Canada- A country that is renowned for its scenic beauty, its culture of tolerance and diversity, and its friendly and accommodating locals. Canada is a country where everyone feels at home and continues to be one of the favorite among study abroad students. Universities in Canada are known for their technological innovations, especially in the fields of computer science and information technologies. Canadian Universities stand toe-to-toe with the universities in the US and UK, while at the same time, being considerably more affordable than them. Some of the prominent universities in Canada are the University of Toronto, the University of Alberta, the University of Waterloo, etc.

1)Why study in Canada?

Canada is a welcoming country where everyone feels at ease, and it continues to be a popular study abroad destination. The universities are notable for technical advancements, particularly in the disciplines of computer science and information technology. Universities in Canada compete with those in the United States and the United Kingdom while being far less expensive.

 

2) University and College Rankings-

Canada has risen to third position in the world, trailing only the United States of America and Australia. Every year, universities in Canada top the QS World University Rankings and for the year 2021, 26 universities from Canada made it to the list. This just proves that Canada has some of the best universities for students to pursue their high education. The top universities are University of Toronto standing at a global rank of 25, followed by McGill University at 31 and University of British Columbia at 45.

 

3) Demography and how open is the country for alien (international) students?

Most international students in Canada come from India and China, thereby forming a large part of their international student community. Canada is also known for its warm, friendly and accommodating locals which is exactly why it is a favorite study destination amongst several students.

 

4) Education System in Canada and popular fields-

Higher Education in Canada is divided into the following- Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree and a PhD.

A Bachelor’s Degree spans over 3-4 years, Master’s degree typically over 1-2 years and finally PhD spanning over up to 4 to 7 years.

The top courses to pursue in Canadian Universities range over a variety of fields such as Information Technology, Data Science, Business Administration, Science and Technology and Humanities.

 

5)Standardized tests to be taken or minimum eligibility requirements:

Every international student who wishes to study in Canada is required to take a few standardized examinations. The level at which you wish to continue your study determines the examinations you will take. Different entrance exams are required for various college and degree programs. The SAT, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, MCAT, and LSAT are some of the most common admission examinations. For a Canadian student visa, linguistic competency is absolutely required. Some educational institutions also require linguistic competency.  The most common ones are TOEFL and IELTS.  

Since, Canada has two official languages, French and English, each province may only communicate one among them. International students, for example, need to be fluent in French to attend colleges in Quebec, Ontario, and New Brunswick. If you're an international student planning to study in Canada, you'll need to know which examinations you'll need to take to submit a full application.

 

6) Average Tuition Fee-

As compared to countries like USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand, Canada is the most affordable place to study in an English-speaking country but need to do so in a limited budget. Undergraduates should expect to pay around $12,000 CAD each year to attend a Canadian university. For Post-graduate level you can expect it to be higher starting from $17,744 CAD.

 

7) Scholarship Opportunities-

Scholarships in Canada are very competitive since they are quite restricted in quantity as compared to scholarships granted by other nations such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Scholarships for overseas students wishing to study in Canada are awarded based on outstanding academic performance and English proficiency results. Scholarships are often awarded by colleges without the need for a specific application based on qualifying criteria. Scholarships are often awarded at the entry level, but for certain scholarships, students must demonstrate academic achievement in following years of study as well.

 

8) Average Living Costs-

Before rent, students should budget between $675 and $875 CAD each month on average. If you want to study in a city, you should budget an extra $550-$600 CAD for housing in a student dormitory.

 

9) Part-Time Work Opportunities-

International Students are allowed to work on and off campus without a work permit. But there are conditions. First, they need to be registered as a full-time international student with a valid study permit. Students are allowed to start their part-time jobs only when their classes commence. Once they finish their academic course, they will need to seek a work permit to continue. International Students are only allowed to work for a period of 20 hours per week and these hours can increase during holiday time.

Some part-time work opportunities are Tutoring, Barista, Sales Assistant, Waiter, Bartender etc. with an average of $13 CAD per hour.

 

10) Full-Time Work Average Salary-

In Canada, salaries range from 30,200 CAD per year (lowest wage) to 534,000 CAD per year (maximum average salary).

 

11) Student Visa:

Students travelling to Canada for courses spanning less than 6 months need to apply for a visitor visa along with the STUDY PERMIT that students are required to obtain. However, in case of long duration courses, student will be automatically considered for a visitor visa when applying for a mandatory STUDY PERMIT before coming to Canada.

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12) Permanent Residency:

Post completion of your course in a Canadian Designated Learning Institution students are eligible for a post graduation work permit for a period of 8 months to 3 years depending on the course.

 

 Upon successfully finishing studies and fulfilling the eligibility criteria the students can apply for a Canadian PR either through  Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and the Provincial Nominee Program..