Study Abroad
Compare two destinations
The same questions, answered from official sources, for two countries at a time. NooPro does not rank destinations — where a government publishes nothing, this page says so rather than filling the gap with a number.
01Visa and entry
Visa and entry: United States and Canada
| Factor | United States | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Student visa | F-1 for academic study; M-1 for vocational study. | Study permit. A temporary resident visa or eTA is issued alongside it for travel — the permit itself is not the travel document. |
| Issuing authority | The Department of State issues the visa. The Department of Homeland Security, through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, certifies the schools and runs SEVIS. | Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The study permit fee is CAD 150. |
| How you apply | Get accepted at a SEVP-certified school, receive Form I-20, pay the SEVIS I-901 fee, complete form DS-160, then attend a visa interview. | 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 | There is no single federal amount. You must show funds covering the cost of attendance your school certifies on Form I-20. | 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 | Not a federal requirement. Each institution sets its own English requirement as a condition of admission. | IRCC does not set a test score for the study permit itself. Your Designated Learning Institution sets the language requirement for admission. |
| Health cover | Not federally required for the visa. Many universities require health cover as a condition of enrolment, at their own rates. | Health cover depends on the province, not the federal government. Several provinces exclude international students from public cover and expect private insurance. |
02Fees
Fees: United States and Canada
| Factor | United States | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition fees | No US government body publishes a tuition range. The figure that governs your visa is the cost of attendance printed on your Form I-20 by the school itself. | 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. |
03Scholarships
Scholarships: United States and Canada
| Factor | United States | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Official scholarships | The Fulbright-Nehru fellowships, run by the binational United States-India Educational Foundation, are the main official India–US funding route. | 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. |
04Admission
Admission: United States and Canada
| Factor | United States | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Who recognises institutions | Schools must be SEVP-certified by DHS to enrol F or M students. There is no federal admissions regulator beyond that. | 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 | There is no government portal. Most undergraduate institutions accept the Common Application, a private non-profit; graduate applications normally go directly to each university. | No national portal. You apply to each Designated Learning Institution directly. |
| Entry requirements | Set entirely by each institution. Admission and visa eligibility are separate steps — an offer does not guarantee a visa. | Entry requirements are set by each institution and province. Check the DLI list before you apply, not after you receive an offer. |
05After graduation
After graduation: United States and Canada
| Factor | United States | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Post-study work rights | Optional Practical Training (OPT) allows up to 12 months of work tied to F-1 status. Eligible STEM graduates can add a 24-month STEM OPT extension. | 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. | 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. |
06Full Detail
Read either destination in full.
Last checked against official sources — United States: September 2026; Canada: September 2026. Visa rules, fees and work rights change every intake, so confirm on the official page before you act.
07Send Us Your Situation
Tell us the course, the country 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.