Queen’s international for-credit tuition revenue fell by $7.5 million in 2025-26 as the University navigates federal policies limiting international study permits.
According to Queen’s draft audited 2025-26 consolidated financial statements, presented to the Board of Trustees on Oct. 2, a decline in international student enrolment contributed to a $7.5 million decrease in international for-credit tuition revenue. Meanwhile, domestic for-credit tuition revenue increased by $4.4 million.
The financial statements attribute the $7.5 million decrease in international for-credit tuition revenue partly to declining international enrolment. International students accounted for approximately 8.8 per cent of the student population and 24.2 per cent of tuition revenue in 2025-26.
The report also states that changes to federal immigration policies continue to constrain international student recruitment.
According to Queen’s 2015-16 Enrolment Report, 2,239 international students were enrolled at the University, accounting for 9.2 per cent of the student population. By 2025-26, the number had risen to 3,199, showing an increase of 990 international students over a decade.
The Government of Canada first introduced a cap on international study permit applications in 2024, restricting the number of applications Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada would accept for processing.
According to Queen’s 2024-25 Enrolment Report, 3,381 international students were enrolled at the University that year. This represents a decrease of 182 international students, or approximately 5.4 per cent, between 2025-25 and 2025-26.
The 2025-26 consolidated financial statements explain that for-credit tuition fees are charged for academic courses taken toward a degree program. International students pay higher tuition fees than domestic students because provincial operating grants do not offset the total education costs of international students.
In a statement to The Journal, Queen’s said the decline in international student enrolment has had an impact on the University’s budgeting. However, the University said the decline has been partially offset in other areas, including the increase in domestic tuition revenue.
The decline comes as the University prepares to increase tuition for Ontario students following changes to the province’s tuition framework.
In February, Ontario announced a revised tuition framework allowing universities to increase tuition for domestic Ontario students by up to two per cent annually from 2026-27 through 2028-29. The framework also allows annual increases of up to five per cent for domestic students from outside Ontario.
READ MORE: Tuition increases up to 7.5 per cent after province lifts freeze
Queen’s “relies on international tuition revenue to support its operations,” the report states, adding that changes to federal immigration policies have constrained international student recruitment and opportunities for enrolment growth.
In a written statement to The Journal, Samantha Rogers, the AMS commissioner of campus affairs and a fourth-year international student attending Queen’s from New Zealand, said that although international tuition has historically been a significant source of revenue for universities, they can no longer rely on that revenue to the same extent.
“Universities should not have to depend on higher international tuition fees to compensate for inadequate public funding,” Rogers said.
Queen’s said it is experiencing the effects of federal changes to international student policy alongside other Canadian universities.
“These changes have affected student mobility and enrolment patterns across the sector, creating a more challenging recruitment environment for institutions nationwide,” Queen’s said.
She added that while there continue to be efforts to build a strong international community at Queen’s, the size of the community is smaller than it used to be and has “had a major impact on the overall international experience.”
She noted that, with fewer international students on campus, there are fewer opportunities for those students to naturally meet each other and build the sense of community that had existed previously.
In response to the federal policy changes, Queen’s said it has continued to strengthen recruitment efforts in established and emerging markets, expand outreach activities, and invest in admission awards and scholarships.
The University also said it is exploring “new pathways” for international students to study at Queen’s, including shorter study-abroad experiences.
For international students currently attending Queen’s, Rogers said the AMS is committed to improving the international student experience, noting that their international affairs portfolio is currently realigning its priorities to focus on the needs of current international students.
One of the portfolio’s priorities include changing the International Student Bursary, given out by the AMS to international students, to be distributed each semester rather than annually.
Queen’s said official enrolment data for the 2026-27 academic year will not be available to the public until after the University’s annual Nov. 1 enrolment count has been finalized.
Tags
international students, study permit, tuition cost
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