Data science is a combination of maths, statistics, programming, artificial intelligence, analytics, and machine learning that helps to understand a company’s data and guide a company in decision-making and strategic planning. At present, there is a high demand for data scientists. It has become one of the fastest-growing fields in the industry. Data scientists are expected to have sound knowledge of programming, a deep understanding of modern concepts like artificial intelligence, machine learning models, natural language processing, databases like SQL, and business problem-solving ability with this knowledge. Thus, they have a big role to play in business development. Hence students who wish to pursue data science always try to seek education in countries which provides a clear perspective, in-depth education, and work experience. Canada is one such place that is selected for data science higher education.
At the entry-level, data scientists in Canada gets an average salary of 60,000 USD. This is yet another reason why more students opt for data science in that country. According to Canada Big Data Consortium, the number of students in big data in Canada was observed to double during the last two years. Most students are shifting to Canada since the country provides permanent residents and working visas to residents of many countries. The country also provides a lot of emphasis on the diversity and inclusivity of international students. Thus, more students feel comfortable studying in the country. coping in Canada is also comparatively cheaper than in other countries like the UK, and the USA. This is yet another reason why abroad study there can be an advantage for international students.
There are diploma, graduate and asters courses available for data science in Canada. Some of the common courses provided by various universities in Canada are:
Other than these courses, various certifications that data scientists can get to enhance their industry knowledge and technical abilities are:
Undergraduate Students: On average diploma courses in data science range from seven to 12 months in Canada. It is always advisable to have a one-year diploma course in order to get a well-paid job. Though some institutions may provide six months courses in data science, they may not be as much worthy as one-year courses. Even after dedicating eight hours a day to learning data science, aspirants still may fall short in six month courses.
Graduate Students: the graduation course in Canada takes a time of four years. Since the course involves various fields like mathematics, statistics, information technology, programming, and humanities, a four-year time is necessary to cover all the fields. In addition, data scientists are also provided with leadership, technical, business and human competency training in the graduate programme. Thus, after graduation, they are able to seek jobs in multinational companies with a decent pay scale.
Post-graduate Students: the post-graduation courses in data science ranges from one to two years depending on the course design and university. Postgraduate diploma courses are also available in Canada. These courses rage for a period of one year. These courses are provided on both part-time and full-time basis and can be both online and offline. For post-graduation courses, the various specialization that exists is artificial intelligence, data mining, big data analytics, statistical analysis, and informatics.
Undergraduate Students: the diploma courses in data science in Canada costs around 37,000 CAD. The amount may vary depending on the type and duration of the course.
Graduate Students: undergraduate courses in data science ranges from 20,000 to 50,000 CAD per year.
Postgraduate Students: in general, the average annual tuition fee for data science study in Canada is around 40,000 CAD which is about 24 lakhs in Indian currency.
Canada is ranked as the 24th most expensive country in the world to live in. It may not be as costly as countries like the UK, the USA or Australia. The cost of living is 7.2 per cent lower than in the United States. For Indian students, the cost of living shall be 197.3 per cent higher compared to India. Rent in Canada is also 511.3 per cent higher than in India. For an international student, about CAD 20,000 to 30,000 is required to cover the tuition fees and other living expenses like food, rent, and other basic requirements.
International students also require a minimum bank balance to get a visa to Canada. The citizen and immigration Canada need proof stating that the students have sufficient money and funds to manage their lives in Canada. In case a college does not provide living expenses, the students need to prove that they have 10000 dollars for 12 months of living expenses. In case the spouse is here, additional 4000 dollars are required and 3000 dollars for any dependent.
Students also require to get their medical and health insurance before going to Canada since healthcare is very expensive in this country. this should be done within a few weeks of reaching Canada.
In order to manage their expense, students can take various measures. Deciding the location of residence is an important factor that contributes to the monthly expense. Cities like Vancouver and Toronto are very expensive to stay and it is difficult to find affordable housing. If possible the students can try to find residents in the suburban areas where the rent is lower than in the cities. In case the college provides reasonable on-campus boarding options, opting for them can be financially benefitting.
It can also save the amount that are required for transportation which is about 80 to 120 CAD per month. However, there are some cities that provides abolished fares for students. All these factors should be considered. Flight fares are also high for international travellers. In case students wish to fly to other counties like their own country during holidays, they should plan their trip earlier and buy flight tickets as early as possible since with time, the plane fare also increases especially during holiday time like Christmas.
The average monthly student food expenses in Canada are around 200 - 600 CAD per month. Students should also try to minimize their food intake from cafes and restaurants on a daily basis since it is expensive and can affect their health. They should try to cook their own food which is economic and beneficial for health.
Although the living expense and education fees are comparatively cheaper in Canada compared to some countries, all international students should try to opt for scholarships that cover at least the tuition fees before travelling to Canada. Along with that, students can also take up part-time jobs in restaurants and certain organisations that allow students to work and earn their living. This would help them to pay their rent and meet up their daily expenses. Any universities also allow online courses or evening classes where working students can take admission. Overall, Canada is a good option to pursue higher education for Indian students. since they get residential and working visas easily, many students aim to get admission to the renowned universities of Canada rather than other countries.
Though the tuition fee in Canada is lower than that in the UK and the USA, it is still higher for most people to afford. In order to provide higher education to students with high academic excellence, the country has made a lot of scholarship programs.
There are various scholarships available to study MS in data science in Canada. Some of these scholarships are provided by the government while some are provided by individual universities. Some examples of scholarship programs are:
Scholarship |
Details |
Amount |
Master of Data Science International Scholarship |
University of British Columbia offers annually to an international student in each of the MS in Data Science in Canada, Vancouver, Okanagan and Computational Linguistics programs |
$25,000 CAD |
JN Tata endowment scholarship |
Awarded to Indian students who wish to pursue masers in Canada |
1600 – 18,135 CAD. |
Ontario Graduate Scholarship |
Offered to students who pursue a master degree in Ontario |
20,000 to 30,000 CAD |
Ryerson Graduate Scholarship |
Provided to international students who pursue masters programme at Ryerson Graduate |
15,000 CAD |
GradRight scholarships |
To study masters in Data Science |
Rewarding amounts |
Fill in your details and we'll call you back!
Yes, Canada is a great destination for pursuing a Master's degree in Data Science. Canada has a robust higher education system, with world-renowned universities offering excellent programs in Data Science. Additionally, Canada is a multicultural country that welcomes international students and provides a supportive and inclusive environment for learning.
There are several universities in Canada that offer Master's programs in Data Science. Here are some of the top universities where you can pursue a Master's in Data Science in Canada: