How much does grad school cost?

[HFSDev]

Hi!

 

I have plans to apply to grad school, to a master's degree program, but don't know how much that would cost. Surely it will depend on a number of things. But I was hoping I could get some indication. I mean, does anyone know how much it costs to get a master's degree at Waterloo, UBC or UoT? Maybe a good public university, any advices? There're some good universities in my country offering grad education for free, but I'd love to study in other country. I was thinking about Canada, but I've heard that grad school is very expensive there. So any advices?

[bedmas]

It really depends on the program and the school (you would have to look on their websites!) but I think Canadian masters programs tend to range between 5000-12000 per year.

[HFSDev]

I've heard that some universities in Germany are actually free. Can anyone confirm that?

[TakeruK]

In most fields, a Canadian masters program is "free" in the sense that you will be paid a stipend that is enough to cover tuition plus living expenses. In the sciences, they usually pay you enough to not have to take out any loans or have a side job, but I know that's not always true in other fields.

 

In Canada, students who want a PhD are expected to get a Masters first, then reapply for the PhD program. It's not unusual for a student to do a Masters at one school and a PhD somewhere else. It's also not unusual for a student to stay at the same school but work with different supervisors, or on a different project. In most fields in countries like the US, a Masters degree is not usually a terminal degree -- you either get it on your way to a PhD at the same program, or you get it because you had to leave your PhD program early. Thus, it is generally hard to find a funded Masters program in the US. However, in Canada, I would say a very large (compared to the US) fraction of students go to grad school, get a Masters, and then they would decide whether or not they want to pursue a PhD. I would say something like half of MSc graduates I know do not end up going for the PhD -- there are lots of jobs that require a MSc degree in Canada!

 

As for cost, again it depends on field. In my field, the typical domestic tuition rate in Canada is $5000 to $7000 per year (12 months). International tuition is usually 2 to 3 times that cost but international students in my field usually get extra funded to cover all of the difference. Typical stipends for domestic students range from $22,000 to $35,000 per year. The stipends are higher in cities with higher cost of living, usually. International students can get an extra $5000 to $10000 per year because of the extra tuition costs, but their take-home pay is about the same, maybe a bit less, than a domestic student.

[nugget]

It really depends on what field you are in and if you plan to do a thesis. If it's a course-based program with no thesis (like the programs I applied to) you usually do not get full funding. Scholarships are very limited and often not more than a few thousand dollars if you are lucky enough to get one. Most people use their own money and take out student loans.

 

This is my situation. I plan to live frugally for 2 years with no car and by renting out a room in a house or apartment with other students. I'm guessing I'll need $40,000-45,000 for 2 years (or 5 semesters) to cover books, tuition and basic living expenses.

 

If it's a thesis-based masters, then funding is usually available and it will cover most or all of your expenses, as "takeruK" mentioned above. These programs tend to accept far less students and are harder to get into than unfunded programs, naturally.

 

(In my estimates, I am referring to domestic tuition rates for Canadians. If you don't qualify, you will need to have a bigger budget to cover the higher tuition fees for international students).

Edited May 15, 2013 by jenste

[wtncffts]

Others have given very good information; I'll just say that I did have to take out loans for my MA as I had TA funding but no stipend otherwise. Although this is something you could easily look up, here's links to the fees for the schools you mentioned:

 

UBC

http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=14,266,773,1450 

 

Waterloo

https://uwaterloo.ca/graduate-studies/application-admission/study-living-costs

 

UofT

http://www.provost.utoronto.ca/link/students/fees13/intl_sgs.htm

[nugget]

If you haven't found it already, here is a nice link on free tuition in europe. It also mentions Germany.

 

http://www.scholars4dev.com/4031/list-of-european-countries-with-tuition-freelow-tuition-universities-colleges/

[ANDS!]

All your monies.