MBA in Canada for International Students

Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) is a popular course in Canada for international students. The graduates find multiple job opportunities around the world post studying an MBA in Canada
 
Top MBA colleges in Canada are an accessible option for international students as they offer cheap MBA in some cases even without GMAT. Acquiring an MBA from top universities in Canada is reasonably affordable in comparison to other study destinations.
Apart from offering affordable MBA in Canada for International students, it is also a thriving business market both in terms of jobs and entrepreneur endeavours.  
 
In this page we will also inform you about the duration of the course, fee-structure, cost of living, eligibility criteria and post-study opportunities with respect to MBA programs in Canada for International students.

To study MBA in Canada, the average tuition fee ranges between $30,000 – $40,000, which is considered affordable than other study abroad countries. Typically, completion of an MBA degree takes about two years.

Successful graduates may earn up to CAD 79,076 annually as an average salary. Entry-level salaries start from CAD 34,170 annually, going up to CAD 120,793 per year for experienced professionals.

MBA in Canada Highlights:

Total number of MBA Colleges in Canada

Approximately 40+ 

MBA cost in Canada

40-45 lakhs in Nepalese Rupees(approx.)

Top Specialisations

General Management, International Business, Business (others), Finance, Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain, Economics

 Exams required

 GMAT, GREIELTSTOEFL

Why MBA in Canada?

  • Canada offers an affordable tuition fee when compared to other MBA schools amongst the popular study destinations. 
  • Canada is a thriving business and job market that posts 45,000+ job vacancies
  • Its high quality education is supported by diverse cultures and an excellent standard of living.
  • It is easy to obtain a post-study work visa.

Types of MBA in Canada:

  • Most of the top universities in Canada offer multiple types of business management programmes to suit the requirements of professional applicants applying for an MBA. 
    Few universities excel in specific types of MBA programmes, such as the following

Full-Time MBA:

  • Executive MBA in Canada is a 13-month programme, requiring a minimum of 8-10 years of work experience. These colleges offer Executive MBAs in Canada:

    • University of Toronto
    • McGill University
    • Queen’s University
    • York University
    • HEC Montreal
    • University of Alberta
    • McMaster University
    • Carleton University

     

Part-Time MBA:

  • This MBA programme has a longer duration as the curriculum is made to suit the schedules of working professionals. It can take 3-7 years for a part-time MBA to finish

    Here is a list of universities offering part-time MBAs in Canada:

    • Concordia University
    • Queen’s University
    • Brock University
    • McMaster University
    • University of Alberta
    • York University

Executive MBA:

  • Executive MBA in Canada is a 13-month programme, requiring a minimum of 8-10 years of work experience. These colleges offer Executive MBAs in Canada:

    • University of Toronto
    • McGill University
    • Queen’s University
    • York University
    • HEC Montreal
    • University of Alberta
    • McMaster University
    • Carleton University

     

Top MBA programs in Canada:

  • MBA in Finance,
  • International Business,
  • Business Analytics,
  • Operations, HRM,
  • Global Business, and Retail are some of the MBA specialisations that enhance the value of the MBA you pursue, in the job market. 

Top universities in Canada for MBA:

  • Canada has plenty of universities offering MBA courses. Some of these universities are top-ranked in the QS World Ranking in 2022. Here is a list of the best universities in Canada for an MBA and its QS rankings:

University

QS World University Rankings 2022

University of Toronto

26

McGill University

27

University of Alberta

46

The University of British Columbia

126

York University

494

5 Affordable MBA Colleges in Canada for International Students:

Canada is known to be the top study destination for an MBA that is affordable to international students. Here is a list of the 5 most affordable colleges for an MBA in Canada 
  • University of New Brunswick: One of the oldest English-language universities, University of New Brunswick offers both full-time and part-time MBA programmes. The average tuition fee of these programmes is around CAD 12,000-15,000. 
  • Laval University (Quebec): Started in the year 1924, Laval University has always been at the forefront of providing affordable MBAs in Canada. The average tuition fee of this university is around CAD16,000
  • Memorial University of Newfoundland: Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), the average tuition fees paid by international students for an MBA from MUN is CAD 24,000
  • Vancouver Island University: A renowned name in the business school league of Canada, Vancouver Island University offers affordable average tuition fees of CAD 37000 for international students
  • Victoria University: One of the best business schools in Canada, Victoria University is known for giving new career paths to students enrolling in MBA programmes with budget-friendly tuition fees of CAD 40,000

How to get admission into the affordable MBA Colleges in Canada as an international student?

Intake season:

Fall (September) is the primary intake season in Canada, although winter and summer intakes are equally busy for admissions. Applicants need to make sure that their applications are received by the universities just in time for the specific intake season.

Online Application:

All MBA programmes in Canada require applicants to submit an online application on the university website. This application process includes submitting your undergrad score, work experience, referral letter, etc. 

To pursue an MBA in Canada, international applicants need to fulfill a few mandatory requirements. These requirements are crucial for the admission process, and are listed below:

MBA in Canada Admission Requirements

Applicants aspiring to pursue an MBA in Canada have to fulfil certain set criteria to ensure admission into MBA universities. Here are they key admission requirements for an MBA in Canada:
  • bachelor's degree in any discipline is mandatory for admission into a Master’s in Business Administration programme.
  •  Work experience of 2-3 years minimum is taken as a primary admission requirement.
  • good GMAT score will ensure a seat in one of the top MBA colleges in Canada.
  • IELTS or any other English proficiency test is mandatory for international students seeking admission for an MBA in Canada.

Important Deadlines for MBA in Canada

Following are the important deadlines for admission into an MBA program in Canada:

Name of the College

Application Deadline Round 2

Rotman School of Management

January 13, 2023

Desautels Faculty of Management

January 15, 2023

Schulich School Business

July 13, 2022 (closed)

Ted Rogers School of Management (Ryerson University)

December 1, 2022

Beedie Business School

January 29, 2023

GMAT Requirements for MBA in Canada

Most of the universities in Canada consider the GMAT score as a mandatory requirement for admission into MBA programmes. Applicants need to meet the minimum score requirement in order to get admission in the desired university.
Here is a list of top Canadian universities and their minimum GMAT score requirement:

University

GMAT Score Required

Toronto University

550

McGill University

550

Western University

550

Queen’s University

600

York University

550

University of Alberta

550

University of British Columbia

550

Concordia University

580

Is GMAT compulsory for an MBA in Canada?

This is a common question asked by international students and the answer is No, international students can get admission in Canada without GMAT. 
This requires applicants to have exemplary academic qualifications and profound professional experience to exclude GMAT as a mandatory requirement. 
Some business schools may require applicants to present a GRE score instead of GMAT. Also, few universities conduct their own respective entrance exams for admission into MBA programmes. 

How to get admission in MBA in Canada without GMAT?

For applicants looking to apply for an MBA in Canada without GMAT, here are the key requirements:

  • GRE scores
  • IELTS/TOEFL scores (mainly for international students)
  • A GPA of higher than 3.0 (undergraduate degree or potential postgraduate degrees) 
  • A minimum of two years of work experience (depending on the bachelor’s degree duration)
  • Two or more letters of recommendation 
  • A resume of your entire academic and professional experience (including paid and unpaid internships)

5 Popular affordable universities for MBA in Canada without GMAT:

GMAT is considered to be a mandatory test requirement for an MBA in any international business school. However, international students can get admission for an MBA in Canada without GMAT.

For students wanting to skip GMAT to get admission into MBA programmes, here is a list of universities that you can apply for:

1. Schulich School of Business:

Located in Toronto, Schulich school of Business offers admission into MBA programmes without GMAT. 

Here are the requirements of admission into the Schulich School of Business: 

2. Smith School of Business:

A part of the Queens university, Smith School of Business actually has a programme for pre-MBA which teaches students the fundamentals of MBA and business. GMAT or GRE are primary requirements for admissions, but applicants with an exemplary academic and professional record are exempted from the GMAT.

3. Ivey Business School :

Known for its distinguished teaching methods, Ivey Business School is another school that exempts GMAT from its admission process. Although GMAT or GRE is mandatory for admission, applicants may receive a GMAT waiver if they score more than 160 in LSAT. Applicants who have cleared three levels of CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) exam may also receive a GMAT waiver. 

4. Lazaridis School of Business and Economics:

Ranked as one of the most competitive institutes in Canada, GMAT or GRE is a mandatory requirement for admission into full-time MBA programmes. However, applicants may receive a waiver from GMAT if they score 550 in GRE or clear CFA level 1.

5. Thompson Rivers University:

Focused on global economic development, Thompson Rivers University invites applicants for MBA in-campus and online. Students who apply need to have a graduate degree in business and professional experience in the field. GMAT is not a mandatory requirement for applicants with a minimum score of 3.0 in GRE and 6.0 in IELTS can fill in the application form for MBA in Thompson Rivers University.

MBA in Canada without IELTS

It is a critical requirement for international students to prove their English proficiency skills to universities abroad. However, there are a few selected universities and colleges in Canada that offer MBAs without IELTS. 

In some cases, universities will accept students who have finished a 4-year education in Canada or any other English-speaking country without IELTS. 

Here are 5 Universities in Canada for MBA that do not require IELTS:

1. University of Winnipeg:

The University of Winnipeg accepts English-speaking certificates from students as given by certified academic institutions. Applicants can get an IELTS waiver when presented with this English speaking certificate.

2. University of Saskatchewan:

Applicants are not required to present an IELTS score, they can instead go for CanTEST (Canadian English Test) to prove their English proficiency.

3. Brock University:

Brock University accepts both IELTS and TOEFL scores. Applicants who finish an undergraduate degree from Canada do not need to prove their English proficiency.

4. Memorial University of Newfoundland:

Applicants applying for this university can be exempted from IELTS if they present their academic records from the past 4 years. This process justifies both their English proficiency and academic ability to study an MBA.

5. Carleton University:

Similar to the previous university, Carleton exempts IELTS on terms that the applicants present their past 3 years of academic records, or attempt the Canadian Academic English Language Test instead.

MBA in Canada without work experience

It is a general rule to have work experience prior to getting admission for an MBA. However, exemptions to work experience are made by certain universities. 

Here is what international students need to provide to get admission for an MBA without work experience:

List of universities that take admission in MBA without work experience

Universities 

MBA Courses 

Requirements

Thompson Rivers University

TRU MBA

-A 3 or 4-year UG degree in a related discipline with at least 3.0 GPA

-GMAT score is not necessary but if the application is not up to the mark, the candidate can be asked for a GMAT score 

-A minimum 7.0 band score in IELTS academic (with no band below 6.5)/ TOEFL score 587 with TWE of 5.0 or higher (paper-based test)/ at least a score of 94 with none of the sections below 20 in IBT

New York Institute of Technology, Vancouver Campus 

-General Management MBA

-MBA with a concentration in Finance

-A 3 or 4-year UG degree in a related discipline with at least 3.0 GPA or higher out of a 4.0 scale

-It is necessary for international students to present a minimum score of 6.0 in IELTS or 79 in TOEFL IBT

-1 or 2 page resume/CV

-Statement of Purpose

-Two letters of recommendation from UG institution

Cape Breton University

Master of Business Administration in Community Economic Development

-A bachelor’s degree from a recognised institution 

-Minimum three letters of reference including 1 professional and 1 academic

-GMAT or GRE scores

-TOEFL or IELTS scores

The Sprott School of Business

The Sprott MBA 

-A 4-year UG degree with at least 8.0 cumulative grade point out of 12 on Carleton’s scale 

-Minimum GMAT score of 550 or its equivalent 

-At least two academic recommendations from previous professors

-The candidates without work experience need to have the following document checklist in mind while applying to in MBA programme:

  • Language proficiency in English

  • Resume

  • Statement of intent

  • Video Interview

  • MBA Application form

Brock University’s Goodman School of Business

-MBA (full-time and part time) 

-MBA International Student Pathway

-A 4-year UG degree in any field

-GMAT or GRE scores (550 or 60th percentile)

-At least 7.5 overall band in IELTS academic with minimum 6.5 bands in each section/ TOEFL IBT: 10 overall/Pearson (Academic) 72 overall

-A 4-year bachelor’s degree from a reputed institution

-At least GPA of B/75% or its Canadian equivalent 

-At least 6.5 overall band in IELTS academic with a minimum of 6 band score in each section and 88 in TOEFL 

University of Windsor

-Odette Master Of Business

Administration 

-MBA Professional Accounting Specialisation

-MBA for Managers and Professionals

-Minimum 520 GMAT score with 26 in verbal, 30 in quantitative and 4.0 in analytical writing

-Minimum IELTS band score 7.0 

-Minimum TOEFL IBT score 100

-Minimum Pearson score 68 

-Resume 

Rowe School of Business, Dalhousie University

Corporate Residency MBA 

-A 4-year bachelor’s degree from a recognised institution by the Dalhousie University 

-An average of grade point B or 3.0 in the last two years (20 credits)

-Minimum GMAT score of 550 or its equivalent of GRE, MCAT, DAT, LSAT 

-Minimum TOEFL score of 100 IBT, 600 paper-based, 237 computer-based

-Resume

-2 Academic letters of reference

-Personal essay within 2000 words

-Letter of financial guarantee

-Score for other language proficiency tests are also accepted but it shall not be lower than 60

Work Experience Requirement for MBA in Canada:

Work experience plays a vital role in getting admission for an MBA in Canada. On an average, 2-3 years is the minimum work experience required for an MBA degree. However, few universities ask for 7-8 years of work experience with a GMAT exemption. Check out the minimum work experience required for an MBA by top Canadian universities in the list below:

University

Average Work Experience

University of Toronto

5 years

McGill University

5 years

Western University

4.8 years

Queen’s University

4.4 years

York University

5 years

University of Alberta

5.4 years

University of British Columbia

3 to 5 years

Concordia University

6 years

McMaster University

4 years

Exams to study MBA in Canada:

Admission in MBA requires applicants to go through a series of tests like GMAT, GRE, IELTS,etc. These tests come with mandatory requirements for admissions in Canada.

GMAT:

It is a standardised timed examination known as Graduate Management Admission Test. The average score required for admissions is 550-600. Top universities require scores to be on the higher side.

GRE:

Graduate Record Examination is an entrance test for admissions in business schools. Applicants looking to learn and train for GRE can check out the details here: ETS GRE Exam | GRE Full Form | GRE Exam Fee in Nepal

IELTS:

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is an English language academic test that examines non-native English speakers' English language skills. Most academic institutions around the world expect applicants from non-English speaking countries to present the score of IELTS along with their application. 


To know more about IELTS, click here: IELTS Full Form | IELTS Exam Fee | IELTS Date in Nepal

Cost of studying MBA in Canada

Courtesy to its diversity, Canada has a premium global ranking in higher education, making it a top study destination for international students. 
The average cost of studying an MBA in Canada is between CAD 30,000 - 40,000 which is lower than many other countries. 
Along with tuition fees, there are other factors that affect the entire cost of studying in Canada, such as:

Types of Expenses 

Costs

Application Fees 

CAD 50 to CAD 150 

Academic Test 

CAD 100 to CAD 200 per exam

Score Reporting 

Typically costs up to CAD 20  per university

Average Tuition Fees 

CAD 34,000 to CAD 120,600 

Canada Student Visa fee

CAD 150 

Cost of Living in Canada while pursuing an MBA:

Cost of living in Canada includes accommodation and transportation, along with various other living expenses.Here is a brief overview of how these expenses will cost an international student while pursuing an MBA in Canada:

The cost of accommodation hugely depends on the city. Students have an option of university accommodation, shared apartments or private rented accommodation.
The rent of accommodation will vary from CAD 950 - 14,000 annually

On-campus accommodation- CAD 3000 - 7000 annually
Off-campus accommodation- CAD 8,000 - 9500 annually

 In bigger cities, like Quebec, Montreal, and Ottawa, accommodation costs along with various other living expenses are on a higher side.

Accommodation costs in cities like Quebec, Montreal, and Ottawa are CAD 750-1200 monthly

Tuition Fee for MBA in Canada:

University

Tuition Fees 

(Per Year)

Ivey Business School, University of Western Ontario

CAD 111,750 

 

Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University

CAD 44,500 


Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

CAD 59,450 


Smith School of Business, Queen’s University

CAD 91,000 


Schulich School of Business, York University

CAD 52,040 


5 Scholarships/Financial Aid for MBA in Canada for international students

1. Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Program:

It is a merit-based scholarship offered to master’s or doctoral students in the Ontario region. Participating universities of this scholarship include Carleton University, York University, University of Windsor, and University of Waterloo.

2. Rotman School of Management Scholarships:

This is a popular scholarship programme amongst international students. This is because it grants a tuition fee waiver to at least one third of the students. The award price for an MBA degree is CAD 30,000, selected based on the applications received.

3. Sauder School of Business Entrance Scholarship:

Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia offers MBA scholarships especially to international students. The value of this scholarship award is between CAD 10,000-15,000, based on GMAT/GRE scores along with college application.

4. Alberta MBA Scholarships:

Alberta School of Business, University of Alberta, extends a number of MBA scholarships in Canada to meritorious international students. The value of this scholarship is CAD 10,000.

5. Ivey MBA Scholarships:

Ivey MBA Scholarships tops the chart in offering multiple scholarships for international students in MBA programmes. 

MBA Graduate Salary in Canada:

Canada is known to be one of the thriving job markets for business graduates. It offers diversified roles in the business arena with competitive salaries. CAD 130,000 is considered to be an attractive salary offered to MBA graduates in Canada. 
 
The exact amount of the salary differs based on the nature of the role, job location, years of work experience among a few other factors. 
 
Here is a list of universities and their average salary packages after an MBA in Canada:

Name of College

Average Salary offered to students after MBA in Canada

University of Toronto

CAD 87,000

University of British Columbia 

CAD 92,084

University of Alberta

CAD 79,000

Concordia University 

CAD 86,000

McGill University

CAD 85,500

York University

CAD 94,200

Western University

CAD 117,000

Ryerson University – Ted Rogers School of Management

CAD 92,000

University of Ottawa – Telfer School of Management

CAD 131,000

University of Manitoba

CAD 80,000

University of Victoria

CAD 104,000

University of Calgary

CAD 59,000

Scope after an MBA in Canada:

Students finishing their MBA in Canada have a high employability in the Canadian job market. This is assisted by universities along with top recruiters, always looking for top university graduates to fill in spots at their office. 

Here is a list of top recruiting companies after studying an MBA in Canada, based on the job markets study: 

  • Microsoft
  • EY
  • InBC Investment Corp
  • General Mills
  • Google
  • IBM
  • Morgan Stanley
  • Amazon
  • RBC Bank
  • Siemens
  • Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
  • Deloitte

Here is a broad spectrum of the highest-paying jobs after an MBA in Canada:

Project Manager CAD 84,000
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) CAD 151,000
Management Consultant CAD 85,000
Senior Business Analyst CAD 86,000
Financial Analyst CAD 62,000

Work Visa after MBA in Canada:

Canada offers a relaxed visa regime and welcomes international students to explore the multicultural and thriving job market that it offers. 
MBA students get work permits after graduation in Canada under the Post-graduation Work Permit category. The work experience acquired under this visa tenure is eligible for the permanent residence visa requirements.

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