Canada is one of the world’s top study destinations for international students. From its renowned quality of life to the endless career opportunities and a lower cost of living, the list of reasons why goes on and on.

In 2019, Canada was home to 638,300 international students, and this number has been steadily increasing since the mid-2000s. Although the number dipped slight to 528,200 in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, numbers returned to previous levels in 2021 with 621,600 international students choosing to study in Canada.

The top six reasons to apply to study in Canada

As one of the most attractive study destinations for international students in the world, Canada is well known for its higher education programs for undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate studies.

Here are the top six reasons to study in Canada for international students.

  1. High-quality education

Canada is recognized worldwide for its high-quality education with high academic standards. Post-secondary classes in Canada often consist of hands-on and theory-based learning to equip students with the proper skills they need to succeed after graduation.

As a testament to its high-quality education, nine Canadian universities were featured in the top 2,000 academic institutions worldwide, according to the US News & World Report’s 2022-2023 Best Global Universities Rankings, which compared institutions across more than 90 countries.

And in the QS World University Rankings 2023, 30 Canadian universities were ranked based on eight key ranking indicators, including academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, international students and employment outcomes.

University Canada West (UCW) received an overall 5 Star rating from the QS Stars higher education rating system in 2021. UCW is the third university in Canada and the first in British Columbia to receive a 5 Star rating from QS Stars. There are only a total of seven institutions in the United States and Canada to receive a 5 Star rating.

  1. Affordable education

Studying abroad can be expensive for international students. However, Canada offers affordable study programs compared to other countries considered to also be attractive study destinations such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

In Canada, the average tuition for an undergraduate program is $33,623 CAD and $20,120 CAD for a graduate program per year. In the United States, the average tuition is $37,200 CAD for an undergraduate program and $40,300 CAD for a graduate program per year.

Scholarship opportunities are also available for international students to help offset the cost of education abroad. University Canada West has scholarships for Canada international students. For a complete list of scholarships, grants and bursaries available, visit ucanwest.ca/admissions/awards-scholarships.

  1. Lower cost of living

In addition to the cost of tuition, international students also need to consider the cost of living and accommodation and other expenses, such as food, travel, utilities, entertainment and more.

Canadian international students can expect to spend anywhere between $19,000 and $28,000 on living expenses in their first year. While this may seem like a hefty price to pay, the cost of living in Canada is still lower than other similar counterparts. The cost of living plus rent indices for Canada, the United States and Australia in 2022 were 54.74, 58.95 and 54.86, respectively.

  1. Flexibility to work while studying

One frequently asked question is, “how many hours can international students work?” To help balance the cost of studying abroad and gain Canadian work experience, many international students in Canada are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week while they study, without applying for an additional work permit as it’s covered by their study permit.

And earlier this month, the government of Canada temporarily lifted the cap on the number of hours that eligible international post-secondary students are allowed to work off-campus, until December 31, 2023. This new measure provides international students with a greater opportunity to gain valuable work experience with their student visa Canada.

  1. Career opportunities in Canada after graduation

Canada has ample career opportunities for international students after graduation. Students who graduate from an eligible post-secondary program at an authorized Designated Learning Institution (DLI) may qualify for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), which allows them to work in the country in any field either part-time, full-time or even start their own business.

  1. High quality of life and safety

Time and time again, Canada has consistently been highly ranked in several world rankings, including taking first place in US News and World Report’s 2021 Best Countries list.

Canada is also considered one of the safest countries in the world. In the 2022 Global Peace Index, Canada ranked 12th out of 163 countries, and received an overall score of 1.39 out of 5. The score measures the peacefulness of countries made up of 23 quantitative and qualitative indicators. The lower the score, the more peaceful the country.

Published on November 25, 2022.