Planning to study in Canada for your Bachelor's or Master's? It's a fair thing to wonder about in 2026, because a lot has moved. A Canadian degree still carries weight, you're still allowed to work part-time while you study, and there's still a work permit waiting when you graduate. The part that changed is the paperwork. Between 2024 and 2026 it got a lot stricter.
So these days we don't open with "which university?" We open with "Bachelor's or Master's?" That one answer shapes your whole permit file. Families pay us, universities don't, which means you'll hear plainly which route makes sense for you.
Read more ▼Paid counselling. No university commissions. Officially verified shortlists.
Finished Grade 12? That points you to a Bachelor's, four years for most programs. Already have a degree? Then it's a Master's, which runs one or two years.
See both routesIn the QS 2027 world table, McGill is #30, Toronto #32 and UBC #45. And nearly every Canadian university is public.
See the top public universitiesBachelor's students need a Provincial Attestation Letter for their study permit. Going for a Master's at a public university? You skip it.
Read the 2027 rulesSeptember is the big one, with most Bachelor's deadlines between November and March. January has fewer programs. Summer hardly runs at all.
See intakes and deadlinesThat's what an international undergrad paid on average in 2025/26, says Statistics Canada. For a Master's, the average was closer to CAD 24,028.
Calculate my costsFile your permit from September 1, 2026 and this is the living money you show for a year outside Quebec. Tuition and travel sit on top.
See how the permit worksWhile classes are on, you're allowed 24 hours a week off campus. Over the winter and summer breaks, full-time is fine.
See the work rulesEligible graduates get a Post-Graduation Work Permit of up to three years. Do a Master's of eight months or more and you get all three.
See work after study
Almost every family starts with the same question: is Canada still worth it? For the right student, we think so. Here's why.
A 12-year school certificate gets you into a Bachelor's with no foundation year. A 4-year Bachelor's gets you into a Master's.
Three Canadian names, McGill, Toronto and UBC, land inside the QS 2027 global top 50.
During term you're allowed up to 24 hours a week of off-campus work. In the winter and summer breaks, full-time.
Finish your degree and you're in line for a work permit lasting up to three years. Eight months of Master's earns all three.
Eight things to sort, in rough order. The page follows them top to bottom. Already past a few? Skip ahead.
Which Pathway Can I Take?Bachelor's or Master'sStart hereWhich Course Should I Study?Top courses by level
Which University?Public or private
Which English Test?Admission, then the PGWP
When Do I Apply?Fall, Winter or Summer
How Do I Apply?OUAC or a university portalWhat Will It All Cost?Tuition and livingWhat Does the Permit Need?Your study permit fileCanada won't ask you to add up your school years, and there's no bridge year to sit. So it really comes down to one thing: what do you have right now? Finished Grade 12? You're applying for a Bachelor's. Already hold a degree? Then it's a Master's.
You apply with your school certificate, your subject marks and an English score, then study for about four years. Many programs offer co-op, which slots paid work terms into the degree. You'll need a PAL for the permit.
With four years of university behind you, every Canadian graduate school is open to you. The offer comes down to your grades, your statement of purpose and what your referees say. Some programs also want a test score or a bit of work experience.
This one goes school by school. Some are happy with three years. Others won't budge from four. Every school writes its rule down, so we look it up for each program instead of guessing.
Canadian colleges run diplomas and postgraduate certificates, and their work-permit rules aren't the same as for university degrees. This page sticks to Bachelor's and Master's degrees. If a college is still on your mind, read the university vs college section before you decide.
Admissions teams in Canada look at three things: what you studied, which subjects were in it, and how well you did. The country you sat your exams in hardly matters.
| Your curriculum | What they check | How you get in |
|---|---|---|
| CBSE, ISC and State Boards | Your Grade 12 marks above all. Then, did you take the subjects the program wants? Often that's Math, Physics, Chemistry or English. Some want Grade 11 too. | Direct admissionNo foundation year. |
| British A-Levels (Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel International) | You'll want at least three A-Levels. Your GCSEs or IGCSEs get a quick look too. Offers go out on predicted grades. | Direct admission |
| IB Diploma | Only the full Diploma counts. Offers go out on predicted points, and HL subjects cover prerequisites. | Direct admission |
| American curriculum | Your diploma, GPA and senior-year classes all count. AP results help. You'd only need the SAT or ACT if a program says so. | Direct admission |
| GCC national curricula and other 12-year systems | Any recognized school-leaving certificate. Each university has a country-by-country page saying what it wants. | Direct for mostCheck the university's page for your certificate. |
Popular programs fill up with students far above it, and the bar shifts from year to year. Aim for the marks the program actually admits. The number on the website just gets you through the door.
| What you hold | What graduate schools look at | Route to a Master's |
|---|---|---|
| A 4-year Bachelor's | Your grades, with the last two years counting most, converted on the school's own table. Plus a statement of purpose, references and a resume. | Direct admission |
| A 3-year Bachelor's | Some graduate schools accept it; others want four years. The school's international equivalency page settles it. | Depends on the school |
| Research (thesis) Master's | Finding a professor who works in your area. Many programs expect you to email faculty before applying. | Direct, with a supervisor match |
| MBA and professional Master's | Full-time work experience, often two years or more, and at many schools a GMAT or GRE. | Direct, with experience |
Studying in the UAE or GCC? Your certificate or degree is what gets judged, not the city you sat the exams in. So a CBSE student in Dubai is read as CBSE, an A-Level student in Doha as A-Level, and so on.
Some universities want your degree checked by WES or a service like it. The program page says whether yours does.
Aiming for Fall 2027 or Winter 2028? Then this is the rulebook you'll be working with. Canada has changed its student rules more than once since 2024, and nearly all the pain sits in the study permit rather than the university application. Truthfully, the offer is now the easier half.
Canada's current Immigration Levels Plan pencils in 150,000 new international students for 2027, a little under 2026's 155,000. IRCC confirms the real figure in its next Levels Plan, expected around November 2026. The big rule carries straight into 2027. Master's and doctoral students at public institutions sit outside the national cap and skip the Provincial Attestation Letter. Bachelor's students, wherever they study, and Master's students at private institutions still need one. IRCC: current cap notice
1For a permit application filed from September 1, 2026 (outside Quebec), IRCC wants to see CAD 23,448 for living costs. Year-one tuition and travel come on top. Aiming for Fall 2027 and applying before next September? That's your number. IRCC resets it every September, and Quebec has its own figure. IRCC: financial support
2In term time you're allowed 24 hours a week of off-campus work. In the holidays, full-time is fine. Our advice to every family: build the budget on money that's already in the bank, not on shifts you haven't worked yet.
3Graduate with a Bachelor's or Master's and the PGWP field-of-study list doesn't apply to you; it's meant for college diplomas. You still have to prove English at CLB 7 on an approved test, and IELTS Academic isn't one of them. IRCC: field of study
Something parents should know: IRCC turned down 59% of study permit applications in 2025. Most of those came down to money that didn't add up, a weak study plan, or an officer who wasn't convinced the student would leave when the permit ended. That's exactly where we put our effort. How the study permit works →
Look the institution up on the IRCC list of designated learning institutions. Every school allowed to take international students has a DLI number, and the list shows whether its programs lead to a PGWP. Then open that institution's international admissions page for your program. If an agent or a website tells you one thing and the DLI list says another, believe the list.
We check your level of study, the institution's status and your funding plan before anything goes in, so the permit rules don't catch you out after the offer arrives. No Canadian institution pays us a cent, so our only interest is you.
Most applications to Canada land in a handful of fields: engineering, computer science, business, health, data. Lots of these come with co-op, so you leave with a degree and paid Canadian work on your resume.
A counsellor will call you shortly, look at your subjects and marks, and tell you which courses you're a real fit for.
Request a Call BackWe call you back between 9:30 AM and 6:30 PM IST, Monday to Saturday.You'll sit an English test twice for Canada: once to get in, and again, years later, for your post-study work permit. They're different tests, and a surprising number of students only find that out in their final year.
| Bachelor's admission | Master's admission | PGWP after graduation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tests accepted | You'll find IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Duolingo and CAEL on most lists. Each university lists its own. | Most schools take IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and CAEL. A few skip Duolingo. | Only these count: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada, TCF Canada. |
| Score to plan for | Lots of universities, Toronto included, want 6.5 overall and nothing under 6.0. | Somewhere between 6.5 and 7.0. Toronto's graduate school asks for 7.0, no band below 6.5. | CLB 7 in all four skills for university graduates. |
| Waivers | Studied in English? Some universities drop the test for certain curricula. Check the program page. | Some waive it for a degree taught in English. Check the graduate school's list. | No waiver. The result goes in with your PGWP application. |
IELTS Academic, the version universities ask for, won't count for the PGWP. So pencil in a General Training or CELPIP test for your final year. IRCC: PGWP eligibility
Choose one every university on your list accepts. If in doubt, take IELTS Academic, because every Canadian university accepts it. And don't scrape the minimum. Half a band higher looks far better to a competitive program. The PGWP test is a separate booking for later.
For most of you, no. Yes, Canada runs in two languages, but French only enters admissions in a few places.
Outside Quebec, from BC to the Atlantic coast, classes are in English. French plays no part in your application there.
McGill, Concordia and Bishop's teach in English. Outside the classroom, though, Montréal mostly speaks French, and a little helps a lot with daily life and part-time work.
Université de Montréal, Université Laval and the other French-language universities teach in French, so bring a TEF, TCF, DELF or DALF score.
| Type | What it offers | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| University | Degrees at every level, Bachelor's to PhD, plus research and (at many) co-op. | Graduate with a degree and your field won't block a PGWP. The big research universities form the U15. |
| College and polytechnic | Diplomas and certificates mainly, and a few applied degrees. Very practical, built around jobs. | A diploma has to appear on the PGWP field-of-study list, and CLB 5 English is the bar. Check program by program. |
| Private career college | Short, job-focused programs licensed by the province. | Many of these don't lead to a PGWP. Look it up on the DLI list before paying anything. |
Want a Bachelor's or Master's and the simplest path to a work permit? Go to a university. A college does make sense for some practical careers, but only after you've checked the PGWP rules for that exact program. A lower fee saves nothing if the credential leads nowhere.
| What to check | Public institutions | Private institutions |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs them | Funded and regulated by the province. Nearly every Canadian university is public. | Privately owned. A few universities are private; most private providers are colleges. |
| PAL for a Master's | Not needed since January 1, 2026. | Still needed, and counted under the cap. |
| Work permit after | Degree programs lead to a PGWP when the DLI list shows the institution as eligible. | Go program by program. Anything delivered through a public-private curriculum licensing deal doesn't lead to a PGWP. |
| Recognition | Degrees come straight from the university, under provincial law. | Ask for the DLI number and provincial license, and who actually issues the credential. |
| Either way | Your qualification has to meet the program's entry rules, and the institution makes the final call. | |
| Our approach | Public First. If a public university suits your profile and goals, it goes first. | Only if there's a solid reason in your profile or goal, and after every check above. |
If your grades sit inside the program's admission range and your English score is where it should be, yes, you're a real contender. Canadian public universities admit on merit. There are no shortcuts and no side doors. That's why we build your list around your profile and mix a few reach choices in with the safer ones.
The ten highest-placed Canadian universities in the QS World University Rankings 2027. All ten are public, and all ten belong to the U15 research group.
| Sr No | University | City and Province | QS 2027 World Rank | Official Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McGill University | Montréal, Québec | #30 | Official site ↗ |
| 2 | University of Toronto | Toronto, Ontario | #32 | Official site ↗ |
| 3 | University of British Columbia | Vancouver, British Columbia | #45 | Official site ↗ |
| 4 | University of Alberta | Edmonton, Alberta | #96 | Official site ↗ |
| 5 | University of Waterloo | Waterloo, Ontario | =113 | Official site ↗ |
| 6 | Western University | London, Ontario | =142 | Official site ↗ |
| 7 | Université de Montréal | Montréal, Québec | =162 | Official site ↗ |
| 8 | McMaster University | Hamilton, Ontario | =174 | Official site ↗ |
| 9 | Queen's University | Kingston, Ontario | =179 | Official site ↗ |
| 10 | University of Ottawa | Ottawa, Ontario | =228 | Official site ↗ |
A high rank doesn't make the offer any easier. Admission averages at these universities sit well above the published minimums, and tuition in Ontario and British Columbia runs above the national average.
All 78 degree-granting public universities, across every province and the Yukon, grouped by province with city, teaching language and U15 membership.
The right university for you is public, approved, teaches what you want, accepts your curriculum or degree, matches your grades and sits in a city your family is able to afford. Truthfully, a good co-op program at a mid-ranked university often does more for that first job than a big name. We call this Profile Aligned.
Rankings are a starting point, not a shortlist.
QS ranks whole universities and leans heavily on research and reputation. It won't tell you whether one particular Bachelor's or Master's is any good, so look at the QS subject rankings and the program's graduate outcomes too.
The published minimum only gets your file read. The admission range gets you the offer, and at these universities it's high and moves every year.
Rent in Toronto and Vancouver is a different world from Edmonton, Kingston or Hamilton. Same degree, very different bill for your family.
Your study permit and PGWP depend on DLI status and your program. Where a university sits in a ranking doesn't come into it.
Paid co-op terms mean Canadian work experience before you graduate, and employers tend to care about that more than rankings.
QS favors size and research output. Plenty of respected public universities with great teaching and co-op sit lower down.
Other public universities that suit many of our students: the University of Calgary, Simon Fraser, Dalhousie, the University of Victoria, the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Manitoba and Carleton.
Fifteen research-heavy public universities, listed A to Z. Think of it as a club rather than a ranking. Between them they carry out most of Canada's university research, which is worth knowing if a thesis-based Master's is your plan.
| Sr No | University | City and Province | Official Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dalhousie University | Halifax, Nova Scotia | Official site ↗ |
| 2 | McGill University | Montréal, Québec | Official site ↗ |
| 3 | McMaster University | Hamilton, Ontario | Official site ↗ |
| 4 | Queen's University | Kingston, Ontario | Official site ↗ |
| 5 | Université de Montréal | Montréal, Québec | Official site ↗ |
| 6 | Université Laval | Québec City, Quebec | Official site ↗ |
| 7 | University of Alberta | Edmonton, Alberta | Official site ↗ |
| 8 | University of British Columbia | Vancouver, British Columbia | Official site ↗ |
| 9 | University of Calgary | Calgary, Alberta | Official site ↗ |
| 10 | University of Manitoba | Winnipeg, Manitoba | Official site ↗ |
| 11 | University of Ottawa | Ottawa, Ontario | Official site ↗ |
| 12 | University of Saskatchewan | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | Official site ↗ |
| 13 | University of Toronto | Toronto, Ontario | Official site ↗ |
| 14 | University of Waterloo | Waterloo, Ontario | Official site ↗ |
| 15 | Western University | London, Ontario | Official site ↗ |
Before a deposit leaves your account, get four answers: the DLI number, public or private, PGWP or not, and who really awards the degree. Get each answer in writing.
All fifteen U15 research universities, with city, province, teaching language, QS 2027 rank (for those in Canada's top ten) and official website.
If you've been reading about the USA, relax. Canada barely uses standardized tests. Grades and English carry you, and a test comes in only when a program asks.
Plenty of Canadian universities don't ask for it at all. A few programs want it from American-curriculum students, so check before you book a test date.
It depends on the program. Some engineering, science and economics departments ask for it or recommend it. Many Master's programs never mention it.
Lots of Canadian business schools ask for one, along with full-time work experience. At several, a strong score helps with scholarships too.
Some universities want to see more than marks. UBC asks every Bachelor's applicant for a personal profile, and Waterloo uses an Admission Information Form for many programs.
Plan on a statement of purpose, a resume and two or three academic references. For a thesis, a professor also has to agree to supervise you.
Architecture, design and media programs want a portfolio. Some business and health programs add a video or live interview.
Go straight to each university's own program page. Prerequisites, English scores, deadlines: it's all there. The EduCanada program search, run by the Government of Canada, is handy for comparing provinces. Then run every institution past the DLI list.
If it's a degree at a public university, nearly always yes. For anything else, check the DLI list and the program page. A brochure isn't proof.
With co-op, you spend whole terms working full-time, and get paid, as part of your degree. The program takes a bit longer; your resume gets a lot stronger. A co-op work permit comes with your study permit.
Keep one line per program in a notebook or spreadsheet. DLI number. Public or private. Intake and deadline. English score, prerequisites. Tuition. Co-op. PGWP.
A counsellor will call you shortly and check your marks, your English score and each university's DLI status before you apply.
Request a Call BackWe call you back between 9:30 AM and 6:30 PM IST, Monday to Saturday.Pressing submit doesn't finish an application. It only counts once every document is in, on time. Most programs want what's below, and some add extras.
Your Grade 10 and 12 marksheets and certificates (or A-Level, IB or US high school records)
Master's applicants: transcripts for every university year, your degree or provisional certificate, and a WES-type evaluation if they want one
Your English score, on whichever test the program takes
Passport copy
Statement of purpose or personal statement, where the program asks
Two or three references (academic for most Master's, professional for an MBA)
Resume or CV, especially for Master's and MBA applicationsGRE or GMAT scores, if your program wants themPortfolio, personal profile or supplementary form, if requiredCertified translations of anything not already in English or FrenchYour scans are often enough to get an offer. Official copies come after you accept, sent straight from your school or a credential service. Ask the university how it wants them, then go to your school just once.
A PAL is a letter from the province saying your permit application fits inside its share of the national cap. It belongs to the permit, not the admission. You don't apply for it yourself; your institution requests it once you've accepted your offer.
Every Bachelor's student at a public or private institution, plus Master's students at private institutions.
Since January 1, 2026, Master's and doctoral students at public institutions don't need one and sit outside the cap.
Accept your offer and pay whatever deposit is asked. The institution then requests your PAL, and it goes into your permit application.
In Quebec, you get a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) first, and the attestation of its issuance stands in for the PAL.
IRCC: provincial attestation letter
Start from your landing date and work backward. Don't wait for results and then start. For September, that's about a year and a half of runway. Roughly, it plays out like this.
For a Bachelor's, compare your Grade 12 subjects with what the course asks for. Going for a Master's? Your final two years count most, so don't let them slip.
Settle your route and put public universities first. Book the English test early; retaking it is easy with months in hand.
Essays, statement of purpose, references and any extra forms. Most Bachelor's deadlines fall between November and March; most Master's deadlines between December and February.
Look at the total bill and the co-op, not only the ranking. Once you've decided, accept and pay the deposit. If you need a PAL, the university requests it.
Funds ready, study plan written, application in, biometrics done. Leave some slack in case a medical exam is requested.
Find a place to stay, buy health insurance, book the flight. Then pack one folder with the papers the border officer will ask about.
Your results, English test, applications and study permit all have to line up with the intake you pick.
| Fall | Winter | Summer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classes start | September | January | May |
| Program choice | The main intake; nearly every Bachelor's and Master's program | Fewer programs, mostly Master's and selected fields | Very few programs |
| Deadlines | Mostly November to March for a Bachelor's, December to February for a Master's | Set by each university; check the program page early | Set by each university |
| When it suits you | The widest choice of programs and scholarships | When results or test scores won't be ready for Fall | Only if your program runs it |
Dates are set by each university, and sometimes by each program. Apply ahead of the main date, because early offers do happen and scholarship cut-offs arrive sooner. Believe the program's own page, not what someone posted online.
Very often it's the study permit, not the university, that decides your intake. The offer, the deposit, the PAL (if it applies) and your funds all need to be in place before you even apply for the permit, and processing takes weeks. Count back from day one of classes and you'll know fast if that intake still works.
There's no single national system. Ontario runs a central portal for undergraduate programs. Everywhere else, and for nearly every Master's, you apply straight to the university.
| Channel | How it works | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| OUAC (Ontario, Bachelor's) | One application through the 105 form to any Ontario university, with up to three programs at one university. | CAD 156 for three choices, CAD 50 for each extra choice, plus a CAD 10 international service fee (OUAC fees) |
| University portal (Bachelor's) | British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and the rest: you apply on each university's own website. | Set by each university |
| Graduate school portal (Master's) | Every graduate school runs its own application, often with separate department deadlines. | Set by each university |
| Quebec, after the offer | You also need a CAQ from the Quebec government before applying for your study permit. | A separate Quebec government fee |
It's OUAC, the university's own site or the graduate school's site. The program page tells you which.
Every portal wants its own account. Stick with one email and look at it daily.
List each school and university, and copy grades exactly from your documents.
Get it in early. A few universities make early offers, so don't sit on it.
Transcripts, test scores, essays and references. These often go through a second portal.
Expect extras at some programs, like a personal profile, portfolio or interview.
Accept by the reply date and pay the deposit if they ask.
If you need a PAL, your institution asks for it. In Quebec, you apply for the CAQ.
A deadline means your whole file is in, not that you've logged in once. Late scores or documents? Then nobody reads your application. Plenty of strong students lose an intake by leaving everything to the final week.
Here's the money in the order you'll spend it. Tuition first. Then the amount you show for the permit, your monthly living costs, and a few one-offs before the flight.
| Cost | Bachelor's | Master's |
|---|---|---|
| Average tuition per year | About CAD 41,746 | About CAD 24,028 |
| By province | Huge range. Ontario charges an international undergrad about CAD 49,802; Newfoundland and Labrador, around CAD 18,867 (Statistics Canada, 2025/26). | |
| Living costs | Start from CAD 23,448 a year, IRCC's benchmark. Toronto and Vancouver cost more. | |
| Proof of funds (permit) | CAD 23,448 plus first-year tuition and travel, for one person outside Quebec, from September 1, 2026. You show this money; it isn't a fee. | |
| Health insurance | Varies by province. Some put international students on the provincial plan, others use a university plan. Your university will tell you which. | |
| One-off costs | Application fees and your English test. Then the study permit fee (CAD 150) and CAD 85 for biometrics, a credential check or medical if asked, and the flight. | |
Each province caps fees for Canadian students. International fees aren't capped; every university picks its own. That's how an international Bachelor's in Ontario ends up costing more than twice the Newfoundland and Labrador average. Picking a lower-cost province with a strong program is a smart move, not settling.
It's IRCC's floor for the permit, not a guess at your spending. Your actual number comes down to the city, the rent and how you live. Sharing a flat outside the biggest cities brings it down a lot.
Count only what fits your program and city. At many universities, engineering, business and health cost more than average too.
Pick Bachelor's or Master's, then tweak any number. The total moves as you type.
The national average for an international Bachelor's is CAD 41,746. Ontario averages about CAD 49,802.
OUAC charges CAD 156 for three choices, CAD 50 per extra choice, and a CAD 10 international fee. Change the number above and this updates. Add fees for universities outside Ontario yourself.
For a Bachelor's, that's tuition plus living plus one-off costs, every year for four years. For a Master's, the same over one or two years. Year-one funds have to be ready before the permit application, and you'll need a plan for the rest. An officer wants proof you'll manage the whole course, not only year one.
We last checked these numbers in September 2026. They move every year, fees especially, so look again before you pay anything or file your permit.
| Scholarship | University and level | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
| Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship | University of Toronto · Bachelor's | Covers tuition, books, fees and residence, all four years. Very few awards, and your school has to nominate you. |
| International Scholars Program | University of British Columbia · Bachelor's | Merit and need-based awards, headlined by the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award. |
| McCall MacBain Scholarships | McGill University · Master's and professional degrees | Covers your whole Master's or professional degree at McGill, and adds a leadership program. |
| International Entrance Scholarships | York University · Bachelor's | For new students with good grades and some leadership, including the Global Leader of Tomorrow Award. |
| International Entrance Scholarship | University of Calgary · Bachelor's | CAD 20,000 for international first-years, and it's renewable. |
| Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) | Ontario universities · Master's | A merit award for grad students in Ontario. A limited number go to international students. |
| University Entrance Scholarships | Most Canadian universities · Bachelor's | Based on your admission average, and often you don't need to apply. |
| Teaching and Research Assistantships | Thesis-based Master's | Paid work teaching or doing research while you study. |
The offer letter feels like you've made it. In Canada, you haven't. The permit is what gets you on the plane, and officers check your money, your study plan and why you picked this program. So start the permit file while offers are coming in.
Accept before the reply date and pay the deposit if there is one. You'll need that acceptance letter later.
Bachelor's students, and Master's students at private institutions, get the PAL through their institution. Studying in Quebec? You need a CAQ first.
CAD 23,448 for living, then year-one tuition and travel on top. Families show it through some mix of a GIC, savings, a loan and scholarships.
It all goes in through your IRCC account. You pay CAD 150, then CAD 85 for biometrics. Appointment slots go quickly, so grab one.
Don't worry when only a letter of introduction turns up. The permit gets issued at the airport when you land, so carry every paper in your cabin bag.
IRCC decides on your study permit. Our job is to make your file as strong as your profile allows. Nobody, us included, gets to promise the outcome. IRCC: study permit
During termUp to 24 hours a week off campus during regular terms, once your program has started.
During breaksOver the winter and summer holidays, you're allowed full-time hours.
After graduatingA Master's of at least eight months gets three years. So does a Bachelor's of two years or more. IRCC: PGWP
Your spouseAvailable to spouses of students in a Master's of 16 months or longer, a doctoral program, or certain professional programs.
Everyone says "Canada student visa"; officially it's a study permit. Your wait depends on where you apply from, and IRCC revises it weekly. Plan with a range. Don't circle a date.
IRCC's figure for India in late August 2026, up from 5 weeks only a week earlier.
IRCC's own target for most applications made from outside Canada.
The clock starts when IRCC's letter lands. Fingerprints and photo inside 30 days, so grab a slot that same afternoon.
Look up your country on the IRCC processing times tool in the week you submit, not months before.
Missing documents, funds that are hard to follow, a medical exam request, late biometrics and the June to August rush. Any one of these slows you down. A complete file, sent early, with money that's easy to trace, moves fastest.
The expensive mistakes nearly always happen before anyone presses submit.
If the program doesn't lead to a PGWP, great marks won't fix it later.
The exemption only covers public institutions. A private Master's still needs a PAL.
Sudden big deposits and money with no clear source make officers nervous. They want to know where it came from.
Officers spot copy-paste plans quickly. Say why this program, this university and Canada fit you.
IELTS General Training won't get you admitted. IELTS Academic won't get you a PGWP.
A high percentage won't help if Grade 12 Mathematics or Chemistry is missing.
Rent is what squeezes you month to month, more than the tuition bill ever does.
The minimum gets your file read. The admission range gets you in.
A lot of students walk in with a list of universities already. We set it aside at first. Getting to know you comes first. Then every form gets a second pair of eyes before it goes. One wrong call costs real things. An intake. A permit. Sometimes a degree that leads nowhere.
We start with your marksheets. We want the story behind them too, and where you'd like to end up. Three-year degree? Then we also find out which graduate schools will take it.
Sounds obvious, but it changes everything. Your level decides if there's a PAL in your future and how the permit file is put together. We pin it down before any application fee is paid.
Next, programs. We look for ones that bridge your past studies and the job you're picturing five years out. While we're at it, we pick your English test and a score to aim for. We'll also mention the second test you'll need in your final year for the PGWP, because most students hear about it far too late.
Rankings matter a little. Less than most parents expect. Admission ranges matter more, and so do co-op, the teaching language, rent in that city and what your family plans to spend. Then comes the dull but important part. Four checks are non-negotiable: DLI number, public or not, PGWP or not, and who hands out the degree. Fail one and it's off.
This is the busy stretch: portals, documents, offers, deposits, the PAL, and then the permit. Before the permit goes in, we sit down with you and your parents and go through the funds, where the money came from, and your study plan, line by line. Refusals nearly always start there.
Somewhere to live, insurance, the flight, and a folder of papers that never leaves your hand luggage, for the airport officer. We go through it together, so the week before you fly is about packing, not panic.
If your child is heading to Canada, a lot of the weight sits on you, because the study permit leans hard on family money. Before anyone applies, sit down together and answer these.
No university or college sends us a commission. Your fee pays us, so the shortlist answers to your child's marks, goals and budget, and nothing else.
That's also why we're comfortable saying "not yet", or "that private college isn't worth it", or "wait for the next intake". Better you hear it from us now.
Book a Family ConsultationMost consultancies work for universities. We work for families. Our fee is our only income, so the advice follows your Canada plan, not whoever happens to be paying.
| What matters | Amratpal A Vision | Commission-based consultancy |
|---|---|---|
| Who pays them | You, the family. We take no commissions from universities or colleges. | Often the institution, as a commission per student placed. |
| Admission advice | Your qualification and the course you want come first. Eligibility gets checked before any list exists. | Often starts from the partner institutions on their list. |
| University shortlisting | Public First. Officially Verified. Profile Aligned. A private institution appears only when there's a reason. | The list tends to lean toward partner or private providers. |
| Institution checks | DLI number, public or private status, PGWP eligibility and who awards the degree, all checked before you apply. | Often checked only when you submit. |
| Study permit file | We review your funds, where they came from and your study plan together before you submit. | Sometimes it's just forms to fill in. |
| Talking to real students | We'll put you on a call with one of our students who's already abroad. | You get testimonials, rarely an actual chat. |
| An honest "no" | We tell you when a route, an institution or a timeline isn't right for you. | Less reason to say no when income depends on placement. |
We're comparing two business models here, not naming any company. Universities decide admission and IRCC decides study permits; no consultancy is in a position to promise either.
A paid session with a team that works for you, not for the universities.
Recognition from institutions and industry bodies we work with in international education.
Industry accreditation for international student recruitment agencies.
Recognition from ISM Germany.
Recognition for supporting students relocating to Germany.
Accreditation for the Freshman Institute's English-taught foundation year.
Our founder left home at 18 to study abroad. So the forms, the money worries and that first lonely winter aren't things we read about somewhere. They shape how we prepare every student, whichever country they're heading to.
The side of our work you don't often see: campus visits, faculty interviews, student meet-ups, and time with students before and after they fly out.
Drop your number. A counsellor rings you back.
Tell us what you study now, roughly how your marks look, and what you'd like to study next, and when. We'll come back with where you stand, which public universities fit, and what your family needs for the permit.
The Canada questions students and parents bring us every week, and how Amratpal A Vision helps.
For the right profile, yes. A Canadian degree is still recognized, you're still allowed to work part-time while you study, and you still get up to three years of work after graduating. The harder part now is the study permit. Canada wants 150,000 new international students in 2027 under its 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, though the official cap isn't set yet. So settle your level, your institution and your finances early.
Not if your institution is public. Since January 1, 2026, Master's and doctoral students at public designated learning institutions skip the Provincial Attestation Letter and don't count toward the national cap. At a private institution, you still need one.
Yes, every Bachelor's student does. Once you accept your offer, your institution gets the PAL from the province for you. If you're studying in Quebec, your CAQ attestation covers it.
Studying outside Quebec and applying from September 1, 2026? Then it's CAD 23,448 for a year of living, plus your first year's tuition and travel. Each family member who comes with you adds to that. Quebec sets its own amounts.
Around CAD 41,746 a year is the average for international students (Statistics Canada, 2025/26). Where you study changes that a lot. Ontario sits near CAD 49,802; Newfoundland and Labrador, nearer CAD 18,867. Living costs come on top, at least CAD 23,448.
For 2025/26, the average for an international grad student was about CAD 24,028 a year. An MBA or professional Master's costs more. With a research Master's, many programs pay you for research or teaching work, which helps a lot.
No. There are other tests. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and CAEL count too, and so does Duolingo at many. Studied in English? A few won't ask for a test at all. Your program page has the final word.
Not IELTS Academic. Five tests count: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada. With a degree you need CLB 7 across the board.
Yes. You get 24 hours a week off campus during classes, and full-time hours in the breaks. Co-op students also get a co-op work permit, issued with the study permit.
If your Master's runs eight months or longer, you qualify for the full three years, as long as you meet the other conditions, the language requirement included.
Not if you're finishing a university degree. The field-of-study list covers college diplomas and certificates. Bachelor's, Master's and doctoral graduates are exempt.
Sometimes. Universities don't agree on this, not even ones in the same city. So before any program goes on your list, we check its rule.
Rarely. At most Canadian universities, nobody asks for an SAT or ACT score. The odd program does, mainly for students on an American curriculum, so look at your program's page before you pay for a test.
Not often, unless you're going for an MBA. A handful of engineering, science and economics departments like to see a GRE. MBAs are the exception: most want a GMAT or GRE, plus a few years of work behind you.
Fall, for most people. September is when almost every program starts. If your results or test scores are running late, January's Winter intake is a decent plan B, just with fewer programs. Summer (May) has very few options.
Go for a university if you want a degree and a clean route to a work permit. Colleges are great for hands-on careers. Just confirm your diploma is on the PGWP field-of-study list before you commit.
Only with certain programs. Your spouse gets an open work permit if you're on a Master's that runs 16 months or more, a doctorate, or one of a few professional programs.
Only if your program is taught in French. Universities outside Quebec teach in English, and so do Quebec's English universities, such as McGill and Concordia.
Public First. Officially Verified. Profile Aligned. Public universities go on your list first. We only keep the ones on IRCC's approved list (designated learning institutions) whose programs lead to a PGWP. Whatever survives that check gets matched to your grades, subjects, English score, budget and goals.
Universities and colleges don't pay us anything. Your fee is all we earn. Any university on your list is there because it suits you. Nobody bought its place.
No, and be careful with anyone who does. Universities decide admission, and IRCC (Canada's immigration department) decides study permits. What we do promise is the strongest application and permit file your profile allows.
Yes, please bring them. Parents often ask the questions students forget. We'll cover eligibility, study level, costs, proof of funds, universities, the study permit and what life in Canada is really like.
Get the route right before you apply. Know your level, your eligibility, a realistic intake and what the study permit will ask of your family before you build the university list.
Public First. Officially Verified. Profile Aligned.
