research

Universities in Canada

The Canadian Universities are established and operated under provincial government charters. Most of these institutions are members of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). Till 2012, there was a total of 98 universities in Canada. These universities offer various diploma and degree course to the students, both local and international. Colleges in Canada are different from universities since they are typically not degree-granting institutions. However, some of them may offer degrees using joint programs with a university enable by provincial legislation or by the permission of the Minister of Education.

In 2012, 5 Canadian Universities were ranked in the top 100 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and 8 in the Top 200. 5 of the MBA schools in Canada were also placed in the top 100 Financial Times Rankings in 2012. Thousands of different diplomas and degrees are available to the students who are looking for the higher studies in Canada. There are more than 500 masters programs on hundreds to subject areas and disciplines. Canadian Universities also provide ample amount of opportunities to pursue PhD or other research programs. Top Canadian cities like Vancouver Victoria, Burnaby and others are also a better place to take a foundation year program.

In fact, more than 2 million students were enrolled in the Canadian Universities and Colleges in the session 2013-14. The top three fields of study in terms of enrolments are
  • Business, Management and Public Administration
  • Humanities
  • Social and Behavioural Sciences and Law

In 2015, more than 353,000 International students took admission in Canadian institutions at all levels of study. Since 2008, there has been an increase of 92% international students and India is the fastest-growing country of origin for international students in Canada. China, however, has sent the most number of students to Canada which covers 34% of the total population of international students in Canada. Chinese students are followed by the Indians which cover 14% of the international students in Canada.

As mentioned earlier, Canadian Universities and Colleges offer a range of undergraduate and post-graduate programs to the international students in various streams and disciplines. Some of the top courses in Canada are done in the following fields of study.
  • Engineering
  • Information technology
  • Business management
  • Pharmacy technician
  • Hospitality management
  • Health Science
In Canada, the Universities fix their own fees which may vary depending on few major factors which include the program one is studying, whether it’s a local student or an international student, and which level of study it is (undergraduate or post-graduate). The tuition fees often depend on the place one is studying. For instance, tuition fees are most expensive in the province of Ontario. The average tuition fees for undergraduate international students in Canada start from CA$14,000 per year. For post-graduates, the cost can go up to CA$42,000. Arts and humanities are usually cheaper, while subjects like executive MBA, engineering and medicine are among the expensive ones.

These tuition fees may seem little higher, but they are still very lower than the other top countries like the USA, UK and Australia. However, the requirements for admission in Canadian Universities aren't very different than the Universities in USA, UK or Australia. These requirements can also vary depending on the study program and the level. Since the medium of study in Canadian institutes is English, the students who are applying for a place in those institutions need to meet a minimum English language requirement. It is needless to say that academic records are also checked while evaluating the profile of a potential applicant. For undergraduate courses, 65-80% marks in class XII is required. Students who have scored below 60% in XII can apply for foundation courses and diploma programs. A student needs to be 18 or older to apply for a degree program.