Several universities in Canada offer world-class education for MCA (Masters in Computer Application) aspirants from other countries. If you search for MCA courses on the website of any Canadian university, you may not find any as in Canada, universities offer this course as an MSc/ MS Computer Science. Most Canadian universities' fee structure is affordable and much less expensive than US and UK universities. Usually, the duration of MSc. Computer Science in Canada is two years, and to get admission to this master's programme, the aspirants must complete 4 years of education after their 12th grade. Many Canadian universities offer scholarships for international students, and on successful completion, the students can either take up a job or do further studies. 

MCA in Canada: Highlights

MCA vs MSc Computer Science in Canada

MSc Computer Science and MCA are two master's programmes available for those who would like to pursue their career in IT. But you may not find an MCA programme in universities situated in Canada; Canadian universities offer only MSc Computer Science at the master's level. 

However, the curriculum of these programmes is more or less identical, and their scope is also similar.

Now a question might have popped up in your mind. Whether I should pursue MCA in India or MSc in Canada? As most Canadian universities enjoy global recognition, it's wise to do your master's from Canada. Additionally, pursuing your master's from abroad will help you avail yourself of international exposure; enjoy world-class facilities, highly qualified faculties from across the globe, and interact with similar minds from other countries. Apart from this, Canada offers ample opportunities for those who would like to do research after their master's. Above all, Canada is home to many MNCs, and the unemployment rate in Canada is very low, currently at 6.5%. It may help you find your dream job easily with an attractive pay package.

Scope of MCA in Canada

• IT Specialist
• Web Domain Manager
• Programmer/ Software Specialist
• Software Developer/ Computer Programmer
• Professor
• Ethical Hacker
• Cloud Engineer
• Game Animator
• System Analyst
• Cyber Security Manager
• Software Architect
• Database Administrator (DBA)

TOP MCA Colleges in Canada

Pursuing your master's degree from a Canadian university ensures world-class education and opens the door to becoming a permanent resident in the country. Almost every university in Canada offers internship programmes to their students doing master's programmes. 

Below are the top universities in Canada that offer master's programmes in Computer Science.

• University of British Columbia
• University of Waterloo
  
• University of Toronto
  
• McGill University
  
• McMaster University
  
• University of Calgary
  

University of British Columbia

The department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is one of the top Computer Science departments in North America and is recognised internationally for its excellence in research and teaching. Further, UBC has got a PhD programme in Computer Science as well. Hence, those who complete their master's degree from UBC have the choice to continue their research in the same university. The 2-year master's programme, MSc Computer Science, may cost CAD 9,131 per year for international students.

University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo is one of Canada's top innovation universities, and it's known for its world-class facilities. Today, it offers more than 190 graduate programmes. The main campus of the University of Waterloo is situated in Ontario. Apart from this, it has three satellite campuses in Canada and 4 affiliated university colleges. The University of Waterloo offers Math in Computer Science, and it costs CAD 7,696 per term (on-campus) for international students.

University of Toronto

The University of Toronto is one of the most prestigious universities in Canada. The Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto offers both Master of Science and PhD in Computer Science. The curriculum of these programmes includes courses and research conducted under the supervision of faculty members. The MSc in Computer Science fee is $24,500 per year for international students. To reduce the financial burden on international students, the university offers several scholarships.

McGill University

The School of Computer Science at McGill University is one of Canada's leading teaching and research centres for Computer Science. McGill University offers MSc and PhD programmes in Computer Science. In the MSc programme, students have thesis and non-thesis options. The annual tuition fee at McGill for MSc in Computer Science stands at around CAD 15,000. To get admission in the MSc Computer Science programme, you should have scored at least 60% in your 4-year undergraduate programme and must have scored a minimum of 300 in GRE. Additionally, a valid TOEFL or IELTS score is also a must.

McMaster University

McMaster University is one of the most popular Canadian universities among international students as it provides an excellent education at affordable fees. The university offers a 2-year thesis-based MSc in Computer Science. The MSc Computer Science programme aims to advance computational theory and practice knowledge of students through intensive research in their chosen area of interest. The tuition fee of MSc Computer Science stands at around CAD 12,500 per year at McMaster University. The minimum entry requirements include a 4-year undergraduate degree, a GRE score above 309, and an IELTS score of 6.5 or above.

University of Calgary

MSc Computer Science offered by the University of Calgary is a 2-year full-time thesis-based programme. The University of Calgary also offers a PhD programme in Computer Science. Hence, after completing their master's in Computer Science, students can continue their research in the same university if they wish to do so. At the University of Calgary, it costs CAD 8,200 per year for international students to do their thesis-based MSc programme in Computer Science. To get admission to MSc Computer Science, the students must have studied Computer Science at their undergraduate level, and the undergraduate degree must be of 4 years.

MCA in Canada: Tuition Fees

Different universities charge different fees, and it depends upon the location of the university and the activities included in the programme. However, the average annual tuition fee of a master's programme in Computer Science in Canada may range between CAD 15,500 and 35,000.

Apart from tuition fees, there are pre-arrival costs that include visa application costs, entrance exam fees, travel costs, etc.

MCA in Canada: Eligibility Criteria

To get admission to MCA in a Canadian University, the candidate should meet the following requirements:

• The minimum requirement is a 4-year education after 10+2, and a large chunk of universities prefer only those with a score of 75% and above.
• English language test. For Indian students, a valid TOEFL or IELTS is a must to get admission to MCA in Canadian universities.
• Several universities require additional test scores, such as GRE.

MCA in Canada: Scholarships

As an international student doing the master's programme in Computer Science, you can avail yourself of institutional, government, or non-government scholarships in Canada. To know more about various government and non-government scholarships, visit the website of the International Council for Canadian Studies or the Government of Canada International Scholarships.

A few scholarships offered by various universities are:

MCA in Canada: Admission Process

Before proceeding with the admission procedures, check the university's entry requirements for the course you have selected and confirm that you're meeting all their conditions. 

You may require the following documents for applying for MSc in any Canadian university:

• Transcript of all past post-secondary studies. You may require only scanned copies of the original for the initial application. But if you receive admission, you must provide hard copies or secure electronic delivery of academic documents.
• Statement of Interest. It's nothing but a short essay stating why you've selected the particular programme, what you hope to achieve from the programme, why you've chosen the university to pursue your interest, etc.
• Letters of Reference. Most universities ask for 2-3 LORs from the previous qualification.
• Your resume
• Proof of work experience, if any.
• Proof of finance to fund your tuition fees
• Copies of passport, valid ID proofs, passport-size photographs, etc.

All applicants should complete the online application form and pay the application fee along with the aforementioned documents. If selected, you may get a confirmation mail from the university within a couple of weeks.

Top Recruiters for MCA in Canada

Top global names who recruit Computer Science graduates in Canada are:

• Deloitte
• IBM Canada Ltd.
• Amazon.com Inc
• Golder Associates
• WSP Global Inc
• Accenture
• RBC
• Credit Suisse
• Golder Associates
• StemCell Technologies Inc
• Ericsson Inc
• SAP
• iQmetrix
• National Bank of Canada
• CGI Group Inc

MCA Salary in Canada

Courses in Canada after MCA

Doing a job is not the only option available in front of MCA graduates. After completing the programme, many higher study choices are available for those who wish to do so. A few of them are:

• PhD in Computer Science
• MBA in IT
• Specialised courses in:
  • Data Science
  • Data Analytics
  • Web Designing
  • Programming
  • Machine Learning
  • Cloud Computing

 FAQ

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