Canada vs UK
For Indian students — costs, work rights, visas and what we actually list, side by side.
| Canada | UK | |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | £12,000–£38,000/yr (higher for MBA/medicine) |
| 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) | £11,000–£33,000/yr |
| Living cost / month | CAD $1,500–$2,500/month (roughly CAD $18,000–$30,000/yr; higher in Toronto/Vancouver) | £1,171/month outside London, £1,529/month in London (UKVI maintenance rates) |
| 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 20 hrs/week in term time (degree level), full-time during official 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... | Graduate Route: 2 years for bachelor's/master's (if applying on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027), 3 years for PhD; no job offer needed |
| Main intakes | September (Fall, main intake), January (Winter), May (Summer/limited) | September/October (main); January/February (secondary) |
| English (typical) | IELTS Academic 6.0–7.0 overall (commonly 6.5, with no band below 6.0 for many programs) | IELTS 6.0–7.0 overall (course-dependent) |
| 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... | Student visa (the UK's points-based Student route, set out in Immigration Rules Appendix Student; it replaced the old Tier 4 (General) student visa) |
| 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... | £558 application fee, as published at gov.uk/student-visa — the same £558 applies whether you apply from outside the UK or extend/switch inside the UK, and £558 is also charged for each depe... |
| 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... | As published at gov.uk: "You'll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks" when applying from outside the UK (i.e. from India). If you are already in the UK and extending or switchi... |
| 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... | Two parts, as published at gov.uk/student-visa/money. (1) Course fees: enough to cover your course for 1 academic year (up to 9 months) — the exact amount is the figure stated on your CAS, m... |
| Universities we list | 31 | 103 |
| Programmes we list | 42 | 81 |
| Scholarships we list | 51 | 57 |
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
- Post-study work: Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP): 8 months up to 3 years, based on program length (2+ year programs and mast...
Where UK comes out ahead
- More programmes with a fee we have checked against the university (45 vs 39).
- More universities live on Vibedu (103 vs 31).
- More scholarships we can point you at (57 vs 51).
- Post-study work: Graduate Route: 2 years for bachelor's/master's (if applying on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027)...
Canada vs UK — 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). UK is £12,000–£38,000/yr (higher for MBA/medicine). 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. UK: Graduate Route: 2 years for bachelor's/master's (if applying on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027), 3 years for PhD; no job offer needed
Canada: Up to 24 hrs/week off-campus during academic terms; full-time (unlimited) during scheduled breaks like summer and winter holidays UK: Up to 20 hrs/week in term time (degree level), full-time during official 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 UK 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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