Ask how much textbooks cost in Canada and the universities answer for themselves: most tell students to budget roughly $1,000 to $2,000+ a year for books and supplies. The University of Toronto recommends $1,000 to $2,000 per year, and the University of Saskatchewan’s 2026–27 estimate runs $1,500 to $2,500. Decades of price increases got us here: the US consumer price index for educational books and supplies rose 1,041% between January 1977 and June 2015, and Canadian students buy from the same handful of publishers.
You don’t have to pay full price. Heading into the 2026–27 school year, here’s what to budget by program, then the options to work through before buying anything new.
How Much Do Textbooks Cost in Canada?
University budget estimates for books and supplies land between $1,000 and $2,500 a year for most programs, with arts at the low end and professional programs far above it. Per semester, that works out to roughly $500 to $1,250 for most students.
| Program | Per year | Per semester |
|---|---|---|
| Arts and humanities | $1,000–$1,500 | $500–$750 |
| Business and commerce | $1,600–$2,150 | $800–$1,075 |
| Science | $1,100–$2,500 | $550–$1,250 |
| Engineering | $1,000–$1,700 | $500–$850 |
| Health and pre-professional | $1,600–$5,800 | $800–$2,900 |
Ranges compiled from published books-and-supplies budget estimates at Queen’s, the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Toronto, and McGill, as of August 2026. The health range is wide because medicine sits at the top: Queen’s estimates $3,170 to $5,821 a year for medical students. For a per-course rule of thumb, College of the Rockies suggests about $200 per course.
Do You Actually Need to Buy the Textbook?
Often, no. Don’t buy anything before the first week of class. Attend the first lecture and ask the professor how heavily the textbook will be used. Some courses list “required” textbooks that are barely referenced. Ask directly: “Is the textbook essential, or can I get by with lectures and other resources?” Most professors will give you an honest answer.
Also ask whether an older edition works. The differences between the 5th and 6th edition are often minor: reordered chapters and updated problem sets. If the professor says an older edition is fine, you can buy the previous version for a fraction of the price.
If the book is essential, you still may not need your own copy. Buy one with a classmate and share it: one person has the book Thursday to Saturday, the other takes it Sunday to Wednesday. You each pay half, and you’ll end up discussing the material together. This works best when both people are organized about handoffs.
Where Can You Find Free Textbooks?
Two places: Open Educational Resources (OER), free peer-reviewed textbooks published under open licenses, and your campus library. Check OER first, since a match there costs $0 for good.
| Resource | What It Offers |
|---|---|
| OpenStax | Free peer-reviewed textbooks from Rice University covering physics, biology, statistics, math, economics, chemistry, psychology, and more. |
| BCcampus Open Collection | Open textbooks used across Canadian classrooms. |
| eCampusOntario Open Library | More than 1,900 free, openly-licensed resources, built in partnership with BCcampus. |
| Open Textbook Library | University of Minnesota collection with peer reviews. |
| OASIS | Meta-search tool that queries dozens of OER collections at once. |
| LibreTexts | 17 subject libraries with thousands of free college-level textbooks. |
Some schools have removed the cost outright. Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Zero Textbook Cost initiative, Canada’s first when it launched in 2018, now offers several full credentials, including bachelor’s degrees, with no textbook costs, and runs 950+ ZTC course sections per term. KPU counts more than $16 million in student savings so far; its one caveat is that ZTC pathways can take longer to complete.
Your library is the second free route.
Course reserves. Many libraries work with professors to put required textbooks on reserve for short loan periods (U of T Scarborough’s reserves, for example, loan for 3 hours). Enough for a focused reading session or to photograph the specific pages you need for private study.
E-books. University libraries often provide free digital access to textbooks through their catalogue or your school’s learning management system.
Interlibrary loans. If your library doesn’t have a book, they can borrow it from another institution, usually for free.
Ask your professor. If a textbook isn’t on reserve, ask the professor to put a copy there. Many will if students ask.
Is Renting Textbooks Cheaper Than Buying?
It can be, when the book has no life after the course (no follow-up class that uses it, no resale value worth chasing) and the rental quote beats a used copy. Campus bookstores and some online sellers offer semester-length rentals, but availability and pricing for Canadian addresses vary, so compare before committing. Read the terms too: late returns and damage (heavy highlighting counts) can trigger fees or a forced buyout that erases the savings.
One standard first-year book shows the spread across formats.
What one intro textbook costs across formats
Mankiw’s Principles of Microeconomics (10th edition, Cengage), priced on Amazon.ca as of August 2026:
| Format | Price |
|---|---|
| New, list price | $397.89 |
| New, Amazon.ca marketplace | $253.35 |
| Used, Amazon.ca marketplace | from $167.12 |
| Free OER equivalent (OpenStax Principles of Microeconomics) | $0 |
Treat this as an illustration: marketplace prices change week to week. The pattern holds, though. The used copy runs about 58% off list, and the open textbook covers the same intro-micro ground for nothing.
Where Can You Buy Cheap Used Textbooks in Canada?
Buy from other students first; that’s where the deep discounts are. Campus bookstores typically price used copies around 75% of the new price, so the 50%-plus savings come from student-to-student sales and marketplace listings (the used Mankiw above is about 58% off list).
Student-to-student sales. Check your university’s Facebook buy/sell groups and campus Reddit communities, and ask students a year ahead of you in your program. A quick post in a university group usually connects you with sellers fast. Meet on campus and inspect the book before paying; don’t e-transfer a deposit to hold a book for someone you haven’t met.
One trap before you buy used: many first-year courses require a single-use online homework access code (MindTap, MyLab, WebAssign) that a used or rented copy won’t include. Check the syllabus first, and price the used book plus a standalone code against the new bundle before assuming used wins.
Canadian used-book sellers.
- Scorpio Bookstore: a Toronto store specializing in Ontario university and college textbooks, with buyback, consignment, and Canada-wide shipping.
- Book Buy Express: a buyback service that accepts books with already-used access codes, which most buyers won’t touch. It runs on scheduled pickups, so check that it operates where you live.
- Amazon.ca’s used listings and AbeBooks.
As with any buyback or resale service, confirm the offer price and payment terms before handing over your books.
Digital versions. E-books run up to about 50% cheaper than print, per the UBC Bookstore, and you get them instantly. Check your library’s digital access before paying for one. Watch for DRM restrictions, and know that some access codes expire after a semester, leaving nothing to resell.
At the end of the term, sell back what you bought. Buy/sell groups pay best; bookstore buyback is the low-effort route (College of the Rockies’ bookstore, for example, pays about 50% of what you paid).
What’s the Cheapest Order to Try?
Before spending money on any textbook:
- Is it required? Wait for the first class and ask.
- Is there a free OER version? Search OASIS and OpenStax.
- Is it in the library? Check the catalogue and course reserves.
- Can you share with a classmate? Split the cost.
- Can you rent it? Ask the campus bookstore and compare online rental offers.
- Can you buy it used? Check student groups, Scorpio Bookstore, or AbeBooks.
- Will an older edition work? Ask the professor.
- Last resort: buy new. Check for an inclusive-access price first.
On that last step: many universities fold digital course materials into course fees through “inclusive access” deals negotiated with publishers. Algonquin College, one of the largest inclusive-access schools in North America, folds digital materials into course fees with a target of roughly half the print price. Policies differ by school, including whether you can opt out, so ask your bookstore or registrar’s office what applies before buying new elsewhere.
Student aid counts textbooks as a real cost, too. Canada Student Grants and Loans are designed to cover school-related costs alongside tuition and living expenses; our guide to the Canada Student Grant vs. loan split explains which of that money you keep. In Ontario, OSAP bases your funding on educational costs that name books and supplies directly; see how OSAP works for the full picture. This guide is general information, not financial advice; your aid office can confirm what your own assessment covers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I budget for textbooks per semester?
Plan on about $500 to $1,250 per semester for most programs, half of the annual university estimates in the table above. Medicine and some health programs run higher. Your school’s own budget page has the figure for your program.
Does OSAP or student aid cover textbooks?
Textbook costs count when your aid is calculated. OSAP includes books and supplies in the educational costs it assesses (Ontario), and federal Canada Student Grants and Loans are meant to cover school-related costs alongside tuition. That doesn’t mean a separate book allowance arrives: your total funding depends on your assessed need, and the loan portion has to be repaid.
When should you buy your textbooks?
After the first week of class, once the professor confirms what the course uses. Buying during the summer rush means paying list price for books you may not need.
Are older textbook editions okay to use?
Often, yes. Edition changes tend to reorder chapters and swap problem sets rather than change the core material. Ask the professor before buying; if they approve, the older edition costs a fraction of the current one.
Textbooks are one line in a bigger budget. Issue 3 of the newsletter covers what school costs once you add books and fees, and our guide to budgeting on a student income shows where the textbook line fits.
Useful links
This guide is general information for Canadian students, not personalized financial advice. Program rules and dollar amounts change, so confirm the details with the official government source before acting on them.
