Deferring Your Tuition Fees
A tuition deferral is an arrangement where you can delay payment of your tuition fees to a later date, allowing you to complete your registration without an immediate payment. Below, you will find details on available tuition deferral options, eligibility criteria, and the application process.
Eligibility
You may be eligible to defer your tuition fees – allowing you to register without payment – if you meet all of the following conditions:
- You have tuition charges for the current academic session.
- You have paid all outstanding fees from previous sessions.
- You meet one of deferral categories listed below (e.g., OSAP, third-party)
- You have no active academic restrictions, such as probation, suspension, or any academic conditions affecting your registration.
- You submit your tuition fee deferral request each session by the deadline, (e.g., mid-July for the Fall term, mid-April for the Summer term), and before your division’s registration deadline.
Deferral Categories
- Submit your OSAP application by the recommended deadline
- Fall or Fall/Winter sessions: June 30
- Summer session: March 31
- Request the fee deferral through ACORN during the fee deferral request period (see below).
- If you apply for OSAP after the above deadlines, wait 7 days before submitting your fee deferral request.
- Apply for government student assistance in your home province/territory by the recommended deadlines:
- Fall or Fall/Winter sessions: June 30
- Summer session: March 31
- If you cannot make the minimum tuition payment on your own:
- Once you have applied for your provincial/territorial student aid program, wait five (5) business days, then log into ACORN during the tuition fee deferral period.
- You are eligible for a deferral if you apply for one of the following US Loan programs: William D. Ford Direct Loan program, Alternative/Private loan program such as Sallie Mae, Veteran Affairs Benefits program
- In addition to the eligibility requirements listed above, you must also have a confirmed U.S. Loan or Benefits assessment for an amount greater than $0 for the current session
- Once you have completed your application, allow five (5) business days, then log into ACORN during the tuition fee deferral period to request the deferral.
- If you encounter a problem with the online deferral function in ACORN, contact the University Registrar’s Office at usa.financialaid@utoronto.ca.
- Use the Subject Line – Fee Deferral Issue – YOUR NAME and STUDENT NO.
- Explain the issue.
If you are unable to request a deferral in ACORN or you have multiple awards that make you eligible for a fee deferral please complete one of the following:
- University of Toronto Mississauga students submit deferral request online
- University of Toronto Scarborough students can view deferral request instructions
- Other students: complete the form and email your completed form, the award letter and a copy of your ACORN invoice your Faculty or College Registrar (Faculty of Arts & Science)
Request a tuition fee deferral on the basis of External scholarship or award:
- complete the form
- email your completed form, the award letter and a copy of your ACORN invoice to awards.uoft@utoronto.ca at least 10 days before your divisional registration deadline.
- Include in email subject line “2025 Summer Tuition Fee Deferral”
- Retain a copy of your request for your records.
You are eligible for a tuition fee deferral on the basis of Graduate Scholarships or Awards if all of the following conditions apply:
Registering without payment of the Minimum Payment to Register amount shown on your ACORN invoice either through ACORN or using the SGS Register Without Payment Form is conditional upon all of the following:
- You are receiving a major award, research stipend, teaching assistantship, and / or a funding package; and that the amount of this funding exceeds the Minimum Payment to Register amount on your ACORN invoice;
- You are a full-time degree student in a graduate program and all necessary admission conditions have been met; and
- All outstanding financial obligations from previous sessions have been paid.
You are eligible for a tuition fee deferral on the basis of an accepted third-party sponsorship arrangement if all of the following conditions apply:
- You or the Sponsor have paid for prior session fees,
- an eligible Third Party Sponsor Organization will pay a portion of current session tuition fees that exceeds the minimum required payment (Fall term tuition fee total for Fall-Winter session or 50% of Summer tuition fee total for Summer session)
- you submit for a tuition fee deferral request for each registration session prior to your division’s deadline.
Requesting a Deferral
For all the above Deferral options, the following outlines the steps to apply for a fee deferral:
Step 1: Login to ACORN during the tuition fee deferral period.
Step 2: Go to the ‘Financial Accounts’ section and click on ‘Defer my Fees’.
- Click on the OSAP/Gov’t Deferral on the ‘Financial Accounts’ section on the ACORN. You will know immediately if your tuition fee deferral application is successful or not and the application will be noted in your activity log.
Step 3: Check your registration status in your Activity Log. If your tuition fee deferral request is successful, your ACORN registration status will change from ‘Invited to Register’ to ‘Registered’ immediately. If your registration status has not changed, reach out to your college or faculty’s registrar’s office.
Student Responsibilities
If your deferral does not go through, you are required to pay to register by the registration deadline. This ensures that you stay enrolled in your courses.