Canada and Australia both offer English-medium universities, but a useful comparison is built around a course and city, not a promise that one country is cheaper or easier. In Canada, study permit applicants must show resources for tuition, living costs and transport without relying on future work. For applications on or after 1 September 2026, IRCC’s living-cost amount outside Quebec is CAD 23,448 for one applicant; it excludes tuition and transportation. Australia has its own current financial-capacity rules, visa conditions and tuition schedules, which should be checked with Home Affairs and the chosen institution before committing.
Compare the university offer
UBC Sauder’s Bachelor of Commerce is a four-year programme in Vancouver. UBC lists 2026/27 international first-year tuition of CAD 66,678.30 for a 30-credit load. UBC says international students starting in 2026/27 will have increases capped at 3% annually for up to four subsequent years or until graduation, subject to its published policy. This figure illustrates a real Canadian offer; compare it with a specific Australian course, not a national estimate.
A concrete Australian counterpart is Monash University’s Bachelor of Commerce at Clayton. Its international course listing describes three years full-time and publishes A$59,140 per 48-credit-point annual load for 2027, with fees subject to annual change. That is a different fee year and currency from UBC’s figure; it does not establish which offer is cheaper. A three-year and four-year structure also need different total-degree budgets. Confirm the fee schedule for your own intended start before comparing. Compare the entire degree’s expected fees, payment dates, health cover, housing, transport, flights and emergency reserve. Keep CAD and AUD amounts separate until you convert them using a dated exchange rate.
Work rights are not your funding plan
IRCC’s study permit funding guidance says applicants must show they can cover costs without working. Student employment rules and limits can change, and work availability is not guaranteed. Check the current permit conditions in each destination and ask whether placements are paid, required or optional. Do not use part-time earnings to fill a proof-of-funds gap.
Choosing your fit
Canada may make sense if a particular course, province, co-op structure or future pathway fits your plans and the budget works under current IRCC requirements. Australia may suit you if its course and location align better. Compare curriculum, accreditation, transfer credit, teaching language, total price and post-study rules for the same academic level. The winning choice is the offer you can fund and complete, with a qualification recognised where you intend to work.
Questions students often ask
Is CAD 23,448 the amount I need for all Canadian costs? No. It is the IRCC living-cost amount for one person outside Quebec for applications on/after 1 September 2026; tuition and transport are separate.
Can I rely on student work to meet the budget? IRCC asks for proof of funds without working; plan your funding before arrival.
Compare immigration rules without turning work into a budget assumption
Canada’s IRCC currently permits eligible study-permit holders to work off campus up to 24 hours per week during regular academic sessions and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks. Eligibility depends on the permit, programme, institution and ongoing study conditions; a student cannot start work before the programme begins and cannot work during an authorised leave. Australia’s Home Affairs page describes a different student-visa rule: up to 48 hours per fortnight while the course is in session, with unlimited hours in scheduled breaks for the primary student, subject to visa conditions. These are legal ceilings, not a promise of a job or enough earnings to fund tuition.
The Australia government also raised the standard Student visa application charge to AUD 2,500 on 1 July 2026, with specified concessions. Canada’s published study-permit fee is CAD 150, but biometrics, provincial documentation and other costs can alter the total for an applicant. Confirm the amount shown for your nationality and application at the time of filing. Don’t compare the two headline fees without adding health cover, medical exams, police certificates if requested, and travel.
Compare proof of funds and realistic costs
For Canadian applications submitted on or after 1 September 2026, IRCC lists CAD 23,448 as the first-year living-expense amount for one applicant outside Quebec, excluding tuition and transportation. Applicants must also explain how they will fund the full duration of a longer programme. Australia requires evidence under its current visa checklist; Study Australia warns that actual living costs can exceed the minimum visa figure and vary by provider, level and location. A financial threshold is an immigration test, not a full cost forecast in either country.
Build the same spreadsheet for each option: first-year tuition, required fees, housing, utilities, food, transport, health coverage, visa charges, flights and an emergency reserve. Then compare the full expected degree duration and identify what remains uncertain. Choose a specific programme and city in each country; comparing a national average in one country with a university invoice in the other will mislead. Ask institutions for dated tuition and housing terms, then keep confirmed figures separate from estimates.
Match the choice to your academic plan
Compare a real course plan, not just the broad subject label. Check prerequisites, teaching language, assessment, placement options and whether the qualification fits your next step. For immigration, independently confirm the Canadian DLI and specific PGWP-eligible programme or Australian registered provider/course and visa conditions. A school’s approval for international enrolment does not automatically guarantee a post-study work outcome. Your better destination is the one whose academic route, full budget and legal conditions you can document for your own circumstances.
Test the full route through the first academic year
Compare the funding requirement with your actual budget. Canada’s federal proof-of-funds amount for an application filed from 1 September 2026 excludes tuition and transportation, while Australia’s student-visa financial checklist sets its own evidence requirements. Neither minimum should be treated as a realistic monthly spending guide. Add a separate estimate for the city and housing you will actually use, and keep a buffer for deposits, course materials and travel disruption.
Then write down the application sequence for each offer: tuition deposit, confirmation of enrolment, visa application, biometrics or health cover, housing payment and arrival date. In Canada, the study permit is a separate decision and IRCC requires funds independent of future employment. In Australia, the student visa requires a current Confirmation of Enrolment and Overseas Student Health Cover unless an exemption applies. These administrative steps affect when you can travel and which payments are refundable.
Do not assume work rules will offset a higher fee. Canada and Australia use different units and conditions for work limits, and both can change. Compare the maximum permitted hours only after checking your actual visa or study-permit conditions; then assume zero earnings in the core budget. A part-time position depends on the local labour market, schedule, language and course load. The legal limit is not an employment guarantee.
Primary sources
Editorial note
Requirements can change and may differ by institution, programme and applicant. Recheck current university and government guidance before paying or travelling.
For comparisons, we assess the stated student brief, current route availability, discovery breadth, application ownership, progress visibility, support, costs and duplicate-application risk. Univs publishes this page and may have commercial relationships with institutions; those relationships do not determine admission decisions. Read our editorial standards.
