10 Cheapest Universities in Canada for International Students 2024
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Canada is known for providing high-quality education at an affordable cost, making it one of the most popular study abroad destinations for international students. With annual tuition fees ranging from 12,000 to 30,000 CAD, Canada is among the top countries that offer excellent yet affordable education. If you are searching for affordable universities in Canada, then you have landed in the right place. By 2024, we will guide you through the best affordable universities in Canada for international students.Learn about affordable universities and popular Canadian cities like Toronto, Quebec, Vancouver, etc.
Top 10 Affordable Universities in Canada
You need to look for universities that offer both an excellent education and one that won’t burn a hole in your wallet as an international student. It’s not that difficult to find a cheap university in Canada! Some of Canada’s most reasonably priced universities are listed below:
- Simon Fraser University
- University of Guelph
- Concordia University
- University of Calgary
- University of Saskatchewan
- University of Alberta
- University of Northern British Columbia
- University of Winnipeg
- University of Ottawa
- Brandon University
The universities on the aforementioned list will be affordable for international students in 2024. Let’s learn more about the top 10 cheapest universities in Canada listed above:
Housing around 30,000 students across more than 150 countries, Simon Fraser University is a well-renowned and one of the most affordable universities in Canada. The university is also regarded as a top university in Canada and globally for its innovation and research.
The universities on the aforementioned list will be affordable for international students in 2022. Let’s learn more about the top 10 cheapest universities in Canada listed above:
| QS World University Rankings 2022 | 298 |
| Number of International students | 8,051 |
| Average Tuition Fees | 25,000 CAD/ year |
| Popular Programs | BA Health Sciences, BBA, Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, MSc Applied Mathematics |
| Location | Surrey, Vancouver, Burnaby |
University of Guelph
The university is regarded as one of Canada’s top institutions with affordable tuition and a low-cost university overall. The University of Guelph offers many advantages to students, including scholarships and highly productive research. The university offers various certificate, master’s, doctoral, and undergraduate programs.
| QS World University Rankings 2022 | 581-590 |
| Number of International students | 2,202 |
| Average Tuition Fees | 30,000 CAD/ year |
| Popular Programs | BA Art History, MEng Biomedical Engineering, MBA, BSc Computer Science, Graduate Certificate Business, BSc Biology, MSc Clinical Studies |
| Location | Guelph |
Concordia University
In terms of enrollment, Concordia University is the biggest in Canada, with more than 51,000 total students. The university provides courses in various subjects, such as engineering, economics, computer science, and marketing. The John Molson School of Business is one of Canada’s top 10 business schools.
| QS World University Rankings 2022 | 521-530 |
| Number of International students | 11,717 |
| Average Tuition Fees | 22,000 CAD/ year |
| Popular Programs | BComm, BEng Aerospace Engineering, Master of Supply Chain Management, Master of Applied Computer Science |
| Location | Montreal |
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary, one of Canada’s top research universities, is renowned for providing top-notch graduate programs to domestic and international students. The university has a 94 percent employability rate and is ranked highly among the least expensive Canadian universities for international students in 2022.
| QS World University Rankings 2022 | 235 |
| Number of International students | 6,791 |
| Average Tuition Fees | 35,000 CAD/ year |
| Popular Programs | BA Anthropology, BSc Geography, MSc Accounting, MSc Software Engineering |
| Location | Alberta |
University of Saskatchewan
One of the ten most affordable universities in Canada is University of Saskatchewan. As a member of the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities, the university is renowned for being among the oldest in the country. The university also provides numerous scholarships and bursaries to international students.
| QS World University Rankings 2022 | 458 |
| Number of International students | 3,382 |
| Average Tuition Fees | 29,800 CAD/ year |
| Popular Programs | BSc Biomedical Neuroscience, BSc Computer Engineering MCom, MSc Computer Science |
| Location | Saskatchewan |
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a well-known institution that is renowned all over the world for its intense focus on research. The university provides outstanding job and career opportunities for its students in Canada. Additionally, it boasts one of Canada’s highest employment rates at over 90%, and perhaps most importantly, it is one of the least expensive universities in the country!
| QS World University Rankings 2022 | 126 |
| Number of International students | 9,689 |
| Average Tuition Fees | 30,000 CAD/ year |
| Popular Programs | BSc Civil Engineering, MSc Dental Hygiene, BCom (Hons), MEng Mechanical Engineering |
| Location | Alberta |
University of Northern British Columbia
The University of Northern British Columbia ranked as one of the top small Canadian universities by Maclean Magazine Rankings, is included on a list of the least expensive Canadian universities for foreign students in 2022. The university offers a wide range of study levels in numerous disciplines.
| QS World University Rankings 2022 | – |
| Number of International students | Not known |
| Average Tuition Fees | 35,000 CAD/ year |
| Popular Programs | Bachelor of Applied Science, BCom, MBA, MSc Health Science |
| Location | Prince George |
University of Winnipeg
The University of Winnipeg, regarded as one of the best for teaching excellence, diversity, research, and innovation, is also well-known for being one of the least expensive universities in Canada for international students. The university charges the third-lowest tuition in Canada, significantly less than the average for all universities.
| QS World University Rankings 2022 | – |
| Number of International students | Not known |
| Average Tuition Fees | 20,000 CAD/ year |
| Popular Programs | BBA, MBA, BSc Chemistry, MSc Applied Computer Science |
| Location | Winnipeg |
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa, known for being one of the most globally active universities, is home to 40,000 international students. UOttawa is renowned as one of the least expensive universities in Canada and offers a wide variety of study programs in both French and English at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
| QS World University Rankings 2022 | 230 |
| Number of International students | 8,885 |
| Average Tuition Fees | 33,000 CAD/ year |
| Popular Programs | MSc Innovation and Entrepreneurship, BSc Biochemistry, BBA Accounting, MEd Education |
| Location | Ottawa |
Brandon University
A small university called Brandon University is situated in Manitoba. The university is regarded as one of the least expensive for international students in Canada. Numerous academic programs, including UG and PG programs and certificate and diploma programs, are available at Brandon University.
| QS World University Rankings 2022 | – |
| Number of International students | 200+ |
| Average Tuition Fees | 16,000 CAD/ year |
| Popular Programs | BA Music, BSc Chemistry, MSc Business and Accounting |
| Location | Manitoba |
Location-Wise Cheapest Universities in Canada
Canada offers various provinces and cities to choose from as a study abroad destination. Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, and British Columbia are some of the top locations for international students looking for low-cost universities in Canada.
Let us list some cheapest universities in Canada, location-wise:
1-Toronto
Toronto is one of the best cities for international students who want to study in Canada. The following is a list of some of Toronto’s affordable universities:
| University | Average Tuition Fee/ year | Popular Programs |
| OCAD University | 16,000 CAD | BA (Hons) Design MA Business Management BDes Graphic Design |
| Ryerson University | 30,000 CAD | MSc Data Science and Analytics MBA BSc Computer Science |
| York University | 32,000 CAD | BSc (Hons) Computer Science MA Design MSc Data Science |
2- Vancouver
Vancouver is a popular destination for international students due to its high rates of job placement and career opportunities and its top-notch educational institutions. Several affordable colleges in Vancouver include:
| University | Average Tuition Fee/ year | Popular Programs |
| University Canada West | 21,000 CAD | BA Business Communications MA Business Management Bachelor of Commerce |
| University of British Columbia | 12,000 CAD to 15,000 CAD | BA Economics Civil Engineering BA Mathematics MBA |
| Simon Fraser University | 25,000 CAD to 45,000 CAD | BA Health Sciences BBA Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship MSc Applied Mathematics |
3- Montreal
Montreal, regarded as Canada’s cultural center, is the residence of numerous international students. The city is regarded by QS Rankings 2022 as one of the world’s most student-friendly cities. For international students, some affordable universities in Montreal are:
| University | Average Tuition Fee/ year | Popular Programs |
| Concordia University | 37,500 CAD | Executive MBA BBA BSc Chemistry |
| University of Quebec at Montreal | 25,000 CAD | BBA Masters in Data Processing MSc Electrical Engineering |
| McGill University | 21,000 CAD | BBA Accounting BEng Civil Engineering Masters in Architecture |
4-Ottawa
Ottawa, the nation’s capital, is renowned for providing international students with an affordable, highly regarded education worldwide. Here are two affordable universities in Ottawa:
| University | Average Tuition Fee/ year | Popular Programs |
| University of Ottawa | 33,000 CAD | MSc Innovation and Entrepreneurship BSc Biochemistry BBA Accounting |
| Carleton University | 29,000 CAD | BBA Bachelors in Accounting MA Computer Science |
5-British Columbia
For the past five years, it has been noted that British Columbia is the residence of many international students. Some of the low-cost universities in British Columbia, which are well-known for having low tuition costs in Canada, include:
| University | Average Tuition Fee/ year | Popular Programs |
| Kwantlen Polytechnic University | 15,000 CAD | Diploma in Accounting Diploma in Marketing Management BSc Biology |
| University of Northern British Columbia | 35,000 CAD to 48,000 CAD | Bachelor of Applied Science BComm MSc Health Science |
| University of Victoria | 39,000 CAD | BSc Computer Science MBA MA Design |
6-Quebec
Because of its rich cultural diversity and competitive cost of living, Quebec is one of the most popular destinations in Canada for international students. International students can attend some of Quebec’s less expensive universities by:
| University | Average Tuition Fee/ year | Popular Programs |
| TELUQ University | 17,000 CAD | Bachelor of Computer Science BA |
| University of Montreal | 21,000 CAD | MBA MEng Computer Engineering BEng Computer Engineering |
| Laval University | 20,000 CAD | MBA Business Analytics BEng Computer Engineering MSc Architecture |
7-Ontario
Because there are numerous opportunities for employment and world-class universities, Ontario is a well-liked province. Let’s look at some of Ontario’s possibly least expensive universities.
| University | Average Tuition Fee/ year | Popular Programs |
| University of Windsor | 22,500 CAD | Master of Management MASc Civil Engineering LLM |
| Algoma University | 10,000 CAD | Bachelor of Computer Science BBA BA English |
Frequently Asked Questions: The cheapest universities in Canada (2024)
The best three value schools in Canada are:
-Simon Fraser University
-University of Calgary
-University of Alberta
Most of Canada’s affordable universities charge an annual average of 12,000 to 45,000 CAD in tuition.
Most of Canada’s affordable universities offer master’s programs to domestic and international students.
Some of the required documents are:
-High school transcripts
-Passport and visa
–SOP
-English proficiency test scores
-Entrance tests (if applicable)
Yes! If they meet all eligibility requirements, international students can easily obtain admission at affordable and cheap universities in Canada.
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