When it comes to studying overseas, Canada is one of the affordable options. The total cost of studying in Canada, to which the highest contributor is tuition fees is slightly less compared to other famous international study destinations such as the US and Australia. Tuition fees depend on the universities in Canada, but a rough approximate range from CAD 20,000 to CAD 30,000. Your living costs come from housing, transportation, food and health insurance which is dependent on the Canadian city you choose to live in. 

Before we get into fine details of the total expenses to study in Canada, let us have a broad overview of the cost of studying in Canada in Rupees. The table below tells how much it costs to study in Canada if you are an Indian student. 

 

 

Be it in your own country or after moving to Canada, this blog post will help you with an idea of all the expenses in the entire process of applying to and studying in Canada.

 

EXPENSES FOR STUDYING IN CANADA WHILE IN INDIA

1. Appear for language proficiency and other subject-specific tests

The table below will give you a glimpse of tests (language proficiency and other tests), any of which your dream university may require during your application process of studying in Canada.

 

Other than applying for the passport, below is a brief explanation of stages you may have to invest in.

• IELTS: Owned and conducted by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English, this is one of the common exams you are required to take to study in Canada. It is for you to show that you have enough knowledge of the English subject and that you will be able to communicate smoothly in Canada. There are two types of IELTS – IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. If you are going to pursue an undergraduate or postgraduate, IELTS Academic is the exam you need to give. IELTS General Training is for migration, training or work purpose to another country. Cost for computer-delivered IELTS Registration is Rs. 14,000/-

  • You can choose up to 5 organizations to which your IELTS score, in the form of Test Report Form (TRF) can sent be for free. 

  • You should check with your university or college which form of document they accept. There are two modes - electronic transcript for which there are no fees and hard copy which shall be sent through courier (ordinary post or DHL) whose courier charges you need to pay. 

  • You can choose any of the offline mode of sending your TRF – ordinary post costs around Rs. 400/- per institution and DHL charges Rs. 1500/- for the same. The difference in the rates arises as a tracking number is provided by DHL and not by ordinary post and hence an ordinary post doesn't let you track your parcel.

  • If you wish to send your IELTS scorecard to more than 5 institutions through any mode- online or offline, you need to ask your exam center to send the scores on a fee for each. For sending an electronic transcript, Rs. 250/- is charged per university. The IELTS scores are valid for 2 years. 

 

• TOEFL: Depending on your course and institution, you may be required to give TOEFL. The registration fees for TOEFL in India is US $180 which approximates to Rs. 14000/-. It is good to have an exhaustive plan to study for TOEFL. The registration has to be done before 7 days of the exam. If you register late, you need to pay $40 as late registration fees. If you wish to reschedule your test you need to pay $60 which costs around Rs. 4600/-.

  • You can choose up to 4 institutions to which your test scores will be directly sent online via a mailing system. 

  • For additional institutions, an additional cost of $20 (Rs. 1500/-) is required per added university or college whichever method you choose to send your scores – via mail, email or Fax. 

  • The online scores are mailed after 3-5 business days after receiving your request for sending them. For offline sending of the scores by mail, it is advised to send your requests a month before when you want the institution to receive your scorecard.

  • You can choose to send your additional scores by Fax or by mail as well. 

  • TOEFL scores are valid for two years.

 

• CAEL: The Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) Assessment is a Canada's leading English Academic test for the post-secondary domain (after completing 10+2 education). It checks for English proficiency in the academic domain and unlike IELTS and TOEFL is not accepted globally. However, some colleges in the U.S. or Sweden may accept these which you can check individually. The registration fees in India for CAEL is Rs. 11,000/-. 

Other tests

Mentioned below are not language proficiency tests but general tests that your institution may require depending on the subject of study.

• GMAT: If you are an MBA aspirant to study in Canada, you may require to pass GMAT with a certain score. It is good to know all about the GMAT exam pattern before applying to it. 

  • Registration fees for GMAT is $250 (Rs.18,500/-). The scores are valid for 5 years. The registration fees cover up to 5 schools. You can send your scores via email or mail. 

  • For additional requests per institution the fee is US$10 (RS. 800/-).

 

• GRE: You may be required to show your GRE scores by some of the top universities in Canada for your master's program. This exam is program-specific. It is best to confirm from the institution for the requirement of this exam or if IELTS or TOEFL would suffice. You need to have a good GRE prep study plan. 

  • The registration fees for the GRE General Test is Rs.15,6000/- ($205) and for GRE Subject Test, it is Rs.11,500/-($150 ). The rescheduling fess is $50 (Rs.3800/-). For changing your subject or test center it is $50 (Rs.3800/-) for each. 

  • For additional requests to send the scorecard per institution, the fee is US$27 (Rs.2000 /-).

 

2. Arrange for proofs for the cost of studying and living in Canada

• Tuition fees for the first year of course: When you receive the letter of acceptance from a designated learning institute (DLI) in Canada, it may ask you to submit the tuition fees for the first year of your course. This fee is dependent on several factors such as the university or college, the duration of your course, the field of study and whether it is an undergraduate or postgraduate course.

• Other fees: You need to have proofs to show that you have enough funds to live and study in Canada. This is all a part of obtaining your study permit. The minimum amount of funds you should have to support yourself as a student is summarized in the table below. These are other than the tuition fees. In total, both tuition fees and other fees as shown in the table below are needed to procure a Canadian student visa. Please note that these do not include funds if you are taking some family members with you to Canada for which there are additional charges.

 

These funds can be arranged by purchasing a Guaranteed Investment Certificate, taking an education loan or having a sponsor who can support you. 

• Purchase of GIC (Guaranteed Investment Certificate): This forms a part of documents required to get a student permit as a part of financial proofs. The students must buy a special guaranteed investment certificate (GIC) from any of the participating banks like Nova Scotia Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI Canada Bank, CIBC Bank for the amount of CAD 10,200 (Rs.5,50,000/-) for the adjustment of the living expenses of the first year. Approx. CAD 200 (Rs.10,800/-) will be deducted as the administrative charges of Bank (It depends on Bank to Bank). The student receives CAD 2000 (Rs. 108000) immediately after arrival in Canada. Next CAD 8000 (Rs. 440000) will be paid to the students in 12 equal installments as each month’s living expenses. 

• Education loan: You will have to submit proof that you will be able to fund your education for your entire course. One of the proofs can be an education loan. Just decide if you need it or not. 

• Housing fees: As a part of financial support documents, you need to submit proof that you have paid for your housing fees.

3. Application Process

Each institution has an application fee depending on the program you apply for. Different for Canadian citizens and international students, it may range from CAD 45 to CAD 200 (Rs. 2400/ to Rs. 11000/-). You will have to submit your language proficiency test scorecard other than academic or work experience transcripts to each university while applying.

4. Certificat d'acceptation du Québec (CAQ) 

To study in Canada in Québec, the international students, depending on their duration of study have to obtain permission to study from the governments of Quebec and Canada by applying to a certificate of acceptance. This includes application fees of CAD 114 (Rs. 6100/-) and charges for sending the documents to Quebec (approximately Rs. 2000/-).

5. Apply for a study permit

 Your fees for applying for a study permit in Canada is CAD 150 (Rs. 8000/-)

6. Visa procedure

 Your fees for giving biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) is CAD 85 (Rs. 4500/-).

7. Medical test

You must pay all fees related to the medical exam when you’re in India, including the fee of the doctor, radiologist specialist, any special tests, investigations or treatment needed. You cannot get yourself tested by any doctor of your choice but have to choose one as per a panel suggested by the Canadian government. 

8. Flight tickets

It is time to fly to your dream country! You can choose a direct flight from India to Canada or with stop-overs. The cost of tickets varies accordingly and may range from Rs. 90,000 to 2 lacs. 

 

EXPENSES WHILE STUDYING IN CANADA

1.  Canada university tuition fees

The average fee for studying in Canada for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) programs is shown in the table below. This is the average fee for your entire program, a part of which you would have paid at the time of admission and the rest has to be paid while you are in Canada. The figures in the table below are exclusive of doctoral programs and have been produced according to 2019-20 Statistics Canada.

 

 

Masters in Canada is a poular course Indian students opt for. The cost of MS in Canada in Indian Rupees (INR) is around 9,57,000 Rs. In the table above, the average Canada universities fees in Indian Rupees are not considerate of a few courses. These are included in the table below.

 

As indicated in the table above, cost of execuive MBA studies for international students in Canada is around 36,00,000 Rs. and lies on higher side compared to other postgraduate courses. The table below show the tuition fees in INR for Indian students for undergraduate and graduate programs. 

 

 
2. Cost of living in Canada in Rupees

So now that you are living in Canada, it is the time to plan your monthly budget! This will include your accommodation, travel, health insurance and some other little things. Let us look into this one by one.

• Accommodation: It must be an exciting thought to live in Canada either in the university accommodation or outside it. It is a good idea to plan your stay according to your budget.

  • Living inside the university or college campus: There is a term called 'living in residence' for accommodation on the campus or in nearby areas. These are furnished with beds, study desks and shelves. You can choose to add three-time meals to your cost of living in residence. If given an option, you may choose to share your room cutting down your cost immensely. This helps you save transportation cost. The cost of residency living tentatively ranges from CAD 3,000-7,500 (Rs. 1,62,000- 4,05,000/-) a year.

  • Living in Private housing: If you prefer to live outside the campus for reasons like privacy or more freedom, do remember that you will have to pay a sum of money immediately before moving in - 2 months’ rent (first month and last month rent) and a damage deposit as demanded by the landlord. The cost of living in private accommodation in Canada can be near to CA$8,400 (Rs. 4,54,000/-) per year other than bills such as internet connection, electricity, cooking utensils, furniture among others. The rent varies from city to city. 

• Other expenses: Some other expenses involved are mentioned below. Please note than these depend on your lifestyle and the city you live in. The figures in the table below are rough approximates. 
   

 

• Health insurance: International students need to have a health cover in Canada providing 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week medical assistance. Health insurance laws, however, are divided according to which provinces (states or geographical areas) you live in. A broad range of cost could be from CAD 600 to CAD 900 (Rs. 33,000 to 50,000/-) yearly. Universities in Canada take mental health seriously.

 

We hope this blog post helps you in planning your abroad journey to Canada and have a better understanding of total expenses to study in Canada. It is always good to plan your expensesbefore moving outside India. India is one of the largest contributors to international students in Canadian educational institutions. Thus, expecting a familiar environment wouldn't be wrong! 

Yocket wishes you all the best in your journey. You can know more about dates to apply, popular courses, education system, scholarships, visa procedure, stay back options and other details to study in Canada.

Also check out the Yocket Premium Counselling Services and explore how you can turn the exhaustive studying abroad process a cakewalk. Book a 15-minute free consultation call with one of our counsellors and learn how to get the services.