Canada is one of the much sought-after countries when it comes to pursuing an undergrad course abroad. In the last couple of years Canada’s stature has grown as a preferred destination for higher studies.
The share of international students from seven countries (South Korea, China, Japan, the United States, France, Mexico and India) increased from 59% in the 2000-to-2004 cohort to 67% in the 2015-to-2019 cohort.
There are several advantages of studying in Canada and in this blog we list top 7 reasons for why it should be your undergrad destination.
- Quality of Education
Canadian universities enjoy a reputation for imparting quality education and their degrees are globally recognised and respected. Five Canadian universities have ranked among the top 100 in the world in 2022 with the determinants being teaching (30%), research (30%), citation (30%), industry income (2.5%), and international outlook (7.5%).
A degree earned from Canadian universities is evidence that the student has studied under top notch professors and been guided through a rigorous quality curriculum in any given field of study.
Besides academic rigour, there are a whole lot of campus activities incorporated in the universities’ program which make education more holistic, covering aspects of teamwork, effective communication, critical thinking, and leadership.
- Wide choice of courses
Besides full time undergrad courses, international students also have the option of diploma courses for 1-3 years besides other vocational and certificate courses. Students can choose from a plethora of courses in Humanities, Life Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Social Sciences and Management.
You’ll be able to choose from more than 8,000 colleges and 16,000 university programs (Universities Canada, 2022; CICan, 2022). Arts & Humanities have courses in Archaeology, Art & Design, Classics & Ancient History, English Language & Literature, History among others.
Programs in Engineering & Technology include Computer Science & Information Systems, Chemical Engineering, Civil & Structural Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and many more fields.
Similarly there are various programs in Life Science & Medicine that besides Nursing, Medicine and Dentistry, include Agriculture & Forestry, Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Psychology and Veterinary Science etc.
Programs in Social Sciences & Management offer choices of Accounting and Finance, Anthropology, Business & Management Studies, Communication and Media Studies, Development Studies, Economics, Education, Hospitality, Law and many other courses.
Programs in Natural Sciences are Chemistry, Earth & Marine Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Geography, Geology, Geophysics, Materials Science, Mathematics, Physics & Astronomy, etc.
- Research Opportunities and Skill Development
Canada actually prepares its undergrad students for the real world jobs through its really effective system called co-operative work. Co-op is an integral part of a lot of programs in most universities and colleges.
Co-op is all about students getting the opportunity to work in sectors that they would finally be working in after they graduate.
For example an engineering student will be able to work at an engineering firm during the time that he is studying. Similarly those studying management or law will get the opportunity to work in companies or law firms as part of their course curriculum. This gives students an early orientation and therefore greater preparedness for the real work environment.
A typical co-op is for about 4 months in a year. With a three-year degree program, a student is able to gain 12 months of work experience even before he starts working, which is a huge competitive edge.
Industry in Canada collaborates with universities to promote greater research and development. As per the National Research Council, international students are given encouragement to actively work on research programs in medicine, biology and physiology. They are given ample opportunities to interact and work with scientists working in their fields of study.
- Work and Permanent Residency
Students in Canada are allowed to work for 20 hours per week. This is exclusive of the co-op time that they spend in workplaces relevant to their field of study. The Co-op time is also an earning opportunity for students.
Students pursuing undergrad program in Canada enjoy the benefit of being offered a post-graduation work permit program. This allows students to pursue their post-graduation and also work alongside for the next three years after completing their graduation.
After the completion of the course, students can apply for permanent residency and can settle in Canada permanently if they wish to.
For details, please refer to IRCC’s website.
As per a recent study, 60% of international students who found employment during their period of study or after they graduated became landed immigrants within 10 years of having obtained their first study permit (Statistics Canada, 2021).
- Lower Living Expenses
A decade ago, it was only affluent families which sent their kids abroad for higher studies. Studying abroad is undoubtedly an expensive proposition but Canada is known to be an affordable destination for students from varied financial backgrounds.
The low cost of living and relatively lower tuition fees of colleges as compared to other countries make Canada a popular choice for students.
For undergraduate programs, the tuition fees ranges between CAD 1,800 and CAD 20,000 per year. There is a provision of scholarships which the students can apply for and they can also work the specified 20 hours a week to support themselves.
We have listed some university-specific scholarships here.
- Carleton University Awards for International Students
- Concordia University International Undergraduate Awards
- HEC Montréal Scholarships
- Fairleigh Dickinson Scholarships for International Students
- McGill University Scholarships and Student Aid
- Dalhousie University Scholarships
Other costs such as food, accommodation, transportation, study supplies, and health insurance may come up to around CAD 500, depending on the city or province.
Cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, Montréal, and Victoria are known to be among the best educational cities in Canada. When compared to cities in US, UK or Australia, these offer a higher quality of life at much lesser costs.
- Ease of admissions
The process of admission to Canadian universities is much easier when compared to their counterparts in the US. Not just that, they give a far greater number of options for subject streams and multidisciplinary programs as compared to other countries.
For admission into Canadian universities, generally speaking, you do not need to appear for separate entrance tests. Your academic performance in high school (Grades XI and XII, for undergraduate programs) forms the basis of your admission rather than performance on tests such as SAT or ACT.
Canada has been very liberal in welcoming international students and its universities have better acceptance rates. It therefore makes it easier to obtain a Canadian student visa as opposed to obtaining visas from other countries.
- A safe, diverse and cosmopolitan environment
With respect to social progress and development, Canada ranks third in the world for the overall quality of life (U.S. News & World Report, 2022).
It is diverse both ethnically and linguistically, and while English and French are widely spoken, over 50% of the population does not have English as its first language. On an average there are more than 120,000 international students who come to Canada to study each year, and the multicultural environment in the classroom is a subset of its multicultural society. This is of great advantage to any student from outside of Canada, making it easier for him to adapt and make friends.
Canada is one of the safest countries in the world, with a low crime rate. It is mandatory for all international students studying in Canada to have medical insurance. The provincial health-care system in Canada covers basic and preventative medical services, as well as emergency care. An international student with a valid study visa is eligible for a provincial health care card.
Conclusion
It is not just the great quality of education that Canadian universities offer but also the relatively lower cost of living as compared to UK and USA that make it a coveted college option for undergrad students. The liberal government policies on post-study work and immigration, create a natural path for students to work and settle there after having completed their college. The multicultural environment of Canada also makes adapting and settling in much easier and within a relatively shorter time frame for students. All of these collectively make Canada a great choice as your destination for undergraduate programs.