Sure JobsCanada is one of the most affordable Tier 1 countries for international students when compared to other developed countries, like the US, UK and Australia. Canada is a global education hub and it attracts more than 642,000 foreign students annually.
There are many top universities in Canada, like the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, McGill University, etc. Most of the Canadian universities are recognised globally. There are both general and specialised universities in Canada. These universities are available for Canadians and international students who are interested in studying in Canada.
While the tuition fees and living costs in Canada are relatively high, there are lots of scholarship programs in Canada for international students that are designed to help foreign students to live and study in Canada at little or no cost. If you are a foreign student who wants to study in Canada but doesn’t know how to cater for your expenses, there is no cause for alarm because there are many scholarships that have got you covered in Canada. All you need to do is get started and the rest will be history.
Why you Should Consider Studying in Canada as an International Student
As a foreign student, there are many reasons why you should consider Canada as a choice destination to pursue your education. One of the major reasons why you should consider Canada for your education is that most of the Canadian universities are among the best globally; hence, some of them are ranked among the best 100 universities in the world.
Additionally, you should also consider Canada as your choice destination for education because they have many scholarship programs for international students that will help them to live and study in Canada at little or no cost. In fact, there are Canadian scholarships for both undergraduate and postgraduate international students.
Top Universities in Canada for International Students
In Canada, there are many top universities that are suitable for international students, regardless of their course of study. Some of the Canadian universities are among the top 100 universities in the world. Most of the universities in Canada have excellent research environments, which make their research results one of the most acceptable scientific papers globally. The top universities in Canada that are suitable for foreign students are:
- University of Toronto
- University of British Columbia
- McGill University
- McMaster University
- University of Alberta
- Université de Montréal
- University of Waterloo
- University of Ottawa
- University of Calgary
- Western University
- Université Laval
- Dalhousie University
- Queen’s University
- Simon Fraser University
- University of Victoria
- University of Saskatchewan
- University of Guelph
- University of Manitoba
- York University
- Carleton University
- Concordia University
- Memorial University of Newfoundland
- Université du Québec
- University of Windsor
- Toronto Metropolitan University
- University of New Brunswick (UNB)
- Ontario Tech University
- University of Regina
- Wilfrid Laurier University
- Lakehead University
- University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC)
- St Francis Xavier University
- University of Lethbridge
Cost of University Education for International Students in Canada
According to Statistics Canada, the annual tuition fee for undergraduate students from foreign countries studying in Canada is around $36,100. This same source also revealed that the year tuition fees for international graduate students in Canada are $21,100. This means that the tuition fee for international undergraduate students in Canada is higher than that of their international graduate counterparts.
However, it is important to note that this tuition fee is just an estimate; hence, it can vary over time. In the same vein, the tuition fee is not fixed for all the Canadian institutions. This means that the fees can vary from institution to institution. Ordinarily, private universities in Canada are more expensive than public institutions, as they are obtainable in other countries.
Moreover, before enrolling to study in any Canadian institution, you should research different numbers of them to enable you to know the ones that have lower fees, especially if you want to study in Canada under self-sponsorship.
Living Cost in Canada for International Students
According to Universities Canada, the average annual living cost in Canada is around $15,000. However, this estimate was as of 2019, which means that by now, it would have skyrocketed to $20,000 or even more due to global inflation.
There are many things that add up to the living cost in Canada, like accommodation, groceries, transportation, etc. The accommodation cost in Canada is relatively high, although there are accommodation options for international students, like shared and solo accommodation. The shared accommodation option is always cheaper but you will need to share it with another student, while the solo accommodation will only be for you, but the cost is high. Nevertheless, the cost of accommodation for international student in Canada is relatively cheaper when compared to other popular cities, like London and New York.
The living costs for international students in Canada are enumerated below:
- Transportation: $100–$150 CAD per month (public transit)
- Groceries: $300–$500 CAD per month
- Accommodation: $800–$1,500 CAD per month (shared vs. solo).
From this breakdown, we can see that accommodation is the most expensive when compared to transportation and groceries. If you want to cut costs as an international student studying in Canada, you should share an apartment with your fellow student; although it may be discomforting, the price is worth paying. In addition, you can also reduce the money you spend on transportation monthly by trekking short distances, using bicycles and, of course, getting used to public transit whenever necessary.
Additionally, meals, coffee, and beer in Canada cost around CAD $17, CAD $4 and CAD $6, respectively. These are parts of things that add up to living costs in Canada. To save cost, you can take these things once in a blue moon and not on a regular basis.
Scholarships in Canada for International Students
There are many scholarship opportunities for foreign students who are studying or want to study in Canada. The scholarship opportunity can come in the form of a fully funded program, fellowship, or even grant. There are scholarships that are fully funded by the Canadian government, while others are funded by the Canadian universities. In fact, some of the scholarship programs are even joint programs between the Canadian government and various universities.
Meanwhile, it is important to note that some of the scholarships in Canada are fully funded, while others are partially funded. So as a foreign student who is studying or interested in studying in Canada and needs a scholarship opportunity, you need to know the different scholarship programs in Canada to enable you to know the one that is most suitable for you. However, if you don’t know the scholarship opportunities for international students in Canada, there is no need to be worried because we got your back and we are going to do justice to that in this section. Keep scrolling!
Without further ado, let’s look at some of the scholarship opportunities in Canada for international students.
- Canadian International Development Scholarships 2030
- Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development
- Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship
- Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program
- Study in Canada Scholarships
- Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
- Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program
- Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships
- International Excellence Entrance Scholarship in Canada
- The Allan Cahoon Scholarship in Canada
- Western International Admission Scholarship in Canada
- Brock Scholarships in Canada
- Ontario Trillium Scholarship
- International Student Emergency Bursary at York University
- University of Saskatchewan International Excellence Awards in Canada
- Scholarships for international students  in Canada
- International Graduate Student Entrance Scholarships at the University of Manitoba
- Queen’s University Smith School of Business Scholarships
- Schulich MBA Entrance Scholarships
- Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarships
The above is the list of top scholarship opportunities in Canada for foreign students. However, it is important to note that some of these scholarship programs are for undergraduates while others are for postgraduates. In the same vein, some of these Canadian scholarships are for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Contrary, Canadian scholarships are program-specific; hence, it is best for you to go through the scholarship requirements before starting your application.
Conclusion
From our discussion above, we have discussed extensively studying in Canada, where we focused our sights on the top Canada universities, the cost of living in Canada and scholarship opportunities for foreign students in Canada.
On the course of discussion, we pointed out that many Canadian universities are among the best universities in the world; hence, making it an academic hub for international students. In the same vein, we also pointed out that the cost of living for international students in Canada is relatively high and that is why we advise international students studying in Canada to adopt cost-effective measures to reduce cost. We didn’t forget to mention available scholarship opportunities for foreign students in Canada.
In all, it is an amazing experience to study in Canada, although there is a setback, especially in the area of cost of living, but that shouldn’t deter you-foreign students from studying in Canada because the benefits outweigh the perceived disadvantage.
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