Pursuing the right course at your dream university in Canada determines the fulfilment of your educational goals. Funding is a crucial component of facilitating education in Canada. As an international student, you will need to follow a procedure to be eligible and meet the requirements at a Canadian university to gain admission to the course of your choice. Several steps are involved in this procedure, and financial investment is required at each step. Knowing the amount of money required helps prepare me to study in Canada. To help you prepare, this blog will guide you on the total cost of studying in Canada.
| Table Of Contents |
Top Factors That Determine The Cost Of Studying In Canada
Before we get into fine details of the total expenses to study in Canada, let us have a broad overview of cost of studying in Canada for Indian students. The table below represents the segments of costs such as average cost of studying in canada that you will incur as an international student in two phases. One, in the process of gaining admission into your dream Canadian university. Two, after your student application, the university accepts you, and you move to Canada to study.
|
Type of Expense |
Cost |
|
15,500 INR (254 CAD)/ $180-$325 (241 CAD- 436 CAD) |
|
|
Purchase of GIC (one-time) |
6,10,600 INR/10,000 CAD |
|
Tuition fee (per annum) |
18,227 CAD/11,13,000 INR-48,360 CAD/29,53,000 INR |
|
Application Fee (one-time) |
10,000 INR |
|
Application for student visa (one-time) |
9,200 INR/150 CAD |
|
Visa Procedure (one-time) |
4,500 INR |
|
Flight tickets (to Canada) |
1,00,000 INR-2,00,000 INR |
|
Living expenses (per year) |
5,00,000 INR |
|
Total |
32,69,800 INR (approx.) |
Note: The costs mentioned in the table are the closest estimates per the current scenario. Tuition fee, application fee and living expenses are based on the course, college and lifestyle of your choice.
The top factors determining the cost of studying in Canada are listed below.
- Cost of studying in Canada for Indian students
- Living expenses while studying in Canada
- Other essential costs of studying in Canada
- Pre-arrival & post-arrival costs
Let’s discuss them in detail.
Cost Of Studying In Canada For Indian Students
The average Canada fees for international students for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) programs are shown in the table below. This is the average fees for international students in Canada for the first year of the course. One part of which you will have to pay at the time of admission, and the rest must be paid while you are in Canada. The figures in the table below are in accordance with 2022-23 Statistics Canada.
|
Program |
Average Tuition Fee |
|
31,200 CAD/1,900,000 INR-49,130CAD/ 30,00,000 INR per annum |
|
|
24,760 CAD/15,12,000 INR- 45,035 CAD/27,50,000 INR per annum |
Now let us see the Canada university fees for international students for different courses:
|
Program |
Field of study |
Average tuition fee (per annum) |
|
Undergraduate |
B.Tech |
35,472 CAD/21,66,000 INR |
|
Undergraduate |
BBA |
26,730 CAD/16,32,000 INR |
|
Undergraduate |
MBBS |
48,360 CAD/29,53,000 INR |
|
Undergraduate |
BSc |
31,190 CAD/19,04,000 INR |
|
Postgraduate |
MS |
18,227 CAD/11,13,000 INR |
|
Postgraduate |
M.Eng |
24,760 CAD/15,12,000 INR |
|
Postgraduate |
MBA |
45,084 CAD/27,53,000 INR |
Living Expenses Included In Total Cost Of Studying In Canada
Total cost of study in Canada for Indian students includes Canada university fees for international students and living expenses. Your Canada fees for international students is pre-decided by the Canadian university you choose to study and the course. After you receive your unconditional offer letter from the university, you must pay the tuition fees in Canada for your course to the university. Some universities require you to pay per term, whereas others might require you to pay Canada study fees for the first year.
Cost of living in Canada depends on the city you are staying in and the lifestyle you opt for. We have listed the factors contributing to the total expenses to study in Canada cost in rupees and average cost for each in the table below.
|
Factors |
Average Monthly Cost |
|
Accommodation |
24,500 INR/400 CAD- 36,700 INR/600 CAD |
|
Food & Grocery |
12,053 INR/200 CAD-18,000 INR/300 CAD |
|
Transportation |
6,000 INR/100 CAD-15,000 INR/250 CAD |
|
Internet |
1,800 INR/30 CAD-3,000 INR/50 CAD |
|
Miscellaneous |
36,200 INR/600 CAD-42,200 INR/700 CAD |
Other Essential Cost Of Studying In Canada
Apart from the tuition fee and living expenses, there are a few other essential expenses that you will incur as an international student in Canada. We have detailed them below for your reference.
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Visa Fees
The fee for applying for a study permit in Canada is 150 CAD/9,170 INR. Fee for giving biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) is 85 CAD/ 5,200 INR.
Suggested:Visa requirements in Canada
-
Application Fees
Each institution has an application fee, depending on the program you apply for. For international students, it ranges between 45 CAD/2,750 INR-200 CAD/12,220 INR. You will have to submit your language proficiency test scorecard, besides academic or work experience transcripts, to each university while applying.
Suggested:Colleges/Universities in Canada without application fees
Certificat d’acceptation du Quebec (CAQ)
To study at universities in Québec, international students must obtain permission to study from the governments of Quebec and Canada. It can be done by applying for a certificate of acceptance based on the course duration. This requires you to pay an application fee of 114 CAD /6,970 INR and charges for sending the documents to Quebec (approximately 2,000 INR).
-
Overseas Student Health Cover
International students studying in Canada are required to have health insurance. Since it is a mandatory requirement, it is included in the cost of studying in Canada for Indian students. Some Canadian states provide free health insurance coverage for international students residing in their state. You can check the official website of Canadian immigration to find out if the Canadian university you have received admission to is covered for free health insurance. In this case, you must apply for health insurance after reaching Canada.
If the government does not cover the Canadian state you will be staying in for free health insurance; you must purchase health insurance coverage. This must cover all the health ailments for the complete duration of the stay. It is mandatory to have health insurance coverage before you apply for your Canadian student visa. The insurance certificate must be produced for your university before you begin your term.
The average yearly cost of health insurance premiums is 600 CAD/36,700 INR-900 CAD/ 54,950 INR. This must be included in the average cost of studying in Canada.
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Proof of funds
Along with the university fees for international students in Canada, one needs to show proof of enough funds. This is 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, tuition and other fees, as shown in the table below, are needed to procure a Canadian student visa. Please note that these only include funds if you are taking some family members with you to Canada for which there are additional charges.
|
Region |
Funds required for one year |
Funds required for one month |
|
Outside Quebec |
6,10,990 INR/ 10,000 CAD |
50,900 INR /833 CAD |
|
Inside Quebec |
Less than 18 years of age: 4,01,400 INR/6,569 CAD 18+ age: 8,02,476 INR/ 13,134 CAD |
Less than 18 years of age: 33,421 INR/547 CAD 18+ age: 66,900 INR/ 1,095 CAD |
These funds can be arranged by purchasing a Guaranteed Investment Certificate, taking an education loan or having a sponsor who can support you.
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Purchase of GIC (Guaranteed Investment Certificate)
This forms a part of the documents required to get a student permit as a part of the financial proof. The students must buy a special guaranteed investment certificate (GIC) from participating banks like Nova Scotia Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI Canada Bank, and CIBC Bank for 10,200 CAD/5,50,000 INR, the adjustment of the living expenses of the first year. Approximately 200 CAD/10,800 INR will be deducted as administrative charges of the bank.
The student receives 2,000 CAD/1,08,000 INR immediately after arrival in Canada. After that, 8,000 CAD/4,40,000 INR will be paid to the students in 12 equal instalments for monthly living expenses.
Total Cost Of Studying In Canada: Pre-arrival & Post-arrival Cost
The total cost of study in Canada for Indian students is segregated into pre-arrival and post-arrival costs. Pre-arrival costs include the expenses that an Indian student will incur in obtaining admission into a Canadian university. We have detailed them below for your reference, which will help you determine the cost of studying in Canada.
Pre-arrival
-
Entrance Exams
International students from non-English speaking countries who apply to study at a university in Canada are required to take up English Language Proficiency tests. This evaluates an individual's reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. Based on the course and university you opt to study, the university might require you to appear for subject-specific tests. This is included in the total cost to study in Canada from India. We have listed the costs for each in the table below.
|
Test |
Registration fee |
Total number of free scorecards |
Cost per additional scorecard |
|
IELTS |
15,500 INR |
5 |
1,500 INR |
|
TOEFL |
15,475 INR /190 USD |
4 |
1,629 INR/20 USD |
|
22,400 INR/275 USD |
5 |
2,850 INR/35 USD |
|
|
GRE General Test & GRE Home Test: 17,350 INR/213 USD GRE Subject Test: 12,200 INR/150 USD |
4 |
2,444 INR/30 USD |
|
|
CAEL |
16,400 INR /268CAD+ tax |
5 |
1,630 INR |
-
Air tickets
You can choose a direct flight from India to Canada or with stop-overs. The cost of tickets depends on the flight you choose, the boarding city, the destination city, class of the ticket, the date of booking, date of boarding. It ranges between 1,00,000 INR-2,00,000 INR.
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Appear for medical test
You must pay all fees related to the medical exam when you’re in India. This includes the fee of the doctor, radiologist, and any tests, investigations or treatment if required. It is mandatory to get tested by a doctor as recommended by the Immigration authorities of the Canadian government.
Post-arrival
-
Canada University Tuition Fees
If you have paid a Canada university fee for tuition, stationery, books, etc., before reaching Canada, this is not applicable post-arrival. This applies only when you are required to make payments after you join your term.
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Cost of living
As discussed in the pre-arrival cost section, the cost of living is a significant component of the total cost of studying in Canada. Rent for accommodation forms the most significant part of the living expense. The type of accommodation you choose and the city/town you live in determines how much you will spend. Let's discuss the rental for accommodation in detail that is included in the total cost of studying in Canada in Indian rupees.
|
Type of Accommodation |
Cost per month |
|
Dormitory |
350 CAD/21,370 INR-600 CAD/36,640 INR |
|
Townhouse |
250 CAD/15,300 INR-650 CAD/39,700 INR |
|
Shared apartment |
400 CAD/24,400 INR-800 CAD/48,850 INR |
|
Unfurnished apartment |
300 CAD/18,300 INR-500 CAD/30,500 INR |
Wrapping up
With the comprehensive information on the cost of studying in Canada that this blog provides, you can gain an in-depth understanding of individual costs. The actual cost for an individual depends on the course, college, city, type of accommodation and the standard of living that the individual opts for. The first step is to get the foundation right by choosing the right course and a Canadian university. If you require guidance in making this decision, feel free to reach out to our Yocket counsellors anytime.