Master's Degree in Canada: Admission, Costs and Funding for International Students

A Canadian master's degree takes from 10 months to two years and comes in two formats: research (thesis-based, with a supervisor) and course-based professional programmes. The format drives almost everything else. At UBC, for example, the thesis-based MSc in Computer Science costs an international student $7,140 (CAD 10,082) a year and comes with guaranteed support of $22,790 (CAD 32,171) a year, while the course-based Master of Data Science costs $42,340 (CAD 59,768) for 10 months with no such package.

Applicants with a four-year Russian bachelor's degree or a specialist diploma are eligible: the University of Toronto treats both as equivalent to a Canadian bachelor's degree, with a minimum average of 4 out of 5. Since January 1, 2026, master's students at public institutions no longer need a provincial attestation letter (PAL), and graduates can receive a three-year post-graduation work permit even after a one-year programme.

Research or course-based: the key decision

Degree names do not always reveal the format. An MA or MSc can be either; MEng, MBA, MPP, MFE and MDS are almost always course-based. Check whether the programme includes a thesis and requires a supervisor.

A research master's is partly a job: students are paid to work on their supervisor's projects and to teach tutorials. Admission therefore depends on whether a professor has space and funding, not only on grades. Course-based programmes are paid products of the university and follow a more conventional admission process.

Is a Russian degree accepted?

The University of Toronto publishes an equivalency table:

• a Russian bachelor's degree (4 years) or specialist diploma is equivalent to a Canadian bachelor's degree for master's admission;
• a Russian master's degree or 5-year specialist diploma is equivalent to a Canadian master's degree for PhD admission;
• minimum average: 4 out of 5; B+ equals 4.3 out of 5; A− equals 4.5 out of 5;
• Kazakhstan: 4-year bachelor's or specialist diploma, minimum 4 out of 5.

U of T's baseline for master's programmes is at least a mid-B average in the final year. UBC's general minimum is a B+ (76% at UBC), and individual programmes set higher bars. Credential evaluation through WES is usually not needed for admission; it matters later for immigration programmes.

An unrelated first degree is a common obstacle. Research programmes in Computer Science rarely admit students without maths and programming on their transcript. Professional programmes such as an MBA or Master of Management are more flexible but still look for quantitative courses.

How much a master's in Canada costs

Averages by province

Statistics Canada publishes average international graduate tuition for 2026/27. These averages mix low-cost research programmes with expensive professional ones, but they show the provincial gap clearly.

Programme examples, 2026/27

Add student fees (about $850 [CAD 1,203] a year at UBC), health insurance and an acceptance deposit ($2,130 [CAD 3,000] for UBC MDS). PhD programmes are different: at U of T, international tuition for most doctoral programmes is aligned with domestic tuition at $4,400 (CAD 6,210) in 2026/27.

What you must show for the study permit

IRCC requires proof of first-year tuition plus $16,610 (CAD 23,448) for living costs for applications from September 1, 2026, plus travel money. A funding or scholarship letter can be submitted as proof, but if it covers only tuition you still need to show living funds separately. For programmes longer than one year, explain how you will pay for the rest.

Funding: what is realistic

For international master's students, the main source of money is a departmental funding package on a research programme, combining awards, teaching assistantships (TA) and research assistantships (RA).

• UBC, MSc Computer Science: guaranteed support of $22,790 (CAD 32,171) a year for two years on the thesis track, and $15,770 (CAD 22,264) a year for 20 months on the essay track. First-year students also receive a Faculty of Science award of $3,910 (CAD 5,515.71), and eligible international students an International Tuition Award of $2,270 (CAD 3,200) a year.
• UBC, PhD: from September 2026, every full-time PhD student at UBC Vancouver receives at least $28,330 (CAD 40,000) a year for the first four years.
• Federal CGRS M scholarships are open only to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected persons.

Course-based programmes such as MEng, MBA or MDS rarely come with funding. Partial awards exist but should not be part of your budget. For other sources, see scholarships in Canada.

Application package

• transcripts and degree certificate, translated if not in English;
• 2–3 recommendation letters — for research programmes, from academics who know your work;
• statement of purpose: for research programmes, with a concrete topic and named professors; for course-based programmes, with a career goal;
• CV;
• English test: at U of T, IELTS Academic 7.0 with no band below 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 93 with 22 in Writing and Speaking (new scale: 4.5 overall, 4.5 Writing, 4.0 Speaking), the same minimum across all divisions, though departments may ask for more; UBC Computer Science also asks for IELTS 7.0;
• GRE or GMAT only if the programme asks for it;
• portfolio or writing sample for architecture, design and humanities;
• application fee: $90 (CAD 130) at U of T (some programmes add a supplementary fee); $120 (CAD 168.25) for international applicants at UBC, charged per programme.

Finding a supervisor

1. Identify 5–10 professors whose recent papers match your interests. Many programmes list supervisors and their topics — UBC's MSc Computer Science page is one example.
2. Read one or two of their papers and write a short email: who you are, your experience, your idea, with CV and transcript attached.
3. Ask whether they are taking students for fall 2027 and whether you need their agreement before applying. Some programmes admit first and match supervisors afterwards.

Deadlines for fall 2027

For a broader overview of studying in Canada and university profiles, see our Canada country guide.

There is no central application system for graduate study; each university, often each programme, sets its own dates.

A workable plan:

• September–October 2026: shortlist programmes, take IELTS or TOEFL, contact professors;
• November 2026 – January 2027: submit applications; internal award deadlines often match early programme deadlines;
• February–April 2027: decisions and offers with funding terms;
• April–June 2027: accept an offer, pay the deposit, apply for the study permit;
• August 2027: arrival.

Study permit for master's students

Since January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at public Canadian institutions do not need a PAL. In 2026, IRCC planned 49,000 study permits for this group out of 408,000 in total. Private institutions and programmes that do not grant a master's degree, such as college graduate certificates, still require a PAL. Quebec requires a CAQ instead.

The remaining steps:

1. Online application: $106 (CAD 150) plus $60 (CAD 85) for biometrics.
2. Proof of funds: first-year tuition, $16,610 (CAD 23,448) for living costs, travel. See how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.
3. Biometrics at a visa application centre in Russia by appointment.
4. Passport: since January 28, 2026, VACs in Russia no longer accept passports and the Embassy in Moscow provides no visa services, so the passport must be submitted at a VAC in another country.

For documents and processing times, see our Canada study permit guide.

Working during and after your master's

During terms you may work off campus up to 24 hours a week and without an hourly limit during scheduled breaks. Teaching or research assistant jobs are on-campus work and do not count toward that limit. Work may begin only after studies start, and you need a Social Insurance Number.

After graduation, a master's graduate can receive a three-year PGWP if the programme lasted at least 8 months, even a one-year programme. You must have studied full-time at a PGWP-eligible institution, apply within 180 days of confirmation of completion, and prove English or French at CLB/NCLC 7 in all four skills. There is no field-of-study requirement for master's graduates. College graduate certificates are different: the PGWP matches the programme length and requires an eligible field. See colleges in Canada and working while studying and the PGWP.

Common mistakes

• Choosing by university name instead of format. A course-based programme can cost several times more than a research programme at the same university.
• Mass-emailing professors. Identical emails are obvious; show you have read their work.
• Missing internal award deadlines. Funding is often allocated from early applications.
• Counting on federal scholarships. CGRS M is for citizens and permanent residents only.
• Forgetting the passport trip. Russian citizens must submit passports at a VAC outside Russia.
• Using the admission test for the PGWP. IRCC accepts only CELPIP General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada.

FAQ

Sources

• IRCC: PAL/TAL and exemptions, 2026 cap allocations, proof of funds, PGWP length, PGWP eligibility, PGWP language tests, off-campus work, fees
• Government of Canada: visa services in Russia since January 28, 2026
• Statistics Canada: average tuition 2026/27, table 37-10-0045-01
• University of Toronto SGS: credential equivalencies, requirements and fee, English; 2026/27 tuition report
• UBC: MSc Computer Science, Master of Data Science, application fee, PhD minimum funding
• McGill: 2026/27 graduate fees
• NSERC: CGRS M eligibility
• Exchange rate: ECB reference rate of September 24, 2026 — CAD 1 = $0.7084.

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