Canada Training Credit (CTC)

What you will need

• ✓ Completed Schedule 11 (Federal Tuition Amounts and Canada Training Credit)
• ✓ Filed income tax and benefit return for the year
• ✓ A Canada Training Credit Limit above zero, shown on your latest notice of assessment or reassessment

About this award

This is a tax credit, not a cash award, so you do not receive it as a lump sum payment. Instead, it reduces the income tax you owe when you file your return, and because it is refundable, you may receive a refund if the credit is greater than the tax you owe. You can accumulate $250 each year toward your Canada Training Credit Limit (CTCL — the maximum amount you can claim), up to a maximum of $5,000 in a lifetime. This is for you if you are an adult learner between the ages of 26 and 65 who is looking to upgrade your skills through certified training or post-secondary education. No specific application deadline is posted because you claim this when you file your annual income tax and benefit return. Before you file, check the Government of Canada – Canada Revenue Agency's program page to confirm the filing deadlines for the current tax year. There are no winners to pick. This is a tax credit, not a competitive scholarship, so anyone who meets the conditions can claim it on their return. This money reaches you after you file your taxes, as a reduction of your tax bill, or as a refund if the credit is greater than the tax you owe. To keep receiving this credit, you must continue to file an income tax and benefit return each year and remain a resident of Canada. Because the credit reduces your lifetime limit as you use it, confirm with the Government of Canada – Canada Revenue Agency how much of your $5,000 lifetime limit remains on your latest notice of assessment.

Who qualifies

To qualify, you must be a resident of Canada throughout the year and be at least 26 years old and less than 66 years old at the end of the year. You must also file an income tax and benefit return for the year and have a Canada Training Credit Limit (CTCL) that is more than zero. Finally, your tuition or fees must be paid to an eligible educational institution, a certified body for professional exams, a Canadian post-secondary institution, or a certified occupational skills institution, and the fees must be eligible for the existing tuition tax credit.

This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.

• ✓ Canadian citizen
• ✓ Open to college, undergraduate, graduate, trades or certificate students

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's official page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Check this year's deadline

   We don't have a confirmed date for this round. The award's official page will have it.

Tips for applying

• Tax FilingAvoid forgetting to attach Schedule 11 (Federal Tuition Amounts and Canada Training Credit) to your return. Instead, ensure this form is fully completed to accurately calculate your claim. Double-check that your tuition receipts match the amounts entered on line 32000.
• DocumentationAvoid relying on memory for your credit limit. Instead, locate your latest notice of assessment or reassessment from the Government of Canada – Canada Revenue Agency. This document tells you exactly what your current CTCL is.
• StrategyAvoid waiting until the last minute to check your eligibility. Instead, review your age and residency status early in the tax year. This ensures you know exactly how much of the 50% fee coverage you can realistically claim.
• RealismAvoid expecting a full reimbursement of all your tuition. Instead, remember that your claim is the lesser of your current limit or 50% of your eligible fees. Plan your budget knowing that this credit covers only a portion of your costs.

Questions students ask

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