# Income taxes for students? How much can they earn?



## Four Pillars (Apr 5, 2009)

I'm doing some research for an article, and I'm trying to figure out roughly how much income a full time student can make in Canada before having to pay income tax.

I think the personal exemption is around $12k plus they can claim tuition credits etc. So maybe $15k?

A reference link would be great.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

They might also be able to claim rent.


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

You get to deduct tuition ,textbooks and maybe transit/parking costs and get an amount for every month you are a full time student ,I think $120 a year federal and $144 provincial for Ontario.


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## peterk (May 16, 2010)

It's all layed out in Schedule 11 of the income tax package. I made 33000 last year and managed to write off everything with tuition credits. Also look into deducting moving expenses if the students travels over 40km (I think) from their permanent home. You can claim transit costs as well but you'll need some sort of document showing the transit expense, or have separate passes. My university just has your student card be your bus pass, and there's no clear distinction in the student fees what accounts for transit, so I didn't bother trying to claim it. Also in Ontario a low income student will likely get a couple hundred bucks in Ontario tax credits.


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## OhGreatGuru (May 24, 2009)

Go to:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/sgmnts/stdnts/menu-eng.html

and
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/formspubs/clntgrp/ndvdls/stdnts-eng.html

and read the relevant guides and the T1 General.

We're not being paid to do your research for you.

CRA Form P105 seems to be widely distributed through various student organizations. It doesn't contain actual numbers, because they change from year to year, but it will guide you to the types of deductions permitted.


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## Four Pillars (Apr 5, 2009)

Ok, thanks a lot everyone.


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## Four Pillars (Apr 5, 2009)

OhGreatGuru said:


> We're not being paid to do your research for you.


I know - you guys are the only researchers I can afford! 

Seriously, thanks for those links. I didn't intend for anyone to do any research - I just assumed that some people would have the info in their head and it wouldn't be much trouble to type out an answer.


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## Young&Ambitious (Aug 11, 2010)

Don't forgot the HST credit as well! I'd recommend grabbing an Income Tax Act from a friend or library, the credits and amounts are most easily listed there within the first ~10 pages, or try googling an ITA. Goodluck with the article, it sounds interesting! I hope you post it later 

Some websites which may help you: 
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/fq/txrts-eng.html
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/td1/td1-11e.pdf
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/bsnss/prv_lnks-eng.html


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## Potato (Apr 3, 2009)

Four Pillars said:


> I'm doing some research for an article, and I'm trying to figure out roughly how much income a full time student can make in Canada before having to pay income tax.
> 
> I think the personal exemption is around $12k plus they can claim tuition credits etc. So maybe $15k?


If you've got a tax program to play around with, that may give you the fastest answer.

It will depend in part on tuition amounts: different universities/programs have different amounts. Also, the federal and provincial basic personal credits are different: I had to pay provincial taxes for the last two years yet carried forward unused federal tuition credits.

And of course, scholarships are tax-free!

For example, I had $6300 in eligible tuition expenses on my T2202a this year, plus the Ontario books credit of $5772 (prov) or federal $5580. With the basic personal exemption, I should be able to earn ~$21k in regular income before paying any provincial tax, and about $23k before paying federal tax.


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