The universities in Canada offer programs leading to a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral degree. Colleges in Canada, on the other hand, only offer Bachelor’s degree programs to students. Canada has its share of ‘top universities’ like McGill University, University of Toronto, University of British Columbia and University of Waterloo.
Canada also has community colleges and technical institutions that offer professional programs of 1 to 3 years duration including a work term. Some community colleges offer university transfer programs that allows students to take courses similar to those offered in the first two years of a four-year university program. On completing the two years at a community college the students have to apply to the University for Admission (to complete the last two years of the program there). On average more than 130,000 students from all over the world come to study in this country every year.
Canada is popular for its coop or work-study programs. The cooperative education model formally integrates academic studies with relevant work experience. Coop students study in a school and work in appropriate fields (business, industry, government, social services, etc.). The work term is usually of four months duration. On completion of the degree, one has the same number of academic terms as a regular student, plus up to two years of work experience.
Work while studying: You are allowed to work for 20 hours per week on campus while studying and can earn enough money to cover your personal expenses. Don’t, however, expect to pay for your tuition or living expenses through on campus employment.
The SAT may be required by some undergraduate universities in Canada. The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is the entrance test to be taken by students applying for a Master’s degree in any field other than Management (not all universities in Canada ask for a GRE score). All applicants applying for a Master’s in Management or Business Administration major must submit the results of the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). These tests must be completed by the date of the application round to which you are applying. To register for these exams, please visit http://www.gre.org and http://www.mba.com
In addition to these tests, all students whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the IELTS. For more information on registering for the IELTS and the TOEFL, please visit http://www.ielts.org and http://www.toefl.org
Visa Procedure
You should take with you the following documents in order to apply for a student visa (some of these documents will vary from consulate to consulate).
1. A receipt for the nonrefundable application fee paid in local currency at the current exchange rate.
For up-to-date payment instructions, please contact your local US consulate.
2. A completed visa application form (DS-156). Students should also fill form DS – 157, DS – 158.
You will need the original I-20 form from the university.
3. Be prepared to provide evidence of income sources.
You must prove that funds are immediately available to cover the first year's costs, and show evidence
that funds will be available for all subsequent years.
4. A valid passport.
5. School and college transcripts, and standardized test score sheets