Avon Maitland District School Board
- Why
- Close to Toronto, calm surroundings · Interest in arts and technology
- Because
- Strong programs · Eight high schools and e-learning · ESL support
- Result
- Well-rounded development · Secure setting, big-city access · Language and cultural fit
- Benefit
- Mid-market price · CAD 100 below the median, with homestay
- Cost
- CAD 17,250 (total of the published items, without homestay) · about CAD 1,725 per school month
Why Avon Maitland District School Board?
Families who want a secure setting near Toronto, but not inside it, often look at southwestern Ontario. The board is 90 minutes from both Toronto and Niagara Falls, in a region with a strong cultural scene. Its 39 schools enrol 16,000 students in total.
- Close to Toronto, calm surroundings: Families who prefer a small city or town with access to the metropolis.
- Interest in arts and technology: Students seeking strong programs in music, drama or robotics.
- Starting in middle school: Families considering a move to Canadian education from grade 5 onward.
Reasons: what sets Avon Maitland apart
- Strong programs: The board says it offers outstanding programs in music, drama, technology, robotics, computer technology, math and science, so students can grow in both the arts and quantitative subjects.
- Eight high schools and e-learning: Eight public high schools accept international students, and e-learning options widen course choice beyond any single school.
- ESL support: International students receive English as a Second Language support, helping them adjust to classes step by step as their language skills improve.
- Cultural setting: The region extends to Stratford, home of the internationally known Stratford Shakespeare Festival, giving theatre-minded students access to a lively stage culture.
- International experience: About 200 of the board's 16,000 students are international, drawn from more than 50 countries, so the board is used to supporting diverse cultures.
- Homestay program: Accommodation is arranged through a homestay program designed to promote cultural exchange, so students experience Canadian family life first-hand.
- Flexible intakes: Students can start in September or February, and other start dates are possible on request.
Cost analysis: what one school year costs
| Item | CAD | As published on CAPS-I |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition, one school year | 15,400 | $15,400 |
| Application fee | 400 | $400 |
| Health insurance | 700 | $700 |
| Homestay, full year | see text | Annual Homestay Placement Fee: $400; Annual Custodianship Fee: $350 |
| Homestay placement fee | 400 | |
| Custodianship fee | 350 | |
| Total of the published items, without homestay | 17,250 | Homestay is priced by the homestay provider and is not included in this total. |
Tuition alone works out to about CAD 1,540 per school month over a 10-month year.
The tuition figure comes from the district's CAPS-I page. We could not confirm it, or the school year it applies to, on the district's own website on 11 October 2026; we request the current fee schedule for you before you apply.
The other items are taken from the district's CAPS-I member page, read on 11 October 2026. Items shown as "see text" could not be read as a single amount and are left out of the total.
How this fee compares
At CAD 15,400, this fee is CAD 100 below the median of CAD 15,500 among 32 public school districts in Ontario.
Outcome: what it means for the student and family
- Well-rounded development: Students can build skills in the arts and technology alongside academic courses. Robotics and computer technology classes are a good starting point for students interested in engineering.
- Secure setting, big-city access: Living in a small community keeps Toronto within reach for transport and trips. The proximity of Lake Huron also opens up outdoor activities.
- Language and cultural fit: ESL support combined with homestay accommodation helps students settle in faster. Meeting peers from many countries builds an international circle of friends.
- Range of durations: Full-year study, single-semester study, short programs and summer camps let families try the experience before committing.
Benefit analysis: what the investment buys
The student works toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), taught and assessed by certified Canadian teachers.
Classes in English every day, with French options that add a second official language.
A screened homestay family provides a private room, meals and daily support, and the district monitors the placement.
Clubs, teams and community activities let the student build a profile beyond grades.
A Canadian transcript, teacher references and extracurricular record that Canadian and international universities review directly.
Cost–benefit at a glance
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Annual investment | CAD 17,250 | Total of the published items, without homestay, from the cost analysis above |
| Per school month | CAD 1,725 | Over a 10-month school year |
| Price position | −CAD 100 | vs. median CAD 15,500 · 32 public school districts in Ontario |
| Specialty programs | Core program | Standard provincial curriculum |
| Living arrangement | Homestay | Included in the cost analysis where the school publishes it |
| Language support | Immersion | No separate ESL program in our data; we confirm with the school |
| Value verdict | Mid-market price |
Priced in line with the median across 32 public school districts in Ontario. The decision rests on fit: homestay rather than price.
Who it suits and what to consider
- Costs: Full-year tuition is CAD 15,400, and homestay is CAD 1,240 per month. Single-semester tuition is CAD 7,700. The total budget must include the extra costs. This region costs more than many public boards in Alberta and Manitoba.
- Additional fees: Application fee CAD 400, placement fee CAD 400, guardianship fee CAD 350, health insurance CAD 700, round-trip airport transfer CAD 500, a student fee of CAD 60 and a transcript verification fee of CAD 250.
Does this school fit your budget and your child's goals? Book a free preliminary consultation and we will review Avon Maitland with every cost item included.