The UTSU has various fees to fund supports and services for UTSU members, undergraduate students at St. George campus. We’ve broken down information on key fees to help you better understand where your money goes each year.
Mandatory vs Refundable Fees
Mandatory fees are fees students can not get refunded. They include the UTSU membership levy ($20/semester), Student Aid ($2.00/semester), the Student Refugee Program (which helps international youth flee persecution and attend U of T), and the Student Commons levy.
Refundable UTSU fees include Orientation, Food Security for Students and Dollars for Daycare, the last two of which directly supports students and U of T community members who are in financial need. Refundable UTSU fees total only $1.20 per semester. You are also able to opt-out and be refunded for the UTSU Health & Dental plan, as long as you have alternative coverage.
Refundable External fees are fees from various service groups on campus. They include Student for Barrier-Free Access, the Centre for Women and Trans People, Downtown Legal Services (which provides free legal advice and support on issues like housing, employment and academic offences), and more. These fees total $10.57 per semester.
You can find a full breakdown of fees here.
UTSU Membership Fee
What does this membership get you?
- Access to UTSU events like Orientation, Frost Week, XAO and Unity Ball
- Support from the UTSU’s staff team, who can assist you with questions about your Health & Dental plan, navigating campus, on and off campus resources, and more
- Access to the UTSU Food Bank, which in the Fall 2021 semester has had 178 student visitors who are facing food insecurity, and UTSU’s Got You, which provides snacks during exam season
Health & Dental Fee
What does it include?
- Health, dental, vision and travel care
- Coverage for prescription drugs (up to $5,000/year), psychotherapy, massages, eye exams and glasses, and much more
- Access to free virtual supports for physical and mental wellbeing
See a more in-depth look at what your Health & Dental plan covers here.
Student Aid Fee
How does it work?
- The UTSU has a total of $180,000 set aside for student aid
- $152,000 from the Student Aid levy
- $28,000 supplemented by the UTSU, due to growing demands
- These funds to directly back to students through a variety of bursaries and grants
- So far in the 2021 school year, we’ve supported 701 students with $116,910.52 of financial aid.
- Breakdown of Student Aid:
- 294 Book & Academic Supplies Bursaries – $47,351.19 disbursed
- 20 Academic Pursuits Grants – $1,598.33 disbursed
- 28 Health & Wellness Bursaries – $4,436.00 disbursed
- 10 Accessibility Bursaries – $960.00 disbursed
- 226 Transit Bursaries – $22,450.00 disbursed
- 113 Emergency Bursaries – $38,367.00 disbursed
- 23 Microtransaction Access Bursaries – $1,048.00 disbursed
Find more information about what bursaries and grants are available to you here.
Student Common Levies
What do they do?
- Supports the opening and operation of the Student Commons, the new student hub on campus
- Includes study and hang out spaces, meeting rooms for clubs, event spaces, and spaces for service groups such as BikeChain or RBC (coming soon!)
- As we get settled into the building, the Student Commons will host events, services and more for students to access
Learn more about the Student Commons here!
Want a say in how the UTSU spends your fees? Take part in our budget survey to add share your voice with the students who represent you.
