Tuition & Fee Refunds

The following refund policies apply to all TRU programs/offerings, including on-campus, Open Learning, trades, field courses, practica, continuing studies, etc., except for international contract training programs:

If you’ve paid for a course/offering that we cannot continue to deliver now or at a future date, your tuition and fees will be automatically credited to your myTRU account. You can then request a refund of that credit balance through myTRU.

If you've paid for a course/offering that is now continuing through an alternative delivery format, or continuation has been postponed to a future date, we are not able to offer a refund; however, we recognize that extenuating individual circumstances may apply, and we have a process for requesting withdrawals with refunds in such cases.

Tuition deposits are partially or fully non-refundable within one month prior to the start of an academic term.

*New refund process*
Thompson Rivers University has partnered with PayMyTuition, an electronic payment tool, to remit domestic refunds via Interac e-transfers and international refunds via international bank transfers. These refund methods will replace refund cheques.

Sponsored student refunds will be returned to the sponsor by cheque.

Canadian citizens/permanent residents - Undergraduate and Graduate programs

Open programs and returning limited or selective programs ($300 tuition deposit)

  1. Students who withdraw for the fall semester before August 1 will receive a 100% refund of fees paid.
  2. Students who withdraw for the fall semester after August 1 until the end of the second week of instruction will receive a 100% refund of fees less the full $300 tuition deposit.
  3. Students who withdraw for the winter semester before December 1 will receive a 100% refund of fees paid for the winter semester.
  4. Students who withdraw for the winter semester after December 1 until the end of the second week of instruction will receive a 100% refund of fees paid for the winter semester less the full $300 tuition deposit.
  5. Students who withdraw after the end of the second week of instruction (course change period) in either the fall or winter semester will not receive a refund.

First-time limited or selective programs ($500 tuition deposit)

  1. Students who withdraw for the fall semester before August 1 will receive a 100% refund of fees less the $200 non-refundable portion of the tuition deposit.
  2. Students who withdraw for the fall semester after August 1 until the end of the second week of instruction will receive a 100% refund of fees less the full $500 tuition deposit.
  3. Students who withdraw for the winter semester before December 1 will receive a 100% refund of fees paid for the winter semester less the $200 non-refundable portion of the tuition deposit.
  4. Students who withdraw for the winter semester after December 1 until the end of the second week of instruction will receive a 100% refund of fees paid for the winter semester less the $500 tuition deposit.
  5. Students who withdraw after the end of the second week of instruction (course change period) in either the fall or winter semester will not receive a refund.

Trades programs

  1. Withdrawal a minimum of 30 days prior to the start of the program will result in a $200 partial refund of the $500 tuition deposit paid.
  2. If the withdrawal takes place less than 30 days before the start of the program, no portion of the tuition deposit will be refunded.
  3. If the withdrawal takes place within 14 days of the start of the program, a full refund of fees less the $500 tuition deposit will be provided.
  4. If the withdrawal takes place after 14 days into a seven-month or less program - no refund.
  5. If the withdrawal takes place after 14 days into an eight-month or longer program, no refund of fees for the first term will be provided.
  1. 1. Withdrawal a minimum of 30 days prior to the start of class will result in full refund of the fees less the $200 tuition deposit.
  2. If the withdrawal takes place less than 30 days before the start of class or after the start of class - no refund.

International students - Undergraduate and Graduate programs

Unpaid fines, outstanding fees, and administrative fees ($200 CDN) owing to TRU will be deducted prior to any approved deferral or refund.

Students required to withdraw or who are not admitted to TRU due to a violation of university policy are not entitled to deferrals or refunds.

All fee payment deadlines for international students are firm. It is the responsibility of the students to familiarize themselves with important deadlines and to plan and budget accordingly.

New international applicants

Tuition deposits for the first semester are non-refundable and non-transferable.

All new international applicants who receive a visa and study permit (including students who have been approved for a deferral) and a Letter of Acceptance issued by TRU are expected to begin their studies at TRU in the designated semester noted in their original Letter of Acceptance.

New students who can provide official documentation from IRCC (Government of Canada) indicating that their visa and/or study permit application was denied are eligible for a full refund of tuition and applicable fees, minus an administrative processing charge as per the published fee schedule.

TRU reserves the right to contact IRCC to verify the status of a visa and/or study permit application and/or to verify the contents of a refusal letter.

New international applicants who are eligible for a tuition refund (less the non-refundable administrative fee) should submit their refund request in writing prior to the course change or course withdrawal deadline. The request must include official documentation from IRCC. Refund requests will be processed in the order they have been submitted and will be completed pending verification of accompanying documentation.

Continuing and returning international students