study in Vancouver
A west-coast city between mountains and ocean, with the mildest winters in Canada, a strong tech and film sector — and housing costs that rival Toronto's.
Vancouver is the exception to Canadian winter. Sheltered between the Coast Mountains and the Pacific, it gets rain where the rest of the country gets snow — which for a student from Nepal removes both a large heating cost and a significant adjustment.
It is famous for the setting, and the setting is not exaggerated: skiing and the ocean are both inside the city's transit reach. Economically it runs on technology, film and television production, trade through the port, and a large services sector.
The problem is cost. Vancouver competes with Toronto for the most expensive housing in Canada, in a smaller city with a thinner job market. That combination is the honest case against it.
Two large universities plus a well-regarded polytechnic, spread across the metropolitan area.
University of British Columbia
Among Canada's top research universities; forestry, medicine, engineering, computer science and earth sciences.Simon Fraser University
On Burnaby Mountain with city campuses; computing science, business, criminology and interactive arts.British Columbia Institute of Technology
Applied and trades-focused; engineering technology, health sciences and computing, with strong employment links.Vancouver is as expensive as Toronto with a smaller job market. The mild climate genuinely removes heating and winter-clothing costs, but it does not come close to offsetting the rent.
Against the other cities we cover in Canada, Vancouver is one of the more expensive. That is our reading of this country’s own spread, not a published index.
The living-cost money you must prove before a study permit is granted is CA$22,895 for a single applicant, outside Quebec.
The practical texture of the place — what a week actually looks like.
Climate
The mildest in Canada — wet grey winters rather than freezing ones, and comfortable summers. Rain, not snow, is the defining feature.
Getting around
SkyTrain, buses and a seabus on one Compass card. The network is good, which makes living further out workable.
Housing
Among the most expensive in North America. Shared housing is essential; look at Burnaby, Surrey and New Westminster rather than the downtown peninsula.
Working
Up to 24 hours a week off campus during term under current rules. Hospitality, retail, film production support and warehousing.
Community
A substantial South Asian population, especially in Surrey. The Nepali community is smaller than Toronto's but established.
The outdoors
Genuinely accessible — mountains, sea and forest are within transit distance. The cheapest recreation available in an expensive city.
British Columbia study permit applications generally require a provincial attestation letter (PAL), issued by the province and capped in number.
BC has also tightened rules on private institutions, removing several from eligibility for post-graduation work permits. Verify both that your institution is a Designated Learning Institution and that its programme leads to a PGWP — those are two separate checks, and a college can pass the first while failing the second.
Vancouver is one of 5 cities we cover in Canada. Tap any pin to compare — the city you pick moves your total cost more than almost any other choice you make.