Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Canada is a 3-4 year full-time course offered by over 125 universities. The main focus of a Bachelor of Arts degree is to develop the analytical and communication skills of students. Having an Arts degree from Canadian universities can land students jobs in business, theatre, education, tech, history, design, and many other fields. Students can also study two majors and/or one minor in one BA degree. It allows them to have multiple career options through one program.

Bachelor of Arts in Canada: Highlights

Program Duration 3-4 years
Eligibility Criteria 12th Standard
English Proficiency Requirements IELTS/TOEFL iBT
Tuition Fees 16,000 - 60,000 CAD ( 9 - 36 lakhs INR)
Average Salary 61,000 CAD (37 lakhs INR)
Popular Majors Literature, Communication, International Relations, Economics
Top Recruiters Scotiabank, Bell Canada, RBC Bank, KPMG

Top Universities for Bachelor of Arts in Canada

According to QS World Ranking 2023, the following universities are the best for BA in Canada

University Program Deadlines Tuition Fees (CAD)
University of Toronto B.A Architecture 12 January 2023 60,510
The University of British Columbia B.A Psychology 15 January 2023 42,765
McGill University B.A English - Literature 15 January 2023 31,500
McMaster University B.A Economics 1 April 2023 43,079
University of Montreal B.A English Studies IB.A History - 12,910
University of Alberta B.A Criminology 1 March 2023 31,895
University of Ottawa B.A English 1 April 2023 19,346
University of Calgary B.A Economics IB.A International Relations 1 March 2023 16,627
University of Waterloo B.A Accounting and Financial Management 1 February 2023 42,941
Simon Fraser University B.A Economics 31 January 2023 32,724

Table of Content

  1. What is BA in Canada?
  2. Why Study BA in Canada?
  3. Admissions to BA in Canada
    3.1 Eligibility
    3.2 Documents Requirements
  4. Cost of studying BA in Canada
    4.1 Tuition Fee
    4.2 Cost of Living
  5. Scholarships for BA in Canada
  6. Placements after BA in Canada
  7. BA in Canada: ROI
  8. FAQs

What is Bachelor of Arts in Canada?

A Bachelor of Arts commonly known as BA, builds the students focus and career around liberal arts, humanities, social sciences, languages and culture, and fine arts. These degree are very flexible as candidates can choose from a range of subjects, and concentrate on specific subjects of their choice. It also helps in building critical thinking skills and doing research. The most popular majors for BA in Canada are

  • Architecture
  • Anthropology
  • Communication Studies
  • Economics
  • English
  • Fine Arts
  • International Relation
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Theatre and Performance

Why Study Bachelor of Arts in Canada?

There are various reasons why an international student should choose to study BA in Canada. Some of them are listed below.

  1. The BA program in Canada is very flexible, it offers various subjects as majors to choose from.
  2. The cost of studying in Canada is comparatively less for undergraduate courses such as Bachelor of Arts.
  3. Students can pursue various master courses after a Bachelor of Arts in Canada like masters in law, MBA, go to med school, etc.
  4. Top universities in Canada offering this course are among the top 150 universities in the world
University QS World University Rankings 2023
McGill University 31
University of Toronto 34
University of British Columbia 47
University of Alberta 110
University of Montreal 116

Admissions to Bachelor of Arts in Canada

The admission requirements for BA in Canada for international students are almost the same in all the universities. Therefore, general eligibility criteria have been mentioned in the section to get an idea of the application process.

Eligibility Criteria for Bachelor of Arts in Canada

The minimum requirements to get admission to a BA in Canada for Indian Students are

  • Passing the 12th Standard
  • Minimum 70-80%
  • English Proficiency Test Scores
    • IELTS - 6.5
    • TOEFL iBT - 90

Some universities may ask for Canadian English Language Assessment (CAEL) as a demonstration of English proficiency.

Some Canadian universities have a French-taught curriculum, especially those located in the Quebec region. In such cases, students are required to demonstrate proficiency in the French language by submitting one of the following certificates:

  • DALF/DELF: Level B1 or higher
  • TEF: 233-247, NCLC level 8
  • TCF:
    • FSW: Speaking 310-348, Listening 249-279, Reading 207-232 and Writing 310-348;
    • FST: Speaking 226-270, Listening 181-216, Reading 121-150 and Writing 181-225
  • TCFQ: Level B1 or higher

Additional Documents for B.A. in Canada

There are some additional requirements for a Bachelor of Arts in Canada. These are listed below.

  1. Academic Transcripts - High School official transcripts
  2. Statement of Purpose (SOP) - Explaining the reasons for choosing the university and the program
  3. Letter of Recommendation - It should be written by professors who know you well and can write a good recommendation for you.
  4. A valid Passport
  5. Proof of Financial Funds

Cost of Studying Bachelor of Arts in Canada

The two major categories of cost of studying - tuition fees and cost of living for a BA in Canada are discussed in this section.

Tuition Fees for Bachelor of Arts in Canada

The tuition fees for a BA in Canada can range from 16,000 CAD to 60,000 CAD (9 - 36 lakhs INR). The separate tuition fees for each university are mentioned in the table below.

Bachelor of Arts in Canada Tuition Fees
University Tuition Fees (CAD) Tuition Fees (INR)
University of Toronto 60,510 36,76,929
The University of British Columbia 42,765 25,98,643
McGill University 31,500 19,14,117
McMaster University 43,079 26,17,723
University of Montreal 12,910 7,84,535
University of Alberta 31,895 19,38,120
University of Ottawa 19,346 11,75,572
University of Calgary 16,627 10,10,350
University of Waterloo 42,941 26,09,337
Simon Fraser University 32,724 19,88,499

Cost of living in Canada

Given below is a brief description of average living cost in Canada.

Expense Type Average Cost (CAD) Average Cost (INR)
Accommodation 400-600 per month 24,078-36,117
Food 85+ per week 5,116
Transportation 100+ per month 6,019
Internet 55-85 per month 3,310-5,116
Health Insurance 600 per year 36,529

For a detailed version, visit Cost of living in Canada for International Students.

Scholarships for Bachelor of Arts in Canada

Scholarship Eligibility Awards (CAD)
Outstanding International Student Award Be new to UBC entering from secondary school Demonstrating outstanding academic achievement Consideration based on academic performance
International Admission Scholarship (University of Alberta) High School Average Evaluation done at the time of admission offer Up to 5000 CAD
International Entrance Scholarships High academic qualification (85% and 6.5+ IELTS Score) 2,000 for first two semesters
English Proficiency Entrance Scholarship
  • TOEFL iBT - 102 or IELTS - 7.5
  • TOEFL iBT- 110 or IELTS - 8
  • 1,000
  • 1,500

Bachelor of Arts in Canada: Placements

The scope of BA in Canada is vast. Graduates from this course are placed at different levels for different roles. Jobs in Canada offer good salaries and exposure to fresh graduates.

Bachelor of Arts in Canada: Placements
Profession Average Annual Salary (CAD) Average Annual Salary (INR)
Marketing Coordinator 45,305 27,52,987
Marketing Specialist 54,281 32,98,420
Project Manager 76,881 46,71,723
Marketing Director 95,592 58,08,709
Digital Marketing Manager 68,062 41,35,831
Administrative Assistant 43,017 26,13,955
Human Resources Manager 72,499 44,05,448
Operations Manager 71,103 43,20,619
Office Manager 52,228 31,73,668
Legal Assistant 46,367 28,17,520
Communications Coordinator 46,633 28,33,684

Bachelor of Arts in Canada: Return on Investment

The ROI for Canadian universities is neither too bad nor too good. But investing money in the Canadian education system is worth it because of its

Bachelor of Arts in Canada: Return on Investment
University Tuition Fees (CAD) Average Annual Salary Equivalent (CAD)
University of Montreal 12,910 50,000
University of Alberta 31,895 73,000
Simon Fraser University 32,724 82,000
University of Ottawa 19,346 66,000

BA in Canada is aimed at providing basic knowledge about the subject to students. You will be eligible to pursue a career in the chosen course after pursuing this degree. However, to increase the level of expertise and for better career opportunities, a master's degree is required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques: Is BA available in Canada?

Ans: Bachelor of Arts is one of the most popular program choices in Canada. It is available for both international and domestic students.

Ques: How many years is a BA in Canada?

Ans: A Bachelor of Arts degree in Canada is for 4 years. In Canada, a bachelor’s degree is usually 4 years long for full-time studies.

Ques: What are the courses I can pursue after BA in Canada?

Ans: Students can choose to pursue Master of Arts after their bachelors. They can study the masters course in the same specialisation as their Bachelor of Arts or something more specific like MA in Intercultural and International Communication after a BA in Communication Studies.

Ques: Can I get a job in Canada after BA?

Ans: International students have to apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) to get a job in Canada. Students can get jobs in various sectors and the specialisations they are pursuing.

Ques: What are the subjects in BA in Canada?

Ans: The subjects in a BA degree are varied, students can choose from

  1. Architecture
  2. Anthropology
  3. Communication Studies
  4. Economics
  5. English
  6. International Relation
  7. Psychology