Canada is known for world-class education & boasts of its institutions like the University of Toronto, McGill University, University of British Columbia, McMaster University, Universite de Montreal, and the University of Waterloo. Canadian Universities are considered top-notch in terms of education quality and state of the art infrastructure, which ultimately means that one needs to go through a rigorous application process to be in the selected pool of candidates. While these Canadian universities are the most opportune gateway for attaining academic excellence and opening the door for professional opportunities, one also needs to consider the cost of studying in Canada, especially Indian students.
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What is the Tuition Fees in Canada?
Your tuition fees in the Canada universities depend on multiple factors, such as, the program you choose, whether you are an international or a domestic student, and what is your level of study- undergraduate or postgraduate? Going by the report from Statistics Canada, tuition fees in Canada have seen a rise by an average of 3.3 percent for domestic undergraduate students, while for international undergraduates, this percentage is 6.3 in the academic year 2018-2019. Canadian students are expected to pay CA$6,838 per annum for an undergraduate degree, and CA$7,086 per year for a Master’s degree.
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Undergraduate tuition fees in Canada
Your tuition fee would vary depending on the Universities and the stream you choose to study. For instance, if we talk about the tuition fee for the Indian students, at Cape Breton University, you will be paying about INR 7,00,843 if you have bagged admission in an Engineering stream. The cost changes at Western University (Ontario) and Carleton University, stands at INR 14,89,414 and INR 15,12,700 respectively. If you are planning to pursue a course in Business and Management, you will have to shell out approximately INR 7,00,843 at Cape Breton University. Humanities courses tend to be cheaper, and at Carleton University, one needs to pay in the range between INR 12,80,822-14,32,466.
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Postgraduate Tuition Fees in Canada
The fees for postgraduate level programs are relatively lower than what you need to pay at the undergraduate level. The average Master’s tuition fee, according to Statistics Canada, stands at CA$16,497, which tantamount to approximately US$ 12,500. Similar to countries such as the US, Germany, or Canada; executive MBA programmes are ranked as the most expensive in Canada as well. One needs to pay a whopping amount of about US$ 37,700 for an executive MBA, while regular MBA will cost you about US$ 23,1600. However, once you settle in Canadian Universities, you will realize that the cost is worth it.
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Cost of Living in Canada
In addition to the tuition cost, you also need to be mentally and financially prepared to cover your living costs in the country. You have to account for multiple aspects during the time of your studies such as accommodation, food, clothing, and some other accompanying factors. To an extent, you are in control of your expenditure, since a lot boils down to your spending habits. Moreover, as is the case in any other country, your location will largely determine your living cost. Living in large cities like Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto will add to your bills. As per the Universite de Montreal, students will have to arrange a sum of CA$15,050 per academic year if they are to live in a Canadian city and it will cover their housing, food, accommodation, books and stationery, phone costs, and several other miscellaneous expenses. Holding the merit of being one of the most competitive Universities, UBC is located in Vancouver and reckons the living cost to be around CA$15,500 per annum. However, it does not cover the mandatory health insurance, which comes at around CA$864 per year under the BC Health Plan. As stated by the 2018 Mercer Cost of Living Survey; Toronto and Vancouver top the charts of being the most expensive Canadian cities. One crucial factor which contributes to their sky-high costs is the rent, which is significantly higher than in any other cities in Canada.
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Cost of Accommodation in Canada
Accommodation can broadly be branched into three major categories- homestay, university accommodation, and private accommodation. If on-campus accommodation is your first preference, you will have to spend somewhere between CA$3,000-7,500 (~US$2,550 – 5,640). Private accommodation is understandably costlier and will cost you around CA$8,400 per year + bills. If you are looking for private accommodation, you will have to find both an apartment and someone to share it with. Most of the students share apartments and/or rooms. Moreover, you will be on your own and will have to look for grocery sources, manage travelling, and take care of laundry. In these two options, the option of university accommodation is best suitable for Indian students. There are some universities that also offer meal plans, which gives you the choice of purchasing food from the university food outlets. While not everything is available at the said outlets, you will be able to lay your hands on some essential products, such as packaged foods, medicines, sandwiches, snacks, salads, etc.
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Health Insurance in Canada
The perils of health can strike one at any time, and it is advisable to stay prepared, in advance, for any medical urgency. Majority of the universities in Canada will ask you to purchase health insurance, which stands as essential as the rest of your documentation & part of the overall cost of studying in Canada for Indian students. Do not fool yourself and conclude that some antibiotics will heal it all, instead, make all the necessary arrangements on time. In case you ignore this critical part of the procedure, you might end up emptying your pocket more on medical bills than the cost of your entire education. The health insurance will cost you around CA$600-800. As an international student, you will be entitled to 24*7 assistance, provided at an affordable cost. The coverage reaps substantial benefits and covers the cost of visiting the hospital and doctors, air ambulance, prescription drugs, dental emergencies, legal and diplomatic referral, interpretation and translation services, and much more.
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How Much do you Need to Pay for Student Visa and Applications?
Studying in Canada necessitates a Canadian study permit, which acts as a student visa for as long as you study in the country. However, for programs and courses, which gets wrapped up in or under six months, no study permit is required. The grant is priced at CA$ 150 and in addition to your study program, stands valid for an extra 90 days. This three-month bracket is provided so that you can prepare to leave Canada or decide to extend your stay. The application fee is a significant factor which adds to your overall expenditure, and it varies from university to university. For instance, the University of British Columbia’s application fee is CA$69.26 for Canadian undergraduate students and CA$116.25 for international undergraduate students.
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Financial Aid
It is a no brainer that every student is in dire need of financial aid so that the aggregate cost of studying in Canada comes down considerably. Fortunately, scholarships, grants, and bursaries are available for international students at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level. Your excellent track record in academics, extracurriculars, and sports can help you score these coveted scholarships and make your education a seamless ride. These scholarships are highly sought after, and hence, it is evident that a vast number of students deem it necessary to apply to these aids. It is advisable that you apply for the scholarships as soon as possible since there is only limited funding available and the competition is fierce. As an international student, you can also research about study abroad scholarship opportunities offered by organizations in your home country. The Canadian Commonwealth scholarship program has captured a lot of students’ attention since it is available to the students of other Commonwealth nations. Additionally, the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials’ website is a repository of information on financial assistance.
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Work While Studying
It is always a practical and a wise decision to apply for part-time work while studying in Canada so that you can earn some extra cash and sustain yourself. The standard norm for students is to work for on or off campus for about 20 hours during both university semesters and full-time during winter or summer breaks. It is notable that you don’t need a work permit during this while. However, make sure that you have a valid study permit, are a full-time student enrolment in a program which stretches to at least six months. While you are in Canada, do not forget to obtain your Social Insurance Number from Service Canada, as it allows you to take advantage of services from government programs.
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Diploma and PG Diploma in Canada
A multitude of students prefers to study in Canada when they are in the quest of attaining a diploma or a post-graduate diploma in their area of specialization. The PG Diploma can be completed in 12 months and necessitates the student to achieve a specific number of learning credits to become eligible for becoming a diploma holder. Majority of the students are inclined towards a few subjects, such as Biological Sciences, Engineering (Electronics and Mechanical), Networking & Information Technology, and Health Sciences. Considering the cost, at the University of Montreal, you need to pay $7000 (tuition fee) per quarter and $8000 at Seneca College (International Business).