What is Schedule 11

Schedule 11 allows you to claim Federal Tuition and Education Amounts on your federal return. Students in Canadian educational institutions will receive official tax slips or the Form T2202. Canadian citizens studying abroad will get the TL 11A or TL 11C and those in flying clubs and schools used to get the TL11B, but for 2020 onward this information now appears on the T2202. These tax forms are required when completing Schedule 11, which is a tax credit offered to students. You can claim amounts spent on tuition and education. Each province in Canada has a unique Schedule 11 and some also offer textbook credits. Here's a quick overview of everything you should know about Schedule 11, including who should file and how to fill it.

What is Schedule 11?

If you are a student in a Canadian educational institution, you are required to pay tuition. Schedule 11 is designed to help students claim these amounts through tax credits deducted from their federal taxes. The tax form is vital for student tax credits and features various sections and boxes described shortly in the sections below. Essentially, Schedule 11 is the tax form required to claim amounts spent on education. The tax credit is used to offset any outstanding federal tax payable and is available to various categories of students, including those studying in Canada and abroad. Nonetheless, not all students are eligible for tax deductions.

Who should fill and file Schedule 11?

If you are a student and receive an official tax receipt, T2202, TL11A, TL11C or TL11D, you should check whether you are eligible for student tax deductions. Schedule 11 is required to calculate the total tax credit you can claim on your federal return. The deduction is only available for money paid towards tuition and education. You should fill the Schedule 11 tax form if:

• You are a student in a registered Canada educational institution by the end of the tax year.

• You are a Canadian student studying abroad (in a country outside Canada) by the end of the tax year.

• You are a student at a flying school or club by the end of the tax year.

You can fill Schedule 11 for the current year or previous tax years. Your unused amounts from previous years will appear on your notice of assessment.

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How to fill out Schedule 11

There are two main ways to fill out your Schedule 11 tax form. The easiest and recommended method is electronic, which requires visiting the official CRA website and creating your account. You can then go to the CRA website and search for the Schedule 11 form. CRA allows members to complete form filling and submission online via NETFILE. It is a convenient process with instant guides and prompts. Filling electronically also keeps records of all your documents. Another method is manual filling. This involves downloading the Schedule 11 tax form, printing it, filling and mailing to your tax centre. Whichever method you choose, make sure you send your forms on time and enter the correct information. Schedule 11 tax form has various sections as follows:

• Line 1 - Also known as unused federal tuition, education and textbook amounts, this line is where you enter any unused amounts from previous schedules (years). You should check your notice of assessment or reassessment where the unused amounts from previous tax years are listed. If you don't have any amounts from previous years, skip Line 1.

• Line 2 – This line is where you enter all eligible tuition fees for this year's schedule. Make sure you indicate the correct amount as shown on your tax certificate.

• Line 11 – The amount on line 11 is entered in field 32300 of your T1 income tax and benefit return. It is the total tuition, education and textbook amount you have incurred for the current year.

• Lines 12 to 19 – If you are transferring or carrying forward your unused tax deductions from current or previous years, you should complete lines 12 to 19 for 2019. These lines fall under Transfer/Carry Forward of Unused Amount. If you are transferring current-year unused amounts to another individual, indicate these amounts on lines 12 to 19. If you are not transferring your unused amounts, they will be carried forward and may be used to offset future tax payable. Enter the unused amount to be carried forward in lines 11, 12, 13 and 18 only.

Before you start filling your Schedule 11, it is essential to go through all the CRA guidelines and requirements. For instance, when transferring unused amounts to another individual, you should only transfer the extent the person can use and carry forward the surplus. Tax credits and deductions are often used to offset outstanding tax payable. If you don't owe the CRA any amounts from current and previous tax years, you can carry forward the amounts to use for future tax obligations. Alternatively, you can transfer the amounts to someone else to offset their balance.

It is essential for students to file Schedule 11 on time and keep the records of the unused amounts to help offset future taxes. Some provinces also require the student to file provincial and territorial tax and credit form. Schedule 11 tax forms are different for each province. For instance, in Quebec, they use Schedule T while in Ontario, they use ON(S11). You can find details about each province's requirements here. You may also need supporting documents. If you are filing manually, keep your supporting documents and only mail the completed Schedule 11 tax form. On the other hand, if you are filing online, you should keep all the documents in case CRA requests them later.

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