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 Prince Edward Island (UPEI) is a public university located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
International students’ postgraduate standard graduate tuition at UPEI includes a full-time international fee of CAD 9,040 per year. The Master of Nursing programme costs approximately CAD 10,310 for the full two-year programme.
The university offers a range of postgraduate programmes across disciplines such as nursing, business administration, education, and applied health sciences. UPEI is particularly recognised for its programmes in healthcare and its growing research focus in areas such as public health and sustainable development.
The estimated monthly living cost for a single person is about CAD 1,351.6 excluding rent, while renting a one-bedroom apartment outside the city centre averages around CAD 1,192.25 per month.
