Senior citizens hoping to get post-secondary education have the opportunity to receive free tuition at York and Ryerson University, according to the universities’ websites.
Senior citizens, who are defined in these programs as people over 60 years old, are eligible to get a free ride from either university if they meet certain requirements.
Kristin Boivin, a fourth-year theatre studies student at York University, said she has had only positive experiences with the seniors in her classes, whether they were in big lectures or small tutorials.
“In the lecture, it seemed like everybody knew [the senior student] and respected him,” she said.
“You know how people start talking when somebody else is asking a question? When the seniors were speaking, we had a lot more respect for them.”
Students who meet the age requirement at York University are able to receive a full four-year undergraduate or non-professional graduate degree, said university spokesperson Joanne Rider via email.
These students, who must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, do not need to apply to have their tuition fees waived. There is also no limit to the number of seniors who can enroll for free tuition, she added.
Students hoping to receive two or more degrees for free will not be able to; only one undergraduate or graduate degree may be completed for free at York, Rider said.
Boivin said she believes that this is a great opportunity for seniors.
“Because they are retired, they have such little income already. If anyone should get free tuition, they should. They put in their dues and have a right to learn as well,” she said.
Ryerson University similarly offers a free tuition program for students over 60.
“There are no caps on the number of seniors, but the number is relatively small,” said university registrar Keith Alnwick in a phone interview.
Seniors can waive their tuition fees, but must pay ancillary and course fees and can only register for courses in the day program, said Alnwick via email.
The Ryerson website detailed that these additional fees can cost anywhere from less than a hundred dollars to a few thousand, depending on the program and materials or lab fees needed.
Seniors looking to study at Carleton University are not eligible for free tuition, but can enroll in degrees for a reduced amount, according to the university’s student accounts website.
For seniors who do not want to take a full four-year degree, they can enroll in Carleton’s Learning in Retirement program.
This program is a non-credit program for retired or semi-retired students to learn about various historical, political, or art-based topics, said the program’s website.
The fees for the six-week program cost close to $100 and include 12 hours of instructional time, according to program representative Katherine Waitschat.
She said there are no examinations or prerequisites and students “simply [take] courses for the pleasure or learning.”
“We have a lot of people who are very satisfied and continue to return to the program.”
