Why Study in Canada?
As a western country, Canada is one of the most welcoming ones for international students. As of 2017, there were more than 4,90,000 international students in Canada (22% rise every year) many of them from China, India, South Korea and France. It is one of the world’s most educated countries with over 50% of their population having university degrees. The visa process is much easier than the US and the tuition fee of Canadian universities is lower than US, UK and Australia. It may not have the Harvard and Cambridge of the world but you need to see if you were eligible for the same anyway.
Education System in Canada
Post-secondary education in Canada varies from between provinces and territories. However, very broadly education institutions in Canada can be divided into two types:
Universities and University Colleges (Degree-granting):
These are the degree-granting institutions. Bachelor's degree (3 or 4 years), Master's degree (usually 2 years) or PhD (4 to 7 years)
Colleges, Career Training Institutes, Vocational Schools (Non-degree-granting):
Non-degree-granting institutions focus on diploma and certificate programs as below
- Certificate programs (1 year)
- Diploma programs (1-2 years)
- Advanced Diploma (2-3 years)
- Post-graduate Diplomas/Certificates (1-2 years)
Canadian universities and colleges take admission in two or three intakes:
- September / Fall Session (primary intake)
- January / Winter Session intake
- Summer / Summer Session (applicable for selected institutes)
Admission deadlines (in most cases) for the September intake are:
- 15th of January (for undergraduate programs)
- 1st of March (for graduate programs)
It is important to know that the exact deadlines may vary from course to course.
How to choose a course and university in Canada:
You need to filter from a list of Top Canadian Universities depending on various factors like your choice of subject, what the university or college is known for, scholarship availability, and your chances of getting in. You may also consider the weather as an aspect. If cost is a factor, you may also check which cities are the most expensive. Vancouver is known to be the most expensive Canadian city.
What to check:
Most Canadian universities are public institutions. Even the private ones have to be setup under provincial accreditation. It is advised that students check on the Canadian government website if the university is registered. Universities may offer courses in either French or English or both. It is better to confirm beforehand.
Make no mistakes:
The universities are high on research. Sources and citations within research papers are very important in Canadian universities and plagiarism doesn’t go well with them.
Cost of Studying in Canada
Canadian education is relatively affordable compared to many countries. Average cost of studying in Canada can be anywhere between CAD 20,000 to CAD 30,000 per year to cover tuition and living expenses but will vary according to your course, college or university, your location in Canada and your lifestyle. Read more about cost of studying in Canada
Life in Canada, Health and Safety
For immigration reasons, Canada seems to be more open in welcoming people from all across the world. Choosing a location where you may have relatives makes it easier initially. The time difference from India is almost 9.5 hours. The weather is on the colder side where winters can be grueling with -30 degree celsius at some places. In Summers, the weather is pleasant at under 30 degree celsius.
The student work laws are more lenient; you can work both on-campus and off-campus. The minimum work wage is CAD $10.25 per hour. After tax, you may earn about CAD $200 per week and CAD $800 per month. Average salary in Canada for full-time work is about CAD $50,000 per year. One needs a minimum of CAD $800 per month to survive in Canada; while bigger cities and expensive locations may require more.
International students need to have a health cover in Canada providing 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week medical assistance. Health insurance laws, however, are divided according to what provinces (states or geographical areas) and a broad range of cost could be from CAD $275 to CAD $500. The cheapest available insurance designed specifically for international students is at Alberta (CAD $68) and British Columbia (CAD $36). Universities take mental health seriously.
Popular Cities and Courses
MS in Engineering and MBA are the two most popular courses that international students take up in Canada. Within MBA, students prefer to do masters in Marketing, Finance and HR.
Popular cities to study in Canada are:
- Montreal
- Toronto (known to be safest for women)
- Vancouver
- Ottawa
- Quebec.
Popular universities in Canada for masters (especially for international students):
- The University of British Columbia, Vancouver
- The University of Waterloo, Ontario
- The McGill University, Montreal
- The University of Toronto, Ontario
- The University of Alberta, Edmonton
Popular courses to study in Canada:
- Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in Canada
- Masters in Marketing in Canada
- MS in Engineering in Canada
- Masters in Finance in Canada
- Masters in Pharmacy in Canada
