Study Masters in Canada from Nigeria

Canada is the #1 study abroad destination for international students according to US News and World Report rankings of the Best Countries Overall. The country’s government has invested immensely in the education sector and is consistently striving to become an internationally renowned study destination. Offering affordable courses and economical costs of living, the country is attracting an increasing number of students from Nigeria each year. By pursuing a Master’s degree in Canada, you can not only avail yourself of global exposure to your field of interest but can also delve deeper into the research arena. In this blog, we will take a look at the varied range of courses and universities to study Masters in Canada as a Nigerian student.

Study in Canada After 10th

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Why Study Masters in Canada?

Home to over 90 academic institutions, Canada offers a plethora of Master’s degree programs in almost every field of study. In 2018, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ranked Canada as the world’s most educated country with over 56% of its adults having earned some kind of education after completing high school. Canadian universities and colleges offer globally recognized postgraduate degrees in almost every field such as Medicine, Politics, Technology, Business, and Media, among others. Let’s take a look at the major reasons why opting for a Master’s in Canada can help you get closer to your career goals:

• Incremental importance has been given to research when it comes to master’s degree courses offered in Canada. The academic institutions encourage postgraduate students to avail research opportunities to delve deeper into their chosen field of study and attain extensive knowledge that is more than just a degree.
• For master’s degrees, the cost of studying in Canada is comparatively more affordable than in mainstream countries like the UK and the USA.
• Nigerian students can choose from various enticing scholarships offered by Canadian universities and specially designed for meritorious candidates seeking an affordable education. When it comes to Master’s degree courses in Canada, there are copious financial aid schemes that provide students with the required monetary assistance to pursue their dream program.
• If you want to explore full-time job opportunities after completing your masters in Canada, you can further apply for a work permit which can be acquired through quite a simplified procedure. 

Top Universities for Masters in Canada

From Management to Fine Arts, Nigerian students can choose from a wide range of postgraduate courses offered by Canadian universities. The following table elucidates some of the popular Universities and courses you must consider while exploring your options for pursuing a master’s in Canada:

Name of the University	QS World University Rankings 2023	THE World University Rankings 2022
University of Toronto	34	18
McGill University	31	44
The University of British Columbia	47	37
University of Montreal	116	88
University of Alberta	110	125
McMaster University	152	80
University of Waterloo	154	201-250
Western University	172	201-250
Dalhousie University	308	251-300
University Laval	433	251-300
Queen’s University	246	–
Simon Fraser University	328	201-250
University of Manitoba	651-700	301-350

Types of Masters in Canada

Masters degrees (also known as ‘grad’ programs) in Canada are offered in various streams. Students can choose a suitable program and also pick their niche for specialization. A few popular types of masters in Canada are mentioned below.

• Master of Arts (MA)
• Master of Science (MSc)
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
• Master of Engineering (MEng)
• Master of Technology (MTech)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• 1-year masters in Canada
• 2 Years PG Diploma

Popular Master Programs in Canada

In Canada, a Master’s degree entails not just typical lectures and tutorials, but also field trips, projects, and group work. Dissertations provide for the majority of course credit in most Master’s degrees. With so many degree possibilities, students often select the cheapest Master’s programmes in Canada. They must, however, consider other factors such as programme availability, placement, and rankings, among others. The table below lists the most common Master’s degrees in Canada, as well as some of the best universities in the country that offer them:

University	Popular Course
University of Toronto	Masters of Medium Studies
McGill University	Masters of Management in Analytics
University of Dundee	Master of Education
University of British Columbia	MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Trent University	Masters of Management
Westford University College	Masters of International Business
Adler University	Masters of Psychology
Royals Roads University	Masters of Global Management
Saint Mary’s University	International Masters of Teaching English
University of Lethbridge	Masters of Fine Arts
The Centre for Digital Media	Masters of Digital Media
Vancouver School of Theology	Masters of Divinity
Wycliffe College	Masters of Theological Studies in Development
The Global Alliance in Management Education	Masters in International Management
Universite Du Quebec EnOutaouais	Masters in Social Sciences of Development

This will help you explore more academic institutes in Canada:

Top 10 Colleges In Canada: All You Need To Know

Popular Intakes in Canada

Many of the Canadian universities offer three popular intakes for admissions for Masters courses – Fall, Winter and Summer. The Fall intake is the most popular intake in the country followed by Winter and Summer intakes. 

Intakes	Applications Begin	Starting Month
Fall	June	September
Winter	November	January
Summer	February	April- May

Masters in Canada Application Deadlines

The table given below highlights the application deadlines of different Canadian universities for Masters in Canada: 

University	Application Deadlines
University of Toronto	January 13
University of British Columbia	January 15
McGill University	January 15
McMaster University	July 2
Universite de Montreal	Fall and Summer- February 1 Winter- September 1
University of Alberta	September admission- July 1 January admission- November 1 May admission- March 1 July admission- May 1
University of Ottawa	Fall- March 1Winter- August 1
University of Waterloo	February 1
Western University	September admission – February 1 January admission – July 1 May admission – October 1
University of Calgary	Spring- March 1 Summer- May 1 Fall- July 1 Winter- November 1

Admission Requirements

As there are numerous institutions offering a plethora of Master’s degree programs in Canada,  the eligibility criteria might differ from one University to another. Below we have listed down some of the common eligibility criteria you need to keep in mind while applying for Masters in Canada, be it any course:

• Graduation degree equivalent to Canadian Bachelor’s degree i.e., 10+2 and 3 or 4 years of an undergraduate degree program.
• Countable work experience in your chosen field of study.
• English language proficiency tests like IELTS, and TOEFL are demanded as an integral part of the application process for Master’s in Canada. However, certain universities exempt Nigerian students from taking these tests as part of their application. 
• Candidates who are willing to opt Engineering or Management degree also have to appear for eligibility examinations like GMAT and GRE.
• Statement of Purpose (SOP) & Letters of Recommendation (LOR)
• Proof that you have sufficient funds to study in Canada.
• An updated CV (if required)
• If you are applying for a Master’s in Canada or PhD program, you might need to provide two letters of academic reference with previous letters of employment. And if you haven’t studied in Canada before, you will also need an ECA (Educational Credential Assessment).

Don’t forget to check out the list of important documents that are required for admission in Canada!

Legal Requirements

To appear for a conventional Masters in Canada, there are certain legal procedures that must be followed. From entry norms to Visa requirements, here are some of the things that you must keep in mind while going for education in Canada:

• In light of the worldwide pandemic, the Canadian Government is currently not issuing student Visas. However, students who wish to enter a university in Canada should stay updated about the universities they prefer to take admitted in. This is because Canadian colleges and universities are issuing letters of acceptance to international students.
• When the situation normalizes, Nigerian students must apply for a Visa with validity as long as the course duration, including the internship and part-time job duration.
• To work part-time in the country, students must apply for a temporary work permit with the Canadian authorities. The universities ensure that part-time work does not hamper the course progression.
• The students must have proof of adequate funding that is required to pay for the tuition fee, as well as cover sustenance costs.

Cost of Studying Masters in Canada

Nigerian students will have to spend an average of CAD 18,000 (NGN 57,40,000) in tuition fees per year for studying Master’s in Canada. While the average cost of studying Executive MBA courses is CAD 57,000 (NGN 1,81,82,700), the tuition fee for regular MBA programs is approximately CAD 28,000 (NGN 89,31,800). The average estimated tuition fees for pursuing a Master’s degree are mentioned below: 

University	Average Annual Tuition Fee (in CAD)	Average Annual Tuition Fee (in NGN)
University of Toronto	37,897	1,20,85,000
University of British Columbia	8,592	27,40,000
McGill University	18,110	57,75,300
McMaster University	17,093	54,51,000
Universite de Montreal	24,558	78,31,500
University of Alberta	9,465	30,18,400
University of Ottawa	25,718	82,01,400
University of Waterloo	14,084	44,91,400
Western University	117,500	71.35 lakhs
University of Calgary	14,538	8.82 lakhs

Cost of Living in Canada

Given below is a breakdown of the different expenses which are important to consider while calculating the cost of studying and living in Canada for Indian students. 

Living Cost in Canada	Cost
Flight Expense	NGN 5,22,300/- 10,44, 600/- per flight
Study Permit Fees	$150 (NGN 62,300)
Work Permit Fees	$155 (NGN 64,400)
IELTS test Fees	NGN 76,800
Accommodation	CAD 5,000 – CAD 10,000 (NGN 15,95,000 – 31,89,000) per annum
Travel Costs	CAD 80 – CAD 110 (NGN 25,500 – 35,000) per month
Health Insurance	CAD 300-CAD 800 (NGN 96,000 – 2,55,500)
Food	CAD 300- CAD 400 [NGN 96,000 – 1,27,600] (monthly)
Entertainment	CAD 750 [NGN 2,40,000] (monthly)

Use Our Exclusive Cost of Living Calculator to Calculate your Customised Cost of Living in Canada!

Popular Scholarships

The following is a list of scholarships available in Canada for Indian students.

• Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
• University of Waterloo International Master’s and Doctoral Awards
• Ontario Graduate Scholarship
• University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship
• University of Calgary Graduate Awards and Scholarships
• Ontario Trillium Scholarship
• UBC Graduate Global Leadership Fellowships
• Trudeau Foundation Scholarships

Work Permit after Masters in Canada

For higher education, Nigerian students are seeking global study are flocking to Canada. One of the most crucial criteria is the availability of friendly policies for obtaining a work visa in Canada. Graduates of top Canadian colleges can obtain a three-year work permit, which can subsequently lead to permanent residency. Students obtaining a Master’s degree in Canada are eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). The PGWP is a non-restrictive work permit that allows students to work for any employer in Canada. Its applicability is determined by the duration of the educational program. PGWP has a maximum term of 3 years. A student must apply for a post-graduation work permit within 180 days of finishing their program and receiving transcripts to be eligible.

Know-How to Get a Canada Student Permit?

Top Paying Sectors in Canada 

Some of the popular sectors to explore after completing your masters in Canada are: 

Sector	Average Expects Salaries in CAD per year	Average Expects Salaries in NGN per year
CS-IT	62,000 or more	1,97,70,000
Electrical Engineering	75,000 or more	2,39,17,400
Civil Engineering	48,000 or more	1,53,07,000
Mechanical Engineering	50,000 or more	1,59,44,900
Data Science & Machine Learning	65,000 or more	2,07,28,400

Note: International students from Nigeria can apply for permanent residency or PR in Canada after studying and working in the country. Candidates who become permanent citizens receive the majority of the social advantages available to Canadian citizens are able to work or study anywhere in the country, and can even seek Canadian citizenship.

FAQs

This was everything that you need to know about a Master’s in Canada from Nigeria. Reach out to experts at Leverage Edu at 1800572000 and book a free consultation call. They’ll guide you in choosing a suitable Master’s degree course and university in Canada as well as throughout the application process to get you successfully shortlisted.