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Language studies
Many universities and community colleges have English as a second language (ESL) programmes or French as a second language (FSL) programmes. There are also lots of privately operated language schools throughout Canada. A number of associations regulate language teaching standards, either at public or private institutions, although there is no single national accreditation scheme at present. The Private English Language Schools Association (Pelsa) inspects its members while the Canadian Language Council (CLC) and the Canadian Association of Private Language Schools (Capls) monitor quality through guidelines. The CLC provides information on post-secondary institutions offering intensive language training in English and French. Its members are public institutions recognised by the Ministries of Education in each province and they must conform to certain standards set by CLC.
While Canada attracts a wide range of different student nationalities, Korean students are well represented in language learning institutions in Canada. There are also lots of other Asian nationalities including Japanese and Taiwanese. Skiing and canoeing are examples of extra activities offered at some schools.
Secondary education in Canada
There are a number of private and public secondary schools in Canada that accept overseas students. Publicly-funded schools are almost all co-educational and their policies on accepting international students and the fees charged vary widely from district to district.
Private schools range from single-sex boarding schools to mixed day schools but all must be registered with the Ministry of Education in their province or territory and meet the curriculum and other standards set by their respective ministries. Many private schools adhere to a particular religious faith or emphasise particular moral teachings and expect high academic standards from their students.
Higher education in Canada
Between 15,000 and 20,000 international students enter the Canadian higher education sector each year, and overall, more than twice this number are actually studying in universities and colleges. Based on enquiries at branches of the Canadian Education Centre (CEC) Network in many countries around the world, popular subject areas are business (particularly MBAs), engineering and computer sciences. Courses in media and communications, graphic design, law and architecture are also becoming more popular. Higher education institutions include universities, university colleges, community colleges, technical institutes and career colleges. There is no federal Ministry of Education in Canada, each province regulates and sets education standards itself.
Scholarships available
Scholarships are available at some Canadian institutions for international students with exceptional results. The amount awarded varies from one institution to another. In general, Canadian universities do not award scholarships to international students for undergraduate study, but some financial assistance is provided for postgraduate study. However, it is very competitive to get funding and applications must be made directly to each university along with the application for admission. Colleges do not usually award scholarships, nor do school boards or most private schools.
To obtain a Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) scholarship, a scholarship awarded by the United Nations agencies, or a Commonwealth scholarship, candidates must apply through their own country's Ministry of Education, at least one year in advance.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) publishes a book called Study Abroad, which has a small section on Canada and contains information on higher education study opportunities and scholarships offered by higher education institutions and international organisations. More information on ordering the latest issue of the book is available at www.unesco.org/education/studying_abroad.
Crucial visa info and work rights
For those students planning a study trip of less than six months, a visitor visa will be required, unless you qualify for visitor visa exemption by coming from one of the countries listed below.
A visitor visa must be obtained at a Canadian mission abroad before arriving in Canada. Cost-recovery fees are charged to process applications and these are not refundable. Applications must be submitted to the visa office. You must satisfy an immigration officer that you are in good health; do not have a criminal record; have sufficient funds to cover travel and living costs; intend to return home; and will not try and stay in Canada after your course has finished. You may be asked to attend an interview with a visa official.
For study trips of more than six months, all students need to apply for a study permit before arriving in Canada. You will need to provide a valid passport, a letter of acceptance from the Canadian institution you will be studying at and proof of adequate financial funds or a letter from your sponsoring organisation. You may also be asked to attend a medical examination. Students planning to study in Quebec will also need a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec – see www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca
The fee for a single entry visitor visa is CAN$75 (US$57) and CAN$125 (US$96) for a student authorisation. International students are not generally allowed to work in Canada. However, if you are studying for a post-secondary qualification full-time at a publicly funded institution, you can work on campus at your institution without needing a work permit. Students at private institutions may be able to work on campus, but will need to obtain permission to work from the immigration service. If work experience or a work placement are an essential part of your course, then you must apply or a work permit, but this is free of charge. The latest visa information can be found on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website, www.cic.gc.ca.
Travelling around Canada
Like the US, Canada is a big country, and to get across it quickly you will need to fly. However, domestic flights are more expensive than in the US, and so traveling by land is both cheaper and more interesting. If you do intend to fly within Canada, book well in advance to get a discount.
If you have enough time, then bus travel is the best mode of transport, with an extensive network linking even remote places, and a competitive pricing structure. The biggest coach operator is Greyhound, which runs westwards from Toronto. Other companies operate in various provinces only. Connections between services and operators are generally free. Greyhound offers the Discovery Pass for between seven and 60 days, allowing unlimited travel. A thirty day pass costs from around CAN$ 420 (US$322), and even includes some inter-city rail routes. Students are eligible for a ten per cent discount on the ticket price on standard routes with a recognised student card or 25 per cent discount with an Isic card.
Most of Canada's major cities are linked by rail, but trains are generally less used than buses. However, in the Quebec City to Windsor, Ontario 'corridor', the rail service is very efficient. If you intend to travel by rail a lot or cover long distances, Via rail, the main operator, offers a Canrail pass that is valid for 12 days in a 30-day period. A high season Canrail pass costs CAN$741 (US$568).
As in the USA, driving is a popular option for students who want to explore the country without the restrictions of keeping to a bus or train timetable. Car rental agencies are located throughout Canada, including branches of the infamous 'Rent-a-Wreck', which specialises in hiring out older, cheaper cars. Another way of seeing Canada by car is by using the Drive-Away system, whereby you take cars from one specified location to another. Drive-Away companies are listed in all local telephone directories.
Average prices
One month language course: CAN$1,157 (US$983)
Two weeks' homestay accommodation: CAN$802 (US$681)
Two weeks' residential accommodation: CAN$498 (US$423) One-year secondary school tuition fees: CAN$12,000 - 30,000 (US$10,194 - 25,484)
One-year undergraduate tuition fees: CAN$11,000 - 18,000 (US$9,344 - 15,290)
One-year postgraduate tuition fees: CAN$1,896 -18,000 (US$1,611 - 15,291)
English language exams available: Toefl, Toeic, Cambridge
Admission requirements
Each university sets its own admission standards and assesses the qualifications of its applicants individually. Some universities require applicants to submit their Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores. Contact the admissions or registrar's office of universities that you are interested in eight to 12 months before you intend to begin your studies and request an undergraduate or postgraduate calendar (school catalogue) and application form.
Information on tuition fees, student services, financial assistance, admission qualifications and deadlines is provided in the school calendar. Contact the departments or programmes that you are interested in, via the admissions office, for more detailed information to help you in the application process.
If you intend to apply to a university in Ontario, you must complete an OUAC 105F application form, which can be obtained from the university or the Ontario Universities' Application Centre. Applications for Ontario community colleges are made through the Ontario College Application Service (www.ouac.on.ca).
You will probably need to include your Toefl scores in your application. Tests can be taken worldwide and mailed directly to schools. See www.toefl.org for more details.
Visitor visa exemption
Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel (national passport holders only), Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Republic of Korea, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, San Marino, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, UK, USA, Western Samoa
Guide
to qualifications
Certificates or diplomas are awarded after two to three years of study (generally vocational study) by a community college or technical institute. Undergraduate study leads to a bachelor’s degree, which is normally three years of full-time study or four years for a specialised honours degree. Postgraduate study leads to a master’s degree, which is advanced study over a two-year period in a specific subject (eg, business administration) or a PhD/doctoral degree, the highest level of study, involving research.
Canada's education system
-Kindergarten age 4-6 years
-Primary school age 6-12 years Grades 1-6 (in some provinces students attend primary school until the age of 13 or 14)
-Secondary school 'junior' age 13-15 years Grades 7-9
-Secondary school 'senior' age 16-18 years Grades 10-12 (optional)
-Higher Education from age 18 years
technical/career college, community college, university college, university
A technical/career college is privately owned and operated, and aims to prepare students for the job market after a short period of instruction.
There are 175 community colleges and technical institutes in Canada, including Cégep centres. Cégep is a French acronym for College of General and Vocational Education, which provides two years of general or three years of technical education between high school and university in Quebec only. Diplomas are offered, as are degrees and applied degrees at some centres. The main aim of these institutions is to provide vocational training for business, industry and public service sectors. Transfer is possible into the second and third years of university programmes.
University colleges, of which there are relatively few, combine university and college traditions offering college diploma and certificate programmes as well as degrees. Some of these institutions also offer university transfer.
There are around 100 universities in both rural and urban regions in Canada offering undergraduate and graduate programmes leading to bachelor, master's and doctoral degrees. Degrees are offered in both the French and English language. Most are publicly funded and the size of institution can range from 1,000 to 35,000 students.
English language students in Canada by country of origin 2005
Korea 23.4%
Japan 18.6%
Mexico 12.8%
Brazil 7%
Taiwan 5.3%
China 4.7%
Canada 3.5%
Saudi Arabia 3%
Switzerland 2.4%
Spain 1.5%
Others 17.8%
Source: Language Travel Magazine
Insurance
Public healthcare in Canada is administered by the government of each province, and so varies depending on where in the country you are studying, as these examples show. Students in Alberta register with the provincial health service for CAN$34 (US$26) a month. In Ontario, international students cannot join the provincial healthcare system, and are required to take out the University Health Insurance Plan, costing CAN$450 (US$345)a year. Students in Saskatchewan can register free with the provincial health service as long as they have not lived in any other Canadian province for more than three months.
Addresses
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC)
350 Albert Street, Suite 600, Ottawa, ON, K1R 1B1
Tel: +1 613 5631236 Fax: +1 613 563 9745
Email: info@aucc.ca
Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC)
200-1223 Michael Street Nord, Ottawa, K1J 7T2
Tel: +1 613 7462222 Fax: +1 613 7466721
Web: www.accc.ca
Canadian Language Council (CLC)
PO Box 53063, Ottawa, ON, K1N 1C5
Email: info@c-l-c.ca Web: www.c-l-c.ca
Canadian Association of Private Language Schools (Capls)
12880- 54A Avenue, Surrey, BC, V3X 3C9
Tel: +1 604 5072577 Fax: +1 604 5020373
Email: info@capls.com Web: www.capls.com
Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE)
220 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 1550, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5Z9
Tel: +1 613 2374820 Fax: +1 613 2371073
Email: info@cbie.ca Web: www.cbie.ca
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