[2023] International Students Tuition Fees in Canada is Worth It
Average Tuition Fees by Province for International Students in Canada
Statistics Canada recently released the University Tuition Report for the 2022/2023 academic year, which shows the impact of inflation on college tuition and other living expenses.
Beginning in April 2021, the Canadian Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 6.8%. Since the daily expenses of college students are mainly food, rent and tuition fees, they are more affected by inflation. During this period:
Canadians spent 9.7 per cent more on food, the largest increase since September 1981.
Housing costs are also skyrocketing. Rent prices have risen in the most populous provinces. Ontario rose 5.3 percent, Quebec rose 4.3 percent and British Columbia rose 6.4 percent.
Tuition fees also increased in all provinces in Canada, ranging from 0.3 per cent in Ontario to 5.7 per cent in Alberta.
Comparison of Tuition Fees in Different Provinces
Taking the tuition fees of local students as an example, the average tuition fees nationwide for the 2022/2023 academic year are:
Undergraduate = CAD 6,834, 2.6% increase over the previous year
Graduate = CAD 7,437, 1.7% increase from the previous year
If the undergraduate tuition fee is subdivided into each province, therefore:
The three provinces with the highest tuition fees:
Provinces | Average Tuition Fees |
Nova Scotia | CAD $9,328 |
Saskatchewan | CAD $8,854 |
New Brunswick | CAD $8,284 |
The three provinces with the lowest tuition fees:
Provinces | Average Tuition Fees |
Yukon | CAD $4,200 |
Newfoundland | CAD $3,400 |
Quebec | CAD $3,359 |
Average Undergraduate Tuition Fees for Canadian Full-time Students (By Province or Territory – 2022/2023)
Current Dollars | |
Nova Scotia | 9,328 |
Saskatchewan | 8,854 |
New Brunswick | 8,284 |
Ontario | 7,920 |
Alberta | 7,221 |
Prince Edward Island | 7,082 |
Canada | 6,834 |
British Columbia | 6,256 |
Manitoba | 5,251 |
Yukon | 4,200 |
Newfoundland and Labrador | 3,400 |
Quebec | 3,359 |
If the postgraduate tuition fees are divided into provinces, therefore:
The three provinces with the highest tuition fees:
Provinces | Average Tuition Fees |
Nova Scotia | CAD $10,591 |
British Columbia | CAD $9,994 |
Ontario | CAD $9,938 |
The three provinces with the lowest tuition fees:
Provinces | Average Tuition Fees |
Saskatchewan | CAD $4,971 |
Newfoundland | CAD $3,759 |
Quebec | CAD $3,582 |
Average Graduate Tuition Fees for Canadian Full-time Students (By Province or Territory – 2022/2023)
Current Dollars | |
Nova Scotia | 10,591 |
British Columbia | 9,994 |
Ontario | 9,385 |
Canada | 7,437 |
New Brunswick | 7,272 |
Alberta | 7,143 |
Manitoba | 5,573 |
Prince Edward Island | 5,374 |
Saskatchewan | 4,971 |
Newfoundland and Labrador | 3,759 |
Quebec | 3,582 |
Significant Differences in Tuition Fees for Different Majors
Higher Tuition Fees for Undergraduate Majors
Major | Average Tuition fees |
Dental | CAD 23,963 |
Medicine | CAD 15,182 |
Veterinarian | CAD 14,838 |
Legal | CAD 13,222 |
Pharmacy | CAD 12,291 |
Optometry | CAD 10,389 |
Engineering | CAD 8,527 |
Business, Management and Public Administration | CAD 7,207 |
Mathematics, Computer and Information Science | CAD 7,012 |
Graduate programs with high tuition fees
Major | Average Tuition fees |
Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) | CAD 53,227 |
General Master of Business Administration (MBA) | CAD 30,464 |
Business, Management and Public Administration | CAD 14,823 |
Dental | CAD 13,223 |
Mathematics, Computer and Information Science | CAD 8,902 |
Engineering | CAD 7,454 |
Comparison of tuition fees for local and international students
Average tuition fees for Canadian students have been falling between 2019 and 2023, without adjusting for inflation. However, for international students, average tuition fees continue to increase, especially for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Undergraduate Tuition Fees:
In 2022-2023, undergraduate local students pay an average tuition fee of CAD 6,834, an increase of about 2.6% over the previous academic year, while international students pay an average tuition fee of CAD 36,123, an increase of about 8.0% over the previous academic year.
Postgraduate class Tuition Fees:
In 2022-2023, local postgraduate students pay an average of CAD 7,437 in tuition fees, an increase of about 1.7% over the previous academic year, while international students pay an average of CAD 21,111 in tuition fees, an increase of about 4.3% over the previous academic year.
From the comparison of the above data, it can be seen that there is indeed a big gap between the tuition fees of Canadian immigrants (local students) and non-immigrants (international students), and according to statistics from the Bureau of Statistics, this gap is increasing year by year.
Taking undergraduate courses as an example, in 2002, the tuition fee for international students was only about twice (204%) that of local students. Today, the tuition fee for international students is 4.2 times the tuition fee for local students.
And this is just an average statistic. If it is some top universities, the difference in tuition fees is not only 4 times, but even more than ten times the difference.
Therefore, the gold content of immigration is self-evident. From the perspective of cost saving, immigrating as soon as possible also means saving tuition fees for future generations.
Canada Shaws can help you go through the entire processes of your study application smoothly.
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