Requirements to Study in Canada From Nepal (2025 Guide)
NEB grade cut-offs, IELTS scores, proof-of-funds tables and PGWP-safe programmes — what Nepali students actually need to study in Canada.
What you need to qualify
To study in Canada from Nepal you need four things: an NEB (or equivalent) grade that clears the institution's threshold, an English test score, proof of funds that matches your family size, and — for most programmes — a letter of acceptance from a Designated Learning Institution before you apply for a study permit. The exact numbers differ enormously by university and by programme, which is where most Nepali applicants go wrong: they check one university's website and assume the figure applies everywhere.
Academic requirement: what your NEB grade needs to be
Canadian colleges and universities assess the NEB GPA (or percentage) on a sliding scale. Most colleges will consider an NEB GPA of 2.0–2.4, but universities generally want 2.8–3.2 or higher, which maps to roughly 65–75%. Below 2.0 you are usually looking at a foundation or pathway year, not direct entry.
| NEB GPA | What it typically gets you |
|---|---|
| 2.0 (low) | College diploma entry only; foundation likely needed for university |
| 2.4 | College diploma entry |
| 2.8 | Entry-level university threshold at several mid-tier universities |
| 3.0 | Competitive at mid-tier universities |
| 3.2 (good) | Opens most universities, including conditional entry at UBC/UofT |
| 3.5+ (strong) | Competitive range for Engineering/CS at top universities |
A sample of how this plays out at specific institutions:
| University | Min GPA | Effective % needed | Foundation year available |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto | 3.2–3.6 | 80–85%+ | No |
| UBC | 3.2–3.6 | 80–85%+ | UBC Vantage One (11 months) |
| Waterloo | 3.2+ | 75%+ general; 85–95%+ for Eng/CS/Math | No |
| McGill | 3.2 | ~80%+ | No |
| SFU | 2.75 | ~65–70% | Fraser International College (1 year, guaranteed Year 2 progression) |
| University of Alberta | 2.8 | 70% | Open Studies Foundation Program |
| University of Manitoba | 2.8 | 70% (Arts/Science); 85%+ (Commerce/Health) | IAEP via English Language Centre |
The catch: the published minimum is rarely what gets a student admitted. UofT and Waterloo list minimums in the 70s but their actual admitted averages for Engineering and CS run into the high 80s and 90s. If your NEB percentage sits close to a university's stated minimum, treat it as a maybe, not a yes.
Engineering and Computer Science applicants to Waterloo and UofT also need specific Grade 12-equivalent subjects — Advanced Functions, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics, English — each at a minimum mark, plus a mandatory supplementary application (AIF at Waterloo, personal profile essay at UofT). Grades alone do not get you in.
English test scores and the WES trap for postgraduate applicants
IELTS requirements vary by university and by programme, not just by level of study. A general guide, using the figures confirmed for specific programmes:
- Standard graduate minimum at most universities: 6.5 overall (UBC, SFU, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Guelph, Brock)
- UofT and Waterloo (most programmes): 7.0 overall / 6.5 per band
- UNB: 7.0 overall as the base minimum, the most demanding in this comparison
- TMU MBA: 7.5 overall, the highest bar among the MBA programmes reviewed
- Brock: 6.5 overall / no band below 6.0, the lowest bar reviewed
The WES issue trips up far more applicants than low IELTS scores. McGill's own FAQ states verbatim that WES transcripts are not accepted — submit raw official transcripts with a certified translation only. University of Manitoba's graduate admissions explicitly state the same. Meanwhile Brock requires WES Course-by-Course evaluation for every international graduate applicant (budget CAD 250 and 4–6 weeks), and UNB requires WES ICAP for all international graduate applicants (CAD 330 and 7–8 weeks). Sending WES to a university that rejects it, or skipping it for one that mandates it, costs weeks you don't get back. Check each university's own page before you pay for an evaluation.
A second trap: Nepal's standard three-year bachelor's degree. Most universities will not accept it directly into a master's programme — they want a completed TU master's first. McGill is the stated exception: it explicitly accepts three-year TU degrees from UGC-recognised institutions, minimum grade B. York's Schulich MBA also explicitly accommodates three-year TU holders, provided they show three years of work experience instead of the standard two.
Proof of funds by family size
Canadian study permit applications are assessed partly on whether you can show funds matching your family size. The published figures (CAD) by number of people:
| Family size | Funds required |
|---|---|
| 1 | 23,448 |
| 2 | 29,192 |
| 3 | 35,888 |
| 4 | 43,572 |
| 5 | 49,419 |
| 6 | 55,736 |
| 7 | 62,054 |
| Each additional person | 6,318 |
These are cumulative figures for the family unit, not per-person add-ons you need to calculate yourself. If your family size or city isn't a clean fit for the table, use the Master Reckoner — it matches your numbers against course, cost and English requirements in one pass rather than you adding figures across different tables.
Cost of living: it depends entirely on which city you pick
Tuition gets most of the attention, but monthly living cost is where city choice makes the biggest difference to your budget. These are the supplied monthly figures by city:
| City | Monthly cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto | $3,500 | Highest demand; 1-BR rent $2,300+ |
| Vancouver | $3,500 | Most expensive rent in Canada |
| Burnaby | $3,200 | Slightly below Vancouver |
| Ottawa | $2,900 | Capital; uOttawa/Algonquin |
| Waterloo | $2,700 | Tech town; student-heavy |
| Calgary | $2,700 | No provincial sales tax |
| Halifax | $2,500 | Atlantic; AIP region |
| Montreal | $2,400 | Cheapest big city; Quebec rules differ |
| Edmonton | $2,400 | Affordable Alberta |
| Winnipeg | $2,200 | Lowest cost; UManitoba |
| Saskatoon | $2,200 | Affordable Prairies |
| Regina | $2,200 | Affordable |
| Fredericton | $2,200 | UNB; low cost |
| Other (small city) | $2,100 | Smaller centres trend cheaper |
A Toronto or Vancouver budget and a Winnipeg or Saskatoon budget are not close. Factor this into which city you shortlist before you fall in love with a specific university's name. See the Canada hub for how this interacts with course and visa planning.
Choosing a programme that keeps your work options open
Not every diploma qualifies for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), and the difference often comes down to the exact programme code, not the subject name. Business Administration diplomas (CIP 52.0201) are not on IRCC's eligible list — one of the most common "not eligible" surprises, despite being one of the most popular choices among Nepali students. Supply Chain Management diplomas, by contrast, are explicitly eligible. A four-year Business degree is exempt from the field-of-study requirement entirely, so the degree-vs-diploma decision matters as much as the subject. Software Development, Computer Systems Technology, Cybersecurity, Data Analytics and Digital Marketing diplomas are all confirmed PGWP-eligible under IRCC's STEM list. Confirm the exact CIP code on the programme page before you commit — the name alone can mislead you.
Official sources
- University of Toronto — https://future.utoronto.ca
- UBC — https://you.ubc.ca
- McGill — https://www.mcgill.ca/undergraduate-admissions/
- University of Waterloo — https://uwaterloo.ca/future-students/
- University of Alberta — https://www.ualberta.ca/admissions/
- York University — https://www.yorku.ca/admissions/
- Toronto Metropolitan University — https://www.torontomu.ca/admissions/
- Simon Fraser University — https://www.sfu.ca/students/admission.html
- University of Calgary — https://www.ucalgary.ca/future-students/
- University of Ottawa — https://www.uottawa.ca/study/
- George Brown College — https://www.georgebrown.ca/international
Common questions
What NEB percentage do I need to study in Canada?
It depends on the institution. Colleges generally accept an NEB GPA of 2.0–2.4, but universities want 2.8–3.2 or higher, which is roughly 65–75%. Top universities such as UofT, UBC and Waterloo have effective competitive averages of 80–95%+ for popular programmes, well above their published minimums.
Is WES required to apply to Canadian universities from Nepal?
It depends entirely on the university — there is no single rule. McGill and the University of Manitoba explicitly reject WES evaluations and want raw transcripts instead, while Brock and UNB make WES mandatory for every international graduate applicant. Check the specific university's graduate admissions page before paying for an evaluation.
How much money do I need to show for a Canada study permit?
The funds required scale with family size, starting at CAD 23,448 for one person and rising to CAD 62,054 for a family of seven, with CAD 6,318 for each additional person beyond that. Use the Master Reckoner to check your own family's figure against your target city's living cost.
Can I get a three-year bachelor's degree accepted for a Canadian master's?
Most Canadian universities expect a completed TU master's on top of a three-year bachelor's before they will consider you for direct graduate entry. McGill is an explicit exception — it accepts three-year TU degrees from UGC-recognised institutions directly, with a minimum grade of B. Read more comparisons on the blog.