Student Budget Calculator
Enter your funding for the term and your monthly costs to see whether the school year balances — and how much of the gap part-time work can cover.
School year
Monthly
Anything not listed above.
Living costs plus the school shortfall spread over 12 months.
Enter amounts to see this chart.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $0 |
| Books & supplies | $0 |
| Grants, loans, scholarships | $0 |
| Shortfall | $0 |
What this means
You are running a $0 monthly surplus — a great place to start a small emergency fund or a TFSA.
How it works
Student money arrives in lumps (loans, grants, tuition bills) but spending is monthly. Convert everything to a monthly figure so a big fall payment does not blow up your budget. Grants and scholarships beat loans every time.
Nothing you type here is saved or sent anywhere — it stays in your browser.
Budget by term, spend by month
Student money arrives in lumps and leaves monthly. Divide each term's funding across its months first, then compare that to your monthly costs — otherwise September feels rich and February feels impossible.
Grants, loans and repayment
Provincial student aid mixes grants you keep with loans you repay. Track which portion is which: the loan half is future rent, and knowing the number now makes a smaller loan feel worth the effort.
Where students overspend
Food delivery, subscriptions and campus convenience purchases are usually the biggest gap between plan and reality. Capping one of them is often worth more per month than a few extra shifts.
Common questions
- Should I work during the school year?
- Part-time hours can close a modest gap, but a large gap is usually better solved with cheaper housing or extra grant applications than with more shifts.
- Does student aid count as income?
- Grants and loans are generally not taxable income, though some scholarships and awards have their own rules. Your school's aid office can confirm your case.
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