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Upper Canada College

Canada, Toronto

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees CA$138 - 48,720
Ages 5 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 1280
Type Boys School, Boys School (boarding)
Opened 1829
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Canadian Curriculum
Taught languages French, Latin, Spanish, Mandarin
Typical class size 22
Strengths Sport, Outdoor Education, Performing Arts
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Leadership and Professional, Cultural and Language
Stages Kindergarten, Primary School, Middle School, Secondary School, High School
Introduction

Upper Canada College (UCC) is a day school for boys in Toronto, Canada, serving students aged 5 to 18. The IB Continuum—PYP JK to Year 5, MYP Year 6 to Year 10, DP Year 11 to Year 12—runs alongside the Canadian Curriculum. The Diploma Programme has run for more than 20 years, and two Graduation Pathways complemented the IB DP. The IB Programmes develop minded learners who apply knowledge in real-world contexts. The 35-acre campus features an arena with NHL and Olympic rinks, a fitness complex, tennis courts, a swimming pool, a recital hall, a theatre and science labs. Design spaces include the Atkins Design Lab, Holmes Project Lab and Hixon Family Design Lab, with Harkness Tables and prep classrooms. Wilder and Macintosh Libraries support research, and the Wernham West Centre for Learning offers targeted supports. Norval Outdoor School spans 450 acres outside Toronto for wilderness learning. UCC provides 19 sports and 85 interscholastic teams, plus a cocurricular program with many clubs and activities.

200 Lonsdale Rd, Toronto, ON M5P 1K7, Canada

The Essentials

Upper Canada College has 1,280 pupils, typical class sizes of 22, instruction in English.

Location

Toronto, Ontario, Canada. UCC is located on 35 acres of green space in midtown Toronto. The main campus address is 200 Lonsdale Road, Toronto, Ontario M4V 1W6. The closest intersection is Avenue Road and St. Clair Avenue, with the campus served by TTC bus routes

13 and 142 and stops at the south and east campus gates; the closest subway is Davisville Station.

Stages

Junior Kindergarten through Year 12

Type

Independent day school for boys; IB World School

Additional learning support

Wernham West Centre for Learning offers targeted, individualized support for Prep and Upper School; four mandates guide its work: identify each student's learning profile; provide individualized learning support; offer professional development for faculty; and connect with external networks.

Country affiliation

Canada

School day structure

The After School Program provides supervised care from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with a snack, homework assistance and a range of clubs and activities.

Bus service

Bus service is provided via TTC routes

13 and 142, with stops at the south and east campus gates; the closest subway is Davisville Station.

Fees

Annual tuition at Upper Canada College ranges from CAD 138 to CAD 48,720 for 2026/27.

Application & Registration Fees

- Application fee (new students): CAD 200 if submitted on or before November 1; CAD 300 if submitted after November 1 (boarding follows the same schedule).
- Initial Registration Fee (new students): Day students CAD 10,000; Boarding students CAD 7,500. This fee is one-time and non-refundable.
- Financial-assistance application fee (third-party assessment): CAD 137.50 (paid to the assessment provider).

Annual Tuition — Day students (2026–27)

- Junior Kindergarten–Year 5: CAD 44,940 (annual).
- Year 6–Year 10: CAD 46,730 (annual).
- Year 11–Year 12: CAD 48,720 (annual).

Annual Tuition — Boarding students (2026–27)

- Domestic boarding (Canadian passport required):
- Years 8–10: CAD 81,280 (annual).
- Years 11–12: CAD 83,270 (annual).
- International boarding (non-Canadian citizens):
- Years 8–10: CAD 87,580 (annual).
- Years 11–12: CAD 89,570 (annual).

Billing schedule and payment terms (standard billing and common payment plans)

- Registration and deposits:
- New Day students: online registration must be completed and the Initial Registration Fee (CAD 10,000) plus the first instalment required to complete registration.
- New Boarding students: online registration must be completed within 7 calendar days of an offer; the Initial Registration Fee (CAD 7,500) and the first instalment of tuition and boarding fees must be forwarded within 7 calendar days of the offer.

- Standard payment plans (examples of the formats used):
- Plan A — Term instalments: initial deposit followed by two instalments (typical due dates: one mid-year and one later in the year). For Day students the initial deposit is CAD 2,000; remaining tuition is split into two payments. Monthly statements are issued and amounts must be paid by the last banking day of the month to avoid interest.
- Plan B — Monthly instalments: initial deposit (Day students CAD 2,000) followed by 11 monthly automatic debits. New families will be asked to provide banking information for pre-authorized withdrawals.
- Plan C — Early payment: full payment by the early-payment deadline in order to receive an early-payment discount (payment must be made in full by the stated deadline).

- Typical instalment examples calculated from the published 2026–27 annual tuition figures (amounts shown are the instalment values a family would be billed under Plan A or Plan B for Day students):
- JK–Year 5 (annual CAD 44,940):
- Plan A (term-style): CAD 2,000 deposit, then two instalments of CAD 21,470 and CAD 21,470.
- Plan B (monthly): CAD 2,000 deposit, then 11 monthly payments of approximately CAD 3,903.64.
- Year 6–10 (annual CAD 46,730):
- Plan A: CAD 2,000 deposit, then two instalments of CAD 22,365 and CAD 22,365.
- Plan B: CAD 2,000 deposit, then 11 monthly payments of approximately CAD 4,066.36.
- Year 11–12 (annual CAD 48,720):
- Plan A: CAD 2,000 deposit, then two instalments of CAD 23,360 and CAD 23,360.
- Plan B: CAD 2,000 deposit, then 11 monthly payments of approximately CAD 4,247.27.

- Boarding instalment examples (registration fee separate): for boarding families the Initial Registration Fee is CAD 7,500; many boarding accounts are invoiced in two instalments across the year. Approximate splits of annual boarding tuition (examples):
- Domestic Years 8–10 (annual CAD 81,280): two instalments of approximately CAD 40,640 and CAD 40,640.
- Domestic Years 11–12 (annual CAD 83,270): two instalments of approximately CAD 41,635 and CAD 41,635.
- International Years 8–10 (annual CAD 87,580): two instalments of approximately CAD 43,790 and CAD 43,790.
- International Years 11–12 (annual CAD 89,570): two instalments of approximately CAD 44,785 and CAD 44,785.

- Billing, statements and late payments:
- Monthly statements of account are prepared and emailed to families. Payments may be made by online bill payment using major Canadian financial institutions; families should use the student ID number as the account number. Payments must be received and negotiable by the last banking day of the month to avoid interest charges. The late payment interest rate is 1.5% per month (18% per annum). The College reserves the right to restrict re-enrollment or access to records for accounts more than 30 days overdue.

Boarding-specific fees and common additional boarding costs

- Initial Registration Fee for new boarding students: CAD 7,500 (non-refundable).
- Guardianship program (for international students without a local guardian): CAD 1,500 annual.
- Health insurance (where applicable and billed when the school provides coverage): approximately CAD 1,200 annual for boarding students.
- Boarding families should budget for discretionary personal costs such as dry cleaning, local transit and pocket money; these are not included in boarding tuition.

Other costs and typical incidental charges

- Uniform:
- First-year uniform purchase (estimate): CAD 750–850.
- Annual replacement/ongoing uniform costs: approximately CAD 300 per year.
- Textbooks and school supplies:
- Books (Years 8–12): approximately CAD 800–1,200 per year depending on year level.
- School supplies: approximately CAD 300 per year.
- Meal plan (optional/where applicable): around CAD 1,600–1,850 per year (may be billed over terms).
- Tuition Refund Insurance (optional): premiums are charged as a percentage or fixed rate depending on the program and coverage; example premium rates and fees are shown on the financial materials and are billed to accounts if selected (example premiums in prior materials: CAD 350–380 for day and CAD 650 for boarding; the plan premium is typically shown as a small percentage of fees when selected).
- Co-curricular and activity charges (examples): athletic tournament costs, travel, team fees, music festivals, equipment rental, private music lessons, academic support and other event-specific charges; typical ranges appear in the school's financial handbook (examples: athletic tournaments CAD 400; team travel CAD 100–1,700 depending on distance; private music instruction CAD 44 per half hour; academic support CAD 85 per hour). Incidental charges are billed only where applicable.
- Transcripts/courier fees and other administrative charges may be billed when required (examples listed: CAD 35 local to CAD 75 international).

Refunds, withdrawal and tuition-refund arrangements

- The Initial Registration Fee is non-refundable under any circumstances. Families should expect the annual tuition obligation to be in effect for the full academic year; fees are not billed on a term-by-term basis. Specific forfeiture rules apply if a student withdraws before the academic year begins or after specified dates. Typical provisions include forfeiture of portions of paid instalments if withdrawal occurs between specified dates; if withdrawal occurs on or after the start of the academic year, all tuition and boarding fees are due and will not be refunded. Tuition Refund Insurance is offered as an optional insurance product to protect against the financial consequences of withdrawal for covered reasons; premiums are charged on enrollment in the plan and are not refundable.

Accepted payment methods and instructions

- Online bill payment through major Canadian banks (use the student's ID number as the account number).
- Automatic monthly pre-authorized debits (for families on the monthly instalment plan).
- Third-party credit-card payment provider (Plastiq) may be used for one-off payments (subject to third-party terms).
- Cheque payments: payable to Upper Canada College and mailed to the Finance Office (address provided on account statements).
- Wire transfers from financial institutions outside Canada: wire instructions, including bank name, account number and SWIFT code, are provided by the College for families who choose to pay by international bank transfer; families should include the student name and ID number in payment details.

Important account terms

- Registrations are not complete until the required registration fee and initial instalment are received. Payments must be negotiable by the last banking day of the month to avoid interest charges. The College reserves rights to withhold access to classes, activities, transcripts and re-enrollment for accounts not paid in accordance with agreed schedules. Interest on overdue balances is applied at 1.5% per month (18% per year).

(End of fee overview.)
Academics

Upper Canada College teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Canadian Curriculum for students aged 5 to 18.

Curriculum

The school has the IB Continuum: Primary Years Programme JK to Year 5; Middle Years Programme Year 6 to Year 10; Diploma Programme Year 11 to Year 12. The Diploma Programme has been offered for more than 20 years. In September 2024, two Graduation Pathways complemented the IB Diploma Programme. The Middle Years Programme includes eight subject groups, taught with a focus on inquiry and through the lens of key concepts and global contexts, and Sustained learning in more than one language. The IB Programmes focus on developing independent, globally minded learners with skills such as critical thinking and the ability to apply knowledge in real-world contexts.

Higher Education Progression

Graduates earn IB and Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) diplomas and gain admission to top-tier universities around the world, with many receiving scholarships and university credit for advanced courses.

Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

Safety and wellbeing are the highest priorities. Horizons provides tutoring and mentoring across Years 8–12, fostering empathy, respect and community through eight‑week programs and school partnerships. Service and service‑learning help boys understand their identities and contributions to the world.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The Wernham West Centre for Learning offers targeted, customized support with a tiered approach to learning challenges. In the Prep School, lessons include time management and study and organizational strategies; in the Upper School, the focus is on independent learning with emphasis on note‑taking, deep reading and exam‑preparation support. Four mandates guide the Centre: identify each student's learning style and develop strategies for success; provide individualized learning support; provide professional development and support for faculty and be a resource to parents and the community; connect with other schools and organizations to collaborate and build networks.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

There is no English Language Learning program; language support is provided through the Wernham West Centre for Learning.

Mental Wellbeing

Safety and wellbeing are the highest priorities. Two health centres are staffed with nurses, a psychologist and counsellors to support students.

Safeguarding

The College has a Policy and Procedures for Preventing, Identifying and Investigating Harassment, Abuse and Violence, and employees are trained in standards and boundaries for working with children.

Admissions

Admissions

Step 1 — Submit an application. To start your application for 2026 entry, the candidate must log in to or create a UCC application account. The candidate's legal name should match the birth certificate or passport. Only the candidate's parents may create the account; agents wishing to submit on behalf of a family should contact the Office of Admission before creating an account. Day student applications for the 2026–27 academic year are closed; Boarding applications are open. The school invites families to submit an inquiry to receive updates and register for events; for the 2026 intake, apply by November 1, 2025 and applications are accepted until December 1, 2025; the application fee is $200 until November 1, 2025 and $300 from November 2 to December 1, 2025.

Scholarships

Lang National Scholarship — An opportunity for exceptional Canadian scholar-athletes to access a fully funded UCC boarding experience. What is it? A merit-based boarding scholarship and a direct-entry pathway to the Lang Scholar Program, which includes leadership training and conferences, guest speakers, alumni mentorship and service projects. Who should apply? Exceptional Canadian students with a strong academic record, varsity-level skills in two sports, impeccable character, leadership potential and service orientation (Grade 9 to 11). What does it cover? UCC tuition and boarding fees, including housing and meals, university counselling and health centre services; incidentals such as flights home at major breaks and unique athletic needs. How do I apply? Complete the UCC boarding application and indicate interest in the Lang National Scholarship.

Merit-based entrance scholarships — The school offers merit-based entrance scholarships to top applicants, awarded automatically to those who demonstrate high academic achievement, co-curricular experience or potential, and strong character. Financial assistance is also available on the basis of family need, with the Financial Assistance Review Committee (FARC) and partner organizations determining awards.

Financial assistance — The school provides about $6 million in financial assistance each year and operates a needs-based admission process. Application for financial assistance is separate from admission; eligible Year 5 and above families are encouraged to apply. The process uses Apple Financial Services and Financial Aid for Canadian Students (FACS); the FARC makes the final award decisions, and most assistance is need-based, with merit-based entrance scholarships offered to top applicants. New student financial assistance applications must be completed by December 31 (and for returning students by November 14).

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