Canadian income tax

All international students enrolled at AV��ֲ� or King’s and living in Canada are eligible to file tax returns, whether you worked or not.

What is a tax return?

A tax return is a statement of income and expenditures that is submitted to the  once a year. All international students enrolled at AV��ֲ� or King’s and living in Canada are eligible to file tax returns. This includes students who work part-time or during co-op work terms as well as students who do not work.

Benefits of filing a tax return

Even if you haven’t worked in Canada, the benefits of filing a tax return include:  

You may receive quarterly .

You may receive tuition tax credits for tuition paid to universities and colleges. You can use tax credits against future income if you work in Canada after graduation.

If you worked in Canada and earned less than a certain amount of money, you may receive a tax refund.

Find out if you need to file a tax return

Not all international students are considered to be residents of Canada for tax purposes. Visit the to see if you meet the requirements.

When to file a tax return

March and April is tax season in Canada. All residents of Canada are required to complete a tax return by April 30 each year. 

The tax year is the same as the calendar year (January – December). In March and April, you file a tax return for the previous year’s income. For example, in April 2026, you report your income from 2025 (January – December). If you arrived as a new student in September, you report your income from September to December by April of the following year. If you arrived as a new student in January, you report your income from January to December by April of the following year. 

Required tax documents

The T2202 tax form (Tuition, Education, and Textbook Amounts Certificate) is an official record of the tuition you paid to AV��ֲ�. 

If you were employed by AV��ֲ� or by a business off campus, the T4 Form (Statement of Remuneration Paid) is an official record of your total income from AV��ֲ� for the tax year. 

If you received a scholarship, monetary award, or waiver (for which there is a monetary value) from AV��ֲ�, you will receive a T4A tax Form (Statement of Other Income). 

You can find and print/download copies of tax forms through DalOnline. Forms are available in mid-February each year. 

Learn more about tax forms from AV��ֲ�.��

Learn how to file your tax return

Each year, AV��ֲ�’s International Centre partners with the CRA to host a series of free tax clinics for international students. These typically happen in March and April each year. Appointments are by registration only and limited to AV��ֲ� international students. 

There are also several other free Income Tax Clinics throughout the city, through  The CVITP is a collaboration between the CRA and community organizations. The organizations host tax preparation clinics and arrange for volunteers to prepare income tax and benefit returns for eligible individuals who have a modest income and a simple tax situation. 

If you go to a CVITP clinic, be sure to take all your tax documents and let them know you are an “international student and a deemed resident in Canada for tax purposes." 

Helpful information about income tax in Canada

You can visit the following links from the Canada Revenue Agency for more information about income tax: 

: 1-800-959-8281

Individual tax number (ITN)

If you are a full-time international student, you need a social insurance number (SIN) to complete a Canadian tax return. If you are not a full-time international student and you do not have a study permit, you can try to apply for an individual tax number (ITN). 

More to explore

Social Insurance Number Staying in Canada

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