Thanks @TurboTaxJeffrey -- so to be clear-- if I had paid 8k in taxes for 2017 (automatically removed from pay) and I apply my tuition credit (9k), I should be refunded 8k?

No, not necessarily.  Your tax liability is determined by your income, subtracting certain deductions, and applying applicable credits.  Once you have your tax liability, you then compare this to your refundable tax credits, which for most taxpayers is the amount withheld from their pay for tax purposes.  If the amount withheld is greater than the tax liability, then you get the difference back as a refund.  If the amount of refundable tax credits is less, then you owe the difference.  If you were able to bring your tax liability to zero, and you paid $8K, then you would be refunded the full $8K.

If your tax liability before applying the tuition credits was $17K, then the $9K in credits would bring the tax liability down to $8K...and result in neither a balance due or a refund on your tax return.

@TurboTaxJeffrey Okay.. So do tuition credits have the ability to bring your liability down to zero? Better yet, would 9k tuition credits be able to bring my 8k liability down to zero? When I remove the tuition carry over from my TurboTax application, my refund turns to $50. So my 9k tuition credits is reducing my liability 1k. Shouldn't it have a greater affect?

You say you are showing a refund of $1K.  This means that your tax liability before applying the tuition credits was $16K.  You then apply the tuition credits, lowing the tax liability to $7K, and when you compare that to the $8K that was deducted all year, it means you overpaid by $1K, which is your refund.

Ahh...remember, non-refundable tax credits are multiplied by the lowest tax rate, and THAT is your reduction in taxes.  Federally, that means that $8K actually reduces taxes by 15% of 8K, or an actual tax savings of $1200.  The provincial reduction will of course depend on what province you reside in, and the lowest tax rate there.

Ohhh. Okay, I understand now. Thank you @TurboTaxJeffrey !