MBA in Canada: Eligibility, Colleges, Requirements, Admission & Fees

Last Updated on July 29, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar

Are you an MBA aspirant from Canada? Are you an international student looking to pursue MBA in Canada? If yes, this article will be of help to you. Here, you will find useful information such as – best MBA programs, colleges, relevant tests, requirements, eligibility, admission process and fees.

“How’s this article of help to me?”, you may ask. Before securing admission into any B-School in Canada, it is very important to know some basic details. Details such as college rating, eligibility, tests & scores required, fees structure etc will help you make an informed choice!   MBA stands for Master of Business Administration. It is a postgraduate level management education program.   MBA is a very popular choice among graduates in Canada. Not just that, many international students also dream about pursuing an MBA Degree in Canada! It is dream destination among International Students.   It is not uncommon to see Asian and South American Graduates moving to Canada in order to pursue MBA! Quality of institutes, easy immigration process and availability of new opportunities – these are the main attractions that Canada offers to International Students.  

  “What are the benefits of pursuing an MBA?”, you may ask. The benefits are many! You fill find the main advantages in the next section. Here they are –

Why MBA?

Managerial/administrative jobs are financially well rewarding. An MBA can help you build a dream career in the management sector!   Reports show that employers are keen on recruiting candidates with management skills. Irrespective of the nature of the job, employers want employees to have basic management skills. Such candidates are highly valued and rewarded by recruiters!   A Bachelor’s Degree will help give direction and shape to your career. But a Master’s Degree like an MBA will help broaden the career prospects. It will open new doors of opportunities in front of you!   It is not uncommon to see Bachelor’s Degree holders hitting a plateau (career-wise) after setting sail! An MBA can give a boost to your stalled career! It is not uncommon to see working professionals going after an MBA for obtaining a promotion!

Why Canada?

Looking from International Students’ point of view, Canadian B-Schools have a lot to offer. Some of the main attractions are –

• Competitive curriculum
• Availability of reputed Institutes and Universities
• Chance to settle down in Canada
• Chance to experience the culture and lifestyle
• Experienced faculty
• Excellent infrastructure

Canada has always been a very popular destination among International Students. The higher education system in Canada is designed to accommodate them easily. Apart from that, the diversity of ‘student population’ is also an advantage that attracts foreign students to Canada.   Curriculum-wise, MBA programs available in Canada can be classified into two types. Here they are –

Types of MBA programs in Canada

MBA programs can broadly be classified into two types –

• General management program
• Specialization program

A general MBA program focuses on the fundamentals of management. The curriculum covers core management subjects such as HRM, Marketing, Finance, Entrepreneurship etc.   Apart from that, there also exists numerous MBA programs, which focus on a particular niche/domain/discipline. Such programs are known as specialization programs.   A typical specialization program focuses on both general management subjects and specialization-specific subjects.

Best MBA Specializations in Canada

Canadian B-Schools are also generous when it comes to modes of learning. They offer wide variety of modes of learning. Here they are –

1 MBA in HR Management

HRM is here to stay! As long as companies recruit and employ personnel, HR managers will be in demand! Companies hire skilled HR managers to take care of tasks such as recruitment, employee development, training & retention, performance analysis, compensation and rewarding.

2 MBA in Marketing Management

In order to sell goods and services, businesses need an effective marketing strategy. They depend on skilled marketing managers to develop, test and execute marketing campaigns and strategies. In short, skilled marketing managers will always be in demand!

3 MBA in Digital Marketing

Thanks to the advent of IT and Digital Technology, Digital Marketing has become very important. Sectors such as Digital Media, Online Branding and E-Commerce have opened doors to new opportunities!   In order to remain competitive in Digital Age, companies need skilled Digital Marketers. This relatively new MBA specialization is here to stay and will generate more job opportunities in the future!

4 MBA in IT

IT (Information Technology) plays a key role in our day to day lives. We use IT systems for purposes such as healthcare, education, governance, entertainment and shopping!   MBA in IT program is well known for churning out IT managers. IT managers are hired by IT firms and allied companies to take manage IT projects.

5 MBA in Travel and Tourism Management

Canada has a thriving travel and tourism industry. Each year, hundreds of thousands of tourists visit NZ!   If you want to build a career in travel and tourism sector, this academic program will be of help to you!

6 MBA in Finance Management

Why do companies hire finance managers? Finance managers ensure that there is good cash flow. They take care of strategic management and monetary decisions. They play a crucial role in ensuring the operational health of a company.   Skilled finance managers will always be in demand!

7 MBA in Business Analytics

Data, if analyzed properly, can work wonders for a company! Business analytics mainly deals with data analytics and statistical methods!   Business analytics uses a set of metrics to investigate and study the past performance of a company. The conclusion can be used to formulate strategy and plans for the company’s future!

8 MBA in Healthcare management

Healthcare sector is growing at a healthy pace in Canada. In order to ensure healthcare system’s smooth functioning, we need skilled healthcare managers!

9 MBA in Media Management

Media managers are recruited by newspapers, Digital media firms, Internet media firms, Publishing firms etc. Media – traditional and new age – is here to stay. As long as it stays, skilled media managers will always be in demand!

10 MBA in Aviation Management

Aviation industry is doing decently well in Canada. Around the globe, this sector is doing well. It generates ample job opportunities. Aviation management professionals are hired by Airlines, travel and tourism firms.

11 MBA in Operations Management

Operations managers are usually hired by manufacturing firms. An Operation manager is capable of taking care of day-to-day operations related to manufacturing, inventory management and quality control.

12 MBA in Infrastructure Management

Infrastructure managers are skilled in areas such as project management, finance management, construction management, legal aspects and HRM. They are usually hired by realty firms, infrastructure developers and real estate firms.

13 MBA in International Business

Keeping globalization in mind, it is safe to say that employers will prefer managers who have knowledge about Global business practices. This is where a Degree like MBA in International Business comes handy! This program will make you a manager capable of handling international business operations.

14 MBA in Event Management

Event management is getting more and more creative. Event management firms are looking for skilled managers who also have that streak of creativity in them!

Different modes of learning

In Canada, you will find learning modes designed for everyone’s needs! An individual may choose a learning mode based on his/her present status (employed, student, international student etc).   Here are some of the notable learning modes –

• Regular Classroom programs
• Online learning programs
• Distance Education programs
• Fast-track programs (Accelerated MBA)

Dynamic nature of programs

MBA curriculum is constantly evolving. We are living in the Digital Age now. Here, business practices get easily influenced by technology. As a result, in order to keep up with these changes in business practices, MBA curriculum must also be updated!   Signs of change are visible though. The emergence of relatively new MBA programs such as MBA in Digital Marketing & MBA in IT (Information Technology) shows that management education is still capable of evolving!

Eligibility

In order to be considered eligible to pursue this academic program, one must satisfy some basic requirements. Let’s take a look at the basic eligibility criteria –

• Minimum educational qualification: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent
• GMAT, GRE or relevant admission test
• Work experience (3-4 years, may vary though)
• Non-native English speakers and International students must hold a valid score in English language tests such as TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or PTE (Pearson Test of English Academic).

Admission Process

While applying for admission, applicants must submit GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Examination) results (not older than the specified period).   Non-native English speakers and International students must hold a valid score in English language tests such as TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or PTE (Pearson Test of English Academic).

Also read: MBA in USA

MBA in France

GRE preparation

SAT preparation

  Apart from that, depending upon the admission policy of the institute, they must also submit the following documents and things –

• Resume
• Essays
• Transcripts
• Other supporting documents

Colleges

Here are some of the best MBA colleges in the Canada –

• HEC Montreal
• Rotman School of Management
• Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan
• Ivey Business School, University of Western Ontario
• Desaultels Faculty of Management, McGill University
• Saunder School of Business, University of British Columbia
• Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University
• Schulich School of Business, York University
• Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa
• Queen’s School of Business
• University of Alberta
• McMaster University

Fees

Fees charged for the program varies from one institute to another. Tuition fees depends upon the following factors –

• Type of institute (Government, Private, Aided etc)
• Location of the college
• Status and rating of the college
• Scholarship status (of student, if applicable)
• Nationality of Student (Canadian/International Student)

It could be anywhere between 40-80K $ (average figure). For Institute-specific tuition fees, readers should check the institute’s prospectus or website.