Canada is famous for its immense education opportunities for international students. According to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship, some 495,525 international students were living in the country in 2017. The figure had already surpassed the 450,000 that was forecast by IRCC for the year 2022.
India and China lead in terms of the number of international students in Canada. However, the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) claims that the foreign student population studying in Canada is drawn from all over the world.
Therefore, anyone can take advantage of the high-quality education offered in hundreds of Canadian institutions. Of course, there’s the little challenge of preparing to travel to the country and enroll in a college of your choice. And that shall be the focus of this article.
Why Study In Canada?
One of the factors that attract international students to Canada is the affordability of higher education. Compared to most Commonwealth countries, the costs of tuition and living fees for international students in Canada are generally lower.
Secondly, Canada is one of the few western countries where your human rights are respected.
It’s also generally easy to work off-campus. As long as you hold a Canada study permit, you can work off-campus for up to 20 hours a week.
Lastly, even after completing your studies, you can always apply for permanent residency. It’s a lot easier if you already have some work experience.
How to Get Prepared
Now, to enjoy all the above opportunities as an international student in Canada, you need to understand how to prepare for university.
First, ensure you meet all the visa application requirements. You should begin your visa application early, as it can take months to get cleared.
You can either apply for your student visa Canada online or in person. The visa fee is CA$150 but can be higher if you’re required to provide further biometrics.
Some requirements for a student visa application include:
- Attested copies of your academic certificates, including backlogs transcripts, and mark sheets
- Certificates of extracurricular activities and other achievements
- Standardized Tests, depending on your country
- Evidence of proficiency in English and/or French, such as TOEFL and LTS
- Resume
- Statement of Purpose
- Passport-sized Photographs
- Two academic references
- Two employer references
- Draft for application fees
Note that you may need to provide additional information depending on your selected institution or course of study.
After securing the Canadian student visa, proceed to choose a proper course of study. Though you’re likely to have done that already, there’s always some flexibility to change courses. However, ensure you only study from an institution that’s part of the Canadian designated learning institutes. All these details apply to universities as well. You can also find out more about a particular course by visiting some essay writing service and checking some of the most popular topics in particular field of study.
Top Courses for International Students in Canada
Choosing your ideal course of study depends on the marketability of that program. And that further depends on whether you intend to enter the Canadian job market after your studies or travel back home.
The following are some of the best courses to study in Canada, along with their topmost on-demand categories:
- Media and Journalism – Digital Media, Public Relations, and Journalism.
- Computer Science & IT – Software Engineers, Information Systems Analysts, and Data Administrators.
- Core Engineering & Engineering Management – Civil Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, and Chemical Engineer.
- Agricultural Science & Forestry.
- Biosciences, Medicine & Healthcare – Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, and Biotechnology.
- Business & Finance – Asset Management, Banking, Accounting, and Insurance.
- Physical & Earth Sciences – Physics and Astronomy, Oil and Petroleum Engineering, Mining, and Geology.
Other popular courses include Architecture, Hospitality, and Education. The course you select will determine the institution you enroll in. But the good news is that most Canadian universities offer a broad spectrum of courses. Canadian essay writing service Edubridie is among the essay writing service providers you’ll need during your course of study. Therefore, you can safely choose the courses at your discretion, because here they will always help you.
As a student, you’ll continually require help drafting resumes, writing job application letters or completing academic papers. That’s where an academic writer would come in to help draft you a custom paper. Remember that when it comes to whipping stellar theses, you deserve the best essay writing service there is.
The following is a list of the top 10 universities in Canada as ranked by the Times Higher Education :
- University of Toronto
- University of British Columbia
- McGill University
- McMaster University
- University of Montreal (Université de Montréal)
- University of Alberta
- University of Ottawa
- University of Waterloo
- Western University
- University of Calgary
Cost of Study
According to the Université de Montréal, a student needs about CA$14,700 annually. That includes the cost of accommodation, food, housing, books & course supplies, and other miscellaneous. Obviously, the amount would slightly change depending on where you study.
Also remember that you’ll be required to purchase compulsory health insurance, which costs approximately CA$600-800. Changes in seasons might also determine how much you spend. For instance, winters will have you splashing out extra cash on warm clothing.
