Get Admission to a Canadian Educational Institution
Get Admission to a Canadian Educational Institution
If you have a strong desire to study in Canada, then you have to pursue your dream. And your main task is to get admission to a Canadian educational institution. Obviously, you have a lot of questions regarding this topic. You can find the answers to most of them on the official websites of Canadian schools. But you have to remember that international students can apply only to the Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs).
It is important to know that each school has different admission requirements and procedures for international students. That is why you have to be sure that you are eligible to apply to a study program at the chosen school. Nevertheless, there are nine general factors that you have to consider before starting the process of applying to one of the Canadian schools. Your awareness of these aspects will help you to get admission to a Canadian educational institution.
- The first factor is the deadlines for the applications. Some Canadian institutions accept applications only at certain periods during the year, while others can accept them throughout the year. Therefore, you have to check the deadlines of each school you are willing to apply to. You have to remember, that it usually takes between four and six months to get admission to a Canadian educational institution. Remember, it is better to apply for a post-secondary study program well ahead of its intended start date since the preparations to coming to Canada can take two to four months. You can even start gathering the necessary documents one year in advance. You have to be sure that you have enough time to get a study permit and come to Canada before your study program begins.
- The second factor you have to be aware of is the academic year in Canada. In most educational institutions, the academic year begins in September and ends in May. However, some schools have a semester or trimester system. Also, you can enroll in some courses even during the summer. Other institutions can offer a limited selection of courses in the summer, and it is usually optional to attend summer courses.
It is also important to mention, that you can get admission to a Canadian educational institution in January since some designated learning institutions have a January intake. Therefore, you have to check this information on your institution’s official website to be prepared for any situation.
- The third factor is about the admission requirements for the chosen study program. You should know that there are no Canada-wide standardized tests for international students who want to get admission to a Canadian educational institution. Hence, each designated learning institution has its own standards for admission and considers each prospective international student’s qualifications individually.
It is important to remember that an applicant must verify that he or she meets the admission requirements of an intended study program before applying. If you do not verify this information, there is a high possibility that you will not get admission to a Canadian educational institution. If you want to avoid this situation, you have to contact the institution of your choice for further information.
- The fourth factor is language requirements. Canada is a bilingual country which means that English and French are the official languages here. As a rule, English-speaking institutions ask international students who use English as a second language to pass one of the English examination tests. It is one of the main requirements to qualify for the academic programs and get admission to a Canadian educational institution.
The international students can pass the TOEFL test (Teaching of English as a Foreign Language), IELTS (the International English Language Testing System), CAEL test (the Canadian Academic English Language), or enroll in their own language program, or at an ESL (English as a Second Language) partner school. French-speaking schools can ask applicants to pass a recognized French test or provide prospective international students with their own language assessment methods.
- The fifth factor considers the studying of English or French as a second language. International students can proceed to study either French or English as a second language at private institutions in Canada. Moreover, you can check what programs are of good quality on the website of Languages Canada. This association aims to provide a quality assessment of the language schools across Canada and offer lists of approved programs for international students. After you get admission to a Canadian educational institution, you can choose the best language program with the help of this organization or your college, or university.
- The sixth factor is financial aid for international students. Some prospective students cannot afford to study in Canada. However, they can ask for financial aid from the government of their country of citizenship. It is a high possibility that there are scholarships, low-interest loans, or other awards that can help you to get admission to a Canadian educational institution. It is worth mentioning, that you can also contact the financial aid office of the school or university you wish to attend in Canada. They may offer assistance to prospective international students that cannot pay for their study abroad.
- The recognition of the institution and program is the seventh factor. One of the main peculiarities of the Canadian educational system is that the provincial and territorial governments control the educational process, accredit institutions, and give them designated status. Moreover, universities have a right to grant degrees to talented students. It is worth mentioning that there is no governmental ranking of Canadian universities and colleges. Consequently, popular media sources and education publications rank Canadian institutions highly on lists of higher education institutions worldwide. It is also important to highlight one more time that international students only can get admission to a Canadian educational institution with a designated status.
Also, you have to pay attention to credit recognition if you want to transfer to another post-secondary institution in Canada. Thus, you have to contact the Canadian school you want to transfer to and clarify this question since each educational institution has its own policy regarding transfer credits. You should also check whether your current school has an agreement with the Canadian institution you wish to transfer to since the educational cooperation will make your transfer and credit recognition easier.
- The eighth factor is distance education in Canada. Some international students cannot come to Canada and study at a post-secondary institution for different reasons. Nevertheless, they can get admission to a Canadian educational institution because many schools offer various online programs. These programs allow students to take some courses online before arriving in Canada. Consequently, students can start obtaining a Canadian degree, diploma, or certificate at home without extra expenses. As a result, the international students can come to Canada and attend a designated learning institution for the second or third year of a study program because they have completed some courses through distance learning.
- The last but not the least factor is an application to the chosen Canadian school, college or university. If you want to improve your chances to get admission to a Canadian educational institution of your choice, you have to contact its office of admissions and find all the useful information on how to apply. Also, you can find detailed information on how to get admission to a Canadian educational institution on the official website of the chosen school. Please, follow all the requirements and recommendations thoroughly.
After you get admission to a Canadian educational institution, you will receive a letter of acceptance. You will have to submit it while applying for a Canadian study permit.
In case, if you need help with admission to most Colleges and Universities in Canada, please fill in below application or contact us directly.