How to Get a Master’s Degree in Canada: A Guide

Canada is a nice country, and many people are drawn to it for travel, jobs, and further education despite its chilly and inclement climate. Aside from having a top-notch educational system, the nation enjoys a low unemployment rate of about 6.5% (as of June 2017).

The higher education system in Canada was rated as the fifth best in the world in the 2016 QS Higher Education System Strength Rankings. Furthermore, Canadians are known for being extremely safe, accepting, and inclusive of foreigners. Because of this, Canadian universities each year enroll more than 350,000 students from other nations. They travel there to complete their undergraduate, graduate, and vocational school degrees.

This guide is for you if you are one of the students who appreciate the high caliber of Canadian education and wishes to pursue a master’s degree there. We will discuss the specifics of a master’s degree in Canada, including its duration and structure, cost, application requirements, options it opens up, and the top Canadian universities to get a master’s degree.

The master’s degree system in Canada is comparable to the master’s degree program in the United States. Although Canadian master’s degree programs are thought to be of superior quality, they only last one to two years. Since law school and medical school require more time to complete, this always relies on the topic of study.

The amount of time also relies on the method of study. If you enroll full-time, you can finish your master’s degree in one to two years. However, it will take longer for you to graduate from a graduate program if you enroll as a part-time student.

A Canadian degree will seem extremely cheap to you if you are a student from the United States. Since American degrees have become more and more expensive, Canadian tuition fees are actually cheaper than those in the US. International students in Canada, however, are subject to a distinct system of fees and pay more. The cost of studying in Canada is still fairly inexpensive even with this feature.

Although most degrees cost around C$15,000, you may anticipate paying between 10,000 and 20,000 Canadian dollars annually for your tuition. This is worth between $8,000 and $16,000 in US currency. You might wonder why nobody finishes their graduate degree when you consider that the average graduate tuition in the United States costs between $30,000 and $120,000.

Universities in Canada not only offer affordable tuition but also offer scholarships to foreign students. Scholarships may somewhat defray the cost of tuition, but you can also look for outside financing to cover all of it. Scholarships are often awarded based on merit and exceptional performance, but since there is fierce competition, you will need to put in a lot of effort to succeed.

A Canadian degree comes with additional expenses as well. You will pay this additional expense because health insurance is a requirement for all international students. You must obtain insurance that covers your medical demands because the amount depends on the firm you select.

You will also need to pay for housing. Depending on the region and city you live in, an apartment in Canada might cost anything from $500 to $1,500 per month.

Additional costs for food and living will also be incurred. However, in general, if you plan to study in Canada, don’t anticipate paying more than $30,000 to $50,000 a year.

You can speak with your university or go to a cost-of-living website like Numbeo to learn more about Canada’s costs of living.

Depending on the university, different requirements must be met for master’s degrees in Canada. Each institution has its own application procedures, specifications, and costs. However, international applicants must first submit their undergraduate transcripts and diplomas in order to be considered for graduate study in Canada.

You must confirm that your degree is recognized by that Canadian institution and that it has the necessary credits and accreditation. You must ensure that your degree meets Canadian educational standards because Canadian universities are very picky about which international degrees they accept.

The remaining steps in the application process involve submitting the application form and accompanying fee, paying all necessary fees, and attaching all required supporting documentation, such as essays and personal statements, letters of recommendation, and test results. You must also submit your TOEFL or IELTS results if you are from a country where English is not your native tongue. You must pass the required exams for French because it is a national language of Canada and you must apply to a university that offers courses in it.

The submission of GRE or GMAT results is also now required by several Canadian colleges for graduate student admissions. Therefore, plan on going through a drawn-out pre-application process that involves preparing for and passing these tests.

It will take roughly 7 weeks to process your application after you submit it. The university will either reject your application or ask for additional information from you if any required documents are missing. If extra documents are required, you must apply well in advance of the deadline so that you have ample time to acquire and submit them before the application deadlines.

The Canadian universities you apply to will react after the application processes have been completed, either with an offer of placement or a rejection. Hopefully, you’ll be approved so you can begin the process of earning a master’s degree in Canada.

You need the necessary documentation from your home government in order to study in Canada as an international student. This serves as a study permit for students. You can remain in Canada while pursuing your master’s degree with the help of a study permit.

Either online or at a Canadian embassy in your nation, you can apply for a study permit. The following documentation is required in order to apply:

• A letter of acceptance from a Canadian university
• Evidence of financial stability needs to study and live in Canada
• Attestation of health
• Evidence proving you don’t have any criminal histories
• After earning your degree, you’ll need tickets to travel back to Canada.

In terms of structure, a master’s degree in Canada is comparable to one in the United States. The academic year typically lasts from September to May, including the customary winter and summer holidays for students. However, since each university may differ, everything depends on them. There may be variations in these systems among Canada’s 10 provinces and 3 territories.

You will have a variety of mandatory and elective courses each semester as you pursue your master’s degree in Canada. Your degree is comprised of them, and your area of study is determined by the electives you choose. Exams, research papers, presentations, and participation are used for evaluation in a manner similar to that in the US.

The value for applying what you study in the real world is highly valued in the Canadian educational system. In other words, it is always encouraged for students to look for internships both throughout the academic year and during holidays from school. Students typically locate internships in their specific field of study, which are sometimes known as co-ops or cooperative education. Students applying must have outstanding academic accomplishments because they are extremely competitive.

Additionally, research plays an important role in the educational system in Canada. Over a third of Canadian research, according to the OECD, is done at Canadian universities. The focus is mostly on scientific subjects, but social fields also carry out the majority of research. You might therefore choose to participate in a specific research study that is being undertaken at the university as a research assistant, for example, in addition to attending your regular classes. This will greatly improve your résumé and experience, making you more competitive while looking for an internship or a job.

You might wish to consider working at least part-time while you are a student to augment your income. You can use the additional money to travel or just to pay your living bills. When you have a study permit, you are free to do any part-time job you want on campus. You don’t need to submit a work permit application if you work on campus.

However, because there aren’t many jobs available on campus, most students wind up looking elsewhere. Off-campus employment necessitates the application for a work permit, but because you are a student, you are only permitted to work a maximum of 20 hours per week while enrolled in classes. only during breaks from school are you

Post graduation, it is interesting to continue living and working in Canada, or even to make it your permanent home. Since Canada is an inclusive country with no discrimination, it actually encourages foreign graduates to stay there too, and impart their knowledge. About 51% of graduate international students say they intend to apply for permanent residence in Canada, according to the Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE). After graduation from college, there are various options for staying in Canada:

• Get a Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) by applying – After eight months of study, you may apply for this permit. After graduation, it permits students to continue living and working in Canada for the same period of time they were studying. Therefore, the PGWP enables you to remain in the nation as an employee to work for two years if you obtained your master’s degree over a two-year period.
• Apply to become a permanent resident of Canada – Another choice is to do so. You can do that in a number of ways, so visit the Government of Canada for additional information.

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Many of the universities in Canada are among the top 100 in the world because they provide such high-quality educational opportunities. This means that there are many places where you can go to finish your degree. The top 5 Canadian universities where you can earn a degree, along with their global rankings, are given below:

1. University of McGill (ranks 30th in the world)
2. Toronto University (ranks 32nd in the world)
3. University of British Columbia (ranks 45th in the world)
4. Alberta University (ranks 94th in the world)
5. Montreal University (ranks 126th in the world)