Interested in a Canadian education?
 11 universities from Canada will be in Dubai next month for an information session

On February 19, 11 educational institutions from Canada will host an information session at the Grand Hyatt, Dubai, from noon to 2pm. The institutions will provide information on their admission process, academic programmes, costs and campus life.
To get an idea of the extent to which international students are fuelling the Canadian economy, consider this. In 2008, 1,78,000 international students in Canada spent C$6.5 billion (Dh22.31 billion) in the country.

The figures are quoted in the report, The Economic Impact of International Education in Canada, published in the Embassy newspaper in November 2009 (www.aucc.ca). The report says "the figure is greater than the values of the export of coal and coniferous lumber — traditionally Canada's largest export sectors"!

According to the report, education services are Canada's number one export to China and the second largest export to South Korea. The presence of international students at Canadian institutions provided employment for over 83,000 Canadians and generated more than C$291 million (Dh998.9 million) in government revenue in 2008.

Is it any wonder then that Canada is doing its best to attract more and more international talent?

Many options
Canada has 92 public and private not-for-profit universities that are members of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). Between them they offer more than 10,000 undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral-level courses along with certificate, diploma and professional qualifications.

This apart, options exist in more than 150 member institutions of the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC). Programmes here vary in length from a few months to four years. Most of the courses are practical, designed to meet market requirements. They also offer work placements.

In Canada, each institution sets its own admission criteria. There are no national entrance exams for universities. The academic year is usually from September to April, with the entry points being September and January.

When to apply
As the application process is competitive and deadlines vary, it is best to apply six to eight months before the start date of the programme. It's also advisable to apply to multiple institutions. Prior academic records will be reviewed as part of the admissions process.

Students who wish to pursue architecture would need to demonstrate their creativity through a portfolio. Those aspiring to become doctors need to complete a bachelor's degree, take an entrance test and appear for an interview before being granted admission into medical school. Spaces are limited in such specialisations.

Language proficiency
Prospective international students should demonstrate proficiency in English or French as per the language of instruction at the institution being considered. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or Test de Francais International (TFI) are the tests to be taken. Students with inadequate language proficiency can enrol in preparatory courses before the start of the programme.

Applications to all of Ontario's 18 universities can be made online through the Ontario Universities Application Centre (www.ouac.on.ca). British Columbia's centralised application system is through myBCcampus or PASBC (Post-secondary Application Service of British Columbia) at www.pas.bc.ca/.

Applications to Alberta's 10 institutions can be made through its centralised online application and transcript transfer system for students applying to the province's post-secondary education institutions. Log on to the Alberta Learning Info Service at www.alis.gov.ab.ca.


Who's coming?
Here's a list of institutions taking part in the information session:

Source: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/education/interested-in-a-canadian-education-1.576026

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