Top reasons to study in Canada

Top reasons to study in Canada

1. A degree or diploma from Canadian educational institutions is instantly recognized around the world as being of the highest standard.
2. Tuition fees for international students in Canada are much lower than comparable countries.
3. Canada spends more per capita on education than any other country in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
4. There are 100,000 international students from all parts of the world annually in Canada. Your educational experience is sure to be truly international.
5. Canada is renowned all over the world for its tradition of hospitality and tolerance. A remarkable multicultural society ensures that you will be welcomed and made to feel at home during your stay in Canada. More than 600,000 Canadians trace their roots back to India.
6. Canada is a world leader in software development, telecommunications, aerospace, engineering, urban transport, biotechnology, mining technology and environmental industries. As a student, you have a wealth of research and scholars to draw upon a variety of disciplines.
7. Canada offers a wide choice of over 90 universities and 150 colleges and technical institutes, featuring virtually every program imaginable.
8. For all that it offers, Canada has a remarkably low cost of living. Its inflation rate has remained one of the lowest in the industrialized world.

Student Visa – Canada

Student Partners Program
The Student Partners Program (SPP) is an administrative framework designed and implemented in partnership between the Canadian visa offices in India and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC). The SPP was launched in April 2009 as a pilot to improve student recruitment outcomes. Due to the improvement achieved during the pilot, the program is being extended and expanded in 2011.  For the calendar year 2011 the list of participating ACCC members is the following: 

1. Algonquin College
2. Bow Valley College
3. Cambrian College of Applied Arts & Technology
4. Camosun College
5. Centennial College of Applied Arts & Technology
6. College of New Caledonia
7. College of the Rockies
8. Columbia College
9. Conestoga College
10. Confederation College of Applied Arts & Technology
11. Douglas College
12. Durham College
13. Fanshawe College of Applied Arts & Technology
14. George Brown College
15. Georgian College of Arts & Technology
16. Grant MacEwan University
17. Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
18. Kwantlen Polytechnic University
19. Lambton College of Applied Arts & Technology
20. Loyalist College of Applied Arts & Technology
21. Marine Institute of Memorial University
22. Medicine Hat College
23. Mohawk College of Applied Arts & Technology
24. New Brunswick Community College
25. Niagara College
26. North Island College
27. Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
28. Northern College
29. Northern Lights
30. Okanagan College
31. Red River College of Applied Arts, Science & Technology
32. Selkirk College
33. Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology
34. Sheridan College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
35. St-Clair College of Applied Arts & Technology
36. St. Lawrence College
37. University of The Fraser Valley
38. Vancouver Island University
39. Vancouver Community College

The Student Partners Program is open to Indian nationals only. Students do not apply to the SPP; they apply to a participating college and may be considered under the program if they meet specific criteria. Application submission under the SPP is at the discretion of each participating college. Students interested in submitting applications under the program are encouraged to contact the participating college of their choice for information. The Student Partners Program involves close cooperative partnership and feedback from the participating colleges to ensure student compliance with the terms of their study permits. Essential to the program feedback mechanism is the student's consent for the institution to provide information on attendance. The student must sign the consent declaration on the SPP checklist in order to be processed under this program.

All Study Permit application checklists have been revised and improved as a result of the Student Partners Program framework to help students make simpler applications. All students are strongly encouraged to submit supporting documents as indicated in the checklists to facilitate the processing of their applications.

All overseas students are required to obtain a Student Authorization and Visa before going to Canada for studies. Students must also meet the requirements of the Canadian Immigration Act and Regulations. Under normal circumstances, allow at least two months for your visa to be processed.

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Posted in: Association of Canadian Community Colleges,Canada,Education,India,International student,Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development,United States,Visa

Education System in Canada

Education System in Canada

Education in Canada is under the complete jurisdiction of the provinces and territories and as such, there is no federal education system in Canada. In keeping with the national commitment to education, public education in Canada is free up to and including secondary school in all the provinces.

However, each provincial system, while similar to the others, reflects its specific regional concerns, and historical and cultural heritage. At the post-secondary level, institutions are divided into community colleges and universities.

There are significant differences between the education systems of the different provinces of Canada. Secondary schooling in Canada could go up to Grade 11, 12 or 13, depending on the province unlike in India, where Grade 12 is standard all over the country.

Post secondary education is offered by four types of educational institutions:

1. Universities
2. University Colleges
3. Community Colleges/Technical Institutes
4. Career Colleges

Universities: Canadian universities are largely public funded, and, as a result, offer consistently high quality education at lower tuition rates for international students than their counterparts in competing countries. They offer a broad range of courses and degrees from undergraduate to doctorate and also certificate and professional degrees.

University Colleges: As a component of the Canadian university system, university colleges offer students a choice of either academic oriented university degree programs or the more practical-oriented college diplomas and certificates. As a part of the Canadian college system, university colleges are distinguished by their strong student support services, small classes and strong campus environments. They also offer combined degree/diploma programs and university transfer programs.

Community colleges and technical institutes: They typically have more vocational-related curricula, with small classes, off-campus course offerings, a greater ratio of laboratory space to class room space, and an interactive teaching style. The uniqueness of Canadian colleges lies in the combination of employer-centered curricula. These institutes have the primary function of responding to the training needs of business, industry, and public service sectors. Most colleges and technical institutes offer diplomas and certificates rather than degrees, however, more and more now grant degrees and applied degrees.

Technical/ Career College: This is a privately owned and operated school with the main objective of preparing students for the job market after a short period of instruction. The emphasis at career colleges is on practical skills over a broad range of programs. They specialize in such areas as business, computers, and secretarial skills. Although privately owned, these institutes are provincially approved and regulated, ensuring that programs standards and quality are maintained.

The academic year usually starts in September and ends in May, and is normally divided into two semesters. Some institutes operate on a semester or trimester system and admit students in January and/or May as well as September. Many institutes offer a limited number of courses and special programs during the summer session.

Type of Certification

1. Certificate is a qualification awarded upon successful completion of a program which is usually one year in length, and is offered at colleges.
2. Diploma is the qualification awarded on the basis of one or two year’s successful study, and is offered at colleges.
3. Undergraduate/bachelors degrees are awarded by a university after four years of full-time study, and lead to graduate level studies.
4. Graduate/post graduate degrees lead to advanced degrees, diplomas and certificates. A pre-requisite to participate in graduate studies is a bachelors/undergraduate degree (4 years).
5. M.B.A. programs will typically require a minimum of two to three years of relevant work experience, GMAT score of 580-600, TOEFL score of 560-600, and a 4 year degree, and are generally 2 years in duration, though a few institutes offer a fast track option.
6. Pre-requisites to participating in a master’s program is a four year bachelor’s degree with high academic standing equivalent to a minimum mid-B grade in Canada (mid 70’s); at least two academic letters of reference; and other qualifications as specified, ie., TOEFL, GRE general and/or subject test. Master’s programs generally require two years to complete full time, and usually require a combination of course work and thesis.
7. Doctorate or Ph.D. is a degree ranking above a master’s degree, and generally requires four to seven years to complete full time. A combination of course work, original research, and a thesis is required. Prerequisites are typically a master’s degree, although direct entry from a bachelor’s degree to a Ph.D. program may be possible depending on the school and program. Minimum high-B grade in Canada (high 70’s) is required; where relevant, demonstrated research competence equivalent to at least a B+ grade; at least two academic letters of reference; and other qualifications as specified, i.e., TOEFL, GRE general and or subject test.
8. Post-doctoral programs are much more specialized, research oriented programs. One of the most important factors in granting post-doctorate fellowships is the personal network established between the interested applicant and the faculty member within the institution

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Accounting & Finance Careers in Canada

Students planning on a career in finance or accounting often graduate from commerce or business program. Finance and accounting professionals work in auditing or accounting firms, government, banks or other financial institutions, investment companies or securities-related businesses such as stock brokerages or any corporate environment.

According to Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) work prospects in these areas are fair to good. The most recent survey published by HRDC showed lower than average unemployment rates and higher than average earnings for people in these occupations.

HRDC advises that more than 90 percent of graduates from commerce and business programs were satisfied with their work, and more than 70 percent said they would make the same educational choice again. About 30 percent of graduates felt they were overqualified for their work, which is about average for all graduates, but almost 60 percent, slightly higher than average, thought their training directly matched the work they were doing.

Statistics showed that graduates in the area of auditing, accounting and investing did not change jobs frequently.

According to Canada's Best Career Guide, the number of accounting graduates is declining, which it suggests means there will be less competition for jobs. It also suggests, however, that large auditing/accounting firms are merging, which will result in the reduction of full-time employees. This said, the author Frank Feather -- reported to be Canada's leading business futurist -- still lists accountant/ auditor in the top 30 careers for 2000-2010, noting reasonably low (2 out of 5) stress levels and relatively high income (3 out of 5).

In the areas of banking and brokerage, Canada's Best Career Guide suggests that the old standard jobs, such as bank tellers and stock brokers, are disappearing. Automated services are eliminating jobs in those areas, which are being replaced by either broader skilled employees or more specialized positions.

Human Resources Development Canada seems to agree. HRDC noted that financial institutions are increasingly seeking professionals with a broad range of financial sector skills and that computerization increasingly affects these occupations: "With the re-engineering of the workplace, administrators with specialized skills in data or communications should be more successful in the labour market."

HRDC predicted that most of the increase in labour requirements in finance and accounting will occur in professional services, insurance and real estate and business service sectors.

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