Study in Canada: Here’s all you should consider before applying

Education in a popular abroad country is not only costly, but issues related with visa pops up and often hinders talented youths from applying. However, compared to other locations, Canada is different as its education is more affordable.

Expenses including housing, food, health insurance, and travel in addition to tuition charges add up while considering or calculating the projected cost of studying in any country.

To help prospective overseas students, the Council of Ministers of Education of Canada (CMEC) provides a valuable online tool helping them rapidly assess the costs of studying at various Canadian varsities. Also, CMEC provides assistance on the required paperwork to students, as the latter can check them on https://www.cmec.ca/en/.

Living cost:

When applying for Canada, a student needs to consider expenses factors including flight, study permit, work permit, IELTS test, accommodation, travel, health insurance, food and entertainment, books, stationary, library membership and utilities – electricity, phone and internet charges, personal expenses, etc.

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A flight to Canada from India normally ranges between ₹1-2 lakh one way. However, one can choose to go via USA – connected to Canada via cross continental highway system – and take subway, rail or bus.

When it comes to accommodation, usually most institutions provide the on-campus housing. In case a person wants to stay out of campus, he/she can rent a accommodation outside which may cost him/her to between CAD 5000-10,000 (around ₹3-6 lakh) a year.

Last, but the most important part is medical insurance which is mandatory for students studying in Canada. The is included in final cost of estimations for Canada and can range between CAD 300 to CAD 800 ( ₹18,000 - 50,000) annually.

Applying for a study visa?

Students willing to apply for Canadian visa need to pay CAD 150 (around ₹10,000), while have to maintain a minimum of CAD 10,000 (around ₹6 lakh) annually. One can show bank statement, proof of payment of tuition and accommodation fees, a letter from institution or proof of funding/scholarships to get a visa.

For the visa approval, in case the course is over six months, the student needs to apply for study permit. It can be renewed from within Canada, in case the student wants to study further and allows students to work part-time on campus. Later, options of working outside campus or becoming a permanent resident of Canada are also available.

Scholarships for Indian students:

Before applying for a college in Canada, a prospective student can look at these scholarships offered exclusively to Indians.

Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship Program, President's Scholarship for World Leaders, and Graduate Fellowship at the University of Manitoba (UMGF) are some of the scholarships. Also, claiming a student banking discounts is another option to save money.

However, taxes need to paid by students depending on their residency status. In case, a student earn money through teaching, research assistantships, employment, or investments, filing income tax is mandatory. Also, if international students do not earn a living in the country, filing taxes can provide benefits such as GST credits, child benefit, and the ability to claim a refund.