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Studying in Canada: A Guide for International
Students
Coming to Canada
Your decision to study in Canada is an important one. You
will need as much information as possible and at least six
months to plan and prepare for your move.
Primary and secondary school
If you or your dependants want to upgrade your education
before applying to a post-secondary school, make sure the
courses you take will allow you to register at the post-secondary
school you choose.
Canada's education standards are set individually by each
province. If you want to go to a primary or secondary school,
you can get information on provincial standards by writing
to the Department of Education in the provincial capital.
If you have any questions, you may also write to one of the
organizations listed in this pamphlet.
Post-secondary school
Each Canadian university, technical school or community college
sets its own requirements. The registrars of these schools
can provide information on
- tuition fees,
- health insurance,
- scholarships,
- lodging and living expenses, and
- language requirements.
Private institutions
Before you enroll in a private institution, please check
with Canadian immigration officials in your country to ensure
that the institution meets Canadian requirements or the rules
of the province where the institution is located.
Tuition
Every post-secondary student in Canada has to pay tuition
fees. The fees vary from school to school and from year to
year. The registrar or the nearest immigration office will
help you determine the fees required.
Language
Canada has two official languages -- English and French.
You will need to know one or the other to follow course lectures
and reading assignments. Some post-secondary schools might
ask you to take a language test. They may charge a fee for
this test which you will have to pay yourself.
Language requirements are set by each school. School registrars
can give you information on language requirements.
Health Insurance
Medical, hospital and dental care in Canada can be expensive.
As an international student, you are not insured for these
expenses by the Canadian government. The school you attend
may provide health insurance for international students,
but be sure to ask when you are writing for information. If
the insurance provided by the school does not meet your needs,
you should make your own arrangements before leaving home.
Qualifying
Once you have decided on the courses you want to take, officials
at the school where you apply will tell you if you qualify.
If you are accepted, you will receive a confirmation letter
from the registrar, the school board or the school itself.
To be acceptable to Canadian immigration officials, the letter
should
- be the original, not a photocopy,
- specify in detail the courses you are taking,
- confirm that you have been accepted as a student, and
- indicate the length of program or studies
Keep this letter to apply for your student authorization
at the visa office and to show to immigration officials when
you arrive in Canada.
If you have any questions about the confirmation letter or
the student authorization, you may write to the Immigration
Section of a Canadian government office in your country.
Quebec
If you wish to attend a school in the province of Quebec,
you will have to obtain additional approval from the province.
This will apply after you have met the requirements of the
Canadian government; as well, you must have the Quebec approval
renewed every year. There may be a Quebec office in your country
where you can go for information.
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