Affordable Universities for Masters Degree in Canada

International students who wish to study masters in Canada can find a number of cheap universities in the country. Find details about affordable universities for masters degree in Canada through this article.

Table of Contents

Cheap Universities in Canada for Masters
Admission Requirements for Masters in Canada
Cost of Living in Canada
City-Wise Expenditure in Canada
Location-Wise Cheap Universities in Canada
Scholarships in Canada

Canada is one of the popular destinations among students for studying abroad. There are many affordable universities for masters degree in Canada. Apart from the low tuition fee, factors like the cost of living, availability of scholarships, and part-time work opportunities make Canada a popular country for international students to pursue their master's degree programs.

Cheap Universities in Canada for Masters

There are various cheap universities in Canada for overseas students who intend to enroll in master's programs. Here we have curated a list of affordable universities for masters degree in Canada:

Memorial University of Newfoundland - 4,000 CAD/ year
Brandon University - 8,591 CAD/ year
University of Saskatchewan - 6,536 CAD/ year
University of British Columbia - 7,641 CAD/ year
University of Alberta - 10,260 CAD/ year
University of Manitoba - 4,000 CAD/ year
University of Guelph - 10,544 CAD/ year
McGill University - 12,600 CAD/ year

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Memorial University offers more than 110 graduate diplomas, master’s, and doctoral programs, attracting some of the world’s most intellectually ambitious and talented graduate students in almost all fields of studies. It is one of the cheapest colleges in Canada for international students. Here are the tuition fee and scholarship details of the university:

Average tuition fee: CAD 4,000
Average residence fee: CAD 5,000 - CAD 8,000 per year
Scholarships: A.G. Hatcher Memorial Scholarship, AAC Student Scholarship, ACUNS Awards Program, Affinity NL (Ottawa) Scholarship

Brandon University

Students pursuing a masters degree at Brandon University have two options. They can either opt for the ‘course work only route’ or the ‘thesis route’. The first one consists of 36 credit hours of coursework, while the latter requires students to complete 27 credit hours of course work and a 9 credit hour thesis. Brandon University's fee and scholarship information can be found here:

Average tuition fee: CAD 8,591
Average residence fee: CAD 7,426 - CAD 9,644
Scholarships: Board of Governors (BoG) Entrance Scholarships, IB (International Baccalaureate) Scholarships, AP (Advanced Placement) Scholarships

Read More: Brandon University

University of Saskatchewan

The University of Saskatchewan offers master's degree programs in a diverse range of fields. Some of the major programs are offered in disciplines such as accounting, chemistry, music, business, pharmacy, sociology, and many more. Take a look at the fee and scholarship information of the University of Saskatchewan:

Average tuition fee: CAD 6,536
Average residence fee: CAD 470 – CAD 7,976
Scholarships: Canadian Home Economics Association (CHEA) Fellowship, CFUW Memorial Fellowship, Elizabeth Helen McLeod Scholarship, Garry H. Beatty Scholarship

Read More: University of Saskatchewan

University of British Columbia

Next on the list of affordable universities for masters degree in Canada is the University of British Columbia. The university provides a wide variety of masters programs in Canada for international students. These programs are offered in subject areas like medicine, commerce, arts, sciences, education, forestry, etc. Check out UBC’s tuition and scholarship information below:

Average tuition fee: CAD 7,641
Average residence fee: CAD 5,318 – CAD 11,254
Scholarships: International Tuition Award – up to CAD 3,200

Read More: University of British Columbia

University of Alberta

Students interested in pursuing a cheap masters degree in Canada can apply to the University of Alberta. It is one of the top Canadian universities offering 500+ graduate programs in over 250 specializations. In addition, students have the option of choosing from more than 300 research areas. The fee and scholarship information of the University of Alberta is as follows:

Average tuition fee: CAD 10,260
Average residence fee: CAD 7,056 – CAD 8,771
Scholarships: Mackenzie King Open Scholarship, Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarship, Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship

Read More: University of Alberta

University of Manitoba

With over 99 master's programs, the University of Manitoba is among the finest masters universities in Canada. It also ranks among the top 50 research-intensive universities in Canada. Below you will find details about the University of Manitoba’s fee structure and scholarships:

Average tuition fee: CAD 4,000
Average residence fee: CAD 5,000 - CAD 8,000 per year
Scholarships: J.W. Dafoe Graduate Fellowship, University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship, Manitoba Graduate Scholarship, International Graduate Student Entrance Scholarship

Read More: University of Manitoba

University of Guelph

The University of Guelph is a good option for international students willing to pursue cheap masters in Canada. It ranks consistently among Canada’s top comprehensive universities and offers 100 graduate programs at master's and doctoral levels. University of Guelph’s fee structure and scholarship details are listed below:

Average tuition fee: CAD 10,544
Average residence fee: CAD 5,574 – CAD 7,630
Scholarships: Canada Graduate Scholarships - Master's (CGSM) Program, Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Program, Ontario Graduate Fellowships (OGF) Program

Read More: University of Guelph

McGill University

Based in Montreal, McGill University is one of the affordable universities in Canada for pursuing master's degree programs. Students interested in graduate studies at McGill get access to courses ranging from medicine and health sciences to engineering, law, education, business, art, music, and agriculture. Find out the tuition and residence rates of McGill University, along with the scholarship details:

Average tuition fee: CAD 12,600
Average residence fee: CAD 6,215 – CAD 12,496
Scholarships: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, The Mackenzie King Travelling Scholarship

Read More: McGill University

Admission Requirements for Masters in Canada

Canadian universities require overseas students to meet certain eligibility requirements in order to apply for their master's degree programs. These requirements may vary based on the university, stream, and other specifications. However, we have listed some of the common admission requirements of the best universities in Canada for masters :

Written application
At least 16 years of educational experience with a minimum 3.0 GPA in bachelor's degree
English language proficiency score: an overall IELTS score of 6.5 or more
A minimum score of 260 on the GRE (if applicable)
A minimum GMAT score of 650 (for management courses)
SOP for Canada
Reference Letters

Cost of Living in Canada

The cost of living in Canada is a little higher than the average, but a high standard of living is guaranteed. Monthly living expenses in Quebec, Montreal, and Ottawa are typically between CAD 1,200 and CAD 1,800. Shown below are the most expensive cities in Canada:

Vancouver, British Columbia
Toronto, Ontario
Hamilton-Burlington, Ontario
Victoria, British Columbia
Calgary, Alberta

The most affordable Canadian cities are listed as follows:

Sherbrooke, Quebec
Windsor, Ontario
Edmonton, Alberta
Regina, Saskatchewan
Winnipeg, Manitoba

City-Wise Expenditure in Canada

The cost of living differs from one place to another and might be cheap or expensive when compared to any reference place. However, a standard amenity's price can be used to compare the cost of living in different cities. Here, we have compared the cost of a 3-bedroom apartment across various cities in Canada. The table below shows the average apartment costs in six different cities:

City	Cost of Apartment (in CAD)
Toronto	1,900
Vancouver	1,950
Ottawa	1,300
Montreal	1,050
Edmonton	1,500
Calgary	1,600

Due to fixed charges and facilities, on-campus accommodation is generally more affordable at universities than off-campus accommodation. The expenditure related to off-campus accommodation will be variable and might affect a student’s budget.

Expenses of a Canadian City in Comparison to International Cities

In the following table, a few selective cities have been compared to each other based on their monthly living expenses:

Comparing basic living costs	Monthly rent of 1 bedroom flat in the city centre	3-course meal for 2 (mid-range restaurant)	Transportation expenses (monthly pass)
Toronto, Canada	CAD 1,632	CAD 70	CAD 143
London, UK	CAD 2,781	CAD 91	CAD 218
New York City, USA	CAD 3,809	CAD 94	CAD 151
Berlin, Germany	CAD 1,094	CAD 58	CAD 118
Sydney, Australia	CAD 2,622	CAD 79	CAD 159

By comparing different student cities on various parameters, we got an idea of the average monthly expenses (except meals) in these cities. Here, we can see that Toronto stands second after Germany in terms of affordability. However, it is one of the most expensive Canadian cities. Therefore, the table clearly indicates that Canadian cities are cheaper for students when compared to other international student cities. As a less expensive country with affordable universities for master's degrees, Canada is an ideal study destination for students seeking high-quality education on a limited budget.

Location-Wise Cheap Universities in Canada

There are many cheap colleges in Canada for international students planning to pursue master's degree programs. Here we will be looking at some of the low-cost Canadian universities (location-wise), along with their tuition fees:

Location	University	Average Annual Tuition Fee (CAD)
Toronto	OCAD University	16,000 CAD
	Ryerson University	30,000 CAD
	York University	32,000 CAD
Vancouver	University Canada West	21,000 CAD
	University of British Columbia	12,000 CAD to 15,000 CAD
	Simon Fraser University	25,000 CAD to 45,000 CAD
Montreal	Concordia University	37,500 CAD
	University of Quebec at Montreal	25,000 CAD
	McGill University	21,000 CAD
Ottawa	University of Ottawa	33,000 CAD
Ottawa	Carleton University	29,000 CAD
British Columbia	University of Northern British Columbia	35,000 CAD to 48,000 CAD
British Columbia	University of Victoria	39,000 CAD

Scholarships in Canada

One can find a plethora of scholarship opportunities in Canada, including government scholarships, non-government scholarships, and institute-specific scholarships. These scholarships provide financial assistance to meritorious students by covering expenses like tuition fees, accommodation charges, flight costs, etc. Mentioned below are the top scholarships available in Canada for overseas students: