How the calculator works
Most online programs charge by the credit, plus fees each term. This calculator turns those numbers and your study pace into a total cost and a time to finish you can plan around.
- Program type sets the credits: certificate 30, bachelor's 90, master's 45. These are typical totals in Québec, but programs vary, so choose custom to enter your program's exact number.
- Cost per credit and fees per term, from the school's tuition page.
- Courses per term, from 1 to 5. Each course counts as 3 credits.
- Terms per year: 2 if you study fall and winter, 3 if you add summer.
- Yearly financial aid or employer support, if you expect any.
The formula
- Terms needed = credits ÷ (courses per term × 3), rounded up to a whole term.
- Years to finish = terms ÷ terms per year.
- Total = credits × cost per credit + fees × terms − yearly aid × years. It never goes below zero.
A worked example
With example numbers (not real tuition): a 30-credit certificate at $100 per credit, $150 in fees per term, 2 courses per term and 3 terms a year, with no aid.
- Terms: 30 ÷ (2 × 3) = 5 terms.
- Years: 5 ÷ 3 = about 1.7 years.
- Total: 30 × $100 + $150 × 5 = $3,000 + $750 = $3,750.
Take one course per term instead and it becomes 10 terms, about 3.3 years and $4,500, because you pay the term fees twice as often. Your pace changes the cost, not only the time.
How to use the result
Use the total to compare programs on the same basis, and the per-year figure to plan your budget. Before you rely on it:
- Check the real credit count. Transfer credits or recognition of prior learning can lower it.
- Ask what the fees cover. Some fees are charged per term, others per course or once, and some programs charge extra for materials or exams.
- Confirm your tuition rate. Rates can differ depending on your residency status and where you live.
- Look into aid early. Québec's Aide financière aux études (AFE) program offers loans and bursaries to eligible students, and some employers help pay for job-related courses. Eligibility varies, so check before you count on it.
Results are planning estimates, not quotes. Tuition and fees change, and books, equipment, taxes and any tuition tax credits aren't included. Always confirm the numbers with the institution. You'll find more on programs and formats on our online degrees page.
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