Canada
Canada sells a path, not just a degree: study, work up to three years on a post-graduation permit, then apply for permanent residency with Canadian experience. Tuition is real money, so the choice of province matters.
- Tuition / yr
- $15k – $35k
- Living / mo
- ~$1,300
- Work rights
- 24 h/week
- After study
- Up to 3-year PGWP
- Intakes
- September · January · May
- Language
- English · French
Why Canada
Study, work, and a clear path to residency.
- 01 Post-graduation work permit
- 02 Co-op programs
- 03 Welcoming immigration policy
The honest take
What we tell our own families about Canada.
Why students love it
What to plan for
Getting around
Leave the car at home.
Toronto and Montreal have solid subway systems; most other cities are bus-based. Many universities bundle a transit pass (U-Pass) into fees.
Subway & bus (TTC, STM)
Monthly student pass in most cities; Presto card in Toronto.
C$100–130 / month
U-Pass
Included in tuition at many universities; unlimited local transit.
C$40–60 / term
Cycling
Bike share in summer; winter cycling is for the brave.
C$100+ / season
Food & groceries
What a week of eating really costs.
Groceries are pricier than Europe but portions and choice are generous. No Frills, Walmart and Costco keep budgets sane; every campus has cheap food courts.
Poutine
Fries, cheese curds, gravy. Montreal does it best.
Tim Hortons coffee
The C$2 daily ritual.
Shawarma
Ottawa and Toronto's late-night student food.
Maple everything
Pancakes, bacon, syrup; try a sugar shack in spring.
Build your cart
Supermarket prices in Toronto, CAD. Quantities per week.
- Milk (1 L)C$30—
- Bread (loaf)C$30—
- Eggs (12)C$50—
- Rice (1 kg)C$40—
- Chicken breast (1 kg)C$150—
- Pasta (500 g)C$20—
- Apples (1 kg)C$50—
- Bananas (1 kg)C$20—
- Tomatoes (1 kg)C$60—
- Cheese (500 g)C$90—
- Coffee (250 g)C$80—
- Yogurt (500 g)C$30—
Your weekly cart
C$0 ≈ $0
Per month
C$0
Eating out
- Campus food court mealC$12
- Tim Hortons coffeeC$2
- Shawarma plateC$14
- Restaurant dinnerC$28
Where to live
Dorm, shared flat or studio: pick one and watch the budget.
Residence is guaranteed for most first-year international students; after that, a shared basement or condo room. Toronto is the hardest market; university towns like Waterloo, Kingston and Halifax are much easier.
Where students actually live
The Annex, Toronto
Next to U of T; old houses, cafes, bookshops.
C$1,000–1,400 room
Plateau, Montreal
Murals, bagels, cheapest big-city rent in Canada.
C$700–950 room
Uptown Waterloo
Tech co-ops, student everything.
C$750–1,000 room
South End, Halifax
Ocean, Dalhousie, small-city friendliness.
C$700–950 room
Before you pay anyone
- Never wire money for a place you have not seen; Facebook rental scams target new arrivals
- Kijiji and the university off-campus housing office are the safe channels
- Ontario leases: first and last month's rent, no other deposits are legal
- Subletting is normal in summer; you can save four months of rent
Student life as an international
Campuses run everything: clubs, intramurals, career fairs, free counselling.
International student centres are well funded and will help with taxes, permits and winter coats.
- Work
- 24 hours a week off campus during term, full time in scheduled breaks. Minimum wage C$17 or more depending on province.
- Healthcare
- Provincial coverage in some provinces; otherwise university health plans of about C$700 a year, mandatory.
- Safety
- Among the safest countries for students. Winter is the main hazard: dress for -20°C.
Universities
Where we place students in Canada.
Toronto
University of Toronto
Everything, at world top-25 level; huge alumni network
C$45,000–62,000
Check my odds
Vancouver
University of British Columbia
Engineering, forestry, business; ocean campus
C$42,000–55,000
Check my odds
Waterloo
University of Waterloo
Computer science and the world's largest co-op program
C$45,000–65,000
Check my odds
Montreal
McGill University
Medicine, law, arts; bilingual city at lower cost
C$25,000–50,000
Check my oddsCampus photos are placeholders until we add each university's own imagery.
The Canada brochure
Twelve pages we wrote for parents and students, not for universities.
- Study permit under the 2024 caps: what changed
- PGWP and Express Entry points explained
- Province-by-province cost comparison
- Co-op programs that pay for the degree
- Winter starter kit and first-week checklist
PDF, prepared with your name on it. Figures are indicative and refreshed each intake.
Free with a Get-ED account
One minute to create. It also saves your shortlist and lets a counsellor pick up where you left off.
Free download
The Canada visa checklist.
Every document, in the order the embassy asks for them, with the mistakes that cause refusals.
- Passport & photos
- Offer letter (CAS / admission)
- Proof of funds / blocked account
- Health insurance
- English test result
- + 3 more with timelines and templates
Start here
Ready when you are.
A free, no-pressure call with a counsellor who has done this hundreds of times.