Study in Canada

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Why study in Canada?

Canada is internationally recognised for its high quality academic standards, and you can gain a Canadian degree or qualification for a very affordable price compared to other similar nations.   

Canadian universities are ranked alongside other prestigious universities in world university rankings, and it is a place which highly values academic research.  So much so, that the Canadian government funds research in many key research areas.

Canadian colleges and vocational schools offer diplomas and certificates by providing a practical way to learn, and they are places where you gain valuable work experience through internships, co-operative programs and work placements.  They also offer a great pathway to Canadian universities.

Canadian colleges are also research focussed, with a strong emphasis on supporting entrepreneurs grow their business ideas through research labs, business centres and entrepreneurship accelerators.

Canadian high school students record strong academic outcomes, making Canada one of the highest ranked countries in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in secondary school reviews and rankings.

Canada’s quality education system is also evident in their elementary schools, where students gain strong academic outcomes internationally in reading, maths and science.

Being a bilingual country, where English and French are their official languages, Canada is also recognised as being a world leader in language training.

On top of all of this, Canada offers international students a safe and multicultural experience, as well as, provide a place which boasts vast diversity in its natural wonders and human-engineering, and the opportunity to become a permanent resident.  

International students also have the opportunity to work while they are studying in Canada, so it is not surprising that Canada attracts around 500,000 international students each year.

Canada’s education system

Education is highly valued and well-funded in Canada, where children can attend kindergarten from 4 years old.  Compulsory education starts at Elementary or Primary School from 5 years old and up to 18 years old for Secondary School students, depending on which Canadian province you live in.

A Canadian school year runs from September through to June, and each Canadian Provincial Government manages its own education system.  However, in the school sector, education standards are overseen by the Federal government to ensure that education is delivered uniformly across the country.

Canada also offers some of the world’s best post-compulsory or tertiary education options through universities and vocational institutions, which are either publicly and privately funded.

Canadian universities rank highly among the world’s best universities, and they offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. 

Canada also has technical and communities colleges that offer a practical approach to learning through their certificates and diplomas.  Canadian liberal arts colleges offer undergraduate arts, humanities and science courses.  College qualifications can lead to a university course and may also provide credit towards a university degree.

Canada’s higher education institutions’ standard of education is regulated by each provincial government, while First Nation governing bodies can manage Canada’s First Nation people’s higher education.  In the Province of Quebec, the type of university and college courses on offer may differ slightly from the rest of the country.

A higher education year is made up of three semesters, usually from August/September to December/January, January to April and April/May to July.

Scholarships to attend Canadian universities are available for international students. However, they are highly competitive and mostly known for postgraduate degrees.  You can apply for a scholarship through your own country’s Education Department or directly to a university or through the Government of Canada’s International Scholarships Program.

Tuition fees for international students to study at a Canadian university range from under $CAD10,000 to any where up to $CAD50,000 per year, depending on the university and course. 

International students will also need to budget around $CAD10,000 per year for living expenses, depending in the local and type of accommodation you select.

Canada’s history and culture

Canada’s First nations people lived a rich and full life off of abundant land and water resources or by raising crops and herding animals, as well as, by trading with their Icelandic neighbours, before being uncovered by Europeans in the 14th century.

French explorers were the first European settlers in the early part of the 17th Century in the area now known as Quèbec City, followed by English colonists later that century settling along the Atlantic seaboard.  In the 18th Century, France and Great Britain battled to control the region, with the British defeating the French in 1759.  However, the French speaking people living in the Province of Quebec have maintained their French heritage to this day.

This has led Canada to be a multiculturally diverse, bilingual nation, with English and French as their official languages, and with its First Nations people still actively speaking their own languages.  Canadians come from more than 250 different ethnic backgrounds, and many different religions are practiced in Canada.

Canada is a democratic nation managed by a Federal Government who oversees laws which impact the whole country, while its 10 provinces are governed by individual Provincial Governments.  First Nation people have elected councils which make decisions impacting their own communities.

Canada is highly diverse geographically, filled with wide open spaces and with heavily wooded forests, as well as, mountainous landscapes and many rivers, lakes and beaches, so it is the perfect place for those people who love the great outdoors. 

Large parts of Canada are permanently covered in snow, and other areas receive high rainfalls, which offers great opportunities for participating in very adventurous sports and activities.

Canadians value equality and they are community focussed, and they are reknown for being harmonious people who care about their environment, and so it is no wonder that Canada is consistenly voted among the world’s best places to live.