Canadian Universities Struggle with Shrinking Budgets and Fewer Course Offerings

As of September 10th, 2025, Canadian post-secondary institutions are facing a challenging start to the new academic year. Universities and colleges across the country are struggling with the fallout from federal changes to international student policies, which have resulted in a significant drop in enrollment from abroad.

This enrollment decline has had a major financial impact on schools, as international students typically pay much higher tuition fees. Coupled with ongoing domestic tuition freezes and chronic underfunding, many institutions have been forced to make difficult decisions, such as cutting course options and reducing student services.

Some students, like Daniella Iyalomolere at the University of Regina, are finding themselves waitlisted for required classes or concerned about the quality of education they are receiving. Others, like Vansh Kalra at Capilano University, have had to take courses at other schools to complete their programs on time.

Beyond the impact on individual students, the situation also has broader implications. Universities Canada president Gabriel Miller warns that the "capacity of our universities to create spaces for Canadian-born students is starting to contract." And Université de Montréal rector Daniel Jutras says the restrictions on international students are hurting the country's research sector by making it harder to attract top global talent.

As the new academic year progresses, students, faculty, and administrators will continue to grapple with the fallout from these challenges. Experts are calling for better collaboration between all stakeholders to find a sustainable path forward for Canada's post-secondary system.