Fill Out CRA Form TL11A Online

What is Form TL11A used for

The tuition tax credit reduces Canadian income tax for eligible tuition fees. When the fees were paid to a university outside Canada, the CRA needs the institution to certify the enrolment and the fees, and the TL11A is the prescribed certificate for that purpose.

The form records the institution's details, the program, the sessions attended, and the eligible tuition fees, usually converted to Canadian dollars for the claim. Students use those figures to complete Schedule 11 of their income tax and benefit return.

Who uses Form TL11A

The student requests the form, but the university outside Canada completes and certifies it. It applies to students in full-time attendance at a university outside Canada in a program at the degree level, subject to conditions on course length set out in the CRA's guidance, commonly a minimum of three consecutive weeks per course.

Students commuting from Canada to an institution in the United States, and deemed residents attending other foreign schools, may fall under related certificates in the TL11 series instead, so check which version fits your situation before asking the school to complete one.

How to fill out Form TL11A

Most of the form is completed by the university, but here is what the finished certificate should contain:

• Student identification: legal name, Canadian address, and social insurance number.
• Institution details: the university's name, address, and the signature of an authorized official.
• Program and session information: the program of study and the start and end dates of each session in the calendar year.
• Eligible tuition fees: the fees paid for the year that qualify under Canadian rules, excluding items such as residence, meal plans, and student association fees.

Claiming the credit and keeping records

Use the certified amounts to complete Schedule 11 with your return. You generally do not mail the certificate in with an electronically filed return, but you must keep it in case the CRA asks to verify the claim. Unused tuition amounts can typically be carried forward to future years or transferred to a spouse, parent, or grandparent within the limits on Schedule 11.

Convert foreign-currency fees to Canadian dollars using an accepted exchange rate for the period, and keep the receipts from the university alongside the TL11A.