International students: filing is how you get the money back
- Tuition credit rate
- 14.5%
- Carry-forward
- Indefinite
- Our student price
- $88
International Students
What you need to know first
The single most expensive belief among international students is that earning little means there is nothing to file for. It is precisely backwards. Low income is what qualifies you for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit) and provincial rent benefits - payments that only arrive if you file a return.
Then there is tuition. A year of international fees generates a substantial credit, and even if you owe no tax this year, that credit does not evaporate. It carries forward indefinitely until you have income to use it against.
“I only earned $6,000, so there's no point filing.”
That's the income level that qualifies you for the most benefit payments. Students in exactly this position are the ones who get back $2,000 to $4,000 - none of which arrives unless a return is filed.
What we claim for you
The credits and deductions that apply here
Specific to your situation, not a generic checklist.
7 claims we check for you
Tuition credit (T2202)
Worth 14.5% federally on eligible fees for 2025, plus a provincial credit in some provinces. Your school issues the T2202 through the student portal, so it will not arrive in the post.
Carry-forward
Unused tuition credit carries forward indefinitely. The year you start working full-time is the year it starts paying you back.
Transfer to family
Up to the annual limit can be transferred to a spouse, parent or grandparent who can use it now.
Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit
A quarterly payment for low-income residents that replaced the GST/HST credit in July 2026. Filing is the application, so there is no separate form to complete.
Provincial rent and property credits
Ontario's benefit alone can be several hundred dollars for a student paying rent.
Moving expenses
If you relocated at least 40km closer to your school, some costs may be claimable against eligible income.
Refund of over-withheld tax
Part-time campus and retail jobs frequently withhold more than a student's actual liability.
Before you message us
Have these ready
Not all of it is essential. Send what you have and we'll tell you what's missing.
- T2202 from your school's student portal
- T4 slips from any job, including part-time and campus work
- Rent receipts or your landlord's name and total rent paid
- Your SIN, or ITN if you are not eligible for a SIN
- Date you first arrived in Canada
- Bank details for direct deposit
Questions
International Students: common questions
Straight answers to what people ask us most.
Do international students have to file taxes in Canada?
How much do international students usually get back?
Do I get my tuition back in cash?
I don't have a SIN. Can I still file?
I've been here three years and never filed. What now?
Services
What you'll likely need
Let's get your taxes sorted
Message us on WhatsApp and one of our tax experts will walk you through exactly what we need. No obligation, no pressure.