York Catholic District School Board
- Why
- Location · School approach
- Because
- Wide area · Designated high schools · French Immersion
- Result
- Regular school life · Safer housing · City access
- Benefit
- Premium · CAD 1,400 above the median, with homestay
- Cost
- CAD 17,750 (total of the published items, without homestay) · about CAD 1,775 per school month
Why York Catholic District School Board?
Families who want to be close to Toronto's resources but prefer a suburban setting look to York Region. York Catholic suits parents seeking a values-based, disciplined school environment.
- Location: A largely residential area within the Greater Toronto Area.
- School approach: Catholic tradition with clear rules.
- Experience: More than 25 years of hosting international students.
Reasons: what makes York Catholic stand out
The board has 103 schools across the nine municipalities of the Regional Municipality of York. International students are accepted from kindergarten through grade 12.
- Wide area: Schools operate in Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, Markham, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Whitchurch-Stouffville and King Township, so families can choose among different communities.
- Designated high schools: Six high schools are designated for international students, so they are experienced in teaching students from abroad.
- French Immersion: Offered alongside English, so students can develop a second official language.
- Program variety: Full-year, single-semester, gap-year and short-term programs, and mini programs tailored to groups.
- Approved homestay: Students arriving without their parents must arrange homestay and custodianship through Canada Homestay Network or Muskoka Language International.
- Established program: Launched in 1998 and now serving 338 international students, so application and placement processes are well settled.
- Airport access: The nearest airport is Toronto Pearson, which makes international travel connections easier to plan.
Cost analysis: what one school year costs
| Item | CAD | As published on CAPS-I |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition, one school year | 16,900 | $16,900 Secondary |
| Application fee | 300 | $300 |
| Health insurance | 550 | $550, 1 semester $265 |
| Homestay, full year | see text | varies by homestay provider; please confirm directly with them. |
| Total of the published items, without homestay | 17,750 | Homestay is priced by the homestay provider and is not included in this total. |
Tuition alone works out to about CAD 1,690 per school month over a 10-month year.
The tuition figure for the 2026–27 school year was confirmed on the district's own website on 11 October 2026.
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 16,900, this fee is CAD 1,400 above the median of CAD 15,500 among 32 public school districts in Ontario.
Outcome: what it means for the student and family
This structure suits families who want a calmer, more supervised routine near Toronto without giving up the city's opportunities. Students have a regular high school life while keeping access to big-city resources. Students under 17 who arrive without a parent need custodianship through an approved provider.
- Regular school life: Clear rules and a values-based structure help students focus on their studies.
- Safer housing: The approved-provider requirement eases parents' concerns about host families.
- City access: Students living in the suburbs can reach Toronto's universities and cultural institutions.
- Flexible duration: Students can start with one semester and decide later whether to continue.
Benefit analysis: what the investment buys
The student works toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), taught and assessed by certified Canadian teachers.
Every lesson, club and team runs in English, which turns English into a working language rather than a school subject.
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 17,750 | Total of the published items, without homestay, from the cost analysis above |
| Per school month | CAD 1,775 | Over a 10-month school year |
| Price position | +CAD 1,400 | 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 | Premium |
CAD 1,400 above the median across 32 public school districts in Ontario. The higher price is worth it when the student will use what it pays for: homestay.
Who it suits and what to consider
- Cost: Full-year high school tuition is CAD 16,900 and a single semester is CAD 8,450. Added to this are a CAD 300 application fee and CAD 550 per year for health insurance. Homestay fees vary by provider. Confirm current fees with the school before applying.
- School identity and transport: As this is a Catholic board, school life is built on those values. The commute between the suburban home and the school should be planned in advance.
Which York Region high school best fits your child's goals? In a free preliminary consultation with Canadian Edu Centre, we can go through the school, homestay and calendar options together.