International Students
NEW! Pricing advantage for International and USA students for fall 2013! Tuition for two semesters (five 3-credit hour courses each term) is $9,160.
This drop in tuition pricing for international students reflects Canadian Mennonite University's commitment to offering affordable Christian Post-Secondary education to students from outside Canada. Your presence on our campus contributes to creating a diverse student body which can then learn from one another both in the classroom and outside of it. We welcome your inquiries and would love to have you check us out more closely!
At CMU, students from other countries can complete three and four year BA degrees with a choice of 12 majors, as well as bachelor degrees in Music, Music Therapy, Business Administration, Church Ministries and Theology. CMU also offers a Master of Arts in Theological Studies (Two-Year).
In order to study at CMU, you will need to meet certain conditions, as follows:
You need to apply (click below) for admission to CMU.
Please download the International Application Procedures PDF.
You need to meet the requirements for university admission in your own country in order to study at CMU. In addition you must have a recent (less than one year) TOEFL score of 550 (for the paper-based test), or 213 (for the computer-based test) if your first language is not English. The TOEFL website is www.toefl.org. CanTest and IELTS are also acceptable language tests.
We will need your official school transcripts that show you meet university entrance requirements and your official TOEFL test score. These documents should be mailed to us. You will also have to make sure that two reference forms (e.g. a teacher, pastor, community leader—no relatives) are all filled out and sent to us directly. Upon receipt of your application, official transcripts and reference forms as outlined above, we will assess your application and communicate with you regarding your acceptance.
You must meet the following requirements to obtain a study permit from Citizenship and Immigration Canada: a letter of acceptance from CMU, an acceptable medical report, and evidence of sufficient finances (e.g. bank statement, transferred funds to CMU).
Provision of adequate finances to pay for your tuition and living expenses should be based on the following information. Basic costs of one academic year (September to April) of full-time study while living in on-campus housing as a single student are:
Data Table information
Tuition and living costs quoted in Canadian dollars for the Fall/Winter 2012-2013
| Tuition | $ 9,862 | (including student services fees) |
| Books & Fees | $ 1,500 | (approximate) |
| Room & Board | $ 5,898 | (or more depending on your option) |
| Personal Effects | $ 500 | |
| TOTAL: | $ 17,760 |
If you plan to stay on campus from May to August, there are additional room and board charges estimated at $2,000 - $3,000).
According to Canadian Immigration Law, international students are required to have enough funds available to pay for their length of study. So to receive a three-year study permit, you need to show that you have financial support for three years’ education (tuition and living costs) when you enter the country. At minimum, you will be required to produce funds for at least the first year of your schooling in order to secure even a one-year study permit. Perhaps your local church or personal sponsors would be able to help you by providing you with the needed funds.
Unfortunately, CMU has very limited financial aid to offer international students. There are many requests for assistance and resources are limited. You will need to find the necessary funds through other sources. We do have on-campus work that is available to international students as well as the ability to help full-time international students to apply for off-campus work after you have been a student for 6 months. However, it will not help with immigration requirements! The money earned in this work cannot be counted on when you apply to study in Canada.
International Students at CMU now able to work off campus. Click here for more information.
To receive such a work permit to work off campus as an International student you will need to complete and comply with the following:
- Be a full time student for 6 months before you may apply to the off campus work program (permits will take about a month to process).
- You may only work 20 hours per week when studying and 40 hours when not studying (i.e. summer break, Christmas break, Reading week).
- You may still work on campus Note: Students wishing to work on or off-campus must obtain a Social Insurance Number (SIN card) prior to beginning work. Applications can be obtained from the Coordinator of International Student Programs upon arrival at CMU.
- The work permit will be issued for as long as the study permit is valid. Work permits must be physically surrendered when expired or if the student is not using it.
- If you are suspended or do not comply with the rules, your work permit must be surrendered.
- It will be possible to receive a work permit up to a maximum of 3 years after studies (the degree) are complete.
- There are other regulations and they can be requested upon acceptance to CMU.
For more information about off campus work, go to the Government of Canada site, Studying in Canada: Work Permits for Students.
The following is what CMU may be able to offer to different types of applicants:
For students from Developing Countries (according to a list from The World Bank), we will automatically provide a 20% reduction in tuition. There are also opportunities to receive a small amount of funding through bursaries (designated according to financial need once a student is enrolled at CMU).
International students who are not from Developing Countries also have opportunities for financial aid. This aid includes bursaries (designated according to financial need once a student is enrolled at CMU) and on-campus work. CMU will also match any funds provided by a local church or organization up to $1,000.
Summary of steps to follow in order to become a student at CMU
If you feel you can meet the international student requirements, you can apply for acceptance and for housing online here or print the application and other forms (housing, references) found here. Send them with the application fee of $150 (Canadian) and two references.
The total amount of funds that must be received by CMU before a final acceptance letter will be sent are: application fee of $150 Canadian (or the equivalent amount in US dollars).
This fee can be sent in the form of a bank draft, postal money order or major credit card or deposited by Inter-Bank Transfer.
If sending from any country in Canadian funds, wire transfer can be obtained from your Admissions Counsellor
The housing deposit will be refunded to you if you are not accepted into our program of study, or if you withdraw your application two months prior to your studies. The application fee is not refundable.
If you meet our entrance criteria, and we have received the fees and all documents referred to above, CMU’s Registrar will send you an official Letter of Acceptance which may then be taken to a Canadian immigration officer at the Canadian Embassy in your country. You will need this letter in order to obtain your Study Permit. After acquiring your Study Permit, you may secure your flight arrangements directly to Winnipeg International Airport.
Once flight arrangements are made, you will need to wire us an additional $1,000 non-refundable deposit in order for us to confirm your accommodation and place in our program here. This deposit will be applied to your first semester of study at CMU. Tell us your time of arrival and we will arrange to have someone meet you and bring you to the campus.
All international students attending CMU must be covered by the Manitoba Health coverage plan for the period of their stay in Canada. Registration for this health program is free, but students must register in person for the program. Students will need to show that they hold a study permit valid for no less than 6 months in order to be eligible for this program. Health coverage begins when the student arrives in Manitoba. Registration for this coverage is available on the manitoba.ca/health website or from the Coordinator of International Programs. More information on this program is available in the International Student Handbook below.
Application
There are two ways to apply to study at CMU. You can 
or you can print out a PDF Application Form and mail or fax it to CMU.
If you wish to live at CMU, you need to fill out a housing form. Go here to obtain a housing application form and reference forms.
If you have further questions, feel free to phone us at (204) 487-3300, fax us at (204) 487-3858, or contact us online.
