Studying in Canada
A defined graduate work permit, on rules that have been tightening.
Canada is often chosen as much for what happens after the degree as for the degree itself. That makes it the destination most exposed to policy change: the study permit funds requirement and the graduate work permit eligibility have both been revised recently.
Visa and entry in Canada
Student visa
Study permit. A temporary resident visa or eTA is issued alongside it for travel — the permit itself is not the travel document.
Issuing authority
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The study permit fee is CAD 150.
How you apply
Apply online through IRCC after an acceptance letter from a Designated Learning Institution. Processing times are published live on the IRCC tool rather than as a fixed figure.
Proof of funds
You must prove funds for tuition, living costs and return travel, for yourself and any family joining you. IRCC sets the living-cost figure and revises it periodically, so read the current amount on its financial-support page.
Language requirement
IRCC does not set a test score for the study permit itself. Your Designated Learning Institution sets the language requirement for admission.
Health cover
Health cover depends on the province, not the federal government. Several provinces exclude international students from public cover and expect private insurance.
Fees in Canada
Tuition fees
Statistics Canada publishes national average international tuition each year, broken down by province and field of study — the 2025/2026 release is the current official reference.
Scholarships in Canada
Official scholarships
Federal funding is concentrated at doctoral level. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships is no longer accepting new applications; applicants are directed to the Canada Graduate Scholarship – Doctoral programme.
Canada Graduate Scholarship – Doctoral
Doctoral-level funding. The Vanier programme it replaces is closed to new applications — check the current programme page before applying.
Official page (opens in a new tab)
Admission in Canada
Who recognises institutions
There is no single national higher-education regulator. The operative list is IRCC's Designated Learning Institution register — a school must be on it for its students to hold a study permit.
Application route
No national portal. You apply to each Designated Learning Institution directly.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements are set by each institution and province. Check the DLI list before you apply, not after you receive an offer.
After graduation in Canada
Post-study work rights
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), valid from 8 months up to 3 years depending on the length of your programme. Since 1 November 2024, field-of-study requirements apply to many applicants, and master's programmes follow separate rules.
Using the degree in India
For most academic subjects there is no separate Indian licensing step. Regulated professions — medicine, nursing, law, architecture, accountancy — are each governed by their own Indian regulator, and a foreign qualification is not automatically accepted. Confirm the position with that regulator before you enrol, not after you graduate.
What families get caught out by.
Not warnings for their own sake — each of these changes the cost or the outcome.
PGWP eligibility now depends on your field of study for many applicants, so the course choice decides the work permit.
The proof-of-funds figure has been revised more than once; using an old number is the most common reason an application is short.
Provincial health cover rules differ, so budget insurance separately from tuition.
Courses for which Indians search Canada
Based on Indian search interest, not enrolment data, rankings or a NooPro recommendation.
MBA / Management
Often chosen for immigration pathways as much as the degree.
MS / Master's
Clearer post-study work pathways; rules change frequently.
Public Health / Finance
Strong policy and health-systems focus.
Considering Canada? Tell us the course and who we are speaking to.
A NooPro counsellor reads every enquiry personally and replies within one working day. There is no payment at this stage, and your details are never passed to universities, agents or partners.
Compare it against the alternative you are actually considering.
NooPro is an independent paid guidance service. We are not an admission agency, we take no commission from any university, and we will tell you if going abroad is the wrong call for you.