Historical note: fee figures and the SDS/non-SDS prepayment difference are from 2022; check current college fee schedules and IRCC stream rules.
A parent wanted a low-fee Toronto college for an IT program after their son finished A-levels, without paying a full year upfront. Members' guidance:
- Expect CAD 15k–20k per year for IT programs. Toronto-area colleges cluster in this range, so the realistic spread between 'cheap' and 'expensive' options over two years is modest (roughly CAD 4k total, as one member calculated).
- A-levels are accepted. Cambridge A-level (equivalent to grade 12) is acceptable at colleges, so entry qualification wasn't the barrier.
- Prepayment depends on the application stream. The key answer to the funding concern: if not applying under SDS, paying one semester's fee was generally sufficient, rather than the full first year SDS expected. That materially lowers the upfront cash needed.
- Do a cost-benefit, not just a fee comparison. Members pushed back on choosing purely on price: since fees are similar anyway, weigh faculty quality and outcomes. The counterpoint also stands — starting at an affordable college and transferring to a better program later is a viable path, and students from less-known colleges do well professionally.
Practical approach: shortlist colleges with the target IT program, confirm semester-wise payment is allowed, and apply through the stream whose prepayment requirement matches your funds — while keeping total funds evidence strong for the visa itself.