Universities and Colleges in Canada - Ranking, Courses & Cost

Canada is one of the hot destinations for international students, especially Indians, going abroad for higher education. Each year thousands of students from all over the world go to Canada to chase their dream. This country offers a high standard of living, diverse and inclusive environment, affordable education, higher ROI. As per the US News & World Report 2024, Canada is ranked fourth place globally for the best quality of life. A few of the top-ranked Canadian Universities are University of Toronto, University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, University of Waterloo, etc. As per IRCC, there are 1,028,850 (1 million) international students in Canada. Here’s all you need to know about Studying in Canada

Latest Update on Canada Housing

Canada's Immigration Minister Marc Miller has stated that the country will be implementing a 35% reduction in international student admissions for the year 2024. The key highlights of this policy shift include:

Temporary Reduction: The 35% decrease translates to a cap of 360,000 approved study permits for 2024, down from the approximately 900,000 permits issued in 2023.

Exemptions for Advanced Degrees: Students pursuing master's and doctoral degrees will be exempt from this cap, reflecting a strategic focus on retaining top-tier talent.

Provincial Quotas: Provinces will be allocated caps based on their accommodation and housing capacity, with the responsibility of distributing the allotted number of international student admissions among various institutions.

Attestation Requirement: A significant addition to the documentation process is the requirement for an attestation letter from Canadian provinces or territories, confirming their capacity to accommodate proposed students. This requirement came into effect on January 22, 2024, with provinces having until March 31, 2024, to establish the necessary mechanisms.

Changes to Work Permits: Notably, Post-Graduate Work Permits will no longer be available to international students admitted under certain curriculum licensing arrangements. Spousal open work permits will now be exclusive to spouses of master's and doctoral program students.

Cost-of-Living Adjustment: Responding to rising inflation and financial challenges faced by international students, the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) doubled the cost-of-living requirement from CAD 10,000 to CAD 20,635.

Future Reassessment: The government plans to review and reassess the cap in 2025, with a particular focus on modifications that won't impact graduate, professional, and doctoral programs significantly.

Impact on Indian Students: With Indians constituting a substantial portion of international students in Canada, these policy changes are expected to have a noteworthy impact on this demographic.

Check the detailed information on Canada's Housing Crisis here

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Universities in Canada: Highlights

Canada is known for offering high-quality education and research opportunities. Canada has 170+ universities and colleges for international students to choose from. Below is given a brief highlight for universities in Canada. 

Parameter	Statistics
No. of universities in Canada	170+
Tuition fees of universities in Canada	INR 10 L - INR 40 L+
Top streams in Canada	Business, IT & Computer Science, Media, Engineering and Health & Medicine.
English language exams required	IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo
Entrance exams required	GMAT, GRE

Why Study in Canada?

Each year thousands of international students from all over the world come to study at various Canadian universities. Canada offers various scholarships and work opportunities to help you with your education. Top universities in Canada are known globally for their high-quality education and research. As per the official statistics, the total number of international students in Canada rose to up to 1 million. In the year 2022, more than 1,83,000+ students from India chose Canada for higher education. As per the QS World University Rankings 2025, the three best universities in Canada are in the top 50 universities in the world. 

Student Visa Fee in Canada

Student visa Canada is a document issued by Canadian immigration authorities that serves as permission for foreign students to study in Canada. International students cannot study in Canada without getting a valid study permit. Canada student visa fees are CAD 150 (INR 9,279). Canadian Visa Applications are available both online and offline.

Top Universities in Canada

Canada is home to some of the most highly-ranked and top-rated universities of the world. Here we have given a list of top universities in Canada. 

University	QS World Ranking 2025	THE Ranking 2025
University of Toronto	#25	#21
McGill University	#29	#45
University of British Columbia	#38	#41
University of Alberta	#96	#116
University of Waterloo	#115	#163
Western University	#120	#201-250
University of Montreal	#159	#125
McMaster University	#176	#116
University of Ottawa	#189	#191
Queen's University at Kingston	#193	-

Here’s a piece of detailed information about Top Universities in Canada

Best Engineering Universities in Canada

Canada has some of the best universities/colleges in the world for engineering. Here we have listed some of the top colleges in Canada for Engineering based on QS World University Subject Rankings 2024.

University	QS Engineering & Technology 2024
University of Toronto	#17
University of British Columbia	#25
University of Waterloo	#40
McGill University	#39
University of Alberta	#100
University of Montreal	#111
University of Calgary	#153
Queen’s University at Kingston	#200
McMaster University	#226
University of Ottawa	#234

Best Universities in Canada for Business & Management

Canada is known for its high-quality education and top-graded Business and Management schools. Here we have listed some of the top colleges in Canada for Business and Management based on the QS World University Subject Rankings 2024:

University	QS Subject Ranking 2024
University of Toronto	#28
University of British Columbia	#40
McGill University	#47
Western University	#67
University of Montreal	#75
University of Alberta	#129
Queen’s University at Kingston	#135
York University	#151-200
University of Calgary	#201-250

Top Cities to Study in Universities in Canada

Canada has hundreds of universities spread across Canada. British Columbia and Quebec have the largest number of universities. Toronto is home to the 'University of Toronto' the most prestigious and the top universities in Canada.  Here we have given the number of universities in each city.

State	Count of Universities
Ontario	60
British Columbia	43
Alberta	24
Quebec	13
Saskatchewan	8
Nova Scotia	7

Top Courses to Study in Canada

 The demanding courses to study in Canada are Engineering, Healthcare & Medicine, Business Management, Law, HR Management, Architecture, etc. Below is given a list of the top colleges in Canada offering various courses. 

Top Courses	Count of Universities
UG Diploma	96
BBA	94
BSc	84
BA	82
BTech	81
UG Certificate	70
MS	59

Admissions Requirements for International Students in Canada

International students applying for Canadian universities need to meet both the course-specific and general admission requirements. The admission requirements will vary from university to university. Here we have given the general admission requirements for international students applying for Canadian universities.

• Completed application form
• Academic transcripts of class 12
• Bachelor’s degree (for master courses)
• GRE/GMAT
• English Language proficiency
• Resume
• Work Experience

Entrance Exams Accepted by Universities in Canada

International students must meet the minimum requirements of Canada universities in globally accepted entrance exams. Top colleges in Canada may ask to submit scores of GRE and GMAT including English language proficiency for their postgraduate courses. 

Entrance Exam	Count of Universities
GRE	33
GMAT	35

English Language Requirements by Universities in Canada

Canada is an English-speaking country, and universities in Canada require international students to prove their proficiency in the English language. Here we have given some English language exams accepted by Canadian universities.

English Language Exams	Count of Universities
IELTS	174
TOEFL	169
PTE	143
Duolingo	121

Cost of Studying in Canada

The cost of studying in Canada will include the tuition fees and accommodation costs. On average, students need INR 30 Lakh - INR 40 Lakh to study in Canada. The cost of living and tuition fee will depend on various factors such as program and location accommodation.

Tuition Fees in Canadian Universities

The tuition fees for international students at public universities in Canada may vary from domestic students. Also, the tuition fees for international students will depend on the type of course and level of study.

First-Year Tuition Fee Range	Count of Universities
Max INR 10 L	121
Max INR 20 L	168
Max INR 30 L	174
Max INR 40 L	174
INR 40 L+	13

Cost of Living in Canada

The cost of living in Canada will depend on the type of accommodation and location of your accommodation. Here is a requirement for a minimum bank balance for a Canada student visa. As per Numbeo, an Indian student requires around INR 88,000 per month for living expenses. 

Scholarships in Canada

Top universities in Canada offer several scholarships to international students. Some scholarships are given by the university itself, meanwhile, some are given by external funding agencies. Here we have given some of the most popular scholarships given by top universities in Canada.

University Name	Name of Scholarship
University of Manitoba	International Undergraduate Student Bursary International Undergraduate Student Scholarship
University of Toronto	Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship Program – Bachelors in Engineering Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship Program – BA in Architecture
York University	Presidential International Scholarship of Excellence The Goldberg Leadership Award of Excellence

Work Permit After Graduation

Post Graduate Work Permit in Canada or PGWP Canada or Post-CanadianGraduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) allows international students, who graduated from designated learning institutions (DLIs) in Canada, to get a valid open work permit and gain work experience in Canada.

Part-time Work Options in Canada

On the Canadian student visa, you have permission to work for 20 hours/week at a paid job. However, this is the maximum number of hours that you are allowed to work for. Students who are enrolled in difficult or intensive courses are recommended by the universities to work for a maximum of 12 hours a week. Usually, for part-time jobs, students are paid by hours. The rate of pay is around CAD 10 (INR 618) an hour, on average. Your typical part-time jobs include; Customer service, Cook, Clerk, Teacher, Web Designer, Dog walker etc.

Average Salary in Canada

As per Statistics Canada reports, the weekly salary in Canada is CAD 1,136 (Around INR 69k). As per Glassdoor.com, the average salary in Canada ranges average salary in Canada is CAD 40K - CAD 73K (INR 24,54,000 to INR 44,78,550) per year. The fast-growing industries in Canada are Technology, Agriculture, Healthcare, and Real Estate. 

High-Paying Jobs in Canada	Average Annual Salary in CAD	Average Annual Salary in INR
Cardiologist	280,591	1.7 Cr
Anesthesiologist	358,908	2.1 Cr
Psychiatrist	298,065	1.8 Cr
Physician	254,847	1.5 Cr
Surgeon	279,646	1.7 Cr
Orthodontist	209,373	1.2 Cr
Chief marketing officer	109,196	66.60 Lakhs
Software engineering manager	143,044	87.25 Lakhs

Anurag Pal12-23-2024 23:33