Undergraduate Tuition + Fees

Tuition, fees and dates are subject to change annually. Students are required to pay tuition and fees on a per-term basis.

All tuition and fees are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated.

Calculating Tuition

Undergraduate degrees at Emily Carr require 120 credits to complete. If 120 credits are completed within four years:

  • Domestic tuition + mandatory fees will total approximately $5,579.20 per year (or $22,316.80* for a four-year degree)
  • Returning International tuition + mandatory fees will total approximately $21,275.50 per year (or $85,102.00* for a four-year degree)
  • New International tuition + mandatory fees will total approximately $24,936.40 per year (or $99,745.60* for a four-year degree)

Providing equitable access to high-quality education is a guiding principle at Emily Carr. Our tuition is among the most affordable in Canada, while we remain the top-ranked university in Canada for art and design (QS World Rankings, 2020, 2021).

Our tuition is lower than that of OCAD University, NSCAD University, University of British Columbia and University of Toronto (Statistics Canada).

* Exact totals will vary from student to student. This does not include Optional or Other Fees. These numbers are approximated, based on the tuition and fees of the 2022-2023 year. Tuition increases for domestic students are standardized at a prescribed amount in step with other BC universities and vary between 0-2%. Rates for international students also vary by year. These changes are something students should plan for. For a detailed breakdown of tuition and fees by credit load, see the tables below or download the full tuition and fee schedules for Summer and for Fall/Spring. We have also approximated cost of living expenses.

Minimum and Maximum Credits Per Term

All undergraduate degrees require 120 credits to graduate.

Emily Carr has a Fall Term (September-December), a Spring Term (January-April), and two short Summer Terms (May-June and July-August).

During the Fall and Spring terms, undergraduate students generally take between 12 to 15 credits.

The breakdown looks like this:

  • 9 to 12 studio credits
  • 3 to 6 critical studies credits

Minimum Credit Load

You must be enrolled in at least nine credits to be eligible for a BC student loan, and twelve credits to maintain a BC Arts Council scholarship and/or an Emily Carr tuition scholarship. Visit the Financial Aid + Awards page for more information about loans and tuition scholarships.

Maximum Credit Load

The maximum number of credits a student can take per term is 18.

Students can register in more than twelve studio credits in a term through a process called Studio Overload Access. The maximum number of credits per term remains 18.

Undergraduate Degree Tuition + Fees

Summer 2023 Domestic Students
CreditsTuition + Related FeesMandatory Fees*Total per Term
3$482.37

$180.40

$662.77
6$964.74$180.40$1,145.14
9$1,447.11

$180.40

$1,627.51
12$1,929.48$180.40$2,109.88
15$2,411.85$180.40$2,592.25
18$2,877.51$180.40$3,057.91

*This mandatory fee includes Upass for all students. For a detailed breakdown, download the full tuition and fee schedule.

Summer 2023 Returning International Students
CreditsTuition + Related FeesMandatory Fees*Total per Term
3$1,877.64

$180.40

$2,058.04
6$3,755.28$180.40$3,935.68
9$5,632.92

$180.40

$5,813.32
12$7,510.56$180.40$7,690.96
15$9,388.20$180.40$9,568.60
18$11,249.13$180.40$11,429.53

Returning students are defined as those students who are currently working towards a degree and have enrolled in credit-level courses at ECU in any term up to and including Spring 2023.

*This mandatory fee includes Upass for all students. For a detailed breakdown, download the full tuition and fee schedule.

Summer 2023 New International Students
CreditsTuition + Related FeesMandatory Fees*Total per Term
3$2,426.79

$180.40

$2,607.19
6$4,853.58$180.40$5,033.98
9$7,280.37

$180.40

$7,460.77
12$9,707.16$180.40$9,887.56
15$12,133.95$180.40$12,314.35
18$14,544.03$180.40$14,724.43

New students are defined as those students who have not attended or enrolled in credit-level courses at ECU before April 1, 2023.

*This mandatory fee includes Upass for all students. For a detailed breakdown, download the full tuition and fee schedule.

Fall 2023 + Spring 2024 Domestic Students
CreditsTuition + Related FeesMandatory Fees*Total per Term
3$482.37$195.40$688.24
6$985.65$470.40$1,456.08
9$1,478.52

$470.40

$1,948.92
12$1,971.36$470.40$2,441.76
15$2,464.20$470.40$2,934.60
18$2,939.16$470.40$3,409.56

*These mandatory fees include Upass, Linkedin Learning and ESCU Health Plan for all students. ECSU Health Plan is paid in the Fall Term only for full year coverage. Students can opt out through ECSU. Adobe Creative fee is not included here, but is a mandatory fee and will be confirmed later. For a detailed breakdown, download the full tuition and fee schedule.

Fall 2023 + Spring 2024 Returning International Students
CreditsTuition + Related FeesMandatory Fees*Total per Term
3$2,062.47$195.40$2,257.87
6$4,124.94$470.40$4,595.34
9$6,187.41

$470.40

$6,657.81
12$8,249.88$470.40$8,720.28
15$10,312.35$470.40$10,782.75
18$12,356.94$470.40$12,827.34

Returning students are defined as those students who are currently working towards a degree and have enrolled in credit-level courses at ECU in any term up to and including Spring 2023.

*These mandatory fees include Upass, Linkedin Learning and ESCU Health Plan for all students. ECSU Health Plan is paid in the Fall Term only for full year coverage. Students can opt out through ECSU. Adobe Creative fee is not included here, but is a mandatory fee and will be confirmed later. For a detailed breakdown, download the full tuition and fee schedule.

Fall 2023 + Spring 2024 New International Students
CreditsTuition + Related FeesMandatory Fees*Total per Term
3$2,428.56$195.40$2,623.96
6$4,857.12$470.40$5,327.52
9$7,285.68

$470.40

$7,756.08
12$9,714.24$470.40$10,184.64
15$12,142.80$470.40$12,613.20
18$14,556.18$470.40$15,026.58

New students are defined as those students who have not attended or enrolled in credit-level courses at ECU before April 1, 2023.

*These mandatory fees include Upass, Linkedin Learning and ESCU Health Plan for all students. ECSU Health Plan is paid in the Fall Term only for full year coverage. Students can opt out through ECSU. Adobe Creative fee is not included here, but is a mandatory fee and will be confirmed later. For a detailed breakdown, download the full tuition and fee schedule.

Application, Optional and Other Fees

Application Fees

  • Education Planner BC – $70 CAD
  • SlideRoom - $12 USD

    For details and help visit EducationPlannerBC.ca and Slideroom.com.

    Visit Admissions to learn how to apply.

    Optional Fees

    These fees are optional, at the choice of the student.

    Locker Fee
    Per term    		$17.00
    Transcripts
    Depending on the processing option    		$10.00 - $20.00

    Other Fees

    These fees vary from student to student and are in addition to the tuition and fees in the table above. They are mandatory unless otherwise stated.

    Graduation Fee
    Applies to all graduating students in their last year    		$85.00, one-time fee
    International Health Care Fee
    Newly admitted international students will be assessed a one-time $184.75 mandatory international health care insurance premium that will provide health care coverage until they are eligible to transition to the BC Medical Services Plan (BCMSP).    		$184.75


    Note: Additional individual course fees may be charged to cover the costs of materials consumed in/or incorporated in the making of student work associated with individual courses.

    Tuition + Fees for Previous Years

    See the 2022/23 undergraduate tuition and fees schedule here.

    See the 2021/22 undergraduate tuition and fees schedule here.

    See the 2020/21 undergraduate tuition and fees schedule here.

    Undergraduate Studies Expenses

    How much will it cost to study at Emily Carr?

    Overall, we estimate the monthly cost of living to be about $2,290. This works out to $9,160 per term, or $18,320 per academic year.

    This total is a conservative estimate based on average costs. Vancouver is an expensive city to live in, and costs vary widely depending on if you are living on your own or in shared accommodations.

    This total includes the following basic living expenses:

    • housing (rent and insurance) - $1,100
    • utilities (heat, electricity) - $155
    • food - $550
    • personal care - $220
    • public transportation (UPass is a mandatory fee) - $45
    • entertainment and clothing - $110
    • phone and internet plans - $110

    Domestic tuition, fees, and basic living expenses total approximately $23,900* for an academic year.

    Returning International tuition, fees, and basic living expenses total approximately $39,596* for an academic year.

    New International tuition, fees, and basic living expenses total approximately $43,257* for an academic year.

    * Exact totals will vary from student to student. This does not include Optional or Other Fees. These numbers are approximated, based on the tuition and fees of the 2022-2023 year. Tuition increases for domestic students are standardized at a prescribed amount in step with other BC universities and vary between 0-2%. Rates for international students also vary by year. These changes are something students should plan for. For a detailed breakdown of tuition and fees by credit load, see the tables below or download the full tuition and fee schedules for Summer and Fall/Spring.

    Questions?

    Visit the FAQs below for answers to your questions.

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