Study in Canada
Toronto
Education and quality of academic institutions and community
Canada welcomes hundreds of thousands of international students every year, who benefit from a high standard of living. Canada offers high quality education and research opportunities as well as the flexibility to transfer between types and levels of education. Canada is home to over 8,000 colleges and 16,000 university programs, giving every student the chance to find the programme and institution that feels right to them. The University of Toronto (Ontario) is consistently ranked as the top school in Canada, 4th in North America and 21st globally. Other Canadian universities that ranked in the top 50 of The World Reputation Rankings (2023) were the University of British Columbia and McGill University (47th).
Cultural diversity is embraced as a strength in Canada’s academic community and encourages students from all parts of the world to contribute their experiences to such a community. There are more than 250 ethnic origins along with 200 languages and 70 Indigenous languages spoken amongst Canada’s citizens, making Canada an exciting and inclusive place to study.
Tuition fees and scholarship opportunities
Canadian tuition fees are generally lower than colleges and universities in Australia, the UK and the USA, making Canada a more financially-attractive option for international study. The average cost for international study in Canada at the undergraduate level is $36,000 CAD per year. The average cost for postgraduate study is $21,111 CAD per year. Canada’s education system isn’t nationalised therefore tuition fees can differ between the provinces. For example, Ontario university fees can cost approximately $45,000 CAD per year whereas Newfoundland and Labrador charge approximately $16,000 CAD per year.
Canada offers many scholarships to help students pay for their education.Notable scholarships for international students are listed below:
Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED) – for students
The Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED) programme provides students, from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with short-term exchange opportunities for study or research in Canadian post-secondary institutions at the college, undergraduate and graduate levels.
Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program
The Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program (CCSEP) is an official exchange programme between Canada and China aimed at promoting mutual understanding between the two countries. CCSEP offers scholarships to Chinese scholars and professionals wishing to conduct research in Canada.
Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program
The Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) scholarships provide students from post-secondary institutions located in Latin America and the Caribbean with short-term exchange opportunities for study or research in Canadian post-secondary institutions, at the college, undergraduate and graduate levels.
Study in Canada Scholarships
The Study in Canada Scholarships provide students from post-secondary institutions located in select countries/territories in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa with short-term exchange opportunities for study or research in Canadian post-secondary institutions at the college, undergraduate and graduate levels.
Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships
The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships programme provides funding to the very best postdoctoral applicants, both nationally and internationally, who will positively contribute to the country’s economic, social, and research-based growth.
Organization of American States Academic Scholarship Program
The Organization of American States (OAS) Academic Scholarship Program provides graduate students from an OAS member state with scholarship opportunities to study in Canada.
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS) programme aims to attract and retain world-class doctoral students by supporting students who demonstrate both leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and/or engineering and health.
Student Visa and immigration policies
- Obtain a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
- Obtain a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from the province or territory where the DLI is located; conditions where a PAL is not required can be found here
- Submit a financial statement proving sufficient financial support to cover the first year of tuition, living expenses and return transportation to their home country
- If applying to study in Montreal or the wider Province of Quebec, obtain a Certificat d’acceptation du Quebec (Quebec Acceptance Certificate, or CAQ)
- Demonstrate proof of a clean criminal record, please note the IRCC may request a police clearance certificate
- Demonstrate proof of being in good health, please note the IRCC may request a medical examination
- Satisfy the immigration officer that they will leave Canada at the end of the time designated on their study permit
- India
- China
- The Philippines
- Pakistan
- Vietnam
- Morocco
- Senegal
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Peru
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Costa Rica
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Passport for the applicant
- Two passport photos for the applicant with their full name and date of birth written on the back
- Photocopy of marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Any further documents required by specific visa officers
Post-Study Immigration Policies
- Apply to change status to a visitor
- Obtain an employer-specific work permit
- Apply for another student visa to continue a different study program
Job opportunities (during and after studies)
Many Canadian programmes offer ‘co-op’ work placements or internships where students get hands-on experience in their area of study. The connections made in these placements makes it easier for students to enter full-time employment after graduation, particularly in industry jobs such as engineering, architecture and software engineering.
Canada is welcoming over 1.5 million immigrants over the next three years and there is high demand for graduates and workers in the following sectors: IT, technology, health care, skilled trade, banking, finance, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).
Safety and security
Language requirements
Canada’s universities are renowned for promoting global perspectives and recruiting high numbers of international students and staff to further encourage international collaboration. For example, over 6 million people now live in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), making Toronto North America’s fourth largest city. Toronto offers a different cultural lifestyle to that found in European capitals by strongly embracing its multicultural and diverse communities.
Toronto is home to a rich and vibrant arts and culture scene, notable mentions include the Toronto International Film, Festival (tiff), Nuit Blanche, the SoulPepper Theatre in the Distillery District, Roy Thomson Hall, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and Centre Island.
Toronto also possesses one of the most exciting culinary landscapes in the world for citizens and visitors to enjoy, including annual food festivals such as On the Danforth (Greektown) and the Lunar Festival (Chinatown), as well as seasonal dining experiences, ‘Summerlicious’ and ‘Winterlicious’, where diners can enjoy 3-course meals for $28 CAD in local restaurants using local produce.
Accommodation availability and options
Students looking for accommodation in Canada can visit accommodation websites like
University Living, which compares prices and source rooms from all of Canada’s provinces and territories. All properties listed are fully furnished, have onsite amenities (e.g., gym, laundry, kitchen, TV, heater, cinema room, private study areas). Similarly, sites like Student Housing Canada list accommodation by University / Institution and City.
Students can also look for accommodation or a joint apartment by searching platforms such as Padmapper, Rentals.ca, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Kijiji. It is quite common to search on Facebook groups dedicated to student housing at specific universities with a search on Facebook (e.g. “Student housing at the University of Toronto”) or through your university’s international student department. It is worth noting that with online listening, take precautions to avoid being scammed, such as never send money to listings that don’t seem legitimate, never share personal information to a potential landlord, and avoid listings that are listed suspiciously lower than market price.
Always check your university’s accommodation services and what’s on offer as they may have arrangements within your budget, and for socialisation purposes, it is worth living in student accommodation for the first year of your studies before renting privately.
Healthcare system and student insurance
Climate and weather conditions
Connectivity to home country (flights and travel costs)
Toronto Pearson International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in Canada, serving approximately 50 million passengers per year. Toronto Pearson is the primary hub for Air Canada and houses WestJet, FedEx Express, Air Transat and Sunwing Airlines. Toronto Pearson works with over 75 airlines to more than 180 destinations across five continents.
International flights into Canada with a domestic layover (e.g., Montreal) can be flown into Toronto Billy Bishop Airport with immediate access to downtown Toronto and the Toronto Transit Commision (TTC), the city’s local transport system.
Return flights to Canada from London cost on average £700 GBP when booked three months in advance. Websites like SkyScanner and Kayak can yield discounts, while airlines like Air Canada offers student discounts and Air Transat offers many seasonal deals throughout the year.
Recognition of degrees internationally
The recognition of degrees can vary significantly from one country to another, depending on several factors. These include the mode of study (such as online or in-person programmes) and the specific list of approved universities and degree programmes as outlined by a country’s Ministry of Education or relevant authority. Therefore, students should ensure that the degree they pursue is recognised both in their home country and in any other regions where they might plan to work or further their education.
The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials is a useful resource to determine whether your existing credentials, and the programme you wish to pursue, are recognisable in and outside Canada.