CRA My Account: Simplifying Tax Time for Students

When you are studying for finals, you don’t want to be stressed over filing your tax return as well. You may not have your tax information organized, or perhaps you misplaced a T4 that was mailed to you. By using the CRA My Account service, you can access your tax information instantly.

When completing your tax return, log in to your student account through your school’s website and print form T2202A Tuition, Education, and Textbook Amounts Certificate. This form indicates the amount of tuition fees you paid, and how many months you attended school on a full-time or part-time basis. You report these amounts on your tax return.

The amount that you pay for tuition will reduce your taxable income. If your tuition credits are not used, the credits are automatically carried forward to the following year.

You can check on any carryover amounts through your CRA My Account. Once you are logged in, click on the Tax Returns tab, and then click on Carryover Amounts. This page displays any Federal or Provincial credits that will be carried forward to the following tax year, and also provides a summary of the tax credits you have claimed in prior years.

Your T4 Statement of Remuneration Paid slip is sent to you by your employer. This slip includes income earned, income tax paid, amounts contributed to Employment Insurance and the Canada Pension Plan, as well as other employment information.

If you move to go to school, you may not receive your T4 if your employer was not given your current address. However, by logging into the CRA My Account, you can access your T4 slips online.

Once logged in, click on the Tax Returns tab, then click Tax Information Slips. On this page, you can retrieve T-slips that were issued to you.

If you move away from home to go to school, you should update the CRA with your current address.

Log into the CRA My Account website, and click Change My Address on the left-hand toolbar. On this page, you can update your Mailing Address if you wish to have mail delivered to your student address. Your Home Address can remain unchanged from your family’s address if you want it to be your permanent address on file.

Authorizing your parent as a representative can be helpful if your parent is filing your tax return on your behalf. Authorizing a Representative allows your parent to view much of your necessary tax information first hand.

To authorize a family member, complete form T1013 Authorizing or Cancelling a Representative. On this form, you can indicate who you are authorizing, the tax years for which they will have authorization, as well as the level of authorization.

This form can be mailed to your tax centre. Your tax centre information is located on your Notice of Assessment.

You can cancel the representative’s access at any time by submitting form T1013 or online using your CRA My Account.

Register for a CRA My Account.

Learn more about registering for a CRA My Account.