The ledger
What Canada costs, from Kathmandu
Before you fly
2.3 lakh
Tests, papers, fees, the flight and our charges. Spent whether or not the visa is granted.
Must be in the bank
25.7 lakh
Living expenses for a single applicant, raised on 1 September 2026. Tuition and travel are on top of it, not inside it. A GIC is a well-regarded way to show this and has not been compulsory since the Student Direct Stream closed in November 2024: bank statements, a paid tuition receipt, an education loan or documented sponsor support are all accepted.
Everything, year one
45.4 lakh
Both of the above plus tuition, living costs and health cover for twelve months.
Converted at NPR 109.80 per CAD, Nepal Rastra Bank’s selling rate published 2026-09-20.
Before you fly
What leaves the house first
None of it comes back if the visa is refused. That is the honest reason to be sure about the application before making it, rather than after.
IELTS. PTE is a little less.
Paid to MoEST through ConnectIPS, eSewa or Khalti. Three to seven working days.
CAD 150 · Study permit application. Biometrics CAD 85 on top.
CAD 85
One way, economy, booked about a month ahead.
On signing the service agreement
Before lodgement
The first year there
Once you have landed
Tuition is a genuine range, not a hedge. Which end you land on is decided by the institution, and that decision is worth more than anything else on this page.
CAD 15,000 · College diploma, one year.
CAD 38,000 · University master's, one year.
CAD 23,448 · IRCC cost-of-living requirement for a single applicant outside Quebec, raised from CAD 22,895 on 1 September 2026.
CAD 800 · Provincial or private, varies by province.
The number that actually decides it
NPR 25,74,590
Living expenses for a single applicant, raised on 1 September 2026. Tuition and travel are on top of it, not inside it. A GIC is a well-regarded way to show this and has not been compulsory since the Student Direct Stream closed in November 2024: bank statements, a paid tuition receipt, an education loan or documented sponsor support are all accepted.
Families often assume this is money they need on top of everything else. Usually it is not: it is the same money, shown before it is spent. What matters is that it is provably yours, in an account, on the day it is asked for.
Before you commit any of it
52 percent of applications to Canada from Nepal were refused in 2024. The reality check will tell you where you sit against that.
Other destinations