The UN has ranked Canada among the best places to live in the world. Many students choose to study in Canada as their first preference. When determining this status, Canada’s education system, life expectancy, national income, and general quality of life play a critical role. All these elements make studying in Canada an excellent experience, and this is far more than just about getting PR.
Canada is among the study destinations that are most popular among students coming from abroad. Of the 6,42,480 international population that come to study at all educational levels in Canada in 2019, 34 percent came from India. More than 53,300 students from India were studying at the post-secondary level at universities across Canada.
Study in Canada: Benefits
Apart from getting a PR, the opportunity to study in Canada is very impressive because of the following benefits:
Working in Canada after graduation
International students who graduate from a Canadian university or college will be granted the opportunity to work in Canada upon graduation or diploma. During their studies, international students can also work at the campus. One can apply for PR to become a Canadian citizen after acquiring work experience.
Internationally-recognized degrees
Canadian degrees are regarded as equal internationally to those earned from the United States or Commonwealth nations. Learners can work anywhere in the world after completing their courses in Canada. Tuition rates in Canada are among the lowest in English-speaking countries.
Financial support
Canadian educational institutions provide international students with scholarships. Check for school and college scholarships in Canada.
Development of skills
Students would learn marketable skills such as writing skills, working as a team, critical thinking, presentation, communication skills, and so on. This offers a rare platform for entrepreneurship.
Diverse culture
It has a national multiculturalism policy, and it operates to preserve and respect the customs and traditions of people. Canada has always given immigrants a good welcome. Canadian educational institutions are attracting new students from abroad to increase their population of international students. Canada is a democratic country that has laws protecting people’s rights.
Bilingualism
In Canada, learners can enhance their language skills, be it French or English. That is why Canadian students are widely recognized because they can interact with others very easily.
Excellent low-cost health care
Canadian medical insurance is inexpensive, yet the services provided by Canadian hospitals are one of the most advanced and accessible in the world.
Best Universities to study in Canada
Students have the option of studying from among many famous Canadian universities. As per the 2020 QS News World University Ranking, 25 of this country’s universities have been included in the list of the world’s 1000 top universities.
Likewise, 2020 Times Higher Education World University Ranking listed 35 Canadian universities among the total of 1,397 institutions on the list. For those 35 universities, five ranked in the top 100.
- University of Toronto – THE Ranking 2020 – 19, QS News Ranking 2020 – 29
- University of British Columbia: THE Ranking 2020 – 34, QS News Ranking 2020 – 51
- McGill University – THE Ranking 2020 – 42, QS News Ranking 2020 – 35
- McMaster University – THE Ranking 2020 – 72, QS News Ranking 2020 – 140
- University of Montreal: THE Ranking 2020 – 85, QS News Ranking 2020 – 137
How to Apply for Admission in Canada?
In Canada, a master’s program can be finished within 1.5 to 2 years, while a bachelor’s degree lasts for 3 to 4 years. Business, engineering & technology, medicine, and the arts are some of the chosen programs. Short courses are in demand among international students in Canada as well.
The application process and qualifications to study in Canada may differ depending on the type of program. All prominent institutions, however, implement a general criterion.
Eligibility Criteria to Study in Canada
- Certificate of secondary education (for bachelor’s program)
- Bachelor degree or 3-4 years (for Masters degree)
- Certified Non-English Transcript Translation
- Resume
- Letter of intent
- Evidence of financial assistance
- Letters of reference
- Proof of proficiency in the English language
Where to apply to Study in Canada?
To study in Canada, one must follow the below steps:
- Colleges and universities in Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta can respectively apply through SRAM, ontariocolleges.ca, and ApplyAlberta.
- Students who apply to a Canadian university not associated with any of the aforementioned portals may submit the application directly through the official website of the institution.
When should I apply to study in Canada?
To study in Canada, apply during:
- The curriculum for the fall and winter semesters is approved by most universities.
- Applications for bachelor’s and master’s programs at Canadian universities are approved mainly for the winter semester in December-March for the fall semester in September – November.
- Applications are approved during the year for diploma programs.
How can I get the Permit to Study in Canada?
Canada’s policy for student visas is not as complex as it is in other countries. The country has a visa program that is open and available.
- For an Indian student, the processing time of the visa application is 11 weeks.
- It is valid for the program term and another 90 days.
- The visa application processing fee is 150 CAD.
- Presently, with improvements made to the Student Partnership Program (SPP), the Canadian government has launched doors large enough for students from the target countries, including China, India, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
- The implementation of SDS brings with it less trouble regarding financial documentation and processing time.
What is the Cost to Study in Canada?
A student intending to study abroad must cover three main types of expenses. Those include the cost of pre-entry and the cost of post-entry. Pre-entry costs are a one-time expense and include university application fees, test registration fees required to study in Canada, visa application fees, and so on. The majority of the expense, however, comes from post-entry expenses, that include tuition fees and living costs.
Average Tuition Fee in Canada
As per Educanada, the projected average annual tuition fees of different programs in this country are given below.
- Bachelors – 1,800 – 20,000 CAD
- Masters – 2,500 – 17,000 CAD
- PhD – 2,500 – 17,000 CAD
- Vocational – 2,000 – 18,000 CAD
- Language Courses – 3,500 – 4,100 CAD
Note: The tuition fee in Canada is considered to be cheaper than that in the UK and the US.
Cost of Living
To study in Canada, for an international student, the total cost of living in Canada is estimated at about 12,000 CAD per annum. This encompasses accommodation, transportation, books, and various other utilities. Housing accounts for 25 percent of Canada’s overall cost of living. On-campus accommodation is generally cheaper than off-campus housing, and more convenient.
The average monthly expense for off-campus or private housing in Canada is given below.
- Rented Room – 400 – 800 CAD
- Apartment (in small cities) – 900 – 2,000 CAD
- Apartment (in big cities) – 900 – 3,000 CAD
Scholarships to Study in Canada
To promote education, the Canadian government and several third-party agencies provide scholarships to international students.
Some of the scholarships available for Indians are mentioned below:
- Ontario Trillium Scholarship – Level of Study – Doctorate, Amount – 28,961 CAD
- Ontario Graduate Scholarship – Level of Study – Masters, Amount – 10,847 CAD
- India First-year Excellence Scholarship – Level of Study – Bachelors, Amount – 3,795 CAD
- BrokerFish International Students Scholarship – Level of Study – Masters, Amount – 1,000 CAD
- Aga Khan Foundation Scholarship – Level of Study – Masters, Amount – Variable
- Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship, Level of Study – Masters, Amount – 8,312 CAD
Canada is a major technology center with a multitude of growth opportunities. Those with a knack for creative thinking are thus able to explore their careers after gaining education here. Indeed, to study in Canada is so much more than just getting a PR.
