Financial Study in Canada

Here’s a comprehensive guide for all International students who want to study in Canada

Study in Canada

High on academic quality but affordable tuition fee – Canada is one of the best study destinations for students. Until August 2019, Canada experienced almost 70,000 international students studying at all levels in the country; which explains its popularity across the globe.

How much does it cost to Study in Canada?

S.no	Study program	*Average annual fee (in CAD)**
1.	Undergraduate program	$13,000 to $20,000 per year
2.	Postgraduate master’s degree	$17,000 to $25,000 per year
3.	Doctoral degree	$7,000 to $15,000 per year
4.	MBA	$30,000 to $40,000 per year

Education system in Canada

Here’s an overview of the Canadian education for you.

One of the major reasons behind Canada’s popularity among students is its affordable quality education. The Canadian government spends generously on higher education and is among the top three countries to spend per capital on post-secondary education. Let’s find out more about the Canadian education system.

Study levels in Canada

Since the education system in Canada is managed by the provincial governments, the study levels and educational stages may lie in different clusters with different names. Here’s a synopsis:

Qualification	Duration	Description
Certificates and Diploma	1 to 2 Years	Vocational and job oriented programs, mainly technical
Associate degree	2 Years	Equivalent to first two years of a 4-year bachelor’s degree
Bachelor’s degree	3 to 4 years	An undergraduate degree which requires successful completion of secondary school. The duration of your course depends on the province and type of program although most courses last for 4 years. Certain provinces like Quebec have bachelor’s degree of 3 years.
Bachelor’s Honors degree	4 years	This will require getting a specific GPA or credits, a majors or a specialist program
Postgraduate diploma	1 to 2 years	A post bachelor degree qualification
Master’s degree (by thesis)	1 to 2 years	Often referred to as research masters, this requires mandatory submission of thesis for assessment and course completion
Master’s degree (by non-thesis)	1 to 2 years	This is a taught master’s degree, not requiring thesis submission
Doctorate or PhD	4 to 7 years	Ph.D. is awarded when students complete dissertation and successfully defend their work before a panel of faculty members
Post-Doctoral Programs	No time limit	Specialised research-oriented programs

Types of institutions:

There are different types of qualifications offered by various institutions of Canada.

Business Development

Students can apply for undergraduate degree, postgraduate certificate, diploma and degree, professional degrees and doctorate in universities of Canada.

University colleges:

Programs offered by university colleges include diploma and university transfer programs.

Community colleges:

Students can get certificate, diploma, associate degree, undergraduate degree and postgraduate diploma in community colleges.

Career and technical colleges:

Certificate and diploma offered for technical education.

Co-operative education

This unique platform brings together classroom-based education and practical work experience making for more structured and pragmatic learning. This is an exceptionally wonderful avenue for international students who do not wish to consume themselves in a completely lecture-based education. Note that 50% of the program will include work experience therefore you must have a work permit.

Academic year

September is the main intake in Canada and witnesses maximum number of student admissions. While most colleges and universities offer the September and January intake, you may also be able to get admissions in the Summer intake that starts around April/May.

Pedagogy in Canadian classrooms

Active participation, research and analysis via presentation, assignments and lab tests are the basis of Canadian learning. Classes are usually a mix of lectures, tutorials and lab sessions having a student strength of about 30 to 200. While lectures may have a higher number of students, tutorials are generally held within small groups for better and in-depth understanding of the concept. Canadian universities focus on providing a holistic experience wherein students get opportunities that improve their learning, career and life.

Tuition fee

In comparison to the UK, Australia and New Zealand, Canada offers the lowest tuition rates for foreign students.

To cover tuition fees, you will need between CAD 7,000 and CAD 29,000 (indicative costs) a year. However, this is a general guide only and cost varies in relation to the institution and program you are applying for, as well as the location and lifestyle.

Financial aid

Financial aids are available for Indian students applying to Canadian students in the form of scholarships, grants, bursaries, tuition waiver, etc. Note that the amount of the reward and its type varies between various institutions and programs. Since getting a scholarship is competitive, we recommend you to start with the procedure about 8-12 months before the preferred intake begins.

Here’s an overview of the kinds of scholarships you can apply for based on your study level.

For undergraduates (UG)

Merit-based scholarship
Provincial Government scholarship
Need-based grants and bursaries by college
Tuition waiver
Commonwealth scholarship
Private/Organisational scholarship

For Postgraduates (PG)

Merit-based scholarship
Provincial Government scholarship
Research associate-ship
Professional Development award
Fellowship
Teaching assistantship
Commonwealth scholarship
Private/Organisational scholarship