According to several surveys conducted over the last few years, the United Kingdom and Canada are both excellent choices for pursuing higher education abroad. As of the end of 2022, over 8,07,750 international students in Canada were issued valid study permits. Similarly, Australia had around 5,67,950 international students. Although both countries have a great standard of living, quality education and high job opportunities, many other factors like the education system, cost of study, cost of living, tuition fees, post-education work permit, and permanent residency must be considered before making a sound decision. Our comparative compilation of opportunities for pursuing your field of study in the UK vs Canada will help guide your decision in the correct direction.
Comparing The Top Universities & Popular Courses 2023
The United Kingdom is famous for its prestigious universities and their traditional architecture. They are known to be student-friendly and fully equipped for a wide range of courses. In the past several years, it has been found that courses like law, sociology, business and management, engineering, medicine, biotechnology, tourism, and hospitality are popular among international students.
On the other hand, Canada is known for its innovative teaching techniques, different options of coursework, and depth of technical education. The universities or colleges in Canada offer their candidates UG or PG degrees, certificate courses, diplomas, doctorates, and professional degrees, amongst many others. Healthcare, medicine, hospitality, dentistry, engineering, economics, business and management, and tourism are some of the popular courses amongst students who choose to pursue their higher education in Canada. Below is a list of the top universities in both countries so that students can make better decisions while comparing the scope of study in the UK vs Canada.
Top 10 Universities In The United Kingdom –
- University of Oxford
- University of St Andrews
- University of Cambridge
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- Imperial College London
- Durham University
- University College London
- University of Bath
- University of Warwick
- University of Edinburgh
Top 10 Universities In Canada –
- University of Toronto
- McGill University
- University of British Columbia
- Université de Montréal
- University of Alberta
- McMaster University
- University of Waterloo
- Western University
- Queen’s University
- University of Calgary
Study In The UK Vs Canada: Admission Requirements
For enrolling in undergraduate courses in the UK, students need to have completed 13 years of pre-university education. Recently, some universities have begun accepting the 10+2 pattern of education. For postgraduate courses, a three-year undergraduate degree is enough to apply for and acquire admission. For management courses, scores of the GMAT exam are required, but these may be waivered by some universities if the applicant has a few years of work experience. GRE scores for science courses may or may not be required according to the respective university’s admission process. English proficiency exams like TOEFL or IELTS may be exempted, but they are mandatory for a visa application.
In Canada, 12 years of pre-university education is enough for undergraduate courses. This is especially beneficial for Indian students. All candidates are required to write the SAT exam before applying. For postgraduate courses, GMAT and GRE scores are strictly required for management and engineering or science degrees, respectively. The duration of a degree course is usually four years, whereas, for a diploma, it is 2 to 3 years. TOEFL or IELTS are also mandatory to be appeared for, irrespective of the degree. Although cutoffs do not apply to Canadian colleges, most of them provide an average score around which they accept the applications so that students can get an estimate of a good enough score.
Visa Requirements
Visa requirements are another major attribute to consider when comparing the differences between the scope of study in the UK vs Canada. In the United Kingdom, interested candidates must apply for a UK student visa for which the following points must be considered –
- There is an application fee of £363.
- It is only granted to students enrolled in a full-time study programme.
- Under the conditions of the student visa, you are eligible to work part-time only for 20 hours every week, either on-campus or off-campus. Full-time work is permitted during vacations but only for on-campus jobs.
- The Graduate Route allows students to apply for a post-study work visa so that they can stay in the country and search for employment for the next two years.
- If you wish to continue residing further, you will have to apply for a Graduate Visa.
For applying for a Canadian student visa, some of the important factors are as follows –
- According to the current rules, all Indian students are required to undergo a medical test mandatorily.
- An application fee of CAD 150 is charged.
- Students are permitted to work for 20 hours every week along with their studies. During vacations or study breaks, they are allowed 40 hours of work per week.
- Spouses of the applicants are also permitted to work full-time if they have resided in the country for more than a year.
- The application for a post-graduation work permit must be completed within 90 days of finishing your degree.
- The Canadian Post Graduation Work Visa permits students to stay and look for employment for three years after the degree.
Study In The UK Vs Canada: Cost Of Study
| Particulars | UG Courses In The UK | UG Courses In Canada | PG Courses In The UK | PG Courses In Canada |
| Tuition fee | BTech: INR 18.66 Lakhs per year | BTech: INR 22.39 Lakhs per year | MS: INR 20.47 per year | MS: INR 11.52 per year |
| Duration | 3 years | 4 years | 1 – 2 years | 1 – 2 years |
Students can also take advantage of the different kinds of financial aid available, state or university grants, student loans and scholarships.
Study In The UK Vs Canada: Cost Of Living
Taking into account the average cost of living is a crucial factor when choosing a country abroad for your higher education. The cost of living can differ from location to location and can affect a student’s financial stability and overall experience to a large extent. Expenditures such as transportation, accommodation, healthcare and tuition fees must be considered. While opting for a country with a lower cost of living can enable the students to reduce their financial burden and explore more, it can also help them participate in extracurricular activities without having to worry about finances. Hence, carefully evaluating this aspect is essential before deciding on a country. Given below is a comparison between the average cost of living in the UK and Canada. These figures are enough to give us an approximate idea about the expenditure. However, these values are also liable to change from city to city owing to the differences in popularity, quality of education, and standard of living.
| Item | Monthly cost of living in the UK | Monthly cost of living in Canada (CAD) |
| Off-Campus Accommodation | £408 | $ 550 |
| On-Campus Accommodation | £472 | $ 1,611 |
| Transportation | £65 | $ 100 |
| Food | £360 | $ 720 |
| Utilities | £189 | $ 180 |
| Groceries | £28 | $ 64 |
| Clothes | £64 | $ 133 |
| Entertainment | £40 | $ 60 |
| Total Cost Of Living With Off-Campus Accommodation | £1,154 | $ 1,807 |
| Total Cost Of Living With On-Campus Accommodation | £1,218 | $ 2,868 |
| Annual Cost Of Living | £13,848 | $ 21,684 |
Job Opportunities
Some high-paying job profiles in the United Kingdom are lawyers, IT professionals, engineers, orthodontists, dermatologists, advertisement managers, public relations directors, and many more. Quite impressively, the UK has an employment rate of over 75.6 per cent.
Comparatively, popular job profiles in Canada include project managers, nurses, IT managers, financial analysts, and engineers, amongst many others. Canada, too, has an amazing employment rate of around 84.9 per cent. Taking into account the job opportunities that you may have after finishing your course is an important step that you should take care of while conducting your analysis of the opportunities of study in the UK vs Canada.
FAQs
Q1. Which country is better for working – Canada or the UK?
Ans: Canada has a higher employment rate and offers better job opportunities for career advancement in various industries compared to the United Kingdom.
Q2. Which country has higher salaries?
Ans: When comparing salaries, it is slightly difficult to make a direct comparison since the development of each industry in either country, the demand of that particular job profile and various such factors need to be considered. Although according to several surveys, the average wages of Canadian employees are around CAD 1,161 or £725, whereas the UK has an average weekly wage of £598.
Q3. Is the tax higher in the UK or Canada?
Ans: The maximum tax rate in the UK is 45 per cent, which is higher than that in Canada at 33 per cent.
Q4. Is it difficult to get a permanent residency in the UK?
Ans: On finishing your degree from a British university, you cannot directly apply for a PR. First, you must apply for a work permit and continue working in the country for a minimum of 5 years. Although the process is lengthy, it is quite simple if you meet all the required criteria.
Q5. Is Canada better than the UK for Indian students?
Ans: Both countries offer excellent opportunities for education and advancing your career for international students. Hence, there isn’t a definite leverage that one country has on the other. The decision to choose between the higher opportunities for study in the UK vs Canada is entirely dependent on the student’s personal factors and finances.
Thank you for reading our guide to comparing opportunities for study in the UK vs Canada! Let us know your queries or suggestions in the comments section below.
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1 thought on “Top PGDM Courses In Canada: Universities, Specialisations & Eligibility”
I have done Bachelor’s in Culinary Arts from India and completed my graduation in the year 2022 .I am 22 years old. After graduation, I have done 1 year paid internship from USA .Now, I would like to take occupational experience and learn culinary skills and also do masters in Culinary arts.How can I find the college n best course / country where I can persue studying further