What a year in Canada actually costs, with real numbers

Most cost guides give you a range so wide it tells you nothing. Here are figures published by institutions themselves, and the one number the Canadian government cares about.

Published tuition, as of our last check

• Cape Breton University: CAD 23,794.40 a year
• University of Regina: CAD 32,500 a year
• Memorial University of Newfoundland: charged per credit hour rather than per year, at CAD 750 a credit hour
• Brandon University: about CAD 35,000 for a first year, all in

Two things stand out. The gap between the cheapest and the most expensive is large enough to change which country you choose. And Memorial's per credit model means your bill depends on your course load, so a lighter semester costs less and a heavier one costs more.

The number that is not optional

Separately from tuition, the Canadian government requires proof that you can support yourself. The threshold is **CAD 22,895 a year** for a single applicant, on top of tuition and travel. It was set on 1 September 2025 for applicants outside Quebec and rises each September.

This is not a target to aim at. It is a floor you evidence with bank statements when you apply for a study permit, and it is the single most common reason an otherwise strong application stalls.

Putting it together

A realistic year at Cape Breton is roughly tuition of 23,794.40 plus the 22,895 you must evidence anyway. At Regina it is 32,500 plus the same. Regina separately publishes living costs of about CAD 1,625 a month during term, which is close to, but below, the federal threshold you must evidence anyway.

What this means for your budget answer

When our eligibility check asks what you can spend per year, answer with the total you can actually evidence, not the tuition you hope to pay. An institution that looks affordable on tuition alone and unaffordable once living costs are added is not a match, and finding that out now is cheaper than finding it out at the visa stage.

Figures move. Each one above links to the page it came from, and we recheck them. Confirm against the institution before you commit money.