How Much It Costs To Study In Canada

Canada is one of the world’s most popular destination for higher study to international students. There are various reasons, one of them being less tuition fees compared to other major English speaking countries (Anglophone) like US, UK and Australia. Having said that, tuition fees or overall cost of study are still quite high in comparison to other countries. With cost of study high, the good news is that international students are allowed to work while study and thereby having the scope to earn. Besides, after completion of study they can apply for permanent residency (PR) with one year of work experience.
Below we have discussed about tuition fees both at undergraduate and postgraduate level, living cost, student visa fees etc.
Tuition fees : Universities or other educational institutions have their own tuition fee structures and these vary depending on several factors such as program, level of study and location of your study as well.
For Undergraduate level : According to Statistics Canada, at undergraduate level tuition fees on average are CA 27,000 Dollar (more than 17 lakhs) per year. For engineering and medicine programs, tuition fees are higher than arts and humanities and business and management courses. Tuition fees for engineering or medicine programs stand around CA 30,000 (US 23,000) Dollar per year.
For postgraduate level : At this level, tuition fees are generally lower and vary depending on the program. According to Statistics Canada, the average postgraduate tuition fees are CA16,497 Dollar (US 12,500 or about Taka 11 lakhs) per year.
Student Visa and Application fees : To study in Canada, Bangladeshi students must obtain a Canadian study permit which serves as a student visa. The fee for a student visa is CA 150 Dollar (US 115 Dollar). Remember if your program or course lasts six months or less, then you do not need student visa. Application fees vary depending on the university or college and the country of origin. For example, the university of British Columbia charges CA 116 Dollar (US 87) from international students.
Cost of living : Alongside tuition fees, international students have to bear living cost which vary considerably depending on study location and their lifestyle or spending habits. Staying in big cities like Toronto, Vancouver are highly expensive. In Canada, living cost can be around CA 10,000 Dollar (US 7,570) per year. As per an estimate by The Université de Montréal, students will need a total of CA$15,050 per year including housing, food, accommodation, books and course supplies, phone costs and miscellaneous expenses. In addition, students have to have mandatory health insurance which cost about CA$600-800 (US$450-600) per year.
When it comes to accommodation, there are three main types— homestay, university accommodation and private accommodation. This cost vary considerably depending on the type with university accommodation being the cheapest. Private shared accommodation can cost around CA$8,400 (US$6,320) per year plus bills while on-campus accommodation cost stands around CA$3,000-7,500 (US$2,550 – 5,640) yearly.
Financial aid : Scholarships, grants and bursaries (also a kind of grant) are available for international students wishing to study in Canada, at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. These include specific scholarships for sporting and academic achievement, and subject-specific scholarships. Many universities in Canada offer their own scholarships, so you might also be able to apply for a scholarship offered exclusively by the university at which you plan to study. In all cases, it’s important to apply as early as possible as scholarship funding is limited and highly competitive.