Overview

Picture Postcard Beauty From Sea to Sea!
Sitting above the USA, Canada- for starters-is a HUGE (9,984.670 sq km) country with six time zones (!), the world’s largest coastline, and more number of lakes than all of the world’s lakes combined!   This large landmass (the second largest to be more precise), Canada, takes the world’s breath away with its majestic range of landscapes, glacial peaks, ice-fields, green vegetation, and massive mountains. And yes/oui- it has two official languages – English & French!
Filled with popular tourist attractions, there is a long list of Canadian scenic wonders for students to sight see. Most visited tourist spots at a quick glance: the Niagara Falls, the 135 km-long Okanagan Lake with its supposedly scary Ogopogo monster (boo!), the Glacier National Park, the Banff National Park, and the Canadian Rockies, to name a few.

Bagels & Maple Syrup!
From natural peaks to skyscrapers, Canada has it all! Montreal and Toronto are two huge cities that offer just about everything students could possibly ask for.
Toronto is a dynamic metropolis boasting soaring skyscrapers, which seem dwarfed alongside the world-famous CN Tower. This ethnically diverse city is also a major centre of higher education and research with many well known educational institutions such as the University of Toronto.
The City of Saints, Montréal, is one that defies all expectation with its lush mix of North American & European swagger and cutting-edge culture. The 2015 QS World University Rankings rank the City the 8th-best place in the world to be a uni student. What’s more… the United Nations consistently ranks Canada one of the best places in the world to live in- given its low crime rates. There are also “Walk Safe" programmes to assist people in getting to public transportation during late hours. (Phew!)

Opens Doors Globe-Over!
Canada is the world’s most educated country with over half of its residents being college graduates.  Unlike back home, the Country does not have a central education system but is under the jurisdiction of each of its province. It is among the top three in the world in terms of spending per capita for public post-secondary education, as per the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Canadian Unis are well renowned for their high quality degrees and every year, no less than 12 unis make it into the Times Higher Education Supplement Top 200. 

Options, Options, Options!
Students can have their pick from more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate programmes offered across approximately 92 unis plus 175 community colleges.

A look at what to study in Canada:

• Certificate level (One year)
• Diploma level (One or two years)
• Advanced Diploma (Two or three-years)
• Bachelor degrees (Four years of full-time study)
• Post-graduate Diplomas/Certificates (One or two years)
• Master’s degrees (one to two years)
• Doctorate or PhD (four to seven years)

Some popular courses at the undergraduate level- Bachelor of Engineering & Bachelor of Administrative Studies, and at the postgraduate level- PGD in management, MBA, MS and LLB degrees.
For those looking to go for postgrad study- you’ve hit gold-Canada is the right place for you! Research happens to be one of the key components of a Canadian education; the Canadian Government and industry support research in areas including telecommunications, medicine, agriculture, computer technology, and environmental science.

Join the Uni ‘Lineup’ Now!
Here are a few of Canada’s most reputed unis… Concordia University, McMaster University, McGill University, University of Alberta, Queen’s University, Universite de Montreal, University of British Columbia, , University of Toronto, University of Calgary, University of Western Ontario, University of Waterloo, and York University.

Loonies & Toonies!
The price tag for higher studies in Canada is roughly only half as much as it would be in other leading study destinations like the US.  Students will have to shell out anywhere from CAN $12,000 (nearly 6,35,000 INR) to CAN $35,000 (nearly 18,50,000 INR) for undergraduate programmes, and from CAN$10,000 (nearly 5,30,000INR)  to CAN$39,000 (nearly 20,70,000INR)for postgraduate programmes per year.
Annual living expenses could range from CAN$ 7,000-14,000 (nearly 3, 70,000-22,20,000INR). Inclusive of accommodation which could cost students anywhere between $4,000 to $9,000 (2,11,000- 4,80,000INR) per year. These are reliable stats that have been pulled out from our very own database.
Canadian unis mostly offer up to four intakes in an academic year- Jan, April, May, and September; international students are advised to apply at the earliest possible, as scholarships and admissions get more and more competitive closer to the deadline.

The Canuck Pull!
Apart from global recognition, overseas education counselors confirm that student numbers have increased over the years also owing to visa restrictions, rising educational costs, and the sharp decline of post-degree job opportunities in the other international study destinations.
International students may work part-time for 20 hours per week – generally the first six months in campus and off campus post this period. During vacations, they can work for up to 40 hours and the average pay could be anywhere along the lines of CAD$7 to CAD$10 per hour (370 to 520INR per hour) or even more. Canadian unis also offer paid internships alongside the course- mostly for post-graduate programmes like MBA.
And it gets better…on graduation, international students can apply for what is known as a Post-Graduation Work Permit, which gives them the opportunity to work in the Country for a three-year period. Students don’t even need to have a job offer in hand while applying for the permit! It is no wonder Canadian international student numbers have seen a 84% spike over the last decade (ICEF Monitor).

‘Fun’-damentals of Student Life!
Of course- it’s not all JUST about the rankings and fees, studying in Canada also brings with it many other benefits. Canadian uni campuses are wired with the latest in technology and modern amenities, Olympic- quality sports facilities, art galleries, and public concert halls. Students will have incredible opportunities to meet like-minded peers and gain valuable international student experience through student clubs and student-run governments. Some fun ways for students to chill out (no pun intended!) outside their classrooms include sailing, hiking, skiing and sledging! 
They can really enjoy an active and varied lifestyle in this beautiful country, along with great health care benefits, and most importantly the thing that Canada is most known for- friendliness of the polite locals.

Breaking the Canadian Ice!
So first timers must get acquainted with a few Canadianisms to not come off as rude or ill-mannered…

• Canadians take matters of etiquette quite seriously so when meeting someone for the first time, a firm handshake while meeting and departing is in order!
• Canadians are formal when it comes to mentioning names and titles. Use their last names and appropriate titles until asked to make use of their first names- mostly used only by close friends and family.
• Sunglasses and hats must be removed when conversing with someone.
• And also it is considered rude to talk with hands in your pocket.

These are just a few common dont’s. Explore the Canadian culture well a few months before your arrival there to help set in to your new environment quicker and minimise culture shock.  But really- given all the facts and stats-where better to head to now for higher studies than Canada.