The cost of tuition in Ontario is on the rise and with a single year of higher education costing close to $25,000, many university students are digging themselves deeper in debt.
"You're worrying about paying your rent on time; and you're worrying about you know,'what food do I have'; and you're worrying about getting your books, when really I'd rather just be focusing my efforts on school," third-year Carleton University chemistry student Alia Mahabir told CTV Ottawa.
This year, tuition in Ontario is up 4.5 per cent, something that's caused tuition fees to increase by almost $800 from five years ago.
Ontario universities hold the third highest tuition rates in Canada. Average tuition fees for undergraduate degrees at universities in the eastern part of the province range by a few hundred dollars:
- Carleton University: $5,200 per year
- University of Ottawa: $5,300 per year
- Queen's University: $5,600 per year
The cost of books are added to that bill, ranging anywhere between $700-1,100. On top of that, students are also faced with the cost of rent, food and transportation - something that has some arranging their classes around work schedules in order to survive.
"Just because you're a student doesn't mean you don't have to live," said University of Ottawa student Moses Dushimimana. "I don't know if it's worth it at the end of your school."
With a report from CTV Ottawa's John Hua
