Canada is one of the most common countries where international students opt for finance courses. According to 2020 statistics, it has welcomed about 400,000 international students including Indians to pursue graduate and undergraduate courses in finance and budgeting. It has always been a key choice for education for Indians.
The country provides a lot of emphasis on the diversity and inclusivity of international students. It has also developed an International Education Strategy with an estimated budget of 147.9 million dollars for the next five years.
There are various reasons why students prefer different parts of the world including India prefers studying in Canada. The first reason is that the country provides permanent residents ad work visas. This is one of the top five reasons why students opt for Canada to study finance and other courses. The universities providing degree in Finance is one of the finest in the country. The finance courses in Canada help students to help develop skills regarding planning, budgeting and analysing the finances of businesses, banks and business institutions. In the country, the salary of those with a finance background is also very high and has been increasing every year.
The next cause is finance. Accommodation in Canada is much cheaper compared to other countries like the United States, the UK, and Australia. The universities also charge a nominal tuition fee which is more affordable than in most other countries. The country also provides various types of Finance courses. Hence the choice increases for the students and they can select the course that they want to pursue. Another factor that attracts more international students to the universities of Canada is its simpler eligibility criterion for admission. These universities do not demand IELTS scores or TOEFL scores as high as those demanded by universities in the UK or the USA.
The future is also secured for the students. Canada has one of the best banks and finance industries like the Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto-Dominion bank, bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of Montreal, and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
Some of the top universities to study finance in Canada are:
Canada provides a combination of diplomas, bachelor’s and master’s degree courses in finance that helps students to choose the courses.
Some of the most popular finance courses that are offered by universities in Canada are:
Graduate Students: the diploma courses in finance programs usually range from two to three years. However, there are also four-year courses for the bachelor’s degree. The bachelor of commerce and finance majors are all four-year online courses that are provided by certain universities like Athabasca University.
Post-graduate Students: a post graduate diploma course in Canada can be covered in one or two years. However, in general masters degree in finance takes two years of time.
Graduate Students: the average cost required for a graduate program in Canada is around 30,000 CAD per annum. Depending on the course and discipline, the range can vary from CAD 12,000 to Cad 30,000. For the finance course, 10,000 to 17000 Cad is required for one-year courses. UG degree programs in finance can range from 20,000 to 50,000 CAD per year.
Postgraduate Students: For international students, the average cost of tuition fees is around 30,000 to 88,000 CAD. The tuition fees vary depending on factors like the type of postgraduate degree, the mode of education whether the course is online or whether it is full-time or part-time.
University |
Course |
Average Tuition fees (in CAD) |
University of Toronto |
Masters in Finance, Accounting |
Finance: 44740 per year Accounting: 87,459 per year |
Concordia University |
MSc in Finance |
40,000 in total |
McGill University |
Master of Management in Finance MBA Finance |
Management: 57,465 per year MBA: 54,990 per year |
York University |
Master of Finance |
26,714 per semester |
University of Alberta |
Master of Arts in Economics and Finance |
14,648 per semester |
University De Montreal |
MSc in Applied Financial Economics |
32,597 per year |
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. Cost of living is 7.2 percent 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.
Scholarships help students to opt for higher education and have experience in international education. Many students who excel academically may not have the financial capacity to study at international universities. All developed countries seek international students with high academic excellence to come to their country and pursue education. This is done by providing various types of scholarship programs. Since there are a lot of students who wish to study in international universities and the number of seats is limited, the eligibility criteria for most scholarship programs are high academic skills, knowledge and the ability to bring change in society after completion of the degree.
Some of the common scholarships that are provided in the field of finance in Canada are:
Scholarships |
Eligibility |
Award (in CAD) |
C.Douglas Mellor Prize, McGill University |
Should be graduate in finance Should have high academic excellence |
2200 |
Kenneth F Byrd Prize, McGill University |
Should have a graduate certificate in finance. They should have high academic skills |
250 |
International Entrance Scholarships, Humber College |
Applicable for international students with high academic performance |
2000 |
Vice Chancellor Scholarship, York University |
Applicable for international students with high academic performance |
10000-20000 |
Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships, Canadian Government |
International graduate students with high academic performance |
70000 |
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The fees for Masters in Finance in Canada can range from 30,000 CAD to 88,000 CAD, which is equivalent to 17.95 lakhs to 52.67 lakhs INR, depending upon the university you enroll to.