PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada: Top Colleges, Application Process, Cost, Scholarships and Job Prospects

Syed Yusuf Ashraf Study Abroad Content Specialist

Study Abroad Content Specialist

Highlights:

Course Duration: PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada lasts from 8 months to 1 year as a full-time program at top colleges like University of Waterloo, University of Calgary and Douglas College.
Admission Requirements for Indian Students: Indian students must have 60% in a 4-year bachelor’s degree in data science or related discipline to secure admission into a PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada.
Cost of Study: PG Diploma in Data Science costs around 16,960 to 19,490 CAD (10.38 lakhs to 11.93 INR) per annum for Indian students.
Career Outcomes: Data scientists in Canada reportedly earn an average salary of 198,000 CAD (1.21 cr INR) per annum
Top Paying Job Roles: The top paying jobs in Canada after PG Diploma in Data Science include Data Analyst, Data Mining Engineer and Business Analyst. The data scientist and data analyst are the most popular job roles among Indians.

PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada is available for Indian students in 8 months to 1-year full-time mode or as a 2 year part-time option. The program is offered as Data Analytics in most Canadian Colleges. As an Indian student, you can expect to pay around 16,960 to 19,490 CAD (10.38 lakhs to 11.93 INR) annually as tuition fee for PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada.

To be eligible for a data science PG Diploma in Canada, Indian students require a 4-year bachelor’s degree with a 60% average. The admissions are highly competitive in universities offering PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada. You can't secure your place just by meeting the minimum requirements.

Hence, Indian applicants are encouraged to target a GPA of around 3.0 (85%) for a bachelor’s degree to meet the competitive edge.
To meet the ELP requirements, you need a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 and a TOEFL IBT score between 83-90.

Data science is one of the booming industries in Canada. There will be 29,300 data science jobs in Canada by the year 2031. Around 32,700 candidates are expected to fill these positions. As per the current trends, the IT sector of Canada is likely to grow by 22.4% in the coming years. This makes Canada a favorable destination for Indian students seeking PG diploma abroad. The popular job roles that Indian students may choose after completing a PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada are Data Analyst, Data Mining Engineer, Business Analyst, or Business Intelligence Developer.

Indian students after graduating from a PG diploma in Canada are eligible for post graduate work permit. 1 year PG diploma holders are eligible for 1 year work permit. While graduates with 2 yrs PG Diploma are eligible for 3 year work permit in Canada

Table of Content

Top Universities for PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada
Why Study PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada
PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada Application Process
PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada Cost of Study
PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada Scholarships
PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada Placements
FAQs

Top Universities for PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada

Listed below are the top PG diploma in data science in Canada colleges including programs offered, application deadline and annual tuition fees for Indian students:

Universities	Program Offered	Duration	Application Deadline	Annual Tuition Fees (CAD)
Douglas College	Post Degree Diploma in Data Analytics	1 year	Winter Intake [Sept 30, 2024] \| Summer Intake [Jan 31, 2025]	19,490
Langara College	Postgraduate Diploma in Data Science	2 year	September 30, 2024	19,137
University of Calgary	Graduate Diploma in Data Science and Analytics	8 months	March 26, 2024	17,655
University of Waterloo	Graduate Diploma in Data Analytics	8 months	October 1, 2024	17,631
Thompson University	Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Applied Data Science	2 years	May 1, 2024 (Closed)	17,721
Okanagan College	Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Marketing and Data Analytics	2 years	April 30, 2024 (Closed)	16,960

Why Study PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada

Canada is one of the most preferred study-abroad destinations for Indian students. What attracts Indian students is the country's high quality education, smooth immigration policy, and endless job opportunities. Lets us discuss why you should choose Canada to pursue PG Diploma in Data Science:

Wide Job Opportunities: The Canadian government has recently invested around 1.26 billion CAD for data science jobs. Moreover, Canada is targeting to fill more than 575,000 STEM jobs in the coming 5 years.
Career Oriented Course: Pursuing PG Diploma in Data Science is an ideal choice for Indian students. PG Diploma being a career oriented course improves an individual’s employability upon graduation. Students will get to master their skills in data visualization, computational analytics, and data thinking tools that the majority of industries work on.
Part- time Job Opportunities: Indian students can also work part-time while studying in Canada. The common Part-time jobs available for Indian students include sales assistant, tutor, delivery executives, server and campus ambassador. Indian students are limited to work up to 20 hours per week during semesters and 40 hours per week during summer break.
Cost Effective: Indian students can consider pursuing PG Diploma in data science over a masters degree as it costs relatively less.
Short Duration: A PG diploma is also available with a duration of just 8 months. Meanwhile, there are only a few masters degrees in Canada available with 1 year duration. This ideal for Indian students who wish to take only 1 year break from work.

PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada Application Process

Each university in Canada offering a PG Diploma in Data Science has their own set of entry requirements. Hence, applicants are advised to check the university website before applying for admission to this course. Given below are the basic admission requirements for Indian students.

Admission Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree with 60% average in data science or relevant discipline
English language proficiency:
- IELTS- 6.5
- TOEFL IBT- 90
Statement of purpose
Letters of recommendation
Resume

PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada University Specific Requirements:

Check out specific academic and test score requirements for PG Diploma program in Canadian universities:

Universities	Academic Requirements	English Language Requirements
Douglas College	60%	IELTS: 6.5 \| TOEFL IBT: 83
Langara College	60%	IELTS: 6.5 \| TOEFL IBT: 88
University of Calgary	3.0 GPA on 4.0 scale (85%) in the last 2 years	IELTS: 6.5 \| TOEFL IBT: 86
University of Waterloo	75%	IELTS: 7.0 \| TOEFL IBT: 90
Thompson Rivers University	3.0 GPA on 4.33 scale (80%)	IELTS: 6.5 \| TOEFL IBT: 88
Okanagan College	60%	IELTS: 6.5 \| TOEFL IBT: 88

PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada Cost of Study

The annual cost of pursuing a data science post graduate diploma in Canada ranges between 16,960 to 19,490 CAD (10.38 lakhs to 11.93 INR) for Indian students. Additionally, Indian students must plan an annual budget around 22,531 (13.79 lakhs INR) to meet the cost of living in Canada. The exact cost may vary from region To region.

Tuition Fees

Check out the estimated annual tuition fee for PG Diploma in Data Science across top universities in Canada:

Universities	Annual Tuition Fees (CAD)	Annual Tuition Fees (INR)
Douglas College	19,490	11.93 lakhs
Langara College	19,137	11.71 lakhs
University of Calgary	17,655	10.81 lakhs
University of Waterloo	17,631	10.79 lakhs
Thompson University	17,721	10.85 lakhs
Okanagan College	16,960	10.38 lakhs

PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada Tuition Fees

Cost of Living in Canada

Following are the expected expenses that Indian students may include while planning an annual budget for the cost of living in Canada:

Expenses	Cost Per Annum	Cost Per Annum
Housing and food	13,500	8.26 lakhs
Books and Supplies	2,625	1.6 lakhs
Transportation	552	33,799
Medical Coverage	1,354	82,907
Miscellaneous	4,500	2.75 lakhs
Total Estimated Cost	22,531	13.79 lakhs

PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada Scholarships

Canadian universities offer very few scholarships for diplomas or other related courses. Mentioned below are some of the popular scholarships in Canada which Indian students can avail to fund their PG Diploma.

Awarded By	Scholarship Name	Eligibility Criteria	Award
Douglas College	Dr. Guangwei Ouyang International Education Entrance Scholarship	Students must demonstrate high academic standings \| Proof of involvement in extracurricular activities, community service or and personal achievement	2,500 CAD
Langara College	International Entrance Awards	Must be an international student \| Have met all eligibility criteria \| A GPA of 3.33 or 76% in previous institution \| IELTS score of 7.0	Variable
Thompson Rivers University	Academic Excellence Award	Applicant must achieve 86% in high school/College/university \| A GPA of 3.0 is required for scholarship renewal	2,000 CAD
Thompson Rivers University	Exceptional Student Award	Applicant must achieve 80% in high school/College/university \| IELTS score of 6.5 \| A GPA of 3.33 is required for scholarship renewal	4,000 CAD

PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada Placements

According to salary explorer, the data scientist professional in Canada typically earns between 107,000 to 298,000 CAD (65.51 lakhs to 1.84 cr INR) per annum. The average salary of data scientists in Canada is reportedly around 198,000 CAD (1.21 cr INR). To work as a data scientist in Canada, Indian students must apply for work study permits post completion of their Diploma. 1 year work permit is offered to 1 year diploma holders. A 3 year work permit is offered to those graduates with a 2 year PG Diploma in Canada.

Popular Job Roles for Data Science Professionals in Canada:

Job Profile	Average Annual Salary (CAD)	Average Annual Salary (INR)
Machine learning scientist	162,625	99.61 lakhs
Data Analyst	60,416	37 lakhs
Machine Learning Engineer	140,000	85.75 lakhs
Business Analyst	78,574	48.12 lakhs
Data Mining Engineer	80,673	49.41 lakhs
Business Intelligence Developer	81,945	50.19 lakhs
Data Architect	81,000	49.61 lakhs

PG Diploma in Data Science in Canada Top Paying Job Roles

With a growing market for data science, studying PG Diploma in Data Science is a good option for Indian students. The PG diploma in data science majorly focuses on skills that every top employer seeks in a suitable candidate. Many top MNCs are looking for highly professional data scientists for their organizations. Some of them include Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft, Canadian Security Intelligence etc.

FAQs

Ques. Does a PG Diploma have value in Canada?

Ans. A PG Diploma in Canada is highly valuable as it makes you eligible for a work permit of 1-3 years depending on course duration. PG Diploma is basically a specialization program focused on practical learning in a particular field of study. Graduates with PG Diploma can earn lucrative careers after graduation.

Ques. What is a PG diploma equivalent to in Canada?

Ans. According to the National Qualification Framework, a PG Diploma in Canada is comparable to a master's degree. However, a PG diploma typically consists of 120 credits while a masters degree has 180 credits.

Ques. Can I get PR after a PG Diploma in Canada?

Ans. Yes, you are eligible to apply For a 1 year PR post completion of PG Diploma in canada. There are several options available for Indian students post completion of their courses in Canada. To get easy PR in Canada, Indian students are first advised to obtain a 1 year work permit in Canada. This will help you gain valuable experience and will also improve your CRS score for Canada express profile.

Ques. How long can I stay in Canada after my PG Diploma?

Ans. You can stay back in Canada uo to 3 years after completing your PG Diploma. Those pursuing a 1 year PG diploma can only stay for 1 year in Canada.