UG Students at US and Canada Talk About Study Abroad Costs and Scholarships

Q: On an average, how many funds are required for tuition and living expenses at US and Canada?

Iqra Khan: For undergraduate courses from the US, students should ideally have a budget of Rs. 20-25 lakhs per year. However this is an average number and you can study at various universities for less, around Rs. 15-20 lakhs per year. These colleges charge less but mostly belong to tier four or five in terms of college reputation. As a result, you won’t find them listed in top 100 universities. For Canadian universities, the average budget should be Rs 15-20 lakhs per year for good universities.

As far as living expenses are concerned, the cost depends on the type of accommodation and location. But typically the living cost of both the US and Canada is around Rs. 7-10 lakhs per year.

Q. How many students apply and successfully receive scholarships in US and Canada in your experience?

Iqra Khan: Almost all students going abroad intend to get a scholarship but very few actually succeed. Your chances of getting scholarship totally depend on the student profile. It is important to understand all universities abroad offer scholarships to international students based on their merit and not needs. The amount and type of financial assistance vary among universities, department, degree etc. So the university considers your exam scores, recommendations, extracurricular activities and which admission cycle you apply for. Those who apply during the Early Deadlines have higher chances of getting scholarships. So we always encourage students to apply during the early admission cycle.

Q. What are the costs of tuition and living in Canada? How can students minimize their living expenses?

Milap Dadlani: My expenses vary every month, but the average rounds about to $800 per month, so $10,000 per year. For Canada, students have to purchase GIC worth Canadian $10,000 so both the amounts are equal. The bank gives you monthly amount from the GIC for your living expenses. Also, international students are allowed to work part-time for 20 hours per week at both the US and Canada, so that amount also goes towards the living expenses.

The cost of living is heavily dependent on your living style. There are lots of students who end up spending a lot less. So it depends on how often you go out, how many times you cook meals at home, as the bulk of your expenses will be food related, the other constant being accommodation rent. It is important to research the rent costs before settling in. For example, I live a little away from the university so the rent is comparatively a lot less than places nearby.

So if you are looking to cut down on the living expenses, it is a good idea to live a little further from the university campus and make sure it is easy to commute to your college. The other thing you can do is to cook your own meals as eating out will increase your living expenses. So, it is always a good idea to learn how to cook. You can also make prep meals where you cook meals for the week on the weekend and freeze the food.

Q. For students who are academically good, is there a way to get good grades and be eligible for scholarships? And if so, how much money can they save?

Vaibhav Chitkara: It depends from university to university. Whether it is a private or a public university, you can find universities which offer a couple thousand dollar scholarships based on your SAT scores, overall GPA and TOEFL scores. The amount could be 50% of the total tuition fee or more, it depends on what scholarship the university can offer to the international students.

Also, be careful while looking at the scholarship options for international students as these could be different. There are lots of scholarships international students may not be able to avail as they are meant only for American citizens. Depending on how much diversity the university is willing to integrate on its campus, the nimber of available scholarships available to the international students will also vary.

About the Expert Panel

Iqra Khan

Iqra is a student admissions counsellor at Shiksha.com with 8+ years of experience in study abroad counselling and has worked with students across UG and PG for all top study destinations

Milap Dadlani

Milap is currently in his 4th year at Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Marketing at Thompson Rivers University, Canada

Vaibhav Chitkara

Vaibhav is the International Student Ambassador and Diversity Scholar Intern at the University Of Kentucky, USA

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