation Scholars Program. The program allows for students who are the first in their family to attend post secondary school to receive financial aid and access to a mentorship program.

“This is a really, really critical program as eligible students receive $2,500 towards their first year tuition. In addition, there is a support program. So, it’s not just about financial support, it’s about providing mentorship, networking events and academic advising to those first generation students,” said Verity Turpin, Vice-Provost of Student Experience at UCalgary.

Cost of living and studying going up at UCalgary

She said a main talking point for students was that increase in the cost of attending UCalgary, and in affording to live while studying.

“One of the things that the University of Calgary has done, and last year was our first and inaugural year, we have opened a campus food hub,” she said.

Similar to pre-existing on campus food banks, the Campus Food Hub provides students more affordable alternatives for food. The food hub also allows students to support students, according to Turpin, with the hub hosting a variety of  social events and relying on an extensive volunteer base.

“We had 77 student volunteers that put in over about 1100 hours last year in supporting other students, and so the food hub looks at increasing food access, improved food literacy, and also making important partnerships and collaborations off campus,” she said.

The food hub is located on-campus in Crowsnest Hall, said Turpin.

In terms of engaging with students, Turpin said the school hosted its inaugural student think tank, LINK. It’s an event meant for students to engage with topics and provide specific and general feedback to the school.

“When I talk about the intention of listening, we have all of these programs and support services but often students don’t know about them, and we have to have a mechanism for listening to make sure that our programs and services remain relevant,” she said.

As of July 23, the school’s on campus housing was full, with a 183-person wait list. In a statement, the university said they would continue to manage the waitlist over the next month as there would be cancellations and offers going to students as a result.

Meal plan rates for students are also set to increase for those living on campus, with changes between four and nine per cent.

Parking rates are also set to increase in the fall, with a $1 increase for daily parking at all surface lots, a 1.2 to 4.2 per cent increase for staff and student permits at the Art Parkade and surface lots, and a 12.1 per cent increase for underground heated parkade permits.

Student leaders push for affordability as behind-the-scenes advocacy continues

For University of Calgary Student Union (UCSU) Vice President External, Julia Law, the main point of student advocacy this year has been limiting tuition increases.

“We were able to get international student tuition increases down to four per cent, rather than what the original proposal was,” she said.

Tuition aside, UCSU has been mostly working on behind the scenes advocacy, including collaborating with the Expert Panel on Post-Secondary Institution Funding and Alberta’s Competitiveness and its recommendations on post secondary institution funding. The Minister of Advanced Education will provide a report by the end of August.

“We had our meeting and feedback time with the panel back in early May with a whole bunch of other student organizations, and we’re just waiting on the results of that, which they’re supposed to come in late 2025 so we’ll hear something by then,” Law said.

Come the end of August, new UCalgary students will have the opportunity to attend the school’s orientation pep rally. 

That event will take place Aug. 28 and is set to be a student-centered, energy-filled experience, with Canadian swimmer Mark Tewksbury as the event’s keynote speaker. 

New and returning students will have the opportunity to attend the Toronto Raptor’s open practice on Friday, Oct 3, during the team’s on-campus training camp.