TMU restores domestic tuition eligibility for a limited group of international students

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published September 23, 2026

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Toronto Metropolitan University has restored domestic tuition eligibility for a specific group of international students, but the change does not apply to all international students.

The decision covers students who had already been approved for domestic tuition classification before TMU changed its policy on July 10, 2024.

Under the revised rules, some students holding open work permits were set to lose access to domestic tuition rates and instead face significantly higher international fees. According to The Eyeopener, more than 200 students were affected by the policy change, many of them Iranian.

TMU later confirmed that students who had already received approval for domestic tuition before the July 2024 policy change would be allowed to keep that status. The Registrar’s Office is expected to contact eligible students about any necessary adjustments to their tuition accounts.

The financial difference can be substantial. For the 2026-27 academic year, TMU lists international undergraduate tuition at roughly C$38,693 to C$44,675 per year, while Ontario domestic undergraduate tuition starts at about C$7,397, depending on the program.

The issue has been particularly relevant to some Iranian students who obtained open work permits under temporary federal measures introduced for Iranians already in Canada.

TMU’s general policy, however, still does not automatically grant domestic tuition rates to open work permit holders. The latest change applies only to students whose domestic tuition eligibility had already been approved before the July 2024 policy revision.