Greater Montreal in Quebec, the largest province in Canada, is one of the most popular places to live and pursue higher education. Apart from the booming economy and world-class facilities, Montreal offers top quality education combined with reputable institutes. There are in total 60 colleges and 11 universities in Canada, in the city of Montreal.
Currently, over 42,000 international students are studying in Montreal. Even though it promises a high quality of life, Montreal is comparatively affordable than other developed cities. Montreal is more affordable for international students and the tuition fees range from 15,000 to 30,000 CAD (~8.8-17.6 lakh INR) for undergraduate and graduate students. Students are offered with numerous financial aid options in the form of scholarships to study in Canada, loans or work-study programs to ease the cost of tuition and boarding to a considerable extent.
The diversity of Montreal is appealing since it has a foreign population of 23% and 120 global cultural communities. Due to the appreciable economic condition of the city, it ranks among the top places for foreign investment. After graduation, students get access to a lot of employment opportunities with an average salary of 134,000 CAD.
Explore: Jobs after studying in Canada
Rankings of Universities in Montreal
The best universities in Montreal according to Times Higher Education are listed below:
| University | World University Rank 2022 | Montreal Rank 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| McGill University | 44 | 1 |
| University of Montreal | 88 | 2 |
| Concordia University | 601-800 | 3 |
According to QS Top universities, the top universities in Montreal are listed below:
| University | World Rankings |
|---|---|
| McGill University | 27 |
| University of Montreal | 111 |
| Concordia University | 521-530 |
Why Study in the Universities in Montreal?
Montreal is also known as the ‘culture capital’ of Canada and is one of the most pursued cities in the world for a high education degree. Every year, a large number of international applicants apply to study in Montreal owing to the presence of diversity, qualified faculty, abundance of subjects to choose from and several other factors. There are several reasons why Montreal is regarded as one of the best cities to study in Canada.
- The unique and creative lifestyle along with the presence of diverse communities makes Montreal an ideal place of living.
- It is not unknown that pursuing a higher education degree abroad is quite expensive. Montreal promotes affordable housing and education, which brings down the annual cost of attendance. The institutes are affiliated with housing companies and renting options which makes it easier for international students to find the right housing option for them.
- Montreal is one of the cities having a very efficient transport system. The Societe de Transport de Montreal is the local network of trains or buses in Montreal which can help one to go anywhere in the city. The STM also offers low monthly fees to students aged below 25. For quick commute, one can avail bikes or taxis as well through the city’s transport system.
- The University of Montreal and various other institutes are ranked among the best universities in the world by top ranking surveys.
- Montreal has a very promising job market due to the growing economy. It has experienced the best job growth among the 20 largest urban areas in Canada and USA according to international rankings.
- International students with a work permit can get hands-on industrial training and high tech learning based on aerospace, visual effects, video games, life sciences etc.
- The city provides a very safe environment for students of all nations and cultures to pursue a higher education in. The city is designed on a human scale and there are diverse neighbourhoods with unique characteristics which are fit for families, students or working professionals.
Programs at Universities in Montreal
The most popular programs in the universities in Montreal are noted below:
| Name of the institute | Most popular courses |
|---|---|
| McGill University | Agricultural Sciences, Library and Information Management, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, English Language and Literature, Clinical Medicine |
| University of Montreal | Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical engineering, Linguistics, Biological Sciences, Environment, Physics, Psychology, Sociology |
| University of Quebec at Montreal | Electrical Engineering, Public Health, Civil Engineering, Environment |
| Polytechnic School of Montreal | Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering |
| Concordia University | Physical Sciences, Psychology |
Intakes at Universities in Montreal
For international students, there are primarily three intake seasons. They are Fall, Winter and Summer intake. International students mostly prefer getting admission for the Fall intake since it gives ample time to arrange all application materials. Also, most courses are available in the Fall intake.
| Major Intake Seasons | Starts Term | Intake Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fall intake | September | This is the primary intake season for international students, most courses are available in this particular intake. |
| Winter intake | January | This is the secondary intake and international students who missed out on the Fall intake can apply for this one. |
| Spring intake | May | For this intake season, only a few courses are available. Also, not all universities offer courses for the Spring intake. |
Students can get confused about their suitable intake. Therefore, they should check with the course requirements of the specialization they are planning to apply to, the universities offering the courses for the particular intakes and the time frames within which they can arrange all the application materials.
Admission Process at Universities in Montreal
The admission processes are variable for distinct universities in Montreal. Students should check out the websites of all the targeted institutes. The steps for applying to a university in Montreal in Canada are as follows:
- International candidates are required to have an aggregate of 60-70% or higher in their high school examinations to apply in the bachelor’s course.
- The graduate, phD and master’s courses require a 60% or above in bachelor’s courses for admission, though the score requirement changes from course to course and university to university.
- MBA and professional course aspirants should have at least 2 to 3 years of quality work experience in an industry or corporation.
- Proof of English proficiency is required. It can be established through tests like IELTS, TOEFL, PTE etc. The score requirement of these tests varies from institute to institute.
- Additional requirements which must be checked before applying to the particular university.
The documents required for admission in universities in Montreal are stated below:
- Academic transcripts in English
- A bachelor’s degree for graduate admissions
- Valid passport
- Passport size photographs
- Academic LOR
- English proficiency test scores like IELTS, TOEFL, PTE etc. French language proficiency tests are also accepted in a lot of universities
- Financial certification consisting of bank statements or sponsor’s statements willing to pay the tuition and living expenses
- Standardized test scores like SAT, ACT are optional
- A professional Resume or CV
- Interviews, if they are required by the institute
- Auditions are required for art based programs and portfolios for architecture programs
- GMAT/GRE score required for master's, especially MBA courses
- Personal statement
- Work experience of 2-3 years required for professional graduate programs
- In case of doctoral applicants, a research proposal is required
- Additional requirements, based on the course and university
How to Apply to Universities in Montreal?
Students can apply through the specific university websites and most of them have an in-built online admission portal where one can submit and track applications. To apply for a university in Montreal, the following steps must be endured.
- Firstly, the student should ensure that they meet all the necessary requirements. They should start planning at least a year in advance before finally applying to make sure they have all the documents they will need.
- Next, the candidate should find a course and select and shortlist universities. There are a handful of universities offering a plethora of courses in Montreal to choose from.
- The entry requirements of the specific course or specialization in the preferred university should be checked out.
- English proficiency test exam scores are required for admission. Students can take the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, PTE etc. French proficiency exams like TEF, DALF, DELF are also accepted.
- The application deadlines should be checked thoroughly. The universities in Montreal admit students through fall, winter and spring intake and students should choose the preferred intake for admission.
- After that, it is time to apply for the respective institutes. The application details should be submitted along with the application materials and application fees should also be paid. Most Canadian institutes have an application fee ranging from 100 to 250 CAD (~5,900-14,600 INR).
- After that, one should apply for a study permit for enrolling in an institute in Montreal, Canada. The acceptance letter from the institute, passport and financial certification are required for this.
- Lastly, after the acceptance of the student permit, the candidate should start planning for the journey.
Universities in Montreal Application Deadlines
The application deadlines for the most popular universities in Montreal, Canada are listed below:
| University | Application Deadlines for International students |
|---|---|
| University of Montreal | Fall- February 1 Winter- September 1 Summer- February 1 |
| McGill University | January 15 |
| Concordia University | Fall- February 1 Winter- September 1 Summer- February 1 |
| HEC Montreal | Round 1- November 15 Round 2- January 15 Round 3- March 15 March 4- May 15 |
| Polytechnic Montreal | Fall- March 1 Winter- June 1 Summer- February 1 |
| Vanier College | Autumn semester- March 31 |
| College LaSalle | No specific deadline, students should apply as early as possible. |
| Cégep du Vieux Montréal | Fall- March 1 Winter- November 1 |
| College Ahuntsic | Fall- March 1 Winter- November 1 |
| O’Sullivan College | Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. |
Top Universities in Montreal for MBA
Numerous institutes offer an MBA at Montreal. The names of the most sought out institutes and their specializations are listed below:
| Institute | MBA Programs |
|---|---|
| Cornell University- Johnson College of Business | Executive MBA |
| HEC Montreal | MBA, MBA+MSc in Economics, MBA+MSc in Finance, EMBA McGill- HEC Montreal |
| McGill University- Desautels Faculty of Management | MBA, professional part time MBA, MD/MBA, MBA/Law, Executive MBA McGill- HEC Montreal |
| Queen’s University- Smith’s School of Business | Executive MBA, Accelerated MBA for Business Graduates |
| Concordia University- Molson School of Business | MBA, Executive MBA, MBA in Investment Management |
| HEC Montreal | Full time MBA |
Application Process for Top Universities in Montreal
The application requirements for universities differ. The application requirements for the top universities in Montreal are given below:
| University | Academic qualification | English language proficiency test score requirements | Statement of purpose, letters of recommendation | GRE/GMAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Montreal | Candidates should have passed high school examinations with 70% or above in aggregate pr 3.5 GPA | IELTS- 6.5 TOEFL- 104 | Required | GMAT- 570 |
| McGill University | Students should have passed high school with a GPA of 3.7 | TOEFL iBT- 86 IELTS- 6.5 MELAB- 85% or higher CAE- Grade ‘B’ or higher | Required for some programs | GMAT- 670 GRE- 321 |
| Concordia University | Students should pass high school with a GPA of 3.0 | IELTS- 6.5 TOEFL iBT- 90 PTE- 61 Duolingo- 120 | Required in case of some programs | Required for MBA and other professional programs |
| Polytechnique Montréal | Students should have an aggregate of 75% or above in high school or a GPA of 3.5 or above | TOEFL iBT- 75 TOEIC- 605 IELTS- 6 | Required for some specific programs | GMAT- 570 |
Cost of Studying in the Universities in Montreal
The cost of attendance at universities in Montreal depends largely on the tuition fees of the university, living expenses and personal expenses of the student.
Universities in Montreal Tuition Fees
Montreal, Canada is comparatively cheaper compared to other cities when it comes to pursuing higher education. However, the tuition fees of the universities must be checked before applying to them to plan the cost beforehand. The most popular universities in Montreal and their tuition fees are given below.
| Institute | Annual Tuition Fees in CAD |
|---|---|
| University of Montreal | 20,400 |
| Mcgill University | 21,006 - 56,544 |
| Concordia University | 19,802 |
| Polytechnic Montreal | 25,000 |
| HEC Montreal | 54,000 |
| Laval University | 23,395 |
| College La Salle | 24,514 |
| Université De Sherbrooke | 18,000 to 25,000 |
| Bishop’s University | 25,455 |
| Rosemont College | 19,890 |
Cost of Living in the Universities in Montreal
The general cost of attendance for a year for studying in Montreal, can however be summarized below.
| Type of expense | Cost in CAD |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $2266 |
| Rent and utilities | $550 |
| Food | $350 |
| Transportation | $80 |
| Phone and internet | $45 |
| Miscellaneous | $200 |
| Total | $3491 |
Explore: Cost of living in Canada
Scholarships at the Universities in Montreal
Affording education abroad is not an easy task. Even though Montreal, Canada is known for being one of the cheapest places for pursuing higher education, there are still a lot of costs combined like living and personal expenses.Fortunately, most universities in Montreal, Canada offer financial aid to students in the form of scholarships, loans, and federal work study options. A few popular scholarships in Canada, offered to the international students in Montreal are tabulated below:
| Scholarships | Eligibility | Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Education Future International Scholarship 2022 USA and non-USA | Bachelor’s, Master’s | Partial tuition |
| Ambedkar Overseas Vidya Nidhi, SC Development 2022 | Master’s, for scheduled caste candidates | Full tuition |
| Google PhD fellowship program 2022 | PhD candidates | Full tuition |
| The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation grant 2022 | Bachelor’s, other | Full tuition |
| Graduate Students Scholarship program | Research fellow/scientist | Partial cost |
| Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation- Short term grant for American studies | Master’s, PhD | Partial funding |
| Postdoctoral research program | Post doc | Partial cost |
| Simon Fraser University- HY Louie and Lohn Entrance Awards in Canada, 2022 | Bachelor’s | Partial cost |
| Conestoga College International Degree Entrance Scholarships | Bachelor’s, Master’s | Partial cost |
| Arthur F Church Entrance Scholarships | Bachelor’s | Partial cost |
Universities at Montreal Placements
Students can avail a work permit after graduating from a university in Montreal, Canada. They can also get industrial hands-on training while studying at a university which can further contribute to their work experience. The job placement options and the average salaries after passing from an institute in Montreal are given below:
| Profession | Average Salary in CAD |
|---|---|
| Airline | 250,000 |
| Executive Management and Change | 137,000 |
| Financial Services | 124,000 |
| Legal and Paralegal | 105,000 |
| Legal Department | 102,000 |
| Compliance, AML, KYC and Monitoring | 94,000 |
Montreal, Canada, is not known just for the world-class educational institutes, but also because of the dynamic cultural scene prevalent in the city, the abundance of high tech facilities and significantly qualified education instructors. It is one of the most pursued and sought out cities for obtaining a higher education degree by international students and the comparatively inexpensive yet high standard of living attracts students to it from all over the globe. With 11 universities, 60 colleges and 55% bilingual population, Montreal, Canada is the ideal place to live and study while exploring global exposure on a large scale.
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