Canada vs New Zealand
For Indian students — costs, work rights, visas and what we actually list, side by side.
| Canada | New Zealand | |
|---|---|---|
| Postgrad tuition / year | CAD $16,000–$40,000/yr (master's; the national average for international graduate students is about CAD $24,000, with MBAs higher) | NZD 30,000–55,000/yr (varies by subject; higher for MBA/clinical) |
| Undergrad tuition / year | CAD $15,000–$45,000/yr (national average for international undergraduates is about CAD $42,000; varies widely by province and program) | NZD 30,000–55,000/yr (higher for engineering/science) |
| Living cost / month | CAD $1,500–$2,500/month (roughly CAD $18,000–$30,000/yr; higher in Toronto/Vancouver) | NZD 1,500–2,500/month (Immigration NZ requires proof of ~NZD 20,000/yr) |
| Work while studying | Up to 24 hrs/week off-campus during academic terms; full-time (unlimited) during scheduled breaks like summer and winter holidays | Up to 25 hrs/week during term, full-time during scheduled holidays |
| Post-study work | Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP): 8 months up to 3 years, based on program length (2+ year programs and master's degrees can qualify for the full 3 years). Requires an English/French test... | Post-Study Work Visa up to 3 years for degree-level (Level 7+) graduates, open work rights |
| Main intakes | September (Fall, main intake), January (Winter), May (Summer/limited) | February (Semester 1) and July (Semester 2); some courses have November intake |
| English (typical) | IELTS Academic 6.0–7.0 overall (commonly 6.5, with no band below 6.0 for many programs) | IELTS 6.0–6.5 overall for undergraduate, 6.5 overall for most postgraduate (no band below 5.5–6.0) |
| Student visa | Study permit (issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada). The study permit is not a visa — if approved, IRCC also issues a temporary resident visa (visitor visa) or eTA in the s... | Fee Paying Student Visa (Immigration New Zealand). This is the standard route for Indian students who pay international tuition fees themselves, via family, a loan, or a partial scholarship.... |
| Visa fee | Two IRCC fees, both in Canadian dollars: study permit processing fee CAN$150 per person, and biometrics CAN$85 per person (maximum CAN$170 for a family of 2 or more applying together). Total... | Published as "From NZD $850" on the Immigration New Zealand Fee Paying Student Visa page. Separately, most student visa applicants must also pay the International Visitor Conservation and To... |
| Visa processing | IRCC's published processing time for a study permit applied for from OUTSIDE Canada by an applicant in India is 5 weeks (IRCC processing-times tool, "Study permit outside Canada — India", la... | Published by Immigration New Zealand as "80% within 8.5 weeks" for the Fee Paying Student Visa. INZ separately recommends: "We recommend applying for a student visa 3 months in advance of yo... |
| Funds to show | For applications submitted on or after 1 September 2025, for study OUTSIDE Quebec, you must show living-expense funds for the first year of CAN$22,895 for a single applicant. With accompanyi... | For tertiary, English language or other non-compulsory study, as published: "NZD $20,000 for each year, if you are studying for 1 year or more, or NZD $1,667 for each month" if your study is... |
| Universities we list | 15 | 8 |
| Programmes we list | 42 | 21 |
| Scholarships we list | 51 | 47 |
Costs and visa figures are the published ranges from official sources — your exact fee depends on the university and programme, and we confirm it free. Universities, programmes and scholarships are live counts of what we currently list, not the size of the country's whole sector.
Where Canada comes out ahead
- More programmes with a fee we have checked against the university (39 vs 6).
- More universities live on Vibedu (15 vs 8).
- More scholarships we can point you at (51 vs 47).
- Post-study work: Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP): 8 months up to 3 years, based on program length (2+ year programs and mast...
Where New Zealand comes out ahead
- Post-study work: Post-Study Work Visa up to 3 years for degree-level (Level 7+) graduates, open work rights
Canada vs New Zealand — FAQs
5 questions
Compare the tuition and living rows above: Canada postgrad tuition is CAD $16,000–$40,000/yr (master's; the national average for international graduate students is about CAD $24,000, with MBAs higher). New Zealand is NZD 30,000–55,000/yr (varies by subject; higher for MBA/clinical). Living costs and the funds you must show for the visa matter as much as tuition — we work out the all-in number for your city and course, free.
Canada: Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP): 8 months up to 3 years, based on program length (2+ year programs and master's degrees can qualify for the full 3 years). Requires an English/French test result and, for some applicants, a program tied to an in-demand field. New Zealand: Post-Study Work Visa up to 3 years for degree-level (Level 7+) graduates, open work rights
Canada: Up to 24 hrs/week off-campus during academic terms; full-time (unlimited) during scheduled breaks like summer and winter holidays New Zealand: Up to 25 hrs/week during term, full-time during scheduled holidays
Neither is automatic. What actually decides it is documentation: funds held for the required period, a genuine study plan and a clean application. See our Canada and New Zealand visa guides for each official process, fee and document list.
No. Shortlisting, applications, SOP/LOR/Resume and visa guidance are free — we are paid by partner universities, not by you.
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