Simon Fraser University, on Burnaby Mountain above Vancouver, is Canada's co-operative education leader and one of its most international universities. SFU's reputation rests on a simple idea carried through consistently: students should alternate academic terms with paid work terms in their field, graduating with a degree and a CV at the same time. For international students, that model is doubly valuable, because co-op work experience counts toward the skilled Canadian experience that later supports permanent residence.
Programmes and the co-op advantage
SFU's strongest areas are computing science, engineering science, business administration through the Beedie School of Business, health sciences, and communication. The co-op programme is the centrepiece: students complete paid work terms with employers across British Columbia and beyond, alternating with study terms, and many students graduate with a year or more of relevant work experience. That experience matters for two reasons. First, it tests your field before you commit your career to it. Second, skilled co-op work experience, combined with a PGWP after graduation, is the foundation of the Canadian Experience Class route to permanent residence. Not every programme offers co-op, and co-op placements are competitive — confirm co-op availability for your exact programme before you enrol, because it is a programme feature, not a university-wide guarantee.
Fees and the Vancouver cost question
International tuition at SFU varies by programme, reported at around CAD 30,000 to CAD 40,000 per year, and the total first-year cost including the CAD 23,448 living-cost proof-of-funds figure is the minimum the study permit requires — not a comfortable budget in Vancouver, where rents are among Canada's highest. SFU's Burnaby Mountain campus offers on-campus residence that is worth considering for the first year, both for cost certainty and for the community it provides. Students may work up to 24 hours a week off campus during term and full-time in scheduled breaks, and co-op work terms are full-time paid employment under the co-op work permit rules. Budget conservatively for the first year, and treat part-time earnings as a supplement, not as the funding plan.
Admissions and deadlines
SFU admits for Fall, Spring and Summer terms, with Fall the largest intake. Application deadlines vary by term and by applicant type, and international deadlines fall earlier than domestic ones — confirm the exact deadline for your term and programme on SFU's admissions page, as a missed deadline costs a full term. Admission is based on your school record and, for most programmes, on specific subject prerequisites: computing science and engineering require senior mathematics and sciences, and business requires senior mathematics. English proficiency must be demonstrated through an accepted test where required, with the minimum varying by programme. After graduation, SFU degree graduates need CLB 7 in all four language skills for PGWP eligibility, and the PGWP lasts up to 3 years for programmes of two years or more.
FAQs
How much is SFU tuition for international students? Reported at around CAD 30,000–CAD 40,000 per year depending on the programme; confirm your programme's figure on SFU's tuition page.
What is SFU co-op? Paid work terms alternating with study terms, giving graduates a degree plus relevant work experience.
How do I apply to SFU? Through EducationPlannerBC, with deadlines varying by term — international deadlines fall earlier than domestic ones.
Is SFU PGWP-eligible? Yes — SFU is a Designated Learning Institution and its degree programmes are PGWP-eligible.
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Canada Study Permit Guide 2027 · University of Toronto Profile · UBC Complete Profile · IELTS Academic Guide
Sources and verification: SFU Burnaby public university, DLI and PGWP-eligible, reported international tuition around CAD 30,000–CAD 40,000 per year by programme, EducationPlannerBC applications, co-op model, study permit CAD 150 + biometrics CAD 85, proof of funds CAD 23,448, 24-hour work rule, PGWP up to 3 years with CLB 7 for degree graduates — per SFU and IRCC published information. Exact programme tuition, term deadlines and English minimums to be confirmed on SFU's official pages.