Cheapest Colleges in Ontario for International Students
- After deciding to study in Canada, you need to determine what school you wish to attend. Studying in Canada can have many financial implications when you consider visa and permit costs, travel expenses, school application fees, tuition, feeding, accommodation, and so on.
If you are seeking to minimize tuition costs, you will find this article on the cheapest colleges in Ontario for international students helpful.
Top 3 reasons you should study in Ontario, Canada?
Currently, Canada ranks with the best quality of life worldwide. Is it not amazing to study in a country like that? Canada is known for academic excellence, safety, and a friendly environment.
Every year, the number of persons that immigrate to Canada for study purposes keeps increasing exponentially.
You may also wonder, “Why should I study in Ontario?” Ontario offers Canadian residents a truckload of opportunities, and you don’t want to miss out on any of them as an international student. In addition, Ontario is one of the leading provinces in Canada. It leads to almost everything.
The province houses Canada’s capital, Ottawa, and borders the US Ontario is the most populated province in Canada, with about 40% of the country’s total population residing there.
This is not surprising as the province is home to most of all the leading organizations in the country. Below are some of the reasons why you should consider studying in Ontario:
- Lots of Options
Ontario has the highest number of post-secondary institutions in Canada. Therefore, if you randomly choose a school from a list of Canadian schools, there is a high chance that your pick will be a school in Ontario.
You not only have lots of schools to choose from, but you will also find enough courses and programs to interest you.
- Exposure to Opportunities
Students who study in Ontario are exposed to the best education standards found in Canada. By studying in Canada, you will get in touch with real-life experiences and hands-on experience.
And if you are considering staying back in the country after your study, getting a work position in the urban region will not be so hard.
- Interesting Cities and country
Asides from the quality of education, you get to live a balanced life by staying in Ontario. There are sites to see, restaurants to visit, and many other adventures to try out. You should not be so worried about the financial implication of this as Ontario is less expensive than popular states in the US and UK.
Because of the strategic location and high population in Ontario, living in the province is relatively expensive when compared to the cost of living in other Canadian provinces. However, there is nothing to be scared of, as this is why we have prepared a list of the cheapest colleges in Ontario for international students.
These schools offer the typical ‘Ontario standard of learning and allow for exposure to other benefits such as job opportunities and leisure activities.
“WhatColleges and universities are both post-secondary institutions of learning in Canada. Therefore, you will find colleges like many universities anywhere in the country.
The significant differences between colleges and universities are available programs and certifications and the study duration.
Colleges offer more applied programs, while universities focus on professional and academic courses.
Also, most colleges offer certificate and diploma programs, with only a few offering degrees and post-graduate programs. Certificate and diploma programs are usually six months to 3-year programs.
If you want to earn certification for a program without having to spend too much time schooling, you should consider enrolling in a college.
Students interested in taking applied programs, diplomas, pre-trades, and apprenticeships will also readily find their programs in colleges rather than in universities.
Currently, there are 24 public colleges and 19 publicly-funded universities in Ontario.
List of DLI Colleges in Ontario
Whether you attend a public or a private college in Ontario (although a public college is cheaper), the school you choose must be a Designated Learning Institution (DLI).
DLIs are institutions that the Provincial Government of Ontario has accredited to admit international students. Below is a list of some of Ontario’s most popular DLI colleges.
Private and Public Colleges in Ontario ProvinceThese include private and public colleges.
College Location
Algonquin College Ottawa, Pembroke, and Perth
Bryan College of Applied Health & Business Sciences Toronto
CLI College of Business, Health & Technology Toronto
Cambrian College Sudbury
Canada College of Education Toronto
Canadian Institute of Management and Technology Brampton, Malton, Mississauga, and Scarborough
Canadore College North Bay
Centennial College Toronto
Conestoga College Brantford, Cambridge, Guelph, Ingersoll, Kitchener, and Waterloo
Confederation College Thunder Bay
Fanshawe College St. Thomas, Simcoe, Tillsonburg, and Woodstock
Fleming College Cobourg, Haliburton, Lindsay, and Peterborough
George Brown College Toronto
Greystone College of Business and Technology Toronto
Herzing College Ottawa and Toronto
Humber College Toronto
IBT College of Business Travel & Tourism Technology Toronto
Kikkawa College Toronto
Loyalist College Belleville
McMaster Divinity College Hamilton
Mohawk College Hamilton
Niagara College, Canada Mississauga, Niagara, and Welland
North American College of Pharmaceutical Technology Scarborough
Ontario College of Technology Toronto
Sault College Sault Ste. Marie
Seneca College King City, Markham, Peterborough, and Toronto
Sheridan College Brampton, Mississauga, and Oakville
St. Paul’s University College Waterloo
Stanford International College of Business and Technology Brampton, Mississauga, and Toronto
Toronto Baptist Seminary and Bible College Toronto
Wycliffe College Toronto
Tip: Not all colleges in Ontario (including some of those listed here) provide students with a Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP).
If you are considering permanent residence or staying back for a few more years after studying in Canada, you should choose a school that provides PGWP so you can remain and get employment in Canada.
What are the Cheapest Colleges in Ontario for International Students?
An affordable college in Ontario costs a few thousand less than CA$20,000 in two semesters or one session.
These are the kinds of colleges we have listed below. But, of course, the total amount you will spend in school depends on the duration of your program, and some courses come with more significant financial commitments than others.
You will also need to cater for accommodation, feeding, and transportation if you live off campus.
Conestoga College
Tuition Fees
1st Semester: ~ CA$ 9,000
2nd Semester: ~ CA$ 8,000
Conestoga College is a popular college in Ontario with six different campuses in Brantford, Cambridge, Guelph, Kitchener, and Ingersoll.
The farthest campuses from Toronto are the Cambridge and Ingersoll campus, and this will take less than two hours drive. Programs offered at Conestoga include:
- Administrative Business Management
- Bachelor of Applied Health Information Science
- Business Programs
- Early Childhood Education
- Food Safety and Quality Assurance
- Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness
- Practical Nursing
- Tourism: Destinations and Travel Management
- Woodworking Technology
Fanshawe College
Tuition Fees
~16,000 per academic year
One of the pieces of evidence of the success of an institution is the number of campuses it has. Fanshawe College has five campuses in four different locations and is one of the largest colleges in Ontario.
The institution allows you to take part-time and full-time courses and offers certificates, diplomas, and degrees. Programs available include:
- 3D Animation and Character Design
- Bachelor of Interior Design
- Business programs
- Child and Youth Care
- Cyber Security
- Fine Art
- Information Security Management
- Photography
- Practical Nursing
- Social Service Worker
- Web Development and Internet Applications
- Welding Techniques
Niagara College
Tuition Fees
~ CA$19,000
Niagara College fees may be a few hundred CA$ higher than other colleges mentioned here. However, the quality of education beats that of the average college in Canada.
The school is a College of Applied Arts and Technology and offers certificate, diploma, and bachelor’s degree programs. Some of the programs at Niagara College are:
- Acting for Film and Television
- Autism and Behavioural Science
- Civil and Engineering Technician
- Culinary Skills
- Esthetician
- Fitness and Health Promotion
- Graphic design
- Landscape Horticulture Techniques
- Massage Therapy
- Photography
- Winery and Viticulture Technician
Sault College
Tuition Fees
~ $16,000 per academic year
Sault College was established in 1965 as a vocational center. The college encourages students to hone skills that will prepare them for vocational or office careers. Sault College is known for its quality facilities and enabling environment for students to learn.
Available programs:
- Addictions and Mental Health Studies
- Airport Administration and Services
- Child and Youth Care
- Client and Customer Relations
- Fish and Wildlife Conservation Technician
- Hairstyling
- Mobile Applications Design
- Nursing
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Robotics and Automation
- Web Development Essentials
Seneca College
Tuition Fees
~ 16,000 per academic year
Seneca College is one of the best colleges in Ontario, with affordable tuition fees. It has King City, Markham, Peterborough, and York Grace campuses. You will find exciting programs at Seneca College. Popular programs are:
- Aviation
- Bachelor of Therapeutic Recreation
- Behavioural Science
- Civil Engineering Technology
- Computer Programming
- Esthetics and Spa Therapies
- Fashion Arts
- Flight Services
- Graphic Design
- Health and Science
- Hospitality and Tourism
- Project Management
If you are looking for a complete tuition fee waiver, you can consider applying to colleges that offer scholarships, bursaries, and other financial aid.
The links below take you to the page that describes how scholarships and financial aid are given in these colleges:
- Scholarships, bursaries, and grants at Herzing College
- Humber College scholarships
- Kikkawa College financial aids and awards
- Scholarships, awards, and bursaries at Sheridan College
- Wycliffe College scholarships