Pursuing Higher studies in Canada
Canadian cities like Toronto, Montreal, Quebec and Vancouver are ideal study destinations for international students pursuing higher education qualifications, due to its multicultural society, and tolerant and friendly nature. The country is also rich in its abundance of natural beauty with many lakes, mountains and forests.
Higher education institutions in Canada include Universities (for both Undergraduate and post-graduate studies), Community colleges, and Applied Arts and Applied Science schools (for certificates, diplomas, associate degrees and bachelor degrees).
Community Colleges
Canada comprises over 200 institutions that offer diploma qualifications as well as many community colleges; which are a pathway to a bachelor degree. Any credits/points earned at the community college could be used to transfer to an undergraduate college or University. Community colleges offer low tuition costs compared to Universities and is an ideal opportunity for students who are looking for cheaper study options. These colleges offer students the chance to complete the first two years of their undergraduate course at the community college, and transfer to a prestigious University to complete the remaining two years of their course.
Community colleges in Canada also offer short courses that can be completed within a few weeks/ months. The English language requirement to join a community college is 5.0-5.5 on the IELTS exam.
Undergraduate Degrees and Post Graduate Degrees
26 Canadian Universities are featured in the 2019 edition of the QS World University rankings, with 3 Universities in the top 50, and 11 Universities within the top 300.
Some of the most renowned Canadian Universities are the University of Toronto, McGill University, University of British Columbia, University of Alberta, McMaster University, University of Montreal, University of Waterloo and Western University.
Undergraduate courses in Canada take between three to four years (full time study) to complete depending on the course undertaken. The undergraduate colleges are generally bigger than community colleges, with better facilities and offer a more diverse range of courses.
Admission into any college or University in Canada would require international students to show their language proficiency by either taking the IELTS or TOEFL exam. To gain admission to the University, students would also need to provide additional documentation along with their applications, including previous transcripts/diplomas, a cover letter, a cv and recommendation letters. Students must submit their application at least six months prior to course commencement. The minimum English language requirement to study at an undergraduate level in Canada is 6-6.5 IELTS score.
The average tuition fees for undergraduate universities in Canada could range anywhere between CAD $15,000 – CAD $22,500
*Post-graduate degrees take between 1-3 years to completing depending on the type of degree.
Top courses to study in Canada
Animation
Canada is a popular location for filming especially in cities like Toronto and Vancouver. It is also a popular destination for producing leaders in the animation field. Sheridan College in Canada is one of the best schools for animation, with many graduates who go on to get jobs in renowned companies like Disney and Pixar. The Banff Centre for the Arts located in Alberta, is another leading education institute in artistic and creative development. Graduates from these institutions go on to work freelance or for agencies like ToonBoom, who work on popular Oscar nominated films.
Software Engineering
Software engineering and technology is very popular in Canada. The University of Waterloo, in Ontario is well-known for their software engineering courses, and have produced many graduates who go on to work for tech giants like Google and Microsoft.
Technologies like the Imax and flat screen were developed in Canada. The Blackberry phones were also developed in Canada.
Petroleum Engineering
Many Canadian Universities like the University of Calgary, University of Dalhousie, and University of Alberta have a great reputation for providing funding for students interested in following petroleum engineering courses. IT project managers and software engineers, web developers, program analysts and java developers are among the top 10, in-demand occupations in Canada in 2018 and is one of the fastest growing sectors offering some of the most competitive salaries (the average annual salary is between $80,000 - $82,000)
Engineering Management
Engineering management is another popular field in Canada, with the number of new engineering jobs in Canada growing at a steady rate. The most in-demand engineering jobs are; mechanical, civil, electrical electronics, chemical, industrial and manufacturing and engineering management.
Physical & Earth Sciences and Renewable Energy
Students from Earth Sciences background and related fields are also in high demand in Canada right now due to the increase in the use of renewal energy sources. Some of the top areas of study in this field is physics and astronomy, mining, geology, geo-informatics, renewable energy, medical physics and nanotechnology, oil and petroleum engineering and geoscience and oceanography.
Other fields of study popular among foreign migrants:
- Architecture
- Hospitality; Accommodation & Restaurant Managers
- Education; Teachers and Education Counsellors