Canada ranks among the top education systems in the world, but for many international students, including Nigerians, the appeal now goes far beyond a degree; it is about what happens after the degree.
The attraction is that Canada is also closely tied to long-term migration opportunities, its post-study work pathways, particularly the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), offering international students a clear route to gain local work experience, and, eventually, permanent residency through programmes like Express Entry.
In 2023 alone, Canada issued a record 37,630 study permits to Nigerians, a 133% surge from the previous year.
By 2024, over 58,000 Nigerian students were already studying in Canada, making it the fourth-largest source country for international students.
Under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, the country plans to admit about 380,000 new immigrants annually to support its economy and labour market needs.
They also plan to fast-track permanent residence for 33,000 skilled temporary workers over 2026 and 2027, focusing on those already working in communities, especially in rural areas and in in-demand sectors
Methodology: In this article, affordability is defined based on postgraduate study costs, focusing on universities that offer master’s programmes with annual international tuition fees below $10,000
Here are the top 10 most affordable universities in Canada for international students.
The University of Saskatchewan is a public research university known for its strengths in agriculture, health sciences, engineering, and environmental research. It is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
For international students, postgraduate tuition varies depending on the programme structure. Standard master’s programmes with a thesis or project component are priced at approximately CAD 4,077 per term, which translates to about CAD 12,231 per year based on three academic terms.
Course-based programmes are charged at about CAD 659.20 per credit unit, applied to certain programmes such as Master of Music (Music Education), MA Philosophy, MMath, as well as postgraduate diploma and non-degree programmes.
The university offers a wide range of postgraduate programmes across MEng and MSc degrees across fields like mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering. In the sciences, programmes span areas such as Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Statistics, while health-related options include Health Sciences, Public Health (MPH), and Nursing.
Monthly living expenses in Saskatoon for a single person are about CAD 1,482.5 excluding rent, while renting a one-bedroom apartment outside the city centre averages around CAD 1,170.89 per month.
