10 Canadian universities compared on international tuition

We checked official tuition pages at ten universities and ranked them by one year of international tuition. Brandon University in Manitoba came first. Its approved 2026/2027 table lists $17,877.44 in tuition for 30 credit hours of on-campus Arts courses. Brandon's own guide calls 30 credit hours a full course load.

Memorial University of Newfoundland came second. Its sample for new students at the St. John's campus shows $22,500 for two semesters, or 10 courses. Mount Allison University in New Brunswick came third, with a yearly flat rate of $22,890 for full-time international students. Each charges well under half of Toronto's first-year program fee.

These are the schools on our list, not every school in Canada. Some institutions we didn't check may charge less. Most rows use an Arts or general program, so a science or business degree at the same school can cost more.

Some schools publish a price per credit hour instead of a yearly price. That number means little until you know how many credits count as a full year. Memorial lists $750 per credit hour for international students. Its 10-course sample of $22,500 matches 30 credit hours at that rate.

UNBC lists $1,040.15 per credit hour for international tuition. UNBC also says its yearly costs are based on 30 credit hours of full-time study. So we multiplied the rate by 30 and got $31,204.50. UNBC's own summary rounds this to $31,200. If you take fewer courses, you pay less, and you may also lose full-time status.

Brandon prints the whole table by credit hour, so you can read the 30-hour row directly. The University of Regina gives an average of $32,500 for 10 classes, or 30 credit hours. Regina's number includes mandatory fees, so its tuition alone is lower. We kept it in the list but marked the difference.

The well-known universities we checked charge far more. Alberta's guaranteed Arts rate for Fall 2026 entry is $39,233 a year. UBC lists $51,530.40 for a 30-credit Arts year. McGill's BA tuition for international students admitted in Fall 2026 is $54,000.00.

In Ontario, Toronto's 2026/27 program fee for first-year Arts & Science is $66,110.00. uOttawa's example bachelor's program charges $31,582.15 per term, which is $63,164.30 over two terms by our math. That example doesn't name the program, so check the rate for yours. Waterloo publishes estimates that include incidental fees, such as $51,000 for Environment and $58,000 for Arts.

Within one school, the faculty matters too. Alberta lists $35,908 for Augustana Faculty, but $49,953 for Engineering. UBC's Music program is $48,779.80 for 34 credits, below its Arts figure. Dalhousie gives a range of $33,091 to $51,503 for international tuition and fees.

A low tuition rate doesn't always mean the lowest total. Mount Allison estimates $44,070 for an international first year. That covers tuition, a single room with an unlimited meal plan at $15,965, student fees, basic medical coverage and $2,500 for books. Regina's example totals $47,000, with $7,000 for campus housing and $6,000 for food and fun.

UNBC's at-a-glance total for an international student is $48,120. It includes $7,140 for campus housing and $6,880 for a 5-day meal plan. UNBC says the figures are for the current academic year, without naming it. Brandon says you need about $35,000 for September to April, covering tuition, residence with meals, books and health insurance.

These estimates don't use the same lines. Some include books, and some include food in a meal plan. Read what each total covers before you rank schools by it. Our guide to how much university costs in Canada compares full first-year totals at larger schools.

International students usually pay for health coverage that domestic students get through their province. Brandon's 30-hour total includes a $1,320.00 health insurance fee. Memorial lists $548 for international students. Mount Allison charges $785 for basic medical coverage.

In British Columbia, the cost comes in two parts. UNBC charges a medical insurance fee of $190.00 per semester and an international student fee of $125.00 per semester. After a three-month wait, the province also charges international students $75 a month for healthcare. You pay that fee yourself, outside your UNBC account.

Many schools ask for a large deposit soon after you accept. UNBC's international undergraduate deposit is $9,000 and is non-refundable, though refunds may be granted if your study permit is refused. Brandon asks for a $5,000 non-refundable deposit for undergraduate programs. Regina asks for $1,000 and refunds $500 if your study permit is denied.

The deposit often comes before your permit. IRCC's document list includes a provincial or territorial attestation letter from your school. In most cases, you must accept your offer and pay part or all of your tuition to get that letter. Plan the money for the deposit before you accept.

To get a study permit, you must show you can pay for your first year. IRCC's chart for applications made on or after September 1, 2026 sets $23,448 for one person outside Quebec. That amount covers living expenses only. You also need to show tuition and travel money on top of it.

IRCC says these amounts are updated each year. Check the chart on the day you apply. Quebec has its own process through the Quebec Acceptance Certificate. A school with low tuition reduces the tuition part of your proof, but not the living-cost part.

A low first-year price can rise. UNBC says international undergraduate tuition can increase by 8% each year. Regina raised tuition for all students by 3.0% for 2026-2027. It also raised its international undergraduate multiplier from 3.0 to 3.5 starting in Fall 2026.

Other schools fix or cap the price. Alberta guarantees each year's rate for students who entered in Fall 2026. McGill says its BA cost per credit stays the same for the program, as long as you stay enrolled. UBC caps increases at 3% a year for 4 years for this intake. Ask each school how its rule applies to students starting in Fall 2027.

Université de Saint-Boniface in Winnipeg teaches in French. Its 2026-2027 table lists 6 065 $ for a full-time year of Arts et Traduction. A second table, headed Majoration avec permis d'études, lists 14 345 $ for the same program. Majoration means an increase or surcharge.

The page doesn't say whether 14 345 $ is the full yearly cost for a study-permit holder or an amount added to the first figure. Because of that, we left the school out of the ranking. Ask the university which reading is right before you compare it with the schools above.

Pick three or four schools that offer your program. For each one, find the international tuition for that exact program and the course load the school treats as full time. Add required fees, health coverage, housing and food. Then check how the price can change in later years.

Larger schools on this list have their own guides, such as UBC tuition and fees, McGill tuition and fees, Alberta tuition and fees and Toronto tuition and fees. Parents can read our guide for international families. Fall 2027 rates had not been posted in October 2026, so check the school's page before you pay a deposit.