The affordability of university education

In the US, the federal and state gov- sities in the US during the 2000-01 academic ernments provided $7.7 billion in grant aid, year, equivalent to 19 percent of all 18- to 24- averaging $1,562 ($1,288 US) to university year-olds in the US. [...] According to the 2001- of all grant and loan aid is provided in the 2002 EKOS Student Income and Expenditure form of grants, bursaries, or scholarships, survey sponsored by the Canada Millennium compared to 36 percent in the US. [...] Even after dramatic increases in tui- Canada, 17 percent of median family income tion and fee charges across Canada in the was required to cover university COA in 2000- 1990s, tuition and fees at the university level 01, and 9 percent of median family income are still quite low compared to those in the was required to cover out-of-pocket expenses. [...] This study was commissioned by the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation in order to This study uses the American system as a better understand the relative affordability of benchmark, comparing the affordability of public university education in Canada and the Canada’s system to that of its closest and most United States. [...] Part III presents data on student charges at universities in Canada and the US, In an era where tuition fees continue to rise and Part IV illustrates data from various federal on both sides of the border, the actual cost to and state student aid programs in Canada and the individual is important to examine.