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Study abroad

Canada

English- or French-taught degrees, with a clear path to work after graduating.

Figures are for 2027 entryLast checked

At a glance

Who it suitsStudents who want a degree in North America and may stay to work after graduating.

International tuition
C$41,746 a year on average for undergraduates (2025/2026) [1]
Living money to prove
C$23,448 a year outside Quebec, plus tuition and travel [8]
Study permit fees
C$150, plus C$85 for biometrics [9]
Work during term
Up to 24 hours a week off campus [3]
Work after graduating
A post-graduation work permit of up to 3 years [4]

Which qualification leads where

  • A-LevelGood route

    Accepted: each university lists the subjects its programs require.

  • IB DiplomaGood route

    Accepted: check the subject requirements of each program.

  • AP and a US high-school diplomaGood route

    Accepted: check each program's requirements for US curriculum students.

  • GaokaoPossible

    Some universities consider Gaokao results; check each university's admission page.

  • Chinese high-school diplomaPossible

    Check whether your university admits students with this certificate and what else it asks for.

English you need

IELTS
6.5 [6] Prepare for IELTS →
TOEFL iBT
4.5 [6] Prepare for TOEFL →

6.5 overall with no part below 6.0, at the mid-ranking universities and at Toronto and UBC alike — Canada is unusually uniform here. On the old TOEFL scale, 88 to 90.

Universities to look at

  • University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario

    Accepts Its Lester B. Pearson scholarship is a full ride, but your school must nominate you — one student per school a year.

    Tuition a year C$66,110 in the first year of Arts and Science at the Scarborough campus (2027-28 estimate)

    Admissions page → [2]

  • University of British Columbia (UBC) Vancouver, British Columbia

    Accepts Entrance awards of C$10,000 to C$25,000 a year, considered automatically. Applications close 15 January.

    Admissions page → [10]

  • McGill University Montreal, Quebec

    Accepts Teaches in English inside French-speaking Quebec. ⚠️ Its C$12,000 entrance scholarships are for Canadians and permanent residents only.

    Admissions page → [11]

  • Simon Fraser University Burnaby, British Columbia

    Accepts Asks the same English level as Toronto and UBC — 6.5 overall, no part below 6.0.

    Admissions page → [6]

Your checklist

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Choose and apply

Money

Study permit

Before you go

Timeline

  1. Mar 2026 18 months before passed

    Research universities and check program prerequisites.

  2. Jul 2026 14 months before passed

    Plan your English test.

  3. Oct 2026 11 months before now

    Start applications: Ontario universities through OUAC, others through each university. [12]

  4. Jan 2027 8 months before

    Submit every application before that university's deadline.

  5. Apr 2027 5 months before

    Offers arrive: accept one and ask the university about your PAL. [13]

  6. May 2027 4 months before

    Do the medical exam if you need one, then apply for the study permit with your PAL and proof of funds. [14]

  7. Aug 2027 1 month before

    Arrange housing, health insurance and travel.

  8. Sep 2027 At the start

    Arrive, join orientation and keep to the conditions of your study permit.

Money

Compare all destinations →
A year
¥170,000 – ¥370,000
Whole degree
¥670,000 – ¥1,500,000 over 4 years

Converted to RMB at two significant figures — the rate moves and the ranges are wide. Rate: European Central Bank: euro foreign exchange reference rates, 18 September 2026, checked .

International undergraduate tuition
C$41,746 a year on average (2025/2026) [1]
Ontario
C$49,802 a year on average, the highest province [1]
Newfoundland and Labrador
C$18,867 a year on average, the lowest province [1]
Living money to prove
C$23,448 a year outside Quebec [8]
Study permit
C$150, plus C$85 for biometrics [9]

Scholarships and funding

  • University of Toronto: Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship [15]

    Tuition, books, incidental fees and full residence support for four years. Thirty-seven are awarded each year.

    Your school must nominate you, and it may nominate one student a year — so ask about it in the year before you apply, not after.

  • UBC: International Major Entrance Scholarship, and the Outstanding International Student Award [10]

    C$10,000 to C$25,000 a year.

    Entering students holding a study permit, considered automatically on academic achievement and activity outside class.

  • McGill: Entrance Scholarship Programme [11]

    One-year awards of C$3,000, and Major Entrance Scholarships of C$12,000 to C$48,000 over the degree.

    ⚠️ Read the small print: McGill states that the C$12,000 scholarships are only available to Canadian citizens or permanent residents, so the top band is closed to you. The one-year awards need no separate application; the major ones do, from 1 October.

Visa

  • You need a study permit, and new undergraduate applicants usually also need a provincial attestation letter. [13]
  • Show C$23,448 a year for living costs if you study outside Quebec, plus tuition and travel. [8]
  • Studying in Quebec also requires a Quebec Acceptance Certificate. [8]
  • Fees: C$150 for the study permit and C$85 for biometrics. [9]
  • Staying more than 6 months after living in mainland China for 6 months or more in the past year requires a medical exam. [14]

Work during and after studies

  • During classes you may work off campus up to 24 hours a week, and without a limit during scheduled breaks. [3]
  • After a program of 2 years or more, a post-graduation work permit can be valid for 3 years. [4]
  • After a shorter program of at least 8 months, it can last up to the length of the program. [4]
  • Bachelor's graduates have no field-of-study requirement, but need English or French at CLB 7 for the permit. [16]

When you arrive

  • Keep the documents from your study permit application in your hand luggage.
  • Check the health insurance your province or university requires.
  • Open a bank account and get a local phone number.

Common mistakes

  • Ontario averaged C$49,802 a year for international undergraduates, so compare provinces before you choose. [1]
  • Older guides quote lower living-cost amounts: from September 1, 2026 it is C$23,448 a year. [8]
  • Get your PAL through your university before you apply for the study permit. [13]
  • The post-graduation work permit needs English or French at CLB 7 for university graduates, so keep up your language skills. [16]

Sources

  1. Statistics Canada: tuition fees, 2025/2026 checked
  2. University of Toronto Scarborough: tuition and fees, international students checked
  3. IRCC: working off campus as a student checked
  4. IRCC: about the post-graduation work permit checked
  5. University of British Columbia: dates and deadlines checked
  6. Simon Fraser University: English language requirement checked
  7. University of Toronto: English language requirements checked
  8. IRCC: study permit proof of financial support checked
  9. IRCC: application fee list checked
  10. UBC: scholarships and awards for international students checked
  11. McGill University: entrance scholarships checked
  12. OUAC: applying as an international applicant checked
  13. IRCC: provincial or territorial attestation letter checked
  14. IRCC: medical exam requirements by country checked
  15. University of Toronto: Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship checked
  16. IRCC: post-graduation work permit eligibility checked

Rules and fees change. Everything here was checked against the official pages on the date shown. Confirm on those pages before you apply or pay.

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