Why international students choose Canada
Canada lets you work while you study and stay on afterwards. Students can work up to 24 hours a week off campus during term (IRCC) and unlimited hours on campus (IRCC), and graduates of eligible programmes can get a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) of up to 3 years (IRCC). Since 1 January 2026, students starting a master’s or doctoral degree at a public institution no longer need a provincial attestation letter (IRCC).
What it costs
Tuition is set by each institution. Statistics Canada puts the average for international undergraduates at CAD 41,746 a year and for international graduate students at CAD 24,028 in 2025/26 (Statistics Canada). Statistics Canada published 2026/27 data on 16 September 2026 (Statistics Canada), but the release text does not give a national average, so we use the 2025/26 figures. The study permit fee is CAD 150 (IRCC).
The student visa and proof of funds
You need a study permit and, in most cases, a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL). A 2026 PAL/TAL is valid until 31 December 2026 unless it shows an earlier date. Students going to Quebec usually need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) instead (IRCC).
To prove your funds, outside Quebec you must show your first year’s tuition plus CAD 23,448 a year for living costs as a single student if you apply on or after 1 September 2026. That figure excludes tuition and travel. If your programme lasts more than a year, you must also explain how you will pay for the rest of it (IRCC). Quebec sets its own amounts.
Working while you study
- Off campus: up to 24 hours a week during regular terms, and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks such as summer, winter or reading week. You must be a full-time student at a designated learning institution, in a programme of at least 6 months leading to a degree, diploma or certificate, with a work condition on your permit and a social insurance number (IRCC).
- On campus: no limit on hours during terms or breaks, as long as you are eligible (IRCC).
After you graduate
The post-graduation work permit depends on your programme (IRCC):
- Programmes of at least 8 months but under 2 years: a PGWP of up to the length of your programme.
- Programmes of 2 years or more: up to 3 years.
- Master’s degrees of at least 8 months: up to 3 years, even if the programme was shorter than 2 years.
You can only get one PGWP. Most applicants must now prove their language level: CLB 7 (or NCLC 7 in French) for university degree graduates, and CLB 5 for college and other non-university programmes. Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral graduates have no field of study requirement; other graduates who applied for their study permit on or after 1 November 2024 must study an eligible field (IRCC).
Scholarships for Canada
EduCanada, the government’s study portal, lists scholarships for international students, most aimed at specific regions (EduCanada):
- Study in Canada Scholarships: for students from select countries and territories in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program: short-term study or research for students from Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Organization of American States Academic Scholarships Program: graduate study or research for students from OAS member states.
- Canadian International Development Scholarships 2030: for professionals and scholars from select countries.
The EduCanada page does not say which schemes are currently open, so check each one.
