Study Guide to Canada for International Students
The first step is to apply to a Canadian University. Once you receive admission, you can apply for a study permit for Canada. In addition, students should also know the complete application process for Canada.
Education System & Popular Student Destinations in Canada
The school systems in Canada vary depending on the province or territory. Education is available in both English and in French in most places, provided there are enough students in that area speaking the secondary language. High school is typical to grades 9 to 12. In Québec, high school ends in grade 11 and is followed by a program that prepares the student for university or a technical field called CEGEP.
Beyond this, students can either attend vocational schools or enter a university. At a university, they will first earn a Bachelor's degree and can continue studies to receive a Master's or a Doctorate degree. Vocational students will earn certificates and diplomas that will help improve their skills in various trades.
Universities like McGill University, The University of British Columbia, University of Alberta, and Simon Fraser University are popular choices if you want to pursue a full-time academic degree. Most of the best colleges in the country are situated in cities like Toronto, British Columbia, Montreal
Canada is the preferred destination for vocational studies rather than degree courses as the former seems to provide more employment opportunities. Canada is a good choice for immigration as the country offers immense scope for work owing to its low population density.
The most popular higher study courses in Canada for international students are postgraduate diplomas in areas like Business Management, Media, Engineering, Computer Science, and Hospitality.
Language Problems
Living in a society where you have to use English or occasionally French on a daily basis can be challenging at first. Some language problems you may initially encounter when you arrive are:
You may not understand the local accent right away. Regional accents vary greatly in Canada. Give yourself time to get used to the local accent.
Canadians might not understand you right away. You will also have your own accent. Speak slowly and don't be shy about asking others to speak slowly if you are having a hard time understanding them.
Canadians use a lot of slang in their speech and it might take you some time before you understand all of it.
Canadians use lots of abbreviations in their speech. If you don't understand something, simply ask the meaning of it.
Accommodation
Firstly, you need to decide whether you want to live in university-managed accommodation, or with a private landlord. Choosing university-managed accommodation can also give you a catered or self-catered option. Catered accommodation offers the benefits of your meals being cooked for you and a degree of certainty with meal costs.
If you have an idea about what you prefer, the accommodation office at your university will be able to tell you what accommodation they have available - so that’s the place to start. If you are thinking of renting from a private landlord or if your chosen university can’t offer you anything in its own residential facility, the accommodation office should be able to provide you with a list of private properties and landlords in the area.
Wherever you choose to live, you should make sure that you know your contractual rights and responsibilities. In most cases, you will be asked to enter into a tenancy agreement, which you should read thoroughly before you sign it.
How to Apply to Canadian Universities from India?
The conditions vary for different study programs and levels. For each course, whether UG or Master's, Indian students will need to meet a minimum English language requirement. The minimum percentage required for studying in Canada is 65% and above for the humanities stream in class XII, and 70 - 80% and above for Science/Commerce stream in class XII. Foundations and Diploma programs are available for students who have secured below 60%. The student should have completed 18 years of age before joining a degree program.
There is a great number of international students who want to go to Canada to pursue master's courses. Those seeking admission to MS programs in Canada need to know the minimum percentage required for a master's in Canada. There is a huge demand among international students for studying STEM or business-related courses in Canada at the master's level. The minimum GPA requirement for pursuing MS in Canada is 3 on a scale of 4. This is roughly coming out to be 70-75% when looking at it in percentage and 7.0-7.4 in CGPA.
It is important to note that these numbers are just for reference purposes, the actual numbers may differ from university to university.
Documents
The following documents also need to be submitted -
Attested copies of mark sheets of Standard X, XII, and the Bachelor's degree (if applicable)
At least, two academic reference letters from professors who have taught you most recently
If you have work experience then two letters of recommendation from the employer/manager who knows you well and can comment on your professional abilities
Statement of Purpose (SOP)
Resume
Photocopied score reports of GMAT / IELTS / TOEFL
Portfolio (in case of Students applying for art and design courses & architecture programs)
Others (certificates/achievements at the state and national level and extracurricular activities)
Proof of funds
Medical Tests
SOP: A Statement of Purpose (SOP) is your introduction to the college and admission officers. It is always written in the first person and describes the reason for applying to a particular college. It needs to highlight why you are a perfect fit for the college and why the college should accept you. The style of writing could differ from formal to casual, but it is important to remember that it should reflect your personality as well.
Essay: Essays are also required to be submitted by a prospective student. Essays are an important part of the university admissions process. Students may be required to write one or two essays, along with a few optional essays too. Common topics include career aspirations, strengths and weaknesses, skills, experiences, and reasons for considering a particular school.
LOR: A letter of recommendation (LOR) is a reference letter written by a third party describing the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the prospective student to recommend him to the college in terms of that individual’s ability to perform a particular task or function. The third party could be a professor, direct manager, etc.
Timeline
Most Canadian colleges accept online applications. You will have to visit each college's website to apply. In most cases, you will have to make an account on the college website to provide your basic information, submit the scanned version of your documents, and pay application fees. You will be informed about the application process and stages through this account.
Please refer to the website of the colleges of your choice to know the process of applying as it may differ from institute to institute.
Application Fee
All colleges require that you pay an application fee while applying. The fee amount will differ depending upon the college and course being applied to, so check with individual colleges about their application fee.
Steps
The common steps to applying for admission are as follow -
Search for colleges and courses
Contact schools and visit websites for information
Narrow down your list of schools
Take the entrance exams like SAT, GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS
Write SOPs and ask for LORs
Apply to the colleges which fit your interests
Appear for video interviews of the colleges that shortlisted you
If accepted, apply for a student visa
How is the life of Indian Students in Canada?
Most Indians choose to live at larger urban centers like Toronto, and Vancouver, where more than 70% of Indians live. Smaller communities are also growing in Calgary, Edmonton, and Montreal. Indians in Vancouver are from different parts of India. A place called Little India exists in Vancouver and a section of Gerrard Street (Toronto) in Toronto as well. Indians in Vancouver mainly live in the suburb of Surrey, or nearby Abbotsford, and also in other parts of Vancouver.
Language Exams
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and Pearson Test of English (PTE) are all standardized language tests, which are required to be taken for the purpose of getting admission into colleges. These follow different formats, structure, and result bands. These tests are all different in various ways but many colleges ask for any one of the results. So it's up to the student to decide which exam to appear for.
Repetition of exams: IELTS can be taken for an unlimited number of times. TOEFL can be retaken as many times as desired, but cannot be taken more than once in a 12-day period. The same holds true for PTE; it can be taken as many times as one wishes to. You must wait to receive your scores before you can book your next test.
Fee: The standard fee for these exams is INR 15,500 for IELTS, INR 15,180 (US $190) for TOEFL, and INR 14,700 for PTE.
Time to apply: Ideally, if you are aiming for the September intake you should appear for these exams by November (of the previous year) so that you can apply before the 1st deadline. The universities, you will be applying to, will mention which exam results they will accept. However, if they give a choice to go for either of these, then the choice depends on you. The time required to prepare for IELTS/TOEFL/PTE would depend on the existing English language proficiency. You may require 2 to 4 months of preparation before the exam date.
General Exams
GMAT - The Graduate Management Aptitude Test is used to measure the abilities of the potential MBA aspirant to undertake higher education in the field of business or management. It measures mathematical, English, and reasoning skills of the student.
GRE - The Graduate Record Examination is another test required to be taken by students applying to graduate schools to pursue an MA or MS. Increasingly, many business schools are also accepting GRE scores for the purpose to granting admission for MBA.
LSAT - The Law School Admission Test is a standardized test and is an integral part of the law school admission process. It provides a measure of reading and verbal reasoning skills that law schools can use in assessing applicants.
SAT - The Scholastic Assessment Test measures literacy and writing skills that are needed for academic success in college. This test assesses how well the test takers analyze and solve problems-skills they learned in school that they will need in college. SAT is typically taken by high school students to get into undergraduate courses.
The university you will be applying to will mention which exam results will be applicable to the course of your choice. But if they give a choice to go for either of these, then the choice depends on you.
Repetition and Fee: You can give GMAT an unlimited number of times, subject to five times a year, and a gap of 16 calendar days between two tests. You can take these tests with a gap of 30 days from the first time. The cost of GMAT is INR 21,977 (US $275), GRE is INR 17,022 (US $213) and SAT is INR 8,311 ($104) approximately. Ideally, if you are aiming at the September intake you should appear for these exams by November (of previous year) so that you can apply before the 1st deadline. The preparatory duration generally ranges from 4 to 6 months.
Average Scores: The average GMAT score accepted across universities is 540. The average GRE score is 151 for Verbal, 146 for Quantitative, and 3.5 for Writing. The average LSAT score accepted across universities is 162.
It is important to note that these numbers are just for reference purpose, the actual scores may differ from university to university.
Cost of Living in Canada for International Students
The cost of living depends heavily on what part of Canada will you be living in along with how much you will socialize. Some of the basic elements for living as an international student in Canada are:
Accommodation rent ( on campus or off campus )
Groceries and food
Utilities like electricity, water, gas, internet
Phone bills
Text and reference books
Airfare for traveling back to India
Other elements which may differ from person to person would be:
Dining out
Travel and Vacation
Car rent and Car insurance
Cable TV connection
Living Expenses
On average, a student spends approximately Rs 5.93 Lakh per year. But the expenses also depend on the place where a student stays. If a student stays in a metropolitan city like Toronto or Vancouver the expenses could go up to CAD 15,000 in comparison to a student studying in the suburbs where the expenses would be around CAD 8,000 - 10,000 each year.
Note: The average living expense is based on 154 colleges in Canada (Source: studyabroad.shiksha.com)
Health Insurance
Insurance Policy for international students is mandatory, as students have to stay abroad for a long period of time. Before getting an insurance policy make sure that it covers medical expenses, personal accident, dental treatment, study interruption, passport loss, etc. Insurance is basically cashless so a student does not need to pay money at the time of hospitalization. All international students are required to have basic health insurance and/ or extended health insurance. Your university will provide you all the details of the health insurance.
Cost of Studying in Canada
The tuition fee varies according to different universities, courses, and the city. The average tuition expenses in Canada might be Rs 22.10 lakh per year for an undergraduate course. And if you are thinking of applying to a postgraduate course, the average cost (tuition fees) would be Rs 11.22 lakh per year approximately.
Scholarships to Study in Canada
Merit and need-based fee waivers are awarded to international students. Candidates with strong academics, good performance in standardized exams, and extracurricular achievements would be eligible for scholarship awards and financial assistance. To benefit from these opportunities, one has to make sure to send all the required documents by particular deadlines. In addition to this, the presentation of the application is also important because one is judged by the image one projects.
Documents required: The documents usually needed for a scholarship application are as follow, although the requirements may differ:
Academic records and photocopies
A recent CV
A letter of intent, which acts as a cover page
Certificate of language proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS scores)
Letters of Reference (LOR)
Loans
Student eligibility criteria: The first thing is to be aware of whether you are eligible to apply for the loan for Canada or not. The general eligibility criteria that are followed by all the banks are:
You should be an Indian national
You must have a strong academic record
You must be seeking admission to a professional, technical, or another course of study. Most banks maintain that the selected course should be job-oriented.
You must have secured admission to foreign University Institutions.
You must be above the age of 18 years or else your parents can avail the loan on your behalf.
Eligibility of course: You may not get a loan on every course. Here are the kinds of courses that qualify for the education loan:
For Graduation: Job oriented professional or technical courses offered by reputed universities
For Post Graduation: MCA in Canada, MBA in Canada, MS in Canada, or even diplomas in Canada
These courses could be from foreign universities or institutes approved by the state and central government.
Loan amount: If your total fee is Rs 10 lakh, the bank may offer to give a loan of 80% of the amount and you will have to put in the balance 20%. This is called the margin amount. Generally, a maximum of INR 20 Lakhs can be availed at a nominal interest rate. Students can avail loans for a higher amount as well, however, they need to pay an additional processing fee for availing a loan amount higher than INR 20 Lakhs. Also, if the loan amount is more than INR 7.5 Lakhs, then borrowers need to furnish collateral as security.
If your tuition fees amount is Rs 30 lakh, you’ll have to manage the rest of the funds by yourself. Some banks charge a processing fee, while others don’t. it may be a fixed amount or a percentage of the total loan amount. So if the bank charges you 1% as a processing fee, that will be an additional cost you’ll have to cover.
Documentation required: You will have to provide the acceptance letter sent by the University reflecting that you have been selected for the course and the schedule of fees. You will also need to show the mark sheet of the last qualifying examination to show your academic record.
All banks have different requirements for documentation, so you need to confirm with the bank first.
Repayment: Repayment starts only after the course period. If the student got employed within one year after completion of the course, the repayment should start immediately after the expiry of one month from the date of employment.
If you do not secure a job within a year of completing the course, then repayment starts irrespective of whether or not you are employed. The loan is generally to be repaid in 5-7 years after commencement of repayment. If the student is not able to complete the course within the scheduled time, an extension of time for completion, of course, may be permitted for a maximum period of two years. Generally, you will get up to a maximum number of 10 years to repay the loan.
What are the Visa Types in Canada?
Temporary Visas
Student Visas
Super Visas for Parents and Grandparents
Visitor Visa
Work Permits
Business Class Immigration
Federal Skilled Worker Visa
Canadian Experience Class Visa
Federal Skilled Trades Program
Provincial Nomination Programs
Quebec -Selected Skilled Workers Program
Family-Sponsorship Program
Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP)
What are the Requirements for Getting a Student Visa for Canada?
You should apply for the Canada student visa after you get the college acceptance letter. You should begin with the visa process around June if aiming at the September intake.
Following are the documents needed to apply.
Proof of acceptance: If you plan to attend any school (primary or secondary), college, university, or other educational institution in Canada, the school must complete and send you a letter of acceptance. You must include the original letter with your study permit application.
Proof of identity: This includes documents such as a valid passport, etc.
Proof of financial support: You must prove that you can support yourself and the family members who accompany you while you are in Canada.
|
Person |
Funds Required per year |
|
Primary Application (student) |
CAD 10,000 |
|
First Family Member |
CAD 4,000 |
|
Every Additional Family Member |
CAD 3,000 |
Note: Additional documentation may be required.
During the personal interview, additional documents may be requested by the interviewer. These may be documents to prove evidence of academic or financial status. These may include:
Transcripts, diplomas, degrees, or certificates from schools you attended
Scores from tests, such as the TOEFL, SAT, GRE, or GMAT
Your intent to depart from Canada upon completion of the course of study
How you will pay all educational, living and travel costs
How to Get a Canada Student Visa
There are several steps to apply for a visa.
Check the processing times: The visa application cycle might take anywhere from 3-4 weeks. It is advisable to go through the Canadian consulate website to know the approximate time taken to process the student visa. Please note that the time shown is not a guarantee and is just an estimate.
Determine how you will apply. There are two ways to apply:
Apply online: To apply online you must have access to a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents for uploading and have a valid credit card for payment. From 31st-December-2021 students from Asia, Asia Pacific and the Americas will be required to provide a finger scan at the regional Visa Application Centre (VAC).
Apply in person: Download the application kit and read the instruction guide. The instruction guide contains important information about study permits and instructions to help you complete your application.
Pay the processing fee: Refer to the fee schedule for the cost to apply for a study permit and how to pay. The processing fee is non-refundable in all cases. For biometrics, there will be more than 130 VACs in over 90 countries and all VACs will be equipped to collect biometric information (fingerprints and photograph). Indian students need to contact the local VFS office to apply for the visa. The cost of study permit (including extensions) is CAD 150, and if you wish to restore your student status, you need to pay CAD 350.
If your spouse/common-law partner and/or children are accompanying you and you are applying for temporary resident visas, work permits or study permits for them, then you will need to pay the appropriate processing fees for them.
Submit your application and supporting documents - Since you need to give your biometrics, you can’t mail in your application. You will either have to apply online or submit your application in person at a VFS office. In either case, you will need to go to a VAC to give your biometrics.
Medical Exam
The visa application process to Canada requires a compulsory medical test for Indian applicants. Your own doctor cannot perform the medical exam. You must see a doctor on the list of panel physicians, which is provided on the official Canada immigration website http://www.cic.gc.ca/. Once your medical examination has been completed, the physician will send the results to CIC. You can choose to get the test done either before or after submitting the visa application.
Visa for Spouse
Spouses can accompany full-time students on a Dependent visa. You only need to show that adequate funds are available for their support. Spouses can also work full time if his/her stay is for a year or more.
Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWP Canada)
You must note that your study permit is valid for the length of your study, plus an extra 90 days. In these 90 days, you have to prepare to leave Canada or apply for the extension of your stay. If you decide to stay back in Canada, you must apply at least 30 days before your current student status expires.
The PGWPP allows post-graduate students who have studied at a participating Canadian university/college to gain Canadian work experience. Work experience gained through the PGWPP will ultimately help students qualify for permanent residence in Canada through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
Duration - A post-graduation work permit cannot be valid for longer than the student’s course of study. For example, if your post-graduate course was of two years’ duration, then the work permit granted to you will also be for two years.
The study program must be a minimum of eight months in length for you to be eligible for a work permit.
The eligibility and application criteria to get a Post Study Work Permit in Canada (PGWP Canada) are as follows:
You should have pursued a full-time course in Canada.
The length of your course should have been more than 8 months.
You must have graduated from either a public post-secondary institution or a private post-secondary institution or
You should apply for a work permit within three months (90 days) after receiving an official letter saying that you have successfully completed your education from the Institute.
You will be given the work permit only if you have a student visa.
You must pay the Open Work Permit Holder fee and the Standard Work Permit fee in Canadian currency, either online or manually.
You cannot get a work permit longer than your course duration. If your course duration is eight months, then you will receive a work permit for eight months.
Placements
Indian students are used to the concept of campus placements and on-campus recruitment for getting jobs. There is no concept of placements in Canada. Most Canadian universities have a cell called a Career Services Center, which helps you get jobs and helps you prepare for interviews. The on-campus recruitment is always driven by student interest. Companies that recruit through the University do not offer a job directly. What they offer is an internship or co-op. Companies like to see your work for a few months before they hire you full time.