Masters (MS) in Canada: Fees 2023, Top Colleges, Admissions, Placements & Salaries

MS in Canada is a 1-2 year postgraduate program offered as an academic or a professional degree. An MS in Canada is either a course-based program or a thesis-based program for higher studies in Canada. However, there are some Canadian universities offering it as a mixture of two. The average tuition fee for graduate studies in Canada ranges from 20,000 CAD to 30,000 CAD annually. For Indian students, the cost of Canada Universities for MS ranges from INR 11.11 lakhs to 16.6 lakhs.  

Application deadlines of the Canadian Universities for MS course is October – January to submit the applications; the admission is finalized by May. You will need to have a 4-year bachelor’s degree (65%-86% aggregate), 6.5 or more IELTS score, GRE scores (required for top universities), and LORs to get admission to MS courses in Canada. After Masters in Canada, you can look from a pool of Jobs in Canada and make an average annual salary of 169,000 CAD (INR 93 lakhs). 

Students pursuing masters in Canada are awarded the qualification of Masters of Science (MSc) or Masters of Arts (MA). Apart from these, students also have options for specialist master's degrees such as Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Master of Engineering (MEng), MBA in Canada and others. Pursuing any of these degrees. The costs of each type of master's course will vary drastically depending on where you wish to study. There are plenty of MS in Canada Scholarships to help you pay tuition fees and cost of living. 

Popular MS Specializations:

Top Universities for MS in Canada

With over 96 public Canada universities for MS and 15,000+ study programs, Popular Universities in Canada for Masters offer various programs. The table below shows top universities in Canada for MS according to QS world rankings 2023. 

Note: If you wish to study a short-term course in Canada at a postgraduate level, you can opt for PG Diploma in Canada instead of a Masters's program. 

Popular Masters in Canada

MS in Canada includes not only the traditional lectures and tutorials but also site visits, projects, and group work. Most of the master programs include dissertations making up most of the course credit. With several degree options, students tend to choose the most affordable universities for Master in Canada. However, they must also keep in mind other criteria such as availability of program, placement, rankings, etc. The table below shows the popular masters in Canada along with some of the top-ranking universities offering those programs: 

Why Study MS in Canada?

• World-class Universities- According to QS World University Rankings(2023), there are eight Canadian universities that are among the top 200 universities in the world.
• Specialization Chances- A MS degree is offered in a number of study fields such as medicine, IT, engineering and technology, finance, management, business administration, architecture, nursing, design, etc. 
• Affordability- Tuition fee in Canada ranges from 30,000 CAD-55,000 CAD. Studying master's in Canada is comparatively more affordable than pursuing MS in USA (35,000 CAD- 82,000 CAD annually) or Australia. 
• Funding Options- Around 70% more funds and scholarships are offered to students in the form of scholarships, fellowships, etc. as compared to the USA. 
• Job Opportunities- According to a survey by the Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE), approximately 60% of international students desired to stay back after Master in Canada.
• Immigration and Visa Process- Immigration in Canada is more welcoming than in another study abroad destinations. Students looking for a PR can apply for a post-graduation work permit.
• Work-while Studying- While studying, international students can apply for various part-time employment options to gain valuable work experience and also earn to at least be able to cover their living expenses. 
• Global Leader in R&D- Canadian universities perform 40% of R&D work spending over 13 billion CAD. Major research opportunities in Canada are in areas of clinical medicine; biology; information & communication technologies; agriculture; fisheries & forestry; earth and environmental sciences; and economics & business.

Top Universities for Masters in Canada by International Student Percentage

MS in Canada Application Deadlines

Applying for Masters in Canada

Applying for admissions in Canada can be competitive as the number of applicants far exceeds the actual number of accepted admissions. Academic sessions start in the month of September, however, few universities might also have several start dates. It is always advisable that international students must apply for admission early and preferably submit their admission applications by the month of January. 

Eligibility for Masters in Canada

To be eligible for admissions in Master in Canada, an applicant must:

• have a minimum GPA often 3.0/4.0 (equivalent to 65- 70%) or its equivalent international UG degree in a related field of study.
• provide test scores such as GMAT or GRE, depending on the program of choice.
  • Minimum GMAT scores required: 550 
  • Minimum GRE scores required 140 in verbal. 150 in quantitative
• Non-native English speakers must provide proof of English proficiency through TOEFL, IELTS, or other equivalent exams.
• Few master's programs (such as business/ management) also require 1-3 years of work experience.

NOTE: Although most master's programs are taught in English, some of them might have French as the language of instruction. This majorly depends on the province you are in (for instance, Quebec). As proof of French proficiency, students must clear TEF or DELF.

Checkout: Eligibility for MS in USA for Indian Students

IELTS Requirement for MS in Canada

International students from non-native English-speaking countries are required to submit proof of English language proficiency. The minimum scores requirements of ELP test would vary depending on the program, however, the general scores at top universities offering masters in Canada are:

Requirements for MS in Canada

As part of the application package, students must submit the following documents for admission to Master in Canada:

• A completed admission application form
• Certified copies of academic transcripts and certificates from all educational institutions attended
• CV/Resume
• References or Letters of Recommendation
• Personal statements/writing samples
• Scores of standardized tests to study in Canada include
  • GRE/GMAT scores
  • Language proficiency (English/French)
• Payments of non-refundable application fee.
• Copy of Passport
• Proof of scholarship or funding

Also Check: 

Masters in Canada Costs

The costs involved in studying abroad require international students to estimate their financial budgets before starting the process. The cost of studying Master in Canada includes one-time payable pre-arrival costs, tuition fees as well as living costs.

Tuition Fees for MS in Canada for Indian Students

Average annual tuition fee of masters in Canada for indian students is discussed below: 

Cost of Living in Canada

The cost of living in Canada is around 2% lower than the USA. However, a few states might have much lower expenses. The monthly accommodation fee varies depending on the Canadian province. The average monthly accommodation cost around 850 CAD- 1,000 CAD annually.

Other living expenses include costs spent on food, transportation, books and supplies, etc. These estimated expenses are:

Also Check: Best Canadian cities for international students.

MS in Canada with Scholarships

To fund their studies in Canada, students can apply for various scholarships to study in Canada. These include scholarships awarded by universities, the government of Canada, private organizations and agencies, etc. These scholarships help students to take care of the tuition fee as well as the living expenses in many cases.

The table below shows some of the scholarships available to international students pursuing Masters in Canada:

Wondering how to get a scholarship to study in Canada from India?
Watch the video below to find an answer to all your questions and clear your doubts:

Financial Aids in Canada for Masters in Canada

Apart from these scholarships, international students can also opt for other financial aid options, these include:

• Education loans- Students can opt for education loans provided by various banking institutions, non-banking financial corporations, etc. Few of the popular loans to study in Canada include HDFC Credila, ICICI Canada GIC program, SBI Ed Vantage Education Loan, etc. 
• Work-Study- International students can opt for various work-study options and can work up to 20 hours during sessions and full-time nursing vacations. Some of the options for work-study in Canada include-
  • Co-op program (co-operative education)- Several Canadian universities offer Master through co-op programs. This refers to alternate periods of academic study and work experience where students are paid for their work experience.
  • Internships- Includes paid or unpaid, work experience for academic credit or better placements.
  • Other opportunities include applied research projects, professional practicum and volunteering. 

Jobs after MS in Canada

Friendly immigration policies and the easy availability of work permits for Canada make it a popular destination among graduates looking for career opportunities abroad. The scope after completion of MS in Canada highly depends on the choice of program.

• Salaries of Computer Science graduates in Canada are among the highest-paid.
• Healthcare and medical industry is the third largest with the most number of employment options.
• There is a high demand for law graduates in Canada with lawyers earning about 72,000 CAD annually. 
• Master degree graduates are able to earn 29% more than bachelor graduates.
• Employees in Canada observe a salary increase of about 9% every 15 months.

Jobs after MS Specializations in Canada

Salaries by Cities for Masters in Canada

Calgary, Toronto, Quebec, Montreal, etc. are some of the high-paying cities. The table below shows the average city-wise annual salaries in Canada.

Work Permit after Masters in Canada

Students looking for global studies are turning towards Canada for higher education. One of the important factors being friendly policies to get a work permit for Canada. Graduates from top Canadian universities are able to secure a 3-year work permit which then roles into permanent residency. With a long history targeting highly skilled immigrants, about 65% of international candidates in Canada had a master's degree in 2017.

• Students pursuing a Masters in Canada can apply for a Post-graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
• PGWP is an open work permit, allowing students to work for any company in Canada.
• Its validity depends on the length of the educational program. The maximum duration for PGWP is three years.
• To be eligible, a student must apply for a post-graduation work permit within 180 days of completing their program and obtaining transcripts.

Top-paying Sectors after Masters in Canada

Some of the popular sectors to explore after completing your MS from Canada are:

After studying and some work experience in Canada, international candidates can apply for permanent residency or PR in Canada. As permanent citizens, candidates tend to get most of the social benefits as citizens of Canada, can work or study anywhere in Canada, and can even apply for Canadian citizenship.

Canada has a multicultural society providing ample opportunities to support young talents. If you have the requisite passion for pursuing an masters in Canada, the country offers significant returns for all your investments, helping you to reach your goals. You can also further your opportunities and horizons by continuing your studies after your master's and planning a Ph.D. from Canada. 

According to reports by CBIE (Canadian Bureau for International Education), the total number of international students has increased by 82% over the past five years. Thus, making Canada the world’s third-leading study-abroad destination after the USA and Australia. According to reports, 34% of these international students were from India alone. 

Also Explore: MS in Canada v/s MS in USA

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