Studying in Canada
Type of Residency: Temporary
Many people are looking to study in Canada every year. The main reason for this choice is the attractiveness of this country as an educational destination. Factors such as the advanced education system and valid university degrees and the affordable cost compared to other English-speaking countries have made this country a favorite destination for students. Over the past years, Canada has been selected as the best place to live, study and work and is recognized as a suitable country for investment and travel. The existence of suitable job opportunities within Canada and after graduation is one of the advantages of studying in this country. Having a Canadian education certificate can provide a person with many facilities in the future for obtaining permanent residence and Canadian citizenship through education. The possibility of converting a student study visa to a Canadian work visa is another reason for choosing Canada to study. If you want to know more about the conditions and costs of studying for students in Canada up to the diploma level, read this article. In the following, we will examine the steps and conditions required to study in Canada and the costs of studying in Canada.
Do you want to study in Canada?
Canada is one of the best study destinations
Table of Contents
Documents required for students to study in Canadian schools
Submission of custody declaration form
Providing financial resources to cover school fees and living expenses
Appointment of a guardian during the student’s stay in Canada: All children under the age of 17 must be accompanied by their legal guardian (parents) or under the supervision of a guardian who is a permanent resident of Canada.
Procedures for school admission
After sending the necessary documents to the school, the student will receive his acceptance letter and you can register your student by paying the tuition fee. It should be noted that some schools have an entrance interview for students. After receiving the acceptance letter, the student can apply for a study visa.
The accompanying student visa, which is given to the guardian of the student and is also known as the guardian visa, is another necessary step for student immigration because students cannot study in this country without one of their parents or guardians.
Studying in Canadian colleges
Canada has two categories of private colleges and public colleges. Getting admission from Canadian colleges is usually easier than getting admission from universities in this country. The difference between Canadian colleges and America and other countries is that this course is not for university entrance preparation, but it is an independent course with a valid degree that trains most students to enter the labor market, and college graduates can easily enter the Canadian labor market
Difference between university and college in Canada
| College | university (undergraduate) | |
|---|---|---|
|
Duration of study |
Usually 2 years old |
4 years old |
|
Course focus |
Practical concepts and preparation for entering the labor market |
Theoretical and academic knowledge |
It should be noted that admission to Canadian colleges is much easier than admission to universities, and it is suitable for those applicants who have a lower GPA or a lower language score. Also, the cost of studying in college is lower than studying in universities.
Canadian study visa
After receiving an academic acceptance from a college or university, applicants must apply for a study visa to receive permission to enter Canada.
Applicants for training courses of more than 6 months need a study permit. They can also change their study permit to a work permit after finding the desired job and confirming the employer and collecting and sending the necessary documents.
Canadian study companion visa for spouse and children
Students’ spouses and children under 18 years old can stay with them during their studies and use the accompanying visa facilities. This visa allows spouses and children of students to use the educational and working conditions in this country.
The cost of studying in Canada
Although the financial ability required to study in Canada depends on the level, field of study, university and city where you will study, but as a general rule, you must have the expenses of one year of study and living for you and your companions in Canada.
There are various references to estimate the cost of education and living in different stages and different cities of Canada that can help you in this field. You can see the names of these websites in the references section of this article.
Only Canadian permanent residents can attend free public schools. Both Canadian citizens and international students have to pay for studying in universities.
The costs of obtaining a Canadian study visa are:
| payment time | Approximate cost in Canadian dollars |
|---|---|
|
Apply fee |
At least 110 |
|
Visa Fee |
150 |
|
Biometric cost |
85 (per person) |
|
other costs * |
The cost of the language test
Medical examination
Police Clearance
|
*: The amount of these costs varies depending on the conditions of each person.
Cost of living as a student in Canada
It is obvious that the cost of living as a student depends to a large extent on the lifestyle of the person, but as it was said, to calculate the financial ability and get a study visa from the Canadian Immigration Office, you must consider the following minimum costs.
Minimum student living expenses (excluding tuition) in Canada (except Quebec) (CAD)
| Amount of money needed per month | Amount of money needed per year | |
|---|---|---|
|
Student |
833 |
10,000 |
|
The cost of a companion |
333 |
4,000 |
|
Cost per additional companion |
255 |
3,000 |
Minimum student living expenses (excluding tuition) in Quebec (CAD)
| Amount of money needed per month | Amount of money needed per year | |
|---|---|---|
|
Student |
917 |
11,000 |
|
A companion over 18 years old |
425 |
5,100 |
|
A companion under the age of 18 |
317 |
3,800 |
|
Each companion is over 18 years old |
427 |
5,125 |
|
Any companion under 18 years old |
159 |
1,903 |
Tuition for different levels of education in Canada
Tuition fees for Canadian universities will vary depending on the field of study, province of study and level of study. According to the latest report of Statistics Canada, the average tuition for foreign students in Canada in the 2021/2022 academic year is as follows:
Average tuition fees for foreign students in Canada in the 2021-2022 academic year
| payment time | Approximate cost in Canadian dollars |
|---|---|
|
Undergraduate |
From 33623 Canadian dollars |
|
Masters and Ph.D |
From $202,120 CAD |
Canada scholarship
Distinguished international students can benefit from discounts and scholarships. But in general, there are limited scholarships for master’s degrees in Canada, and for doctoral degrees, with a high grade point average in previous courses and a strong academic resume and an academic IELTS score of at least 7, it is possible to use the scholarship.
Instead, the Canadian government has provided facilities such as student discounts for Canadian citizens, accompanying citizens, people with asylum in this country and a person who has a family member in this country with a work permit.
Required documents for Canadian study immigration
1- Receiving a letter of acceptance from one of the universities or colleges allowed to register international students that are included in the DLI list by the Canadian government.
2- Having a strong statement of purpose that will attract the opinion of the professors of the desired university.
3- Having the minimum GPA required: for studying in college, it must be at least 12 and for studying in university, it must be at least 13. The higher your GPA, the higher your chances of getting admission will be.
4- Having a letter of recommendation from previous professors increases your chances of getting accepted to study in Canada.
5- The minimum language score that can be different depending on the university, field and level of study. Usually, to study in Canadian universities, you need to have at least IELTS Academic 6 or its equivalent in French.
6- Provide a translation of your previous academic degree.
Documents you must have to apply for a study visa:
1- Work experience, if you have an academic gap, keep in mind that the lower your academic gap, the higher your chances of getting accepted.
2- An explanatory letter that explains your purpose of studying in Canada and includes your reason for studying in Canada and your awareness of your responsibilities as a student studying in Canada.
3- If Quebec is chosen as a study destination, applicants must also have the Quebec Selection Certificate (CAQ).
4- Proof of financial ability
5- Identification documents including birth certificate, national card, passport, marriage certificate, photo
General conditions for obtaining a Canadian study visa
- Physical health that is proven by medical examinations.
- Letter of acceptance from a DLI-listed university or college
- Providing Police Clearance
- Having the financial ability to cover the cost of one year of study and living in Canada
- Reasons for returning to the country after completing education, such as having emotional attachments in the country of origin
Documents that you must bring with you when entering Canada:
Port of Entry Letter (POE) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
Valid passport and study visa
Changing tourist visa to study visa (Inside Canada)
This program allows people who entered Canada with a tourist visa to change their tourist visa into a study visa and spend a period of less than 6 months. The chance of people being accepted in this program is much higher than the chance of people who apply for a study visa from outside of Canada, that’s why this program is a good option for people who are older and it is recommended for them to reduce the risk of rejection.
Steps to study immigration to Canada
Receive admission from one of the accredited educational institutions
Enroll in the course and pay tuition
Applying for a study visa
Preparation of required documents, including motivation letter, recommendation letter, translation of academic degree and language certificate, resume (CV)
Doing biometrics (fingerprinting)
Create an account on the Canadian Immigration website
Obtaining a study visa
Studying in Canada without a language degree
Some undergraduate universities and colleges in Canada give conditional admission to applicants without a language certificate to study in Canada at the undergraduate level. In this student program, in conditional admission, the student must pass a language prerequisite. However, it is more difficult to get accepted to study in Canada without a language certificate, and applicants will have more risk in the visa process.
Accommodation for Canadian students
Students can live in the student dormitories of the university during their studies. and use this opportunity to adapt to the new conditions and the multinational environment. Also, this option has a lower cost than other accommodation options.
Staying in Canada after studying
Students who studied in Canada can apply for permanent residence in Canada using one of the following methods:
Programs with Express Entry system points:
o Canadian experience class (CEC)
- Provincial programs
- Quebec province programs
Study conditions in Quebec, Canada
Applicants who want to study in Quebec can study in English, French or both, but the requirements and how to apply for studying in Quebec are different from other Canadian provinces. In addition to a letter of acceptance from an institution on the DLI list, students applying to study in Quebec must also receive a Certificate of Quebec Selection (CAQ) from the Quebec Immigration Office.
Advantages of studying in Canada
- Suitability of living conditions
- Studying in the best universities in the world
- Being able to work while studying in Canada
- Cost-effectiveness of education costs
- The possibility of obtaining permanent residence and citizenship after education
- Creating better job opportunities by studying in Canada
Disadvantages of studying in Canada
- Age limit for obtaining study visa
- Reducing the chances of getting a study visa and permanent residence after the age of 30
Reasons that may cause the rejection of a Canadian student visa application
- Weak language certificate
- Low financial ability
- Poor travel history
- Failure to match the level of education with the applicant’s age
- Incomplete documents
- Having an academic gap
- Inability to convince the officer to return after studying
- Having a history of rejection (tourist or academic)
The link to guide you in this direction in the Immigration Department:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada.html
