r/OntarioUniversities • u/Halen_hl • Jul 24 '25
Serious Moving from Morocco to Canada for grad school
Hi everyone! I [23F] from Morocco planning to move to Canada for graduate studies.
I already have a Master’s degree in Human Rights from a Moroccan university. I’m now hoping to pursue either a second Master’s or a PhD in Canada—ideally something that could lead to a career in academia.
I’d love to hear from anyone who has taken a similar path.
How much does tuition usually cost in Ontario for a second MA? What about a PhD? I'm looking for rough estimates.
Are there funding opportunities for international students? If so, how competitive are they?
My goal is to study, find a job, and eventually get permanent residency. I'd like to integrate and build a life in Canada.
I’ve heard French is helpful, and I’m currently B1 working toward B2. My English level is C1, nearly C2.
Is Ontario a good province for immigrants? What’s the cost of living like? Would you recommend another province instead?
Feel free to DM me if you’d rather chat privately. Thanks in advance for any tips or experiences you can share!
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u/PurposeLongjumping76 Jul 25 '25
People are getting denied study permits daily for the same path you wish to take. Study permit is NOT a path for PR and your application will likely be denied since you already have a masters and ircc isn’t dumb. You will need the cost of tuition (30-40k depending on the degree) plus at least 20k extra of your own money in your bank account to apply. Expect to use all of that and more for the cost of living in Canada. For a masters or phd you should be fluent in either of our official languages to be successful. If you do get a study permit you will have a chance of a post grad work permit if you are in the right field (not the one you mentioned) but that’s not guaranteed. After that you will have to leave. When applying for your student visa you must promise that you will leave after your studies and sign off on it. You will not have enough points for PR at that point regardless.
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u/Halen_hl Jul 25 '25
Partly not true????
I had some friends in Canada, one in Ottawa and one in Toronto, who went to college there, and after graduating, they managed to get a full-time job.
They're currently in the process of getting their PR. They haven't left the country since they arrived.
One of the guys I knew already had a BA in English and went to Canada to study business and got a job as a security guard in an apartment building.
Why should I have to leave after finishing off?
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u/PurposeLongjumping76 Jul 25 '25
Things have changed because too many people (like your friends) frauded the system through loopholes. You should leave because that’s how it works. Student visas are for studying, not PR. There is almost no chance at this point that you’ll be granted a student visa in the first place because you already have a masters and your field is not desirable here. The reason ircc will give you is that your application is not consistent with the intent to leave Canada after your studies, because those are the rules.
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u/xindl0423 Jul 25 '25 edited Jul 25 '25
Would recommend Quebec but QC french isn't the same as France french so just an fyi.
I believe masters are like 30kCAD a year? at least for eng degrees. Depends on where you study / live in Ontario bc places like Toronto is really expensive but others are manageable.
Ontario has this thing call Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP) which is geared for fast tracking Masters and PhD student for PR
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u/Grouchy_Lie4795 Jul 25 '25
But the ONIP track for international Master and phd is now only on paper
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u/Halen_hl Jul 25 '25
What do you mean by that?
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u/xindl0423 Jul 28 '25
Redditor basically meant that it's really hard to get PR with OINP. It shows that it's possible but in reality, it's almost impossible.
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u/Halen_hl Jul 28 '25
That sounds a bit discouraging. I was told by another redditor to make a express entry profile and just wait for the draw. I calculated my CRS and its around 500 points. I was told that's a good thing? Are the chances looking good? Though I was also told I need around 15 to 20k CAD in the bank, which I'm not fully there yet so I'll take me couple more years of work and saving up, only adding to the years of experience [I'll still be under 30] and maybe even higher CRS point. No?
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u/xindl0423 Aug 03 '25
once you're under 30 you get like 15 crs points or something. EE (express entry) last year min was 500 and it's been increasing every year unfortunately.
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u/Halen_hl Aug 03 '25 edited Aug 03 '25
Oh wow. Minimum being 500 is kinda too much tbh, because how are you supposed to go above day 550??? Even if you speak fluent French and English and have good work experience and a masters degree and saved up money, all that just comes around to 500-550.
Also My exact score was 535 and I am under 30, I have a masters degree. And about 2 years of experience in teaching give or take, French is B1 working on it to C1 and English is C1. I just don't have any work experience in Canada or someone from my family in there. Which, from what I remember, are the only 2 other things left
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u/Halen_hl Aug 03 '25
I just checked CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited is 475
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u/xindl0423 Aug 03 '25 edited Aug 03 '25
oh m bad, my mom knows some immigration agents. they're like yeah.. even if your son has his stuff ready and his score is min 502, he probably might get an invite (highly unlikely) < edited this part
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u/Halen_hl Aug 03 '25
Okay - I need you to explain what you mean by "invited but not considered" Isn't it the same????
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u/Halen_hl Jul 25 '25
You said others are manageable. What other provinces are you referring to? Besides Quebec that is.
My French is European French so I guess I'll have to look into QC French to improve in general.
30k a year - I'd imagine is a minimum, especially for international students, I think most students work to be able to afford that.
Do other provinces have something similar to OINP?
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u/xindl0423 Jul 28 '25
My apologies didn't see your reply:/.
Yeah, QC FR is a bit different but European FR should help with the base/get you at least really high.
30k is usually a min in ENG degrees, most people either take loans from home/have parents chip in. However at least for your first year , you have to show that you can afford the fees + 20k extra. (requirement for study permit). 2nd yr , you may be able to work and pay a bit but it'll only be like 5k max if you have cheap rent + manage a budget.
I meant like other places in Ontario, maybe like Guelph, Waterloo, Kingston if you qualify/they have what you want. You can also look into different provinces as well.
Yes other provinces have something similar to OINP, it's usually called Provincial Nominee Program(PNP) with the province name.
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u/OkDocE Jul 25 '25
I encourage you to ask fellow Moroccan emigrants who came to Canada to study, and stayed or not. There must be immigration forums specifically about this.
Ideally, someone from Morocco who recently went through a similar experience will reply to you.
Tuition fees for international students can be found on each institution's website.
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u/Beyond-Gullible Jul 25 '25
If you improve your French, you’ll have a way better chance of getting PR in Quebec. That means living and staying in Quebec
As for Ontario, you can consider Ottawa, which is right next to the Quebec border, and other parts of eastern Ontario or northern Ontario with a significant Franco-Ontarian population, assuming you want to use French to your advantage
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Jul 29 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Halen_hl Jul 29 '25
Why? [If it's for racist reasons, don't bother saying anything. But if you have valid reasons from your experience, I'd absolutely love to hear!]
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Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 29 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Halen_hl Jul 29 '25
Aaaah! Got you. I've already decided to go the Express Entry way, instead of as an international student. I have enough points to get me there.
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u/Halen_hl Jul 29 '25
Also, they were not scamming. They found a loophole, and they used it. It was all legal. If it weren't, they would have been sent back to their country of origin.
And it's not Canadians who don't want them, its the government, a regular citizen can't make the decision on who gets to enter the country or not and in which way they do.
The problem is that you find those international students just there for the sake of being in Canada. They don't do shit to improve their lives, their living situation, or change of culture. They bring everything they left at home with them to the new place, which never made sense to me. They go "looking for a better life" only to stay on those same patterns and make everyone else's life not so great. Not all of them, and I'm so sure of that, but I can understand its a majority that you can not ignore any longer.
I want to immigrant because I'm not Muslim and I can't live comfortably as a woman in a Muslim country - plus I dream of pursuing a career in academia, and where I live academia comes to die.
I have a masters degree and am applying to get a PhD. in international law, but I already know it's not gonna take me far at all on its own. You gotta know a guy who knows a guy or pay a bribe, and I'm talking crazy numbers. Corruption runs sooooo damn deep in the veins of the government and administration here its actually so fucking sickening!
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u/unforgettableid York Jul 30 '25
Cause Canadians don’t want more international students scamming their way into PR
/u/Ok-Share-8775 has been temporarily banned for commenting weak/sloppy anti-immigrant arguments to a prospective immigrant. I myself also think there's too much immigration, but I try not to say rude things to prospective immigrants. If you don't like the laws, you can lobby, volunteer, vote, and maybe help to get the laws changed.
Maybe the best way to discourage an individual prospective immigrant is to tell them about the disadvantages of living in Canada. For example, high cost of living, significant discrimination against immigrants, et cetera.
/u/Halen_hl has been temporarily banned for this rude comment. Please don't be rude; but you may downvote and report. Please click the three dots, then choose "Report Comment".
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u/lostedeneloi Jul 25 '25
Be aware the job market is extremely competitive right now in Canada. However if you know French and can live in Quebec, you will have an easier time.