Study abroad at Surrey

Surrey is the second-largest and fastest-growing city in British Columbia, an innovative, green, and multicultural technology and higher education hub located in the Metro Vancouver region south of the Fraser River, situated just 35 minutes by direct TransLink Expo Line SkyTrain from Downtown Vancouver and 30 minutes from Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Celebrated as 'The City of Parks' (featuring over 200 parks and 6,000 acres of green space, including Green Timbers Urban Forest, Bear Creek Park, and Crescent Beach on Boundary Bay), Surrey City Centre (a rapidly transforming downtown skyline anchored by the iconic Bing Thom-designed Central City tower and civic plaza), and its booming regional economy in clean energy technology, advanced health sciences (Surrey Memorial Hospital and Health Technology District), quantum computing, and software development. Surrey is home to major Canadian university campuses: Simon Fraser University Surrey Campus (SFU Surrey - located in the heart of Surrey City Centre, housing the award-winning, state-of-the-art Sustainable Energy Engineering Building SE3, School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering, Department of Software Systems, and School of Interactive Arts and Technology SIAT), alongside Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU Surrey - major public polytechnic institution enrolling over 20,000 students, home to the Melville School of Business AACSB-accredited, Wilson School of Design, and Faculty of Science and Horticulture), and Western Community College. Degrees and applied diplomas are taught 100% in English with prestigious Canadian accreditations. International students benefit from lower living costs compared to Downtown Vancouver, generous SFU and KPU International Student Scholarships ($2,000 to $10,000/year), direct SkyTrain rapid transit, priority British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) pathways, and full eligibility for Canada's 3-year Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

Tuition fees in Surrey for international undergraduate students at Simon Fraser University (SFU Surrey) range between CAD$33,500 and CAD$38,500 per academic year for Sustainable Energy Engineering, Mechatronics, Software Systems, and Computing Science (with SFU awarding competitive International Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships discounting CAD$2,500 to CAD$10,000 from tuition for qualified applicants). At Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), international undergraduate tuition ranges from CAD$21,500 to CAD$24,800 per year for Melville School of Business, Information Technology, and Applied Sciences. Modern student apartments and shared rental flats in Surrey City Centre, Guildford, and Newton cost between CAD$650 and CAD$1,100 per month for private rooms in shared suites (inclusive of utilities and high-speed Wi-Fi), while private 1-bedroom apartments range from CAD$1,200 to CAD$1,750 per month. General monthly living expenses range between CAD$850 and CAD$1,400 (substantially more affordable than Downtown Vancouver).

International students require a Canadian Study Permit issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Key requirements include: an official Letter of Acceptance (LOA) with a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from Simon Fraser University or Kwantlen Polytechnic University (Designated Learning Institutions DLIs), proof of financial funds (minimum CAD$20,635/year for living expenses as mandated by IRCC plus first-year tuition in a personal bank account or GIC), medical examination, and police clearance certificate. International students are legally authorized to work off-campus up to 24 hours per week during academic terms and full-time during breaks, with graduates qualifying for Canada's Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) for up to 3 years and priority British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) immigration pathways.