Keep costs low at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC

So you’re going to university.  Congrats! Earning a post-secondary education will pay off, but you also have to plan to pay off your post-secondary education.  From lower tuition fees, over $2 million annually in student awards, and budgeting advice, TRU can help keep your student debt to a minimum.

Whether borrowing money or not, every student wants to keep their costs down to avoid accumulating scary student debt.  First you need an idea of the costs you can expect to incur, then a plan of attack to pay for these costs.

So how much does university cost? Hint: TRU is lower.
TRU has one of the lowest tuition fees of any Western Canadian university. A full-time student in Arts or Sciences, for example, pays under $3,500 per year. Even with books, supplies, and student fees, the cost is around $5,000.

Comparing tuition costs is important, but you must also factor in living and transportation expenses. If you’re moving away, how much will rent be?  Can you live on campus? Otherwise, can you get to campus without paying an arm and a leg in transit or gas costs?

On-campus living at TRU ranges from $425-$650/month, and there are plenty of off-campus living options within walking distance.  And, with several shopping plazas across the street, students are in close proximity to grocery stores, restaurants, shops and more. 

Every student also gets unlimited use of the Kamloops bus system with their U-PASS (bus pass covered in student fees) and all city buses stop on campus.

So how do you pay for university? Hint: TRU can help.
Once you’ve roughed out all of your expenses, plug this information, along with what resources you’ll have available, into a budget.  A budget will show you where you stand financially and how much money you may need to make up the difference.  For help setting up a budget and other student-saving tips, visit www.tru.ca/finaid/budget. 

So how do you get your hands on extra money you may need? One way is to apply for awards.  Scholarships and bursaries are two kinds of awards; scholarships are based on academic performance, while bursaries are based on demonstrated financial need. 

‘Entrance’ Scholarships are the first round of awards university-bound students can apply for (eligibility is limited to students who’ve not yet started post-secondary). 

TRU awards over $200,000 in Entrance Scholarships annually (and over $2 million dollars in total for all annual awards).  The deadline for TRU Entrance Awards is March 1st (students apply while still in Grade 12). Visit www.tru.ca/financialaid for applications.
   
TRU is accepting applications for 2009-2010.  Apply now at www.tru.ca.
TRU is a comprehensive university offering degrees, diplomas, and certificates in a wide range of programs including Arts, Fine Arts, Theatre, Journalism, Education, Social Work, Business & Economics, Science, Computing Science, Natural Resource Science, Health Science, Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, Adventure Tourism, Animal Health Technology, Horticulture, Trades, Culinary Arts, Retail Meat Processing, and more.