A spouse — a practising Chartered Accountant with a B.Com and a master's in finance — was weighing an MBA in Canada on a limited budget. The thread pushed a different direction:
- Consider CPA over MBA. A member argued that since she is already a CA, the natural move is Canada's CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant) pathway — an existing CA typically only needs to clear a handful of exams rather than fund a full, expensive MBA. It builds directly on her credential instead of starting over.
- Handle the 'intent to return' question head-on. When the poster asked how to convince the visa officer of home ties, the same member's suggestion: state a concrete plan — e.g., returning to open her own chartered accountancy practice at home after completing studies and gaining professional knowledge. A specific, credential-linked plan reads better than generic assurances.
- Course choice carries visa risk either way. Another commenter shared that they received an offer (UBC DAP) but the visa was refused — a reminder that even strong offers don't guarantee approval, and the study plan's coherence with your background matters.
The thread didn't produce specific cheap-university recommendations, so none are listed here.