Many applicants, having graduated from school, dream of going to Canada or the USA for higher education. And this is not surprising: both countries occupy leading positions in the training of truly worthy specialists for the whole world.
Canada and the US are pushing ahead with inclusive education. In Canada, it’s several times easier to get a coveted diploma without having fabulous sums in your pocket. The admission process itself also goes easier, which cannot be said about the States or Australia. But not only the quality of education attracts prospective students; First of all, the prospect of further employment in national and largest international companies is attractive even while studying at the university. And in addition to quality education and prestigious work, a person receives a high standard of living, a comfortable climate, smiling people in the streets.
Sounds tempting? So it is, Canada can become the most suitable country for fun student years and for a decent life after graduation. To go to Canada without a higher education is not only possible, but also necessary.
What features?
Higher education in Canada consists of nuances that are not found in other countries. Each university, the procedure for teaching and enrolling applicants is not regulated by the state, but is established by each province independently. But despite this, every university or college in Canada is funded by two-thirds of the country's budget. That is, if in Russia the principle of entering universities is the same for each university, people pass exams and submit documents according to their results, then in Canada these rules vary from university to university.
What degrees do students get?
As for higher education programs, they are similar to any other universities in the world. The following higher education programs in Canada are envisaged:
- 3-4 years - bachelor;
- another 2-3 years - master's degree;
- +4 years - doctor's degree.
All three degrees of education are given by a university, but a bachelor's and master's degree can be obtained even in college.
Training organization
The scheme of study at universities in Canada consists of lectures, seminars and practical classes that take place at the university. There is also a parallel paid internship. They usually begin with the 2nd year, because in Canada they believe that any knowledge means nothing without practice, and this is absolutely correct.
The most frequent outcome of events is that a student is immediately hired after completing an internship. That is, most students who graduate from a university already have a job in their specialty. Canadians can also be envied because the education at their universities is considered one of the most high-tech. Equipped laboratories and studios, large classrooms with computers for absolutely every student - what else can a future specialist dream of?
Canada is a country that is advancing along with technological progress. According to statistics, there are at least three computers for every Canadian.
Learning process
Another nuance of the education system in Canada is that there are two official languages in the country, so the educational process is in both English and French. There is even an option to study in two languages at the same time.
The school year begins in September and ends in June, and is also divided into two semesters. Students have vacations in winter (2 weeks in December) and summer (July and August). In general, the organization of the school year is similar to that adopted at most universities in the world, but there is one caveat that is rarely found anywhere. If a student has expressed a desire to study without holidays, he has the opportunity to refuse to rest and study without interruptions, thereby the period of his education is reduced by exactly as much as the holidays he missed.
Universities and colleges in Canada also provide points or credit accumulation systems. Thanks to this, absolutely any student can enroll or transfer to any other university - both in Canada and in another country. However, students are in no hurry to leave the vastness of Canada, since university diplomas in this country are highly regarded throughout the world.
Statistics pleases: about 70% of graduates find work without problems already in the first year after graduation, which can not be said, for example, about some domestic universities. In Canada, there is an advantage for foreign students: they are not required to leave the country after graduation, they are given one year after graduation in order to find a good job.
The most popular universities in the country
According to statistics, 140 thousand foreigners come to Canada every year to receive a higher education diploma. Each university is ready for such an influx, therefore, any university has special courses for additional preparation for admission and, most surprisingly, for the most part they are absolutely free.
The country has more than 100 universities and 150 colleges. Pleasant is the fact that college education is two times cheaper than at university, and the quality of education is no worse.
University of Toronto
This is Canada's largest and most prestigious university. It includes 13 colleges of completely different directions, from history to medicine. Each student will find a specialty here to his liking.
If you open any list of the best universities in the world, then the University of Toronto occupies the same leading positions as Oxford or Cambridge. It was here that scientists discovered insulin and stem cells.
This university is considered one of the most prestigious, therefore it is difficult to enter there, but even there the university leadership makes concessions, annually allocating 9% of quotas for foreign students. Therefore, education in Canada for Russians is more a reality, not a myth.
One academic year costs thirty thousand Canadian dollars, which is approximately 23,000 US dollars, which is almost 1.5 million rubles. The language of instruction - English or French - the student chooses independently.
University of Manitoba
This is a fairly old university, which opened its doors to those wishing to gain knowledge in 1877. The university offers a wide selection of educational programs. It may be philosophy, design, and agriculture, but the medical field occupies the leading position.
The university is considered one of the most popular in Canada, but the cost of studying there is many times lower than at the University of Toronto. So, one year of study in any specialty costs 14,000 Canadian dollars (approximately 11,000 US dollars in equivalent and 666 thousand rubles). There are much more foreign students here - about 8 thousand out of 30 thousand students. Students also choose the language of instruction on their own.
College of Conestoga
This is the country's main technical educational institution located in Ontario. The university provides students with 120 higher education programs. Despite the fact that the educational institution has a technical focus, several humanitarian sciences are given a choice - media, sociology, business.
In total, 40,000 students study at the university, of which 5,000 are foreigners. The cost of training per year is 12,000 Canadian dollars (9,500 US dollars or 571 thousand rubles).
Training takes place exclusively in English. Konestog College is famous for having one of the highest rates of subsequent employment of graduates. 94% of students get a job already in the first six months after graduation.
George Brown College
The main direction of this educational institution is management. It differs from other universities in that in addition to 150 higher education programs, it offers another 1,200 different professional courses.
Here everyone will find something to their liking. In total, 14,000 students study at the university, of which 2,000 are foreigners. One year of study costs 13,000 Canadian dollars (10,000 US dollars or 619 thousand rubles). Training is conducted in English only.
Material support
Universities of Canada are trying in every possible way to provide material and moral support to their students. Any student of any university can apply for a scholarship. And this does not require anything supernatural, you just need to come to the scholarship committee, which operates year-round at each university or college, and justify why you need material support.
In addition, each educational institution has its own scholarship system for the full refund of tuition fees. Each university or college independently publishes information about its own requirements. Therefore, if it was not possible to receive material assistance through the scholarship commission, there is always a university scholarship program.
Foreign specialists are also not deprived - they have the opportunity to study for free in graduate school and receive special education in Canada. To do this, you just need to contact the leadership of the university and provide them with your own research project in any scientific field. If your work is of interest to management, they will gladly take you “under the wing” and submit an application for you to the government of the country with a request to provide a grant for postgraduate studies in the amount of $ 50,000 (3 million rubles).
Active work and participation in the life of the university, whether it be sports or creativity, are also encouraged by various discounts on payment.
What is required for admission?
In general, nothing supernatural is required of prospective students. To get an education in Canada, you will need the following:
- Only persons over the age of 17 can apply.
- I will have to prove my knowledge of English. TOEFL - not less than 8 points, IELTS - not less than 6 points. Some universities conduct an independent language proficiency test.
- Graduation certificate or diploma.
- Copy of ID card.
- Photos, resumes, recommendations from previous places of work / study, letter of motivation, statement.
This is a standard set, which is also suitable for obtaining higher education in Canada for Russians.
After all the documents are collected and submitted, the university makes a decision on admission and sends the student an official invitation, on the basis of which foreigners can get a student visa.
A huge plus is that the husband or wife of a new student also receives a residence permit with the right to study or work in Canada. Proper preparation of all the necessary documents is already half the way to study at a Canadian university. After all, even the wrong photo can cause failure.
You need to collect a package of documents in accordance with the requirements of a particular educational institution, it is better to do this carefully and in advance, and not at the last moment. You can send them by mail. If questions arise, it is better not to try to find a solution yourself, but to call the representative office of the university and get accurate answers to all questions of interest.
Where to live in Canada?
You need to figure out how and where to arrange your life in Canada. Many universities have their own hostels in the university, but living in them is not free. On average - from 3 to 7.5 thousand Canadian dollars (190-475 thousand rubles) per year; this includes meals twice a day. Each room contains everything you need, including computers and Wi-Fi.
Another option that is quite popular is the joint rental of an apartment. For the price it can come out even cheaper than a hostel on campus. The remaining basic needs are not very expensive. Food, cafes, cinema, clubs have an affordable price.
Education in Canada is high quality, prestigious and relatively inexpensive. That is why every year the number of students at universities in Canada is only increasing. Higher education in Canada for Russians is more than real.