Last Updated on July 29, 2023
There are a plethora of masters programs in Canada for international students from all over the world. For international students, the cost of attending a master’s degree in Canada may depend on the type and duration of the course and the institution’s location.
Some of the popular masters programs in Canada are available in a wide range of subject areas, including business, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering, and medicine. The duration of a postgraduate program in Canada is between one and two years, and it costs around 30,000 CAD annually.
Table of Contents
Popular Master Programs in Canada for International Students
Top Colleges for Masters in Canada
Best Colleges for Cheap Masters Degrees in Canada
Why Pursue Masters Degree in Canada?
Admission Requirements
Cost of Pursuing Masters Programs in Canada
Cost of Living in Canada
Masters Scholarships in Canada for International Students
Fully Funded Scholarship in Canada 2022 for International Students
Work Permit after Masters in Canada
Top-Paying Sectors after Studying Masters in Canada
Popular Master Programs in Canada for International Students
Below you will find a list of some of the most popular master’s programs in Canada, along with the best universities offering these programs:
Program
University
Masters of Medium Studies
University of Toronto
Masters of Management in Analytics
McGill University
Master of Education
University of Dundee
MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of British Columbia
Masters of Management
Trent University
Masters of International Business
Westford University College
Masters of Psychology
Adler University
Masters of Global Management
Royals Roads University
International Masters of Teaching English
Saint Mary’s University
Masters of Fine Arts
University of Lethbridge
Masters of Digital Media
The Centre for Digital Media
Masters of Divinity
Vancouver School of Theology
Top Colleges for Masters in Canada
The best colleges offering a cheap masters degree in Canada for international students, along with their Times Higher Education rankings 2022, are given below:
University/ College Times Higher Education Rankings 2022
University of Toronto 18
University of British Columbia 37
McGill University 44
McMaster University 80
University Of Montreal 88
University of Alberta 125
University of Ottawa 162
University of Waterloo 201-250
University of Calgary 201-250
Canada is known for its quality education, specifically the STEM courses and programs in engineering fields such as mechanical, computer science, etc., and other areas of study such as public health, human resources, management studies, etc. International students seeking PR opportunities and global work exposure prefer to pursue masters at top colleges in Canada.
Best Colleges for Cheap Masters Degrees in Canada
The cheap universities in Canada for masters offer quality masters in Canada for international students at affordable prices. The cheap master’s degree in Canada offered at these universities is comparable to the education offered at some of the best universities in Canada. Masters in Canada for international students are research-based and provide adequate exposure to students through various co-op placements, internships, and work-study programs. Some of the cheap universities in Canada for masters, along with the average tuition fees, are given below:
University/ College Average Tuition Fees
Memorial University of Newfoundland $3,222
University of Northern British Columbia $3,297
University of Calgary $3,693
Simon Fraser University $3,743
University of Saskatchewan $4,358
Why Pursue Masters Degree in Canada?
A Masters’s degree in Canada for international students is provided in the form of Masters of Science(MS) or Masters of Arts (MA). The masters in Canada for international students are much more affordable than in other countries such as the UK and the US. The cost of studying in Canada largely depends on the course’s type and duration and the Canadian university. For instance, the University of Toronto masters programs for international students are slightly expensive than other Canadian universities. However, various university-specific graduate scholarships in Canada are available for international students. Some of the reasons to choose postgraduate courses in Canada for international students are listed below:
The curriculum of postgraduate courses in Canada for international students is research-based or thesis-based leading to practical exposure in co-op placements and internships.
Canada is home to some of the top-ranking universities globally, with around 7 Canadian universities ranked in the top 200 universities in the world.
Masters programs in Canada for international students have high academic standards. They are offered in a wide range of specializations such as medicine, IT, engineering and technology, finance, management, business administration, etc.
The tuition fees at Canadian universities is the lowest among English-speaking countries. The average tuition fees for international students to pursue masters in Canada range between $30,000 and $55,000 per academic year.
Several masters scholarships in Canada are available for international students providing both partial-funding and full-funding. Other funding options include fellowships, grants, awards, and bursaries.
Masters programs in Canada are offered both in English and French as both languages are Canada’s official languages. International students may choose to pursue their master’s program only in English.
Canada has a multicultural student community comprising over 6 lakh students from more than 200 countries worldwide. Canada is a friendly nation embracing students of all nationalities and ethnicities.
International students pursuing masters programs in Canada can work for up to 20 hours a week on-campus or outside. Students can work part-time for their course duration to manage living expenses and get the required job experience.
The average annual salary of masters graduates in Canada is around $169,000.
Admission Requirements
Several institutions in Canada offer master’s degree programs, so the eligibility requirements for each might differ. Listed below are some of the common eligibility criteria you need to remember when applying for a master’s degree in Canada, regardless of the course you choose:
Candidates must hold a three or four-year bachelor’s degree from a renowned institution.
Work experience relevant to your field of study is required.
English language proficiency scores through TOEFL, IELTS, etc., need to be provided by the applicants.
Those who wish to pursue an engineering or management program need to take eligibility exams like GMAT and GRE.
Statement of Purpose
Letters of Recommendation
Proof of your ability to finance your studies in Canada.
An updated CV
A master’s or doctoral program may require two letters of academic recommendation along with letters of employment. Those who have not previously studied in Canada will also require an ECA (Educational Credential Assessment).
Cost of Pursuing Masters Programs in Canada
An international student pursuing a masters in Canada will normally incur tuition fees of CAD 18,000 (INR 9,54,000). The following table shows the estimated tuition charges of studying a master’s degree in Canada:
University
Average Annual Tuition Fee (in CAD)
Average Annual Tuition Fee (in INR)
University of Toronto
37,897
23 lakhs
University of British Columbia
8,592
5.2 lakhs
McGill University
18,110
10.9 lakhs
McMaster University
17,093
10.3 lakhs
Universite de Montreal
24,558
14.91 lakhs
University of Alberta
9,465
5.74 lakhs
University of Ottawa
25,718
15.61 lakhs
University of Waterloo
14,084
8.55 lakhs
Western University
117,500
71.35 lakhs
University of Calgary
14,538
8.82 lakhs
Cost of Living in Canada
Living costs in Canada might differ on the basis of factors like location, accommodation, lifestyle, etc. Following is a breakdown of the expenses Indian students should consider when calculating the cost of living and studying in Canada:
Category
Cost
Flight Expense
INR 1,00,000- 2,00,000/- per flight
Study Permit Fees
INR 11,123
Work Permit Fees
$155 (INR 11,493)
IELTS test Fees
INR 14,700
Accommodation
INR 2,67,000-INR 5,39,000 per annum
Travel Costs
INR 4,300-INR 6,000 per month
Health Insurance
INR 17,000-INR 44,000
Food
INR 17,50- INR 23,344 (monthly)
Entertainment
43,770 INR (monthly)
Masters Scholarships in Canada for International Students
International students can avail of need-based and merit-based masters scholarships in Canada. Both partially-funded and fully funded scholarships in Canada 2022 are available for international students. Canada’s master’s scholarships for international students are offered by the Canadian government, non-government organizations, and respective Canadian universities in which the student is enrolled. Some of the master’s scholarships in Canada for international students are listed below:
University of Toronto Ontario Graduate Scholarship Canada
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
University of Waterloo Master’s Awards of Excellence
University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships (UMGF)
Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s Program
Ontario Trillium Scholarships
University of Calgary Graduate Scholarships
UBC Graduate Global Leadership Fellowships
NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships
Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships
Fully Funded Scholarship in Canada 2022 for International Students
Financial aid is available for international students in the form of scholarships, fellowships, bursaries, awards, and grants. A fully funded scholarship in Canada 2022 is offered by the Canadian government and other non-government Canadian trusts, funds, and organizations. There are university-specific scholarship options as well for international students. These postgraduate scholarships in Canada cover tuition fees, flight charges, insurance costs, incidental expenses, etc. Listed below are some of the fully-funded master’s scholarships in Canada for international students pursuing a master’s program in Canada.
Surfshark Privacy and Security Scholarship
Carleton University Awards for International Students
Fairleigh Dickinson Scholarships for International Students
McGill University Scholarships and Student Aid
University of Alberta International Scholarships
Work Permit after Masters in Canada
The number of students pursuing higher studies in Canada is on the rise. There are favorable policies in Canada that aid in the obtaining of a work visa. Graduating from top Canadian colleges can lead to a three-year work permit, which can then be converted into permanent residency. If you obtain a graduate degree in Canada, you become eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
With the PGWP, students may work for any employer in Canada, regardless of the type of employment. Its availability is dependent on the duration of the study program. The PGWP can last for a maximum of three years. To become eligible for a post-graduation work permit, students must apply within 180 days of graduating from their program.
Top-Paying Sectors after Studying Masters in Canada
Following a master’s degree in Canada, you can explore various sectors for employment opportunities. The table given below shows the top paying sectors after studying master’s programs in Canada:
Sector
Average Annual Salary (INR)
CS-IT
37.63 lakhs
Electrical Engineering
45.52 lakhs
Civil Engineering
29.13 lakhs
Mechanical Engineering
30.35 lakhs
Data Science & Machine Learning
39.45 lakhs
