Everything You Need to Know About Pursuing Masters in Canada

Updated on: 07 Mar 2021

Canada is the largest country in North America and is becoming quite popular among international students to pursue graduate studies. The number of international students in the country has increased rapidly over a couple of years. Due to its easy immigration policies and welcome attitude, it has become easier than ever to study there. If not masters, a lot of international students go there to study various vocational and diploma courses as well. In 2018, a total of 721,205 international students were studying at various levels in Canada. At the same time, there are numerous students who know very little about how to pursue masters in Canada. And if you’re one of them then this blog is for you. 

Cost of Studying in Top Universities in Canada

Canada is home to some world-class universities like McGill University, The University of British Columbia, University of Alberta, and Simon Fraser University, to name a few. These Canadian universities feature among the top 150 in the world, according to the QS World Rankings. 

A masters degree from a higher education institution in Canada usually comes in the form of a Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MSc), Master of Business Administration (MBA), and more. These Master’s degrees will cost you something between CAD$ 15,000 (INR 8.5 Lacs) and CAD$ 60,650 (INR 35 Lacs) annually.

Living Expenses in Canada

Canada is less expensive when compared to other developed countries like the USA and UK. Also, it highly depends on the Canadian city you’re living in; for instance, Toronto and Vancouver are more expensive when compared to Ottawa or Montreal. But to live anywhere in Canada, you will need approximately CAD$10,000/year to CAD$20,000/year to cover all your living expenses while studying. 

Although, you can lower these expenses by getting affordable student accommodation near the top Canadian Universities which will help you save both money and time on the daily commute. These accommodations come fully-furnished with all the basic amenities and the utilities are also included in the rent. At the end of the day, the living expenses depend on your lifestyle, so spend wisely and try to minimize your expenses.

Requirements to Apply for Masters  in Canada

You’ll be expected to have 16 years of prior education with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0  in your bachelor’s or its international equivalent such as a UK upper second class bachelor.
Depending on the course you’re going to pursue, you may be asked to furnish a graduate entry test score such as a Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

You also need to provide proof of English Language Proficiency through an English language test such as TOEFL (90+) or IELTS (minimum 6.5 or 7.0) score. Similar requirements will apply if the course you have opted, is either delivered entirely in French or a mixture of both English and French.

Application Process

The application process for applying to a Canadian university is quite similar to that of other countries. As part of the application process, the documents mentioned-below are needed:

1. Official transcripts of your secondary school, higher secondary, and bachelor’s degree
2. Letter of Recommendations (LOR) from either by college professors or from supervisors if you are working
3. An updated CV (if needed)
4. Letter of motivation / SOP (Statement Of Purpose) written by the student to the university explaining why you think you’ll be a good fit for the programme
5. Proof of funds 
6. Language results that are no more than one year old

So, these are some essential things that you must know if you’re planning to pursue masters in Canada. To get excellent budget-friendly student accommodation in Canada, you can get in touch with University Living. It is a global student housing marketplace that helps students going for higher education abroad in finding accommodation near their universities. 

• MS 
• Canada 

First published date: 19 Jan 2021