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Studying in Canada

The Basics:
There are two major steps to take if you wish to go to Canada to study at a university or college.

First, you must be accepted in a program of study, by a recognized Canadian institution.

Second, you must apply for and be granted a study permit and temporary resident visa by the Canadian High Commission.
Together, these two procedures take considerable time. You should apply to your school of choice one year in advance of when you wish to begin study in Canada; for the study permit, at least three months before classes start.

Going to Canada to Study

  • Canadian educational institutions welcome international students. Many provide special services for international students, designed to assist them to integrate into the academic community and to help them throughout their stay.


  • Unfortunately, because admission requirements, program and course offerings, and fees vary from one institution to another, the High Commission cannot provide specific advice in these areas. You must therefore find out which institutions offer the programs you want to take and contact them directly for more detailed information.


  • Regulations governing international students differ from those for Canadian students. Information can be obtained from your chosen institution's Office of the Registrar (for undergraduate studies), the Dean of Graduate Studies, or from the International Student Adviser on campus. For addresses, see Major Canadian Universities.


  • In Canada, post-secondary institutions are divided into two major types. Universities provide professional training and research leading to first and advanced degrees (BA, BSc, MA, MSc, PhD, etc.).



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  • Community colleges offer certificate and diploma programs in career and vocational training. College-level institutions may also be known as colleges of applied arts and technology, technology institutes or, in Québec, collèges d'enseignement général et professionnel (cégeps). Academic transfers from community colleges to universities are sometimes possible.


  • There are also several university colleges, which straddle the line between universities and colleges. They offer selected undergraduate (bachelor's) programs, but not graduate (master's and doctoral) programs, as well as college programs.


  • There are approximately 90 degree-granting institutions and 175 community colleges in Canada.


  • The academic year generally runs from September to April. Spring and summer courses are often available. Some institutions operate on a semester or trimester system which allows them to accept students to begin studies in September, January or May. University undergraduate programs normally last three to four years, while community colleges offer programs ranging from one to three years.

How to Apply

Undergraduate programs
For institutions in all provinces except Ontario write to the registrar at the university you would like to attend, and ask for an undergraduate calendar and application form. Be sure to indicate your field of study. The calendar will give you detailed information on admission requirements and procedures, tuition fees and other costs, and scholarships.

For application forms to Ontario universities, contact the Ontario Universities Application Centre. In Ontario, only the calendar can be obtained through the university registrar. See "References".

Graduate programs
Write to the dean of graduate studies at each university you wish to attend, and ask for a graduate calendar. The calendar gives details on research opportunities, admission requirements, fees, scholarships and research grants.

All programs
Each university sets its own admission standards and assesses the qualifications of each applicant individually. There is no Canada-wide entrance test.


As part of the application procedure, the university may ask for detailed academic records such as certified copies of secondary school certificates or official transcripts of all previous post-secondary education. S.A.T. scores are not required for entrance to Canadian universities, but many universities will request this information to better help them assess your academic qualifications. Send originals of these documents directly to the university.

You would be well advised to apply to a number of universities to increase the odds of being accepted somewhere in Canada. You should spend considerable time and effort in making your applications as complete, persuasive and presentable as possible. Make sure to support your applications with all the required documents such as transcripts, letters of recommendation and test scores, including language tests

ducational Expenses

Tuition fees: The range of tuition fees shown below is for eight months of study (a normal academic year) in a university, undergraduate arts and science program, and does not include incidental fees that might be required to complete registration. These fees are for the 1998-99 year.

Tuition Fees 1999-2000,
Foreign Students, general arts and science program

                                            Undergrad Graduate             Graduate
Alberta                                      5,208 -7,300                  4,997 -16,000
British Columbia                        3,884 -13,830                2,100 -16,000
Manitoba                                   5,078 -6,241                  4,550 -7,441
New Brunswick                          5,050 -8,440                  4,470 -6,030
Newfoundland                           6,660                             1,896 -3,549
Nova Scotia                               6,400 -9,700                  3,366 -11,105
Ontario                                      6,400-12,202                 2,975-18,006

Prince Edward Island                 6,880                              5,549
Québec                                      8,268 -9,180                   6,140 -18,000
Saskatchewan                           5,625 -8,282                   3,891 -5,625

(* Note : The figures mentioned are in Canadian dollars)
*Graduate student fees vary greatly depending on the program and province of study (the range can be from $2,000 to $17,000 per year). Contact the university to get the precise cost for the program you are interested in.

Most provinces charge higher fees for international students (known as differential fees), and some offer a limited number of exemptions from the higher fees. For information on the Québec exemptions and bursaries write for the booklet Studying in Québec, available from the Ministère de l'Éducation, 1035, rue de l Chevrotière, 11e étage, Québec (Québec ) G1R 5A5. For information on Ontario exemptions and graduate scholarships, write to the Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program, Student Support Branch, Ministry of Education and Training, P.O. Box 4500, 189 Red River Road, 4th Floor, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 6G9. See References.


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Community colleges:
Fees for community colleges vary widely, ranging from about $1,000/year to over $9,000/year. It should be noted that differential fees are charged in many provinces and that there are few exemptions or bursaries available. Students must request precise information on tuition amounts from the institution they wish to attend.

Living in Canada

Living costs:
Students must be adequately prepared to meet the costs of study and living in Canada. These costs vary considerably, from province to province and from one institution to another, but are generally considerably lower than in most developed countries. Citizenship and Immigration Canada requires proof that the student has a fixed amount of money, depending on the intended province of study. Where the institution has provided a cost of living estimate, the immigration officer will generally follow it.
Otherwise a single student will need at least $10,000/year for food, accommodation, transportation, medical insurance, books, clothing and sundries. Tuition and other student fees are in addition to this.

For accompanying dependents, you will need at least a further $4,000 for the first dependent or spouse, and $3,000 per additional dependent. A student bringing dependents must provide evidence in advance of funds to support them during the stay in Canada. To compare the cost of leaving in Montreal and Toronto compare to other international cities please see:

Housing:
On-campus housing is often available. Being accepted at a Canadian college or university does not automatically mean that you will get a place to stay in a campus residence. To make arrangements for housing on-campus you must contact the university's Residence Director. Reservations for accommodation must be made early, usually by the month of May, preceding September enrolment. Off-campus housing in rented rooms, housekeeping flats or apartments cannot be reserved in advance. You may have to secure some temporary accommodation upon arrival, until you are able to arrange permanent housing. Information on housing is available from the housing office or the International Student Adviser at most institutions.

Clothing:
Canadian winters are colder than winters in all of Pakistan except the far north, so you should set aside money for winter clothing such as coats, boots, sweaters and gloves. On the campus most students dress casually.

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Medical expenses:
Every student and dependent must have medical and hospital insurance, as health care in Canada is expensive. Public medical and health insurance plans are administered independently by each province, and some private or supplementary plans are available. Some universities and colleges require compulsory health insurance coverage. It is not possible to arrange for coverage in advance, but it should be secured within the first week after arrival. Please note that even if provincial coverage is available free of charge to international students, the students must nevertheless register with the provincial health authority to ensure coverage.

Religious Worship:
There are Muslim student organizations at most large Canadian universities, and there are mosques in all the major cities of Canada. Freedom of worship is guaranteed in Canada.

Employment:
In general, international students may not take paid employment off-campus. The only exception is if the student holds a valid work permit from the Government of Canada. As a student, you may apply for a work permit if:

  • the intended employment is an essential and integral part of your course of study (this does not apply to accounting students, medical interns or medical residents); or
  • the intended employment is related to an approved research or training program; or
  • you have successfully completed a community college or university program in Canada and wish to work for a maximum of one year in employment related to your course of study.

Note: Spouses of full-time university and college students may apply for authorization to work anywhere, subject to medical requirements.
In all cases it is necessary to obtain an employment authorization (work permit) from Citizenship and Immigration Canada before taking any employment.

Eligibility to apply for an authorization does not guarantee approval. If you work without an employment authorization, your student authorization will cease to be valid and you will be required to leave Canada, either voluntarily or under a removal (deportation) order.
In most cases, employment authorizations are employer-specific. This means that a student has to find a job first, then apply for an employment authorization.
There is a processing fee for an employment authorization.

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Scholarships and Financial Assistance


Canadian universities do not award entrance scholarships to international students for undergraduate study. Colleges do not usually award first-year scholarships.

Some financial assistance is provided by Canadian universities for international graduate students. Competition is keen, and application must be made directly to each university, along with the application for admission to graduate school. Some provincial governments reserve a portion of their graduate scholarships for international students. Contact your institution for more information.

Inquiries about scholarships should be made one year before planned enrolment. To obtain a scholarship awarded by United Nations agencies, or a Commonwealth scholarship, candidates must apply through the Government of Pakistan.

Services for International Students


Most post-secondary institutions have a person to assist international students. He or she is the International or Overseas or Foreign Student Adviser, and normally works in the Department of Student Services. Students should make themselves known to the Adviser soon after arrival on campus.

Some Canadian universities have Pakistani students' associations.
Brochures containing information about your Canadian campus and community can often be obtained before departure. Request the brochures from the institution where you have been accepted.


Each year, the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) runs an International Student Reception Service from mid-August to mid-September at the international airports in Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax. This service assists students in making connections for onward travel to other Canadian cities, and helps them in their initial contact with their institutions. The Service québécois d'accueil des étudiants étrangers (SQAEE), an agency of the Québec government, offers a similar reception service at international airports in that province.

 

Study Permit and Visa Requirements

Persons wishing to study in Canada require a temporary resident visa and a study permit. Every temporary resident is required to obtain a visa and a study permit before appearing at a port of entry. Kits are available at the Canadian High Commission in Islamabad or the Canadian consulates in Karachi or Lahore, or from Citizenship and Immigration Canada's website (www.cic.gc.ca). Application forms must be submitted to the High Commission in Islamabad, by courier or mail.

Application for a study permit will be considered once an applicant has produced evidence that he/she has been accepted in a recognized Canadian educational institution. As the process for issuance of a student authorization may take some time, applicants are therefore requested to submit their application at least three months prior to the intended date of departure.

The following should be submitted with your application:

  • A passport valid for the total length of intended studies;
  • A complete application for a Study Permit and the attached Family Composition form. An incomplete application will be returned.
  • The original letter of acceptance from the institution will be required before the visa and the student authorisation can be issued.
  • Evidence of sufficient funds to pay for the costs of studying and living in Canada (e.g. current bank statements, scholarships, bank statements of sponsors);
  • If parents will be supporting you, a letter from their employer stating dates employed, position and salary.
  • Evidence of immigration status of your relatives living in Canada, such as their Record of Landing form (IMM 1000) or Canadian Citizenship.
  • Receipts showing tuition fees paid in full for 2 semesters, even if it is not required by your intended school of study.
  • Academic records of all educational institutions that you have attended;
  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) with a minimum score for TOEFL of 550 or 6.5 for IELTS, even if it is not required by your school.
  • If destined to Quebec, a Certificat d'Acceptation du Québec (Quebec certificate of acceptance or CAQ).
  • Two passport-sized photographs;
  • The (non-refundable) processing fee is Rs. 5000, payable by bank draft in Pakistani Rupees
  • Enclose two self-addressed envelopes size (8" x 10") along with your application;

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Applicants will be notified if an interview is required. Successful candidate will be required to undergo a medical examination performed by a physician designated by the Canadian High Commission. Instructions and forms concerning the medical examination will be provided following the assessment of your application.
Please note that all documents are subject to verification by the Immigration Section. Under no circumstances should a student attempt to enter Canada without a valid study permit and temporary resident visa.
Submission of fraudulent or fraudulently obtained documents will result in a refusal for misrepresentation. Those applicants refused on such grounds are inadmissible to Canada for a period of two years.