Studying in Montreal

Montreal is Canada’s largest French-speaking city and one of its great student towns: cobbled streets and a European feel in parts of the old city, a packed calendar of festivals and live music, and universities that draw students from across the country and well beyond it. It also remains, for now, the cheapest major Canadian city for anyone watching a budget.

Universities and major institutes

• McGill University
• Université de Montréal
• Concordia University
• Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

Cost of living

Montreal is the most affordable major Canadian city for students. A room in a shared apartment typically runs CAD $600 to $1,000 a month, well below Toronto or Vancouver, and everyday costs such as groceries and eating out tend to follow suit. A monthly transit pass is inexpensive relative to other big cities, though as with anywhere, rents have been climbing, so treat these figures as a starting point and check current listings before committing. Quebec also sets some of its own rules around tuition and study permits, including a separate provincial acceptance certificate (the CAQ) that most international students need alongside their federal study permit, so budget time and a small fee for that step and check the official government sources for current requirements.

Getting around

The STM runs Montreal’s four metro lines (green, orange, yellow, and blue) along with an extensive bus network, and fares across the system are loaded onto an OPUS card. Many universities include a discounted student transit pass in their fees, worth confirming when you enrol. What sets Montreal apart in winter is the underground city, known locally as RÉSO: a network of tunnels and connected buildings linking metro stations, shopping centres, office towers, and parts of a few downtown campuses, so it is possible to run errands or get to class without ever stepping into the cold.

Weather and lifestyle

Winters here are cold and snowy, generally colder than Toronto and on a par with Ottawa, with several months of sub-zero days and heavy snowfall not unusual. The upside is a city that has built around it: the underground city, a lively indoor café and bar culture, and a calendar of winter festivals that keep the mood up. Summers are warm and short, and the outdoor terrasses and festival season (jazz, comedy, fireworks) make the most of them.

Working while you study

Montreal’s economy includes a sizeable gaming and technology sector, aerospace, and a large hospitality and events industry tied to its festivals and tourism, all of which offer part-time and casual work for students. For anglophone students, day-to-day life around McGill, Concordia, and much of downtown is workable in English, though some service jobs and public interactions go more smoothly with at least basic French, and Quebec’s language rules mean French is more prominent in signage and official communication than elsewhere in Canada. As across the rest of the country, international students on a study permit are generally capped at 24 hours of off-campus work per week during term, with no limit in scheduled breaks.

Neighbourhoods for students

• Plateau-Mont-Royal: lively, central, classic student area.
• Mile End: creative and trendy, near the universities.
• Côte-des-Neiges: near Université de Montréal, diverse and affordable.
• Downtown / Concordia area: central and walkable.

Explore more: universities in Canada, cost of living, and student visas.