Income Tax Clinic
About us
Western’s student tax clinic is hosted by your USC, and takes place every year in March.
It is a free income-tax filing service facilitated by our team of CRA-certified and trained student volunteers.
By agreeing to participate in this Clinic, you are consenting to allowing our analysts to view any necessary personal information for completing the tax filing process.
Do I need to file my taxes?
Every Canadian resident should file their taxes – this includes students with no income and students who are dependents of parents or guardians. Even if you earned no income, you could still receive a substantial tax refund by filing your taxes, such as the GST/HST credit. You can also claim your tuition and rent credits, which are available to all students.
Many students are included in their parents’ tax returns. Although it isn’t obligatory for you to file for yourself a second time, it is good practice to begin filing your own returns, especially if you earn income. Filing provides a good foundation for developing personal tax skills. You can also save time by filling on your own, as you already have all the supporting tax slips and documents.
When is the USC Income Tax Clinic?
The USC Income Tax Clinic is providing free personal income tax filing services in person from March 4th to 28th, 2024 every Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm EST. Our CRA-certified student volunteers are available to help all Western and affiliate students as long as you book an appointment for your desired consultation time and meet our eligibility guidelines (outlined below).
Am I eligible for the service?
We will be assisting with refunds for the 2022 tax year only, for all current Western undergraduate and graduate students who:
- Have a valid government photo ID
- Have a SIN number that does not start with ‘0’
- Have an income of less than $30,000
- Have no rental income, foreign income, investment income, business income, or employment expenses and have never filed for bankruptcy before
- Have been in Canada for a total of six months (183 days) in the 2023 calendar year
What should I bring to the clinic?
- Critically important documents:
Social Insurance Number (SIN)
The exact date of entry into Canada – If filing for the first time as an international student - Two pieces of valid government ID.
Examples of valid government ID:
Passport (Canadian and foreign)
Driver’s License (can only validate Canadian licenses)
Travel Document
Permanent Resident Card
Government Photo ID Card
Certificate of Indian Status Card - Tax-Specific Documents:
T4 – Income (issued by your employer)
T4A – Scholarships and bursaries (issued by the school and your student loan source)
T2202 – Tuition Fees (issued by the school)
Rent Receipts (issued by your landlord or rental agency)
Medical or Dental Receipts (issued by your healthcare provider or your dentist)
Receipts for charitable donations (issued by the institution you donate to if they are a registered charity)
Itemized and detailed receipts for moving expenses (only if moving 40 kilometres or more for work or school purposes)
You can have multiples of each, so ensure you bring them all.
If you have any questions about the USC Income Tax Clinic, please contact Dickson Chan at incometax@westernusc.ca.
Volunteer
We are no longer hiring volunteers for the current tax season, but to check back next year around December for more opportunities!