Education is managed by the Provincial and Territorial Governments. While public education is free up to the secondary school level, post-secondary education is either publicly funded or privately funded. Education standards are regulated by the provinces. As per the QS Rankings for Best Student Cities, Montreal ranks at #10, Toronto at #11 and Vancouver at #19.
The post-secondary education in Canada is offered in a mix of universities, university colleges, community colleges, technical institutes, career colleges and language schools. Universities offer academic degrees in a wide variety of subjects and are similar to the US structure. Degrees are offered in Bachelors, Masters and PhD.
TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS
Before a student can start researching which University or College to apply for admission to, they need to understand the different types of institutions that are available in Canada.
1. Public Institutions: Public Institutions are government-funded institutions where the balance funds are received through tuition fees and research grants. Some examples of Public Institutions are University of Toronto, McGill University, University of British Columbia and University of Alberta. Many of the top universities in Canada are ranked amongst the top universities on the QS World Rankings as well as the Times Higher Education Rankings. A majority of international students generally apply for admissions to these institutions which are also Designated Learning Institutions and eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit programs.
2. Private Institutions: Private Institutions do not receive any funds from the provincial government and are dependent on funds from Alumni, Research Grants and Tuition Fees. Private Institutions are able to attract some of the best staff. Examples of private institutions include Trinity Western University, Yorkville University, Ambrose University, Kingswood University and Crandall University. Very few private institutions are ranked in the QS World Rankings which is why they struggle to get international students.
3. Community Colleges: Community Colleges are government funded post-secondary institutions that offer 1 to 2 year academic and pre-professional certificates, diplomas, 2-year associate degrees as well as 3–4-year specialized bachelor's degrees. These colleges are also popular with international students with over 6000 students enrolling in community colleges every year. These community colleges are also known as technical colleges, regional colleges or institutes of technology.
Community Colleges combine high quality, comprehensive academics with employer-centered programs, industry connections and internship opportunities. Many community colleges also have university transfer programs where credits can be transferred by students towards a university degree program. Some examples of community colleges include Humber College, George Brown College, Seneca College, SAIT and Nova Scotia Community College.
4. Liberal Arts Colleges: These colleges place an emphasis on undergraduate courses in the liberal arts which are usually interdisciplinary i.e. humanities as well as social, natural and formal sciences.
5. Vocational Colleges: Vocational colleges allow students to learn about a specific trade that they are interested in to gain real life experience under a professional and qualified supervisor.
6. Religious Schools: Canada also offers a number of religious schools other than Catholic schools. These schools teach the regular curriculum alongside religious teaching associated with the specific religion of the school.
PROGRAMS AVAILABLE
1. Certificate
The Certificate is mainly offered by Community Colleges and are short-term programs ranging from 8 months to 1 year. The Certificate programs are very specialized programs in vocational subjects like Business, IT and Healthcare. These programs are open to International Students as well as do not require a study permit if the duration of the program is less than one year. These programs are career-oriented and prepare you for employment. Admission to these programs is less restrictive and they are eligible for a one-year post-graduation work permit. Certificate programs are offered by Public Institutions like University of British Columbia, University of Alberta as well as Community Colleges like Seneca College and Algonquin College.
2. Bachelor’s Degree
An undergraduate program is generally at least for 4 years. This degree is awarded by a university or college. The name of the degree indicates either Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc). Admission requirements include a higher secondary diploma.
3. Master's Degree (2 years)
Master's programs are called Graduate Programs and normally take 2 years to complete but some programs are also available for one year or three years depending on the specialization. Admission requirements include a bachelor's degree and work experience (depending on the program).
4. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (3-6 years)
PhD programs are conducted by Graduate Schools of Universities. These programs involve at least one year of classes, extensive oral and written examination. On the basis of this, students are given permission to undertake research and write a dissertation. This program can take between 3-6 years to complete. Students will need to have a master's degree to apply for admission to a PhD program.
DESIGNATED LEARNING INSTITUTES
A Designated Learning Institute (DLI) is a school which is approved by a provincial or territorial government to host international students.
To apply for a study permit, a student needs an acceptance letter from a DLI. All primary and secondary schools in Canada are designated learning institutes. Not all post-secondary institutions are DLI's. Therefore, it is important to check if the University or College you are planning to apply to is a DLI. There are some private Universities and Colleges where some courses are approved for international students.
When applying for a study permit, the applicant is required to mention the DLI number for their school of choice. The DLI number is the number which begins with "O" on the study permit application form. Some institutions in Quebec are approved by the provincial government but do not have a unique DLI number.
Designated Learning Institutes are also important for approving Post-Graduation Work Permits. Most DLI’s have programs that are eligible for the PGWP while only a few private institutes which are not DLI have very specific programs that qualify for the PGWP.
For a complete list of DLI's with their number, please visit https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/prepare/designated-learning-institutions-list.html
As of this year, the Canadian Government has introduced caps on the number of study permits that will be issued every year to international students. This cap is based on provincial allocation of study permits with larger provinces like Ontario and British Columbia being allowed to issue fewer study permits than they were earlier. Therefore, international students will need to understand how many study permits will be allocated to each province which will also determine where one should apply to study.
PROVINCE | ALLOCATION CAP | EXPECTED STUDY VISAS |
Ontario | 235,000 | 141,000 |
Quebec | 117,917 | 43,629 |
British Columbia | 83,000 | 49,800 |
Alberta | 40,894 | 24,537 |
Nova Scotia | 20,387 | 7,744 |
For a complete list of provinces and their allocation, visit https://www.canadianxperience.com/study-in-canada/designated-learning-institutes
While these numbers are only for this year, this will give you an idea of the allocations that each province has been given. Next year's allocation numbers are expected to reduce by another 10%. Due to the confusion regarding the restrictions that have been placed on study permits, there has been a decline in the number of students applying for admission to Canadian universities which is reflected in many universities not being able to achieve their study permit allocations. The application numbers may increase next year as things become clearer.
Do you need assistance in applying to Canadian institutes or a study permit? CanadianXperience has expert career counsellors who can guide you in the process.
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