Canada Vs Australia - Cost, Work Options, Visa Requirements

Canada Vs Australia-When it comes to studying abroad students are often confused on which country to choose for higher education. The decision regarding the country, university, and course is a big decision to make when it comes to study in Canada vs Australia. The most common confusion is between Canada and Australia as both are highly preferred study abroad destinations for people wanting to study abroad. Both countries are top choices as both are renowned for being home to some of the world's best universities. These two countries are geographically poles apart which makes it more interesting to do a comparative analysis of the universities, courses, programs, and opportunities available in both study abroad destination Canada vs Australia.

Best Universities: Canada vs Australia

The best universities to study in Canada are close to the industrial regions. On the other hand, the top universities in Australia are distributed all over the country with universities at Canberra, Melbourne, Queensland, Perth, Adelaide, etc.

Seven Australian universities figure in the top 100 world universities. Here is a closer look at the QS ranking of Australian universities for 2023:

Australia QS University Ranking 2023

As for Canada, three of its universities feature in the top 100 universities in the world according to the QS world university ranking for 2023.

Canada QS University Ranking 2023

Best Student Cities in Canada vs Australia

Both Canada and Australia have some of the top student cities in the world. Canada has five of the world’s top 100 student-friendly cities in the world.

1. Montreal

2. Vancouver

3. Toronto

4. Ottawa

5. Quebec City

As for Australia it has seven cities featuring in the top 100 best student cities in the world, these are:

1. Melbourne

2. Sydney

3. Canberra

4. Brisbane

5. Adelaide

6. Perth

7. Gold Coast

Cost of Study in Canada vs Australia

The cost of studying in any country will be affected by factors such as the course one wishes to study, duration of the course, and the university of choice. The cost of an undergraduate course in Canada can be between 13,000 to 20,000 CAD per year. The tuition fee for masters courses range between 17,000 to 25,000 CAD per year. As for doctoral degrees, the cost is between 7000 to 15,000 CAD per year.

In Australia international students will have to pay around 20,000 to 45,000 AUD per year for undergraduate courses. As for postgraduate courses, the cost is between 22,000 to 50,000 AUD per year and for doctoral degrees it is between 22,000 to 50,000 AUD per year.

Cost of living in Canada Vs Australia

One important factor when deciding on a country to study abroad is the living costs. These costs will include tuition fee and accommodation cost, expenses for transport, food, entertainment etc. Additional expenses include travel to and from home country, medical insurance costs, expenses for furniture, books and study materials.

International students studying in Australia will have to spend between 1,400 to 2,500 AUD per month in order to cover their living expenses which will include food, accommodation and transportation. As for Canada the living costs come to 1800-2000 CAD per month. The living costs also depend upon the city and lifestyle. Typically bigger cities are more expensive than smaller cities.

Student Visa Requirements for Canada vs Australia

To study in Canada, prospects have to apply for a study permit. This is required if course is longer than six months. The study permit is valid for the length of duration of studies and an additional period of 90 days after that.

Study in Australia requires applying for the Subclass 500 visa which is available for students who want to do a full-time course in Australia. The validity of this Australia student visa is for five years.

Students wanting to study in Canada must give entrance tests such as the SAT, GMAT, GRE etc. International students will have to give English language tests such as the IELTS, TOEFL or PTE before applying for any course in either Canada or Australia.

Read about other student visa requirements

• Student visa UK
• Student visa Ireland
• Student visa USA
• Student visa Singapore
• Student visa Germany

Canada Vs Australia: Work While Study and Post Course Work

In Canada students can work when they have a Canada student visa. Students can work for 20 hours per week during the course and can take up jobs on or off campus. Students can work full time during vacations.

Post study work options: An international student from a Canadian post-secondary college can work in Canada for up to 3 years after their graduation. A student must apply for a work permit within 180 days after completion of their degree.

International students can work in Australia while studying. They can work for a maximum of 40 hours during their course and can work for an unrestricted number of hours during vacations. Those pursuing a master’s degree or a doctoral degree have no restrictions on work hours.

Post study work options: International students who have completed either a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree can apply for a post study work permit which is valid between 2 to 4 years.

Canada vs Australia: Scholarships for international students

International students in both the countries can apply for a range of scholarships and financial aid programs offered by the governments and universities in both countries. Find more information about these scholarships and fellowships in the government and university websites of these countries.

Related reading

• Top reasons to study in Australia
• Top reasons to study in Canada