For many aspiring Indian students, Canadian universities and colleges are top choices in their list of applications, and for good reason too. Canada has a rather impressive education system in terms of higher studies, balancing all the necessary requirements to help aid their students become competent, confident and industry-ready. Focusing equally on both academic and practical knowledge in the academic institution is an advantage many Indian students are keen to gain. Let’s take a look at all the specifics about the higher education system in Canada, and what may personally interest you as a future applicant.
Undergraduate Courses in Canada
In order to apply for an undergraduate course of any subject in Canada, prior education experience of at least 12 years is required, which, in other terms, is the completion of high school. An IELTS score of 6.0 to 6.5 is generally expected. Usually these undergraduate courses are 4 or 5 year programs, and some universities follow the minor/major system. This means that you choose your primary area of study as your major subject, as well as another subject to take alongside your major, which usually happens in the first or the second year.
As a part of these undergraduate degrees, many Canadian universities also offer double majors and dual degrees, which can prove useful in tackling a number of subjects at once. This combination in good balance is a great asset for one’s future career.
Postgraduate Courses in Canada
Mostly, Canadian universities do accept both 3 and 4 years Bachelor degrees while applying for a Master’s degree. The only difference would be that a student with a Bachelor’s degree of 3 years would require a two-year Master’s degree instead of one. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is also a requirement, and some universities also ask for IELTS and GRE scores as well.
In certain fields such as MBA, Finance and Accounting, many Canadian business schools also require applicants to take the GMAT exam with a minimum score of 650.
University System in Canada
Before applying to Canadian universities or colleges, make sure you understand how the university system works in the country fully. There are two sectors in the higher education system- public and private. These two main groups are the U15 and Universities Canada respectively, and each of the two offer something different in terms of opportunities.
The U15 is an association of 15 research universities in Canada, and many of these include older and prestigious institutions, with well-known names including the University of Alberta and McGill University. On the other hand, Universities Canada is a group of universities along with post-secondary colleges, which are just post-high school colleges. Universities Canada offers a range of not just professional but also vocational and training courses. These courses span across a range of fields from Business Studies to Culinary.
Academic Scholarships
Canada offers quite a few scholarships and modes of financial aid when it comes to higher studies. Some of the best include:
- Humber College International Entrance Scholarship
- University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships (UMGF)
- Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS)
- Ontario Trillium Scholarship
- Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS)
- Go Clean Scholarship
- Waterloo Merit Scholarship
- UBC International Leader of Tomorrow Award
- Science and Law School Scholarship
- Quebec Provincial Government Scholarship
The individual criteria may vary, as certain scholarships are specific to certain fields only. For example, the Ontario Trillium is available for international PhD students while the Go Clean is awarded to students submitting essays related to environmental concerns.
Important Things to Keep in Mind
Additionally, there are some aspects in regards to Canadian higher studies that one must consider. For example, there may be provincial differences according to the region you plan on applying to. For both Ontario and British Cloumbia, there are two centralised university application systems. These are, namely, Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) and the EducationPlannerBC. For British Columbia, you may also apply through an individual university. This includes an application fee that only has to be paid once, after which a student can apply to a number of universities in that province.
Canada is also home to many community colleges, which are highly popular and also offer a Bachelor’s degree program along with Diploma courses of two years each. Community colleges have transferable credits, which are essential if you wish to change institutions afterwards.
Higher education degrees in Canada are flexible and extremely valuable in terms of knowledge and practice. Indian students who wish to study abroad should definitely consider Canadian colleges and universities, without a doubt.