Financial Planning
A university education is a valuable investment in your future, and there are many ways to help offset those costs. Since every student's financial goals and needs are different, you can explore financial aid options, income opportunities, and tools and resources that work best for your unique situation. Learn to budget and build healthy financial habits to support you through your studies!
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
Jump to these sections 鈫�
Financial aid and supports
Learn about various financial aid and financial support options you'll have access to at SFU.
Income opportunities
Explore ways to finance your education with supplemental income opportunities for 51社区黑料students.
Know your costs
Understand the differences between typical fixed and variable costs that students 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
Cost calculator
Try out our calculator to get an estimate of your costs per term and build a practical budget to stick to.
Speak to an Advisor
Connect with a Financial Aid Advisor to discuss options for financial asstiance that you may be eligible for.
Discover a variety of ways to fund your education through scholarships, awards, bursaries and more that are available to eligible 51社区黑料students. Please review specific eligibility requirements as you explore your options.
Scholarships
Scholarships are awarded to Canadian and international students in recognition of their outstanding academic achievements.
Awards
Awards recognize the leadership, athletic achievements, contributions or community involvement of Canadian and international students.
Bursaries
Bursaries provide supplemental sources of funding to both Canadian and international students with demonstrated financial need.
Student loans and grants
Students enrolled in eligible programs can apply to a variety of government assistance options, including student loans and grants.
Canadian Indigenous Students
Additional financial assistance is available to Canadian students who identify as Indigenous, specifically First Nations, M茅tis, and Inuit.
US students
Financial assistance options including US Federal Direct Loans and US Veterans Affairs benefits are available to US students studying in Canada.
Students with Disabilities
Students with documented disabilities may be eligible for additional grants and/or bursaries through the federal and provincial governments.
Youth in Care
If you are living鈥攐r have lived鈥攁s a youth in care in BC, you may qualify for financial support to cover some of the costs of your education.
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鈥攕tudents who meet eligibility criteria are considered automatically!
SUPPORT FOR INCOMING NEW 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鈥檙e eligible for!
Work opportunities through 51社区黑料can help you earn supplemental income to fund your education and lifestyle. You'll also gain valuable work experience while building connections across the 51社区黑料community even before you graduate!
Co-Op
The Co-operative Education (Co-op) program integrates academic study with experience-building, paid work placements related to your studies, interests, and career goals.
Work-Study
The Work-Study Program gives students the opportunity to earn a supplemental income in their field and participate in on-campus, research-based projects with flexible hours.
Jobs on Campus
On-campus opportunities include teaching and research assistant positions, producing for SFU鈥檚 media platforms, positions within the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS), retail work at the 51社区黑料Bookstore, and more.
Budgeting can help you manage your student finances at university. To start, think about various costs you might incur during your undergraduate studies. Then take some time to consider the obvious (and not so obvious) costs in your life and use our cost calculator in the next section.
Fixed costs vs variable costs鈥攚hat's the difference?
Fixed costs are expenses that don鈥檛 change very often, so you can expect to pay the same dollar amount month-by-month or term-by-term, over the next year or so. Compared to variable costs, think of fixed costs as somewhat 鈥渘on-negotiable鈥� in terms of how they fit into your budget.
Examples of your fixed costs:
- Tuition 鈥� Varies with your program of study and faculty, plus the number of courses you take in a given term.
- Student fees 鈥� e.g. Student Services, Student Activity and Recreation-Athletics fees
- Housing 鈥� e.g. off-campus rent or 51社区黑料Residence fees (plus meal plan), renter's insurance
- Fixed utilities 鈥� e.g. mobile, Internet, media streaming services
- Fixed transportation 鈥� e.g. transit fares (including U-Pass BC), parking pass, car insurance
Variable costs are expenses that can go up or down, depending on how much you consume or use something. Compared to fixed costs, variable costs have less predictabiliy, but daily life is full of them鈥攖hink of essential and "nice-to-have" purchases and services that can add up.
Examples of your variable costs:
- Textbooks + school supplies 鈥� This varies with each course and the number of courses you take that term.
- Documents - e.g. study permit, travel insurance, English language proficiency tests and other documentation
- Variable utilities 鈥� e.g. gas, heat, electricity or hydro
- Food 鈥� e.g. groceries, dining out, meal subscriptions, delivery app fees
- Health + wellbeing 鈥� e.g. gym memberships and fitness classes, mental health care, personal care
- Transportation 鈥� e.g. gas, car maintenance and repairs, bike tune-ups
- Shopping 鈥� e.g. clothing, electronics, furniture and houseware, gifts
- Entertainment 鈥� e.g. social activities, events
- Travel 鈥� e.g. plane tickets, accommodation, tour package fees
- Pets 鈥� e.g. food, pet care, vet visits, pet insurance
With that in mind, consider all your fixed and variable costs together and try to decide on things you can and can't do without鈥攊t'll help you make practical decisions about your budget. By sticking to your game plan, you'll be able to predict and be better prepared to cover your expenses.
bulb-61 Food for thought
Food security is a valid concern for many university students across Canada, as food and grocery costs can quickly add up. Take advantage of these on-campus food resources:
The Food Bank Program issues food certificates to students in need once per term, redeemable at participating locations.
The Food Rescue program champions food justice and food waste reduction by redistributing items to students for free or by donation.- 51社区黑料Food Pantry
The pantry is a food bank for students in need of emergency food and hygiene supplies, made possible by a network of local charities across Vancouver. - 51社区黑料Community Free Fridge
The Free Fridge is a low-barrier, nonjudgmental way to access food and reduce food waste. Think of those little free libraries you see around town鈥攂ut with food! - 51社区黑料Student Meal Plans
Meal plans offer a convenient and cost-effective way for you to get fresh meals daily at the Dining Commons, with a selection of plans to suit your dietary needs.
With your fixed and variable costs in mind, it鈥檚 now time to crunch some numbers! Take some time to fill out the form鈥攖he more details you provide, the more closely the results will reflect your actual costs. Please keep in mind that the calculator only provides an estimate for a single academic term (i.e. four months) and is not intended to calculate exact dollar amounts.
Use this as a starting point to plan your finances and set expectations for each term of your undergraduate studies at SFU.
*This calculator is based on 2025/2026 tuition and fees and will be updated in June 2026 with 2026/2027 tuition and fees.
Did you know?
SFU's Payment Plan gives you the option to pay for you tuition in installments while allowing you to enrol in courses the following term, despite the outstanding balance. A 2% monthly interest will be charged but you'll remain in good standing if payments are made on time.
TIP #1:
To paint a more accurate picture of your costs, be mindful of one-time expenses like laptop, tablet or equipment purchases to support your studies. Also consider recurring expenses like travel costs, if you live away from home and plan to visit family over the holidays.
TIP #2:
Keep an eye out for special student pricing! You can find discounted prices for media streaming services, apps/computer software, events and more, and even banking/financial services and credit cards.
TIP #3:
As an 51社区黑料student, you have access to on-campus services and amenities for your personal well-being at no extra cost, including the and Health & Counselling services. For academic needs, check out the .
Contact us
SFU's Financial Aid and Awards Advisors can answer questions you may have about SFU-based scholarships, awards, bursaries and other funding opportunities, including government-issued student financial assistance. 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 or
- Attend from Monday to Friday, 1:30 - 3:30 pm
You can also schedule an appointment with one of our Advisors for a more in-depth advising session.