Canada is one of the countries that has become a booming hub for international students in recent years. Canada has many reasons to be counted among the best international study destinations. It offers a variety of course options ranging from undergraduate diplomas to Ph.D. degrees.
These days, studying in Canada has become more attractive to those interested in studying than anywhere else in the world. Because of that, Canada is home to more than half a million international students.
In this article, we are going to look at all aspects of studying in Canada, including the requirements, cost, and how to study for free in Canada. So, stay with us because we are going to answer all your top questions regarding studying in Canada.
Top reasons to study in Canada
Studying in Canada has many advantages over other countries that many choose to study. If you are looking for a destination to study abroad, Canada can be a good choice for a variety of reasons. In this section, we want to explain why Canada can be an ideal destination for educational purposes by providing top reasons.
1. High-quality training
Canada has excellent and prestigious universities, many of which have been approved by most of the countries. Canada has a special education system. Canadian educational institutions are known around the world for their high scientific standards. Canada is home to 21 of the world’s top 500 universities and 32 in the top 1,000.
Canadian universities are famous for their scientific, research-based, and development environment. Canadian universities and colleges attract the best teachers to teach. The records have shown that Canadian university and college graduates are usually very talented.
2. Cost-effective tuition
Tuition fees have always been one of the concerns of those willing to continue their education. Although the quality of Canada’s education system is the highest in the world, the cost of studying and living in Canada is relatively low compared to some English-speaking countries, including the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
By the way, the cost of studying in Canada can vary for many reasons, including whether you are a citizen or not, your degree, city, university, or college.
3. Opportunity to improve language skills
Canada has two official languages: French and English. Studying in this country has provided a good opportunity to strengthen your language skills.
Given that all courses in Canadian universities and colleges are offered in one of these two languages, students have the opportunity to improve these two important languages.
4. Possibility to work while studying
The ability to work while studying is one of the great benefits of studying in Canada. Under the Canadian Immigration Service (IRCC), international students are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during the school year and up to 40 hours per week during the holidays to cover part of their tuition.
5. Opportunity to obtain a work visa after graduation
International students can apply for a post-study work visa in Canada, or so-called PGWP, upon completion of their university studies and graduation from any of the university levels.
A post-graduate work visa allows a student to live in Canada for a maximum of 3 years and work for any employer, anywhere. Canada also offers a direct path to permanent citizenship – an option many international students seek. With a PGWP visa, a student can, in addition to earning money, gain Canadian work experience and then apply for residency and citizenship.
6. The ability to bring family with you while you study
One of the major benefits of studying in Canada is the ability to bring family with you while you study. That includes your parents, spouse, and children under the age of 18. These people can travel to Canada with a student on a student visa.
The student’s parents and spouse are allowed to work in Canada by obtaining a Free Work Permit.
If a student has one or more children under the age of 18, he or she can enroll his or her children in elementary, middle, or high school in Canada for free without the need for a student visa.
How to study in Canada
Canada is an increasingly popular option for students who seek a more affordable alternative to studying internationally than they might find in the US.
Successfully applying to a Canadian education institution requires an understanding of different requirements for schools and the courses they offer. So, it’s really important to know all the details about studying in Canada.
Requirements to study in Canada
Studying in Canada is a dream for many around the world. Because of this fact, Canadian universities have to choose between hundreds of thousands of applications every year. To reduce the applications, Canada set some requirements for those who are interested in studying in Canada.
In other words, you must meet certain requirements to study in Canada. Many important factors affect the acceptance of student admission and student visa; The most important factors for obtaining a Canadian student visa and admission are age, language proficiency score, and financial ability.
Your age is an important factor in obtaining a student visa, the less time has passed since your last degree was obtained, or the less so-called study gap, the better your chances of obtaining a Canadian student visa.
The score of your language proficiency certificate is important both in obtaining admission and in obtaining a student visa. Universities usually set a certain level for the language score. For example, at the undergraduate level, most universities require an IELTS score of 6.5 , which Is a must-have.
Of course, if you cannot reach this level and have a score of 0.5 or 1 less, you can also be accepted, but you must also be accepted in the English language course in Canada and enter the university after reaching the desired level.
Financial strength is another important factor that you must show that you can afford to live and study in Canada for a year. Tuition varies depending on the educational level and the university you are admitted to but is generally between $ 15,000 and $ 30,000 per year, and the average cost of living in Canada is $ 10,000 to $ 12,000.
language requirement for study in Canada
A certificate of English or French language proficiency is a requirement for admission to Canadian universities and colleges.
As we mentioned in the previous section, Canada is a bilingual (English-French) country. People who are fluent in both languages can introduce one as their first language and the other as the second language.
The following are English language certifications approved by Canada:
- CELPIP (General and Academic)
- IELTS (General and Academic)
- TOEFL iBT
- PTE
French language certifications approved by Canada are:
- French evaluation test
- French knowledge test
Higher grades are needed to study at higher levels. For example, at the master’s level, some universities may require a minimum of IELTS 7, and at the PhD level, a minimum of 7.5 or higher is required.
Study in Canada without IELTS
Many people may be interested in studying in Canada but for various reasons have not been able to obtain IELTS and now they want to know if it is possible to study in Canada without IELTS and other English proficiency certificates.
The short answer is that all Canadian universities require an IELTS Academic score of 6.5 or equivalent in the CAEL, CELPIP, and TOEFL iBT exams to enter their courses directly.
There are ways to study in Canada without an English proficiency certificate or with a score below the required score which is to be accepted conditionally. Conditional means that the student is admitted to the academic course of a university or college, but the condition for entering those courses is having the level or grade of the language desired by the university.
Some universities or colleges offer prerequisite language courses at the same center, while others work with their partner language institutes, and the student can enter the academic course by presenting a certificate from the language institute. Universities or colleges that issue conditional admissions usually no longer need IELTS or TOEFL certificates to enter the academic course at the end of the language course and completion of the language prerequisites.
DISCOVER PROGRAM YOU CAN APPLY
every course you find will give you a pathway to post study visa
Study in Canada for free
Free university education in Canada is possible if you can win a scholarship. There are plenty of scholarship opportunities for international students who want to study in Canada.
The opportunities available to you will depend on your field of study or research and your country of origin.
To be successful in getting a scholarship and study in Canada for free, you must have some conditions:
1. Having a high grade point average (GPA)
The higher your GPA, the better your chances of studying for free in Canada. If your GPA is less than 3.0, not only you don’t have a chance to get a scholarship, but it’s really unlikely to be admitted, especially at the master and Ph.D. levels.
GPAs above 3.3 for a master’s degree in Canada” and a GPA above 3.5 for a PhD degree usually have a good chance of receiving scholarships.
2. Have a high-grade language certificate
It is possible to study in Canada without a language degree at some universities and colleges. In this way, several prerequisite English courses are offered to the student before the main program. But if you are applying for postgraduate studies (postgraduate and doctoral) with a scholarship and fund, unfortunately without an IELTS academic score of 6.5 or higher, not only you don’t have the chance to study for free in Canada, but it is almost impossible to get admission.
To benefit from free or cheap education in Canada, it is recommended that you have an IELTS academic score of 6.5 (and for universities with a higher ranking a score of 7). You can also submit a TOEFL degree equivalent to the above scores.
3. Strong scientific resume
Having a strong scientific resume, especially having articles in reputable international journals, (especially ISI journals) is one of the most important factors in obtaining Canadian scholarships.
Because of that, we suggest that before sending the scholarship application to the universities, strengthen your scientific research background.
Tuition fees at Canadian universities are a bit high but generally lower than those in countries like the United Kingdom, the USA, or Australia. University fees may vary yearly, and you might also notice differences depending on the city or degree program. And tuitions fees are sometimes different for Canadian students and international students.
Because the cost and tuition fees vary depending on the degree, we are going to look at them separately;
1. Tuition fees for Bachelor’s degrees
Undergraduate tuition at Canadian universities can range from $ 10,000 to $ 45,000 per year, depending on the university and the field of study.
Tuition fees for some of the most sought-after undergraduate fields, including management, IT, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering, range from $ 10,000 to $ 56,000 per year.
According to Statistics Canada, the average tuition for international students in the 2020-2019 academic year was estimated at approximately 30,000 CAD per year and approximately $ 23,000.
Tuition for some fields, including engineering and medicine, is more expensive, at about 27,000 CAD a year and $20,000 a year.
2. Tuition fees for Master’s degrees
Tuition for master’s degrees in Canada is reported to be 6,000 CAD to 30,000 CAD per year (approximately US $ 16,000).
Some fields, including the MBA, are more expensive than others. The average annual cost of these courses is about 30 to 40 thousand Canadian dollars.
3. Tuition fees for Ph.D.’s degrees
Tuition fees for a Ph.D. in Canada vary between universities and courses, and will generally be around twice that of fees for Canadian students.
Check the list of Top Universities for PhD in Canada and their yearly fees:
Rankings | University | Fees (CAD/year) |
18 | University of Toronto | 4,500 to 8,900 |
34 | University of British Columbia | 8,700 |
40 | McGill University | 19,000 |
69 | McMaster University | 16,000 |
73 | University of Montreal | 7,500 |
131 | University of Alberta | 9,200 |
145 | University of Ottawa | 6,900 |
200 | University of Calgary | 12,600 |
201-250 | University of Waterloo | 13,400 |
201-250 | Western University | 11,180 |
Most affordable universities in Canada
Check the list of Canadian universities with the most affordable tuition fees:
- Memorial University of Newfoundland – tuition fees: 2,150 – 11,460 CAD/year
- University of Regina – tuition fees: 1,715 – 20,050 CAD/year
- Royal Roads University – tuition fees: 3,750 – 27,600 CAD/year
- University of Saskatchewan – tuition fees: 4,110 – 24,000 CAD/year
- Athabasca University – tuition fees: 1,625 – 17,250 CAD/year
Can I Work While Studying in Canada?
Canada is one of the most popular places of study in the world. working while studying, is one of the most important reasons why many foreign students choose this country as their study destination.
There are many job opportunities in this country and everyone can find a suitable and favorite job based on their skills.
The Government of Canada has made it possible for international students to work full-time for a maximum of 20 hours per week. during the mid-term and summer break and under certain conditions, they can work up to a maximum of 40 per week, to cover part of their expenses.
Of course, student work in Canada is not just about the cost of living. Gaining Canadian experience, strengthening a resume, and entering the job market are also benefits of student work.
After graduation, students can apply for work and work full-time in Canada.
The Postgraduate Work Visa (PGWP) allows students to stay and work in Canada for up to three years after graduation, depending on the length of their studies.
Concluding Remarks
The presence of reputable universities, the high quality of the education system, the possibility of working while studying, and the possibility of using scholarships are all advantages that make Canada a popular destination among students.
Maybe that’s why many people prefer to study in Canada than other developed countries.
But the question is how can we get admission to Canadian universities and study in our favorite field? Unfortunately, if you don’t have enough information in this regard and start this process without planning and knowledge, you will certainly not reach a positive result.
Our experienced and committed team in Univly is ready to respond and provide any advice regarding studying in Canada.