How long is the MBA program duration in Canada, specifically at the university I'm interested in?

Duration in a Canadian MBA is really a choice between two formats, an accelerated one-year track and a longer track built around a paid internship, and picking between them affects both your total cost and your Canadian work experience before graduation.

Duration by University

• University of Toronto, Rotman School: 12 months for the One-Year MBA; 20 months for the regular Full-Time MBA, which includes a 4-month internship.
• McGill University, Desautels Faculty: 12 months, or 16 to 20 months depending on the internship option chosen.
• HEC Montreal: 1 year full time, or 2 years part time.
• Wilfrid Laurier University: 12 months for the full-time MBA, with other formats also available.

Why the Format You Pick Matters

A 20-month programme with a built-in internship gives you a documented block of Canadian work experience before you graduate, which can matter for job offers and for later permanent residency applications that weigh Canadian experience. A 12-month accelerated MBA is cheaper overall since you pay one year of tuition and living costs instead of nearly two, but you enter the job market without that internship credential already on your resume.

What to Check Before You Apply

Confirm three things directly on the university's own MBA admissions page: the exact month count for your intake year, whether the internship is mandatory or optional, and whether the programme accepts your specific work-experience profile, since some Canadian MBAs set a minimum of two to five years of professional experience before considering an application.

This Information Is Also Available On

Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, One-Year MBA and Full-Time MBA programme pages.

My Advice

If your goal includes staying in Canada afterward, I would lean toward the 20-month format with the internship over the faster one-year track, since the internship period effectively becomes a paid extended interview with a Canadian employer. If cost or a tight timeline matters more than an in-programme internship, the 12-month track at Rotman, McGill or HEC Montreal is the more efficient route.