ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREE COURSES
Previous educational record is the main criteria on which admission to Canadian universities is made. Canadian universities are autonomous in matters of admission. Hence admission requirements may vary from one institution to the other. Letters of reference, portfolios of work and personal statements may also be evaluated for granting admission. This depends on the institution and the program a student has applied for.
Admission to professional programs is extremely competitive and limited. Admission to professional programs such as Law, Business, Medicine, Dentistry, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Pharmacy is granted after the completion of two or three years of study for bachelor's degree in a relevant subject, e.g., Science. The applicant has to take standardized tests such as the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) for Law, the Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) and the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) for admission to dental and medical colleges.
The International Baccalaureate is recognized as extra qualification to the Canadian universities. Some universities also grant credit for the IB diploma while admitting students to degree courses. The number of places in professional disciplines available for international students is limited and may be available through Canadian International Development Agency. Institutions may charge international students’ differential tuition fee in addition to the fee levied on Canadian students.
Student presenting the General Certificate of Education (GCE) will find that while some universities will admit students to first year degree program on the basis of `O' level and/or Advanced Supplementary (AS) standing, other universities require a combination of `O' and/or (AS) and A level for granting admission to first year studies. `A' levels in two or three subjects is, however, generally acceptable. Indian students seeking admission to advanced level of undergraduate degree may require a first or second class degree. A master’s degree from an Indian university is required by some Canadian universities for admitting students to graduate courses.
English language requirement
To qualify for a degree program at most English speaking universities, students for whom English is not a first language must have passed an English examination test. The TOEFL is commonly accepted but Canadian universities often have their own tests for students or may accept other English tests such as the IELTS.
A satisfactory score in TOEFL is 550 to 600. In IELTS a band score of 6.5 with no score less than 6 in any section of the IELTS. Students may seek exemption from these tests while corresponding with individual universities if they have proven language ability/school reports.
ACADEMIC CALENDER:
The academic year in Canada is usually 9 months long. It starts in September and ends in May. Some universities and colleges operate on the semester or trimester system and admit students in January and/or May as well as September.
Application Procedure
The Application to universities in all provinces except Ontario should be mailed to the Registrar or Dean of Admissions of the University. Preliminary application forms may be used to provide the information required and to request the application form from the university. All universities will send their prospectus and curriculum with information, on the academic and social environment, along with the application forms if the applicant is eligible. The application form, documents required (transcripts, certificates etc.) explaining plan of study, purpose of study in that university, along with application fee should be mailed to the university. Students need to apply a year in advance, to permit time for obtaining all pertinent documents and authorization. International applicants must submit their application form as early as possible because of the time required to collect, evaluate and make admission decision and to allow for the time required to obtain a visa from the Canadian embassy/consulate. Admission decisions are made only after the receipt of all final documents. A formal application for admission normally includes the following
- Application form duly complete
- Official transcripts including certified copies of school reports and certificates of public examination
- English proficiency score
- Letters of recommendation
- Proof of sufficient financial support
If the institution evaluates the application and approves an offer of acceptance is issued which the applicant can accept or reject.
If you are interested in studying in the province of Quebec you are required to obtain a Certificate of Acceptance (CAQ) from the Quebec government and a student authorization from the Government of Canada. Applications for a CAQ are available at educational institutions in Quebec. A processing fee will be incurred when applying for the CAQ.
Students must apply for a CAQ before applying for a student authorization. Students wishing to study in other provinces or territories do not need CAQs.
Letters of recommendation
Letters of recommendation or reference are valuable while evaluating an application for admission and financial aid. They are confidential letters describing the applicant's strength as well as weakness, how he/she compares with a group of his age, ability to cope with academic work overseas etc. Teachers, professors, counselors and principal's letters are valuable assessments for the admissions committee.
Applications to institutions in Ontario
Sixteen Ontario institutions (Brock, Carleton, Guelph, Lakehead, Laurentian, McMaster, Ottawa, Queen's Ryerson Polytechnic Institute, Toronto, Trent, Waterloo, Western Ontario, Wilfrid Lamies, Windsor and York) participate in this centralized application service which is at the following address :
Ontario Universities Application Centre, QUAC, 90 Woodlawn Road West, Box 1328, Guelph, Ontario N1H 7P4, Canada
The application has three choices for institutions in the form and is processed at the application centre and a copy sent to each of the three institutions. Academic documents have to be mailed by the applicant to the three institutions of choice. The offer for admission is mailed to the applicant directly. The choice accepted is communicated to the Guelph office given below:
The Association of Universities and Colleges in Canada, 151 Slater Street, Ottawa, Ontario KIP5NI, Canada
Information on Community Colleges can be had from
The Association of Canadian Community Colleges, 1223 Michael Street North, Suite 200, Ottawa, Ontario KIJ 712, Canada
Statement of Finances
Universities in Canada need a complete financial statement from the applicant. At times, the financial support forms are mailed along with the application forms and must be returned with all the other documents.
The financial statement required by universities is to tell them that you can support yourself financially while in Canada and that you can pay your fees. Canadian bank account/convertible bank draft/bank statements of 4-6 months, proof of residence etc. bear some factual evidence.
