Canada is a huge country. Its landmass is second-largest in the world, after Russia, but most of the land is uninhabitable due to the extreme temperatures. The main education hubs are the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec. Quebec is a French speaking province. It has recently become a major destination for Indian students pursuing higher education abroad. This is because Canada has some of the best options for staying back after graduation with a three-year work permit after graduation on offer as long as you graduate from an accredited institution.
While the top universities in Canada are expensive, there are good universities that offer the same degrees for much less, and graduating from them still allows a student to apply for the post-graduate work permit, and to secure jobs.
There are several Canadian universities that teach only in French; these are normally based in and around Quebec and offer students from French-speaking countries discounetd fees. If you speak French as a first language, Quebec offers several benefits, and after graduation, as long as you have a job offer, you can receive permanent residency within two years.
Canada: Top 25 Colleges
| Rank | Name of College / University | Address |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Toronto | 27 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1 Canada |
| 2 | McGill University | 845 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada |
| 3 | The University of British Columbia | Â 2329 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada |
| 4 | University of Alberta | 116 St & 85 Ave, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada |
| 5 | McMaster University | 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada |
| 6 | Université de Montréal | PO Box 6128, Centre-ville Station, Montréal, Quebec H3C 3J7 |
| 7 | University of Waterloo | 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada |
| 8 | The University of Western Ontario | 1151 Richmond St, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada |
| 9 | University of Calgary | Â 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada |
| 10 | Queen's University | 99 University Ave, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada |
| 11 | University of Ottawa | Â 75 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada |
| 12 | Simon Fraser University | 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada |
| 13 | Dalhousie University | 6050 University Ave, Halifax, NS B3H 1W5, Canada |
| 14 | York University | Â 4700 Keele St, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada |
| 15 | Université Laval | 2325 Rue de l'Université, Ville de Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada |
| 16 | University of Victoria | Â 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada |
| 17 | University of Saskatchewan | Â Saskatoon, SK, Canada |
| 18 | Concordia University | 1455 Boulevard de Maisonneuve O, Montréal, QC H3G 1M8, Canada |
| 19 | University of Manitoba | 66 Chancellors Cir, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada |
| 20 | University of Guelph | 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada |
| 21 | Université du Québec à Montréal |  405 Rue Sainte-Catherine Est, Montréal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada |
| 22 | Université de Sherbrooke | 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Immeuble K1, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada |
| 23 | Carleton University | 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada |
| 24 | Memorial University of Newfoundland | 230 Elizabeth Ave, St. John's, NL A1C 5S7, Canada |
| 25 | University of Regina | 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada |
| Rank | 1 |
| Name Of College / University | University of Toronto |
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Tables attribution: Copyright: www.prep4future.org
There are three main universities in Canada: University of Toronto based in Ontario, McGill University, based in Montreal and the University of British Columbia, based in Vancouver. They consistently compete for the top spot in the rankings, and exchange places based on the subject, with Toronto being best at technology and engineering, and University of BC taking the top spot for psychology and economics.
At an undergraduate level, there is not much difference between the top universities in Canada, and, with a four-year degree, there is a great deal of flexibility to explore subjects. You do not declare your major until the end of your second year, and changing faculties is not difficult. That is to say, you could start by studying Arts, but change your mind and move to the Sciences if you want.
At a postgraduate level, it is slightly more restricted, given that a master’s degree is more specialised than a bachelor’s degree. But there is still a degree of flexibility in choosing electives.
There is a difference if you are studying business, however, since there is a work experience requirement to study an MBA in Canada. They require three years of post-graduation work experience, the GMAT/GRE and a four-year bachelor’s degree. To apply for an MBA with a three-year degree, you have to have done a year of master’s study or have completed a master’s degree.
The main consideration when studying in Canada is the distance from India, and therefore the expense of travel. It can cost up to 2,000 Canadian Dollars, that is Rs 1,11,250 for a return plane ticket during peak season—Christmas.
Overall, Canada is a good option to consider, as its degrees have the flexibility of the degrees of the US, and it has good options for Jobs after graduation with most degrees.
By Harini Prasad, Co-Founder, www.prep4future.org
