You can apply for a study permit online, or you can get a paper application at a visa application center. A letter of acceptance from the university stating the program of study, including start and end dates, is also required. I was a naive 19-year-old when I decided, based on little more than brilliant university brochures and a couple of family visits to the city, to attend college at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. It's not that I haven't researched; I just didn't realize how much needed to be done. For Americans, the idea of studying in Canada can be intriguing, and schools like UBC encourage international students to apply, as we pay at least five times more tuition than local residents.
Despite this difference, it is still possible to study at a very good Canadian university for less than the American equivalent. And the fact is that the exchange rate makes other expenses very reasonable. But one thing that many prospective students don't realize is that Canada is another country. It's different from your neighbor downstairs. It has a markedly different culture, with its own style and its own value system.
It also has a different academic culture that can make life very challenging for the American student. Americans applying to an elite Canadian school should expect a different but equally challenging admissions process as that of an elite school in the United States. Although the school may not want your SAT scores, it is quite possible that it will require transcripts from everywhere you have studied, whether the classes you took apply to your current academic program or not. On the other hand, even if you are a transfer student, you may be asked to view your SAT scores. Studying in Canada may be somewhat cheaper, but financial aid resources for U.
S. students in Canada are limited. Federal student loans for studying in Canada, many U. scholarship programs cannot award prizes to students outside the country. I found that the visa requirements provided by my university, the Canadian government website, and the Canadian consulate in Seattle were different.
The part of the process that seemed most complicated to me was the proof of sufficient funds to enter Canada. If your parents help you pay for college, you can ask them to provide a notarized statement that they will support you financially. But don't worry, Canadians really want us here. If they can escape money together, it is very unlikely that they will refuse it. The visa issued to me allows me to study in Canada until I get my degree and work there until a year later.
This is a pretty good benefit. The visa, however, does not guarantee re-entry to Canada if you leave the country. Prepare to go through questions beyond the typical "What is the purpose of your visit?" The interrogation seemed quite arbitrary to me, since I already had a visa, but that's life between borders. For college students anywhere in the world, queuing is a daily reality; in Canada, it's a reality almost every hour. Canadians seem to happily wait in what an American like me might call obscenely long lines. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's significantly different from attitudes in the U.
S. UU. Like in any other country, you can't expect everyone to understand how you operate. Most people are eager to try to understand me, but they are not always able to. Citizen, your health insurance probably won't cover you in Canada.
Be thankful that you are going to a country with affordable healthcare. In fact, getting into the plan requires a lot of waiting. Once you do, your coverage usually takes three months to start, so be sure to apply as soon as you arrive in Canada. A private company offers virtually the same coverage at the same price during this waiting period. Once you are insured in B.
C
.(health care differs from province to province), you can see any doctor you want and pay nothing. It is also important for American students to know that the grading system (grading) is very different from ours. An 85 percent grade, an A, is almost impossible to receive, but here's what an international student must have to get a scholarship. Being used to American scholarships, which take into account letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities and many courses, the Canadian way of awarding scholarships can seem harsh. I also found that the standard style of essay writing is quite different from that of the U.
Perhaps more formal, more British - it's hard to say - this has been the most frustrating aspect of my experience in Canada. In general, the housing situation is similar to that of U., S. At UBC, on-campus housing is very limited and off-campus housing near the school is quite expensive. The good news is that international first-year students are guaranteed a place in the dorms and once you've lived in them you'll be first on the list for next year. Help for International Students In my first year at UBC I had moments when I was desperately confused. The frustrating thing about living in a different culture is that you often feel like there's something that everyone else knows and you don't - and often there is - but whatever that thing is no one who is native of the place can articulate it. Fortunately UBC has International House which offers extensive guidance and even counseling services for international students - check if the university you want to go to has something similar! For people looking for an international experience Canada has a lot to offer - its Commonwealth identity ties it closer to a larger part of the world than individualist United States - Canadians are mix of British French and American people but also people from many other backgrounds - for few dollars I've eaten some of biggest and most exotic foods of my life in Vancouver where...
