Category	USA	Canada
Population	321 million	35 million
% immigrants	13%	20.6%
Total number of university students	21 million	2 million
Best areas of study	Engineering, MBA, IT, Sports Management, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Biotechnology, Physiotherapy, Hospitality, etc.	Business Management, Media, Engineering, Nursing, Computer Science and Hospitality.
Work permit and visa types	F-1 student visa, J-1 exchange visitor visa	Study permit, Work permit
Average Entry Level Graduate Salary ($/yr)	60,000 to 90,000 (45.17 lakh – 67.76 lakh Indian Rupees)	50,000 to 90,000 (37.6 lakh – 67.76 lakh Indian Rupees)

Why choose Canada or the USA to study abroad?

Find out why both of these countries are top study choices for millions of students before we wonder if Canada is better than the US for international students.

• Students of all ages consider the US to be the best study abroad option, especially for US graduate and other master’s programs. It has earned a reputation as a technological and scientific leader around the world, attracting students seeking a first-class education. Moreover, features such as outstanding research and development prospects, advanced infrastructure, technological breakthroughs, growing businesses, etc. have enhanced its attractiveness as a final study abroad destination.
• Canada recently overtook countries like the UK, Australia, US and others as the leader in attracting international students to Canadian colleges. This is mainly due to lenient immigration laws, affordable and quality education, good job prospects, fast processing of study permits, a large number of scholarships, etc. These factors, along with a high standard of living, make Canada a favorite among international students.

Eligibility/entry requirements in Canada and the USA

Eligibility criteria differ to some extent in Canada and the United States. Depending on which course a candidate wishes to pursue and the level of education they are currently at, eligibility parameters for the course and the university offering it are drawn up. Below is a comparison of the entry requirements for Canada and the United States.

Canada

Those who want to  study in Canada  at the undergraduate level must complete at least 12 years of study and take  the SAT exam  . Whereas, to be admitted to graduate school, applicants must perform exceptionally well in final examinations as well as in international entrance examinations such as GMAT or GRE. Most Canadian universities tend to place a lot of emphasis on a student’s merit and  IELTS  /  TOEFL scores  rather than their GMAT/GRE scores.

Find out all about Canada Summer Recruitment 2022. 

USA

Fueling the fury between Canada and the US, securing admission to American universities is relatively more difficult than securing admission to Canadian universities. Like Canadian universities, undergraduate applicants must complete 12 years of study and take the SAT exam along with IELTS/TOEFL. Whereas for admission to  a master’s degree in the USA,  an applicant needs to complete 16 years (10+2+4) of education, which means that most universities accept a 4-year bachelor’s degree, as well as  GMAT  or  GRE  for management or science programs. respectively. In India, institutions typically offer three-year undergraduate courses, so candidates wishing  to study in the US  need to fill a gap year.

Which country is better?

Find out everything about spring admissions in the USA – universities, dates, admission

[Verdict: Canadian universities are relatively easier for international students to get into than US universities.]

Did you know: A key difference between the United States and Canada is the level of migrants. Canada’s immigration rate is 23.2% higher than America’s, making the population more culturally diverse. 

Canada vs USA: education system

• Both countries have comparable types of educational institutions. However, the characteristics of these institutions may change.
• Universities in Canada award degrees, and colleges award certificates and diplomas. To earn a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degree, you should look to a university, not a college, in Canada.
• In the United States, a college can be any degree-granting institution. Simply put, a university is a larger organization with more facilities and programs. Consequently, in the United States the terms “college” and “university” are used interchangeably.

Which country is better?

Popular courses

Here is a list of popular courses in Canada and the USA:

Courses in the USA

• Engineering,
• MBA,
• Candidate of Sciences,
• IT and related areas
• Sports, Sports management,
• Informatics,
• Electrical engineering,
• Biotechnology,
• Physiotherapy,
• Hospitality

Courses in Canada

• Business management
• Media Engineering
• Care
• Informatics
• Hospitality

Which country is better?

Requirements for candidates

Below are the requirements for admission to study in Canada and the USA:

US Admission Requirements

• To enroll in Undergraduate (UG) courses, you need to complete 12 years of study. However, in order to be considered for admission, you must take the SAT.
• Postgraduate (PG) programs require 16 years of study. For Indian students, this means 12 years of study and 4 years of undergraduate study. However, since three years of undergraduate study is the norm in Indian universities, you may have to enroll in a one-year course to fill the gap. Although it is unusual, some US institutions may accept your three-year degree if you studied at a prestigious Indian institution. You can find out about your situation from the admissions office of the educational institution. To get into business programs, you need to take the GMAT, and science programs require the GRE.
• You must achieve the highest possible score in each exam as there are no restrictions for admission to universities. Colleges list typical test scores acceptable for certain courses on their websites. This will give some idea of ​​what a decent result is. Regardless of your degree, you will additionally need to take language tests such as TOEFL or IELTS. For Indian students, some universities may not require a language exam, but you should still take TOEFL or IELTS as they are required for visa purposes. An MBA may require several years of work experience.

Canada Admission Requirements

• To enroll in Undergraduate (UG) courses, you need to complete 12 years of study. However, in order to be considered for admission, you must take the SAT. The diploma course lasts two to three years, whereas the degree program lasts four years.
• Getting into a professional program at the postgraduate (PG) level is easier as the entry requirements are much more lenient. You must take the GMAT to get into management programs and the GRE to get into engineering programs.
• Colleges in Canada do not use the idea of ​​acronyms. Colleges list typical test scores acceptable for certain courses on their websites. This will give some idea of ​​what a decent result is. Regardless of your degree, you will additionally need to take language tests such as TOEFL or IELTS. Even though some universities may not require a language test for Indian students, it is still recommended to take TOEFL or IELTS as they are crucial for obtaining a visa. The visa interviewer may refuse to issue you a visa if he has any doubts about your verbal abilities.

Which country is better?

Costs and Expenses

Getting higher education abroad is expensive. While a student looks forward to the opportunity to study abroad at the best universities in the world, the cost of education and living is one of the most important aspects that we need to discuss in the Canada-USA debate. The table below explains the estimated costs of education and living in Canada and the United States.

Tuition fees in Canada and the USA

Tuition fees vary from university to university in both countries. Below are estimated tuition costs for various levels of education in the US and Canada:

Category	USA	Canada
Bachelor’s degree	US$6,000–40,000 (INR 4.5 lakh – INR 30.11 lakh)	US$5,000–25,000 (INR 3.76 lakh – INR 18.82 lakh)
Postgraduate studies	US$11,700 – 45,000 (INR 8.80 lakh – INR 33.88 lakh)	US$8,000–35,000 (INR 6.02 lakh – INR 26.35 lakh)
Doctoral degree (  PhD  )	US$28,000–55,000 (INR 21.08 lakh – INR 41.41 lakh)	US$5300–7500 (INR 3.99 lakh – INR 5.64 lakh)

Find out in detail about the cost of studying in the USA

Cost of living in Canada and the USA

Aside from college costs,  the cost of education and living in Canada  is significantly lower than in the United States. Using the table below, international students can get a good idea of ​​the cost of living in each country.

Category	US (US dollars)	Canada (US dollar)
Accommodation	US$3000–8000 (INR 2.25 lakh – INR 6.02 lakh)	US$6000–7500 (INR 4.51 lakh – INR 5.64 lakh)
Living expenses	US$10,000–25,000 (INR 7.52 lakh – INR 18.81 lakh)	US$11,000–12,000 (INR 8.27 lakh – INR 9.03 lakh)
Books and supplies	US$500–1500 (INR 37,000 – INR 1.12 lakh)	US$189–265 (INR 14,000–19,000)
Medical support and insurance	US$700–1000 (INR 52–75 thousand)	US$227–600 (INR 17–45K)
Transport	US$45–100 (INR 3,000 – 7.5,000)	US$60–85 (INR 4,000 – 6,000)

*the above costs are only approximate averages and actual costs may vary depending on the course and university you choose.

Which country is better?

The cost of studying in Canada is relatively cheaper than studying in the USA. However, neither of the two countries ever compromised on the quality of education.

Financial aid/scholarships in Canada and USA

For those confused between Canada and the US, it is important to note that both countries motivate international students to study at their universities, and scholarships and benefits are among the strongest motivators for this. Below are some of the best  scholarships for Indian students  provided by Canada and USA.

Financial aid/scholarship in Canada

Be it undergraduate programs or  Canada Masters scholarships  , those who want to study in Canada will find many opportunities to finance their education. Here is the complete list  of scholarships in Canada  :

• York University International Student Scholarships
• University of Waterloo Alumni Scholarships
• Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship Program  at the University of Toronto
• University of Calgary International Entrance Scholarship
• Vanier Canada Alumni Scholarship 
• Ontario Graduate Scholarship
• Indo-Canadian Shastri Institute Scholarship
• Commonwealth of Canada Scholarships and Fellowships Plan 
• National Research Council of Canada Fellowship
• Trillium Ontario Scholarship
• Quebec Provincial Government Scholarship
• Partnership Certificates from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
• University of Manitoba Graduate Scholarship
• Hani Zeini Scholarships
• Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship
• Erasmus Scholarship

Financial aid/scholarship in the USA

The US offers quality education, but in return, candidates must pay for courses. Often, applicants who want to study in the United States are held back due to the high cost of studying at universities. To help students who find themselves in similar situations, we have listed a few popular scholarships that aim to provide Indian students with the opportunity to study in the US:

• Tata Scholarship for Cornell University 
• Rotary International Ambassadorial Fellowships 
• Fulbright Scholarships for Indian Students
• Chevron Scholarship
• Ivy Parker Memorial Scholarship
• SeflScore International Scholarship
• Western Union Foundation Global Scholarship Program
• RD Sethna Loan Scholarship
• Asian women in business
• Global Student Scholarship

Did you know: While we admire all of America’s greatest discoveries and inventions, we are especially proud of the fact that Canada invented the telephone, television, lightning, the musical synthesizer, and basketball.

Which country is better?

List of the best universities in Canada and the USA

When it comes to comparing Canada and the US, it is safe to say that both countries are home to some of the best and leading educational institutions that millions of international students dream of attending. Below is a list of some of the most famous and best universities in Canada and the USA.

United States of America	Canada
Harvard University Stanford University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cornell University Yale University California Institute of Technology California Institute of Technology Berkeley Princeton University	University of British Columbia University of Toronto McGill University University of Waterloo University of Montreal University of Ottawa York University Victoria University Dalhousie University Carleton University

Explore These Best Universities in the World 2022

Which country is better?

Did you know: Some words in Canada are spelled with “our” rather than “or”. Canadians, for example, call labor labor, and Americans write it as labor. Canadians also spell some words with “re” instead of “er”, so in Canada the center is written as center, and in the United States it is written as center.

Student visa to Canada and USA

US student visa

F1 visas are considered full-time US student visas. The restrictions for this visa are as follows:

• To obtain biometric data, you must attend an appointment and a personal interview is also required.
• Unless you have been granted permission to remain and work for some time under OPT, you are only allowed to remain in the United States for up to 90 days after completion of your academic program (optional practical training).
• In addition to the $350 SEVIS fee, it costs $160 to apply for this visa. A dependent visa will cost you an additional US$160 (per dependent).
• You are only allowed to work 20 hours a week. A student is allowed to work up to 40 hours per week during holidays, holidays and summer classes. A student is only permitted to work on campus for a business that offers services to the college, such as a restaurant or bookstore.

Student visa to Canada

The following rules apply to the Canadian student visa:

• An application for a post-graduation work visa must be submitted within 90 days of completing your studies.
• Candidates from India seeking a Canada visa are required to undergo a medical examination.
• Spouses may also work full time if his/her stay lasts a year or more.
• The visa application costs US$150 plus an additional US$80 (for biometrics).
• You are only allowed to work 20 hours a week. A student is allowed to work up to 40 hours per week during holidays, holidays and summer classes.

Which country is better?

Work permits after training

Post-study work permits and employment opportunities are further fueling the debate between Canada and the United States. Pursuing higher education in both countries entails enormous growth and career opportunities for students, however, both countries have their own rules for issuing work permits after completing the academic program. Let’s compare the rules for obtaining a work permit after studying in Canada and the USA.

Work permit after studying in Canada

According to Canadian standards, students graduating from any post-secondary institution will be issued a post-graduation work permit for a maximum period of 3 years depending on the length of the course. In addition, during the period  of validity of a work permit in Canada,  a student can also apply for a Permit of Residence (PR) under the Canadian Experience Class if he wishes to settle in the country itself. Unlike the US, obtaining a PR permit in Canada is very easy.

Read also: How to get a student permit in Canada? 

Work permit after studying in the USA

Students who would like to stay and gain practical knowledge in the same field they studied in the US can opt for a temporary work permit called OPT (Optional Practical Training) for a maximum of 12 months. In most cases, a graduate of any recognized US university will have to apply for  a post-study work visa  after obtaining a permanent job there. Whereas, if you are thinking of settling there permanently, be prepared for a long process as to get a PR you need to work in the US for at least 5 years and the culmination of this process takes years.

Which country is better?

You are confused between Canada and the USA, order a free consultation with us and get answers to all your questions!

Job Opportunities in Canada and USA 

One of the most compelling reasons to study abroad is the wide range of job prospects it provides. The most popular occupations in the United States include executives, medicine, dentistry, software development, finance, advertising, and other top-paying occupations. On the other hand, software analyst, teacher, financial manager, chemist, nurse practitioner and construction manager are some of the most in-demand jobs in Canada. Let’s compare the salaries of the most popular and popular professions in Canada and the United States to find out which is more profitable:

Better job prospects	Average salary in the US (in US dollars)	Average salary in Canada (in US dollars)
HR Manager	148,000	135,000
Financial Analyst	126,000	121,000
Aerospace engineering	128,000	116,000
Business Analyst	125,000	116,000
Project Manager	124,000	97,000
Civil Engineer	88,000	81,000

Which country is better?

A Post-Graduate Work Permit   (PGWP) is one of the advantages that Canadian international students enjoy over international students studying in the United States. The Postgraduate Work Permit, which allows international students to work in Canada for three years after graduation, is an important aspect of Canada’s immigration system. It also serves as a stepping stone to permanent residence and ultimately citizenship. Although jobs in the United States pay higher wages, obtaining an education requires a significant financial investment. Additionally, opportunities for purchasing PR in the US are lower than in Canada, making Canada one of the most popular destinations despite the income difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

 What are the main benefits of studying in the US for Indian students?

Some of the major benefits of studying in the United States for international students are:
1. Universities are ranked and recognized internationally
2. High performance and job opportunities
3. Abundance of courses and universities to choose from
4. Wide landscape opportunities in many states to choose from
5. Culturally rich environment

Which American institutions are among the best?

The best colleges in the USA include:
Harvard University,
Stanford University,
Yale University,
University of Chicago.

Is Canadian or American education better?

Students can receive an excellent education in both Canada and the United States.

This was the decisive confrontation between Canada and the United States. We, at  Leverage Edu  , provide you with a dedicated  AI-powered tool  that identifies the best course and university as per your interests, skills and preferences, thus providing step-by-step guidance at every step of your professional journey. You can also sign up for a 30-minute lesson with us by calling  1800572000  and get answers to all your questions.