Olivia Grandy
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
After fleeing war, Ivan Teteria is concerned about the feasibility of continuing his post-secondary studies at the University of Saskatchewan.
Teteria and his family came to Saskatoon in November 2022 from near Kyiv, Ukraine. Last fall, he enrolled in political studies at the U of S with the help of a provincial Ukrainian student tuition relief program.
It allowed him to pay domestic tuition since his family got their visas through the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET).
Now, Ukrainians who came to Canada under the federal program face a March 31, 2026, deadline to update their visa status, leaving the provincial tuition program under review, and Teteria’s future uncertain.
A letter from the U of S to a Ukrainian student said the tuition support will be ending on March 31, 2026 — the same day as the CUAET deadline for Ukrainians to apply for other forms of legal status.
Teteria said he’s concerned the tuition program will be cut altogether, based on communication from the U of S.
“I directly depend on (the program). My future depends on it. I intend to stay in Canada, build my future here, and my degree is going to help me do that,” he said at a press conference outside the Minister of Advanced Education’s constituency office, organized by the Saskatchewan NDP.
“You will continue to be automatically enrolled in this program as long as you are registered in classes until the program’s end date of March 31, 2026. The last semester that will be covered by the program is the winter term, January 2026,” said a letter from the university provided to the StarPhoenix by NDP MLA Keith Jorgenson’s office.
However, the provincial government insists the tuition relief program is not being cut, it’s just under review.
“There is still funding to this program while the ministry is currently reviewing this program on how the government should proceed,” the government wrote in an email.
“Our government has invested approximately $500,000 to support 33 Ukrainian students as of 2024—25 … Saskatchewan will keep its commitment to Ukrainian students while building a future that protects access to education and strengthens our post-secondary system.”
Clock ticks as uncertainty presents challenges for future students
As March 31 approaches, Teteria says Ukrainian students, especially those at the end of high school, do not know which type of permit will grant them student status come September 2026.
“It’s also about the … Ukrainian high schoolers who intend to go to the university, get educated, build a bright future … They need to go through a time-consuming application process, and therefore they need to know way beforehand that the program is indeed getting extended,” he said.
“We need to get the action from the government immediately.”
As a domestic student under the relief program, Teteria says he’s currently paying about $8,000 a year. International tuition for undergraduate students at the U of S can be up to $60,000 per year, according to a recent fact sheet.
Teteria says these rates are unattainable for those in his situation.
“We as people who fled the war do not have the financial means to afford crazy international tuition rates,” he said.
Recently, the federal government announced a further reduction in study permits, on top of Trudeau-era cuts that have already taken a toll on the University of Saskatchewan’s revenue.
The federal CUAET does not technically recognize the Ukrainians who used it to enter Canada as refugees, forcing them down a long road of paperwork to gain refugee or permanent resident status that could disrupt studies.
Those with refugee status are only subject to domestic tuition fees.
Jorgenson said the NDP is requesting that Ukrainian post-secondary students who came to Saskatchewan during the war be granted these privileges.
“All we’re asking for is that these Ukrainian students pay the same tuition as refugees,” he said.
