Have you decided on Canada as the country to study and have chosen your university and also made the choice of subject? Then it’s time to apply. The application phase may initially be perceived as a challenge. In fact, there are a few things to consider and organize. Nevertheless, everything is half as wild as it may appear at first glance. A structured approach and good time planning are the be-all and end-all.
In the following you will find a general overview of the typical application process for studying in Canada, which you can use as a guide. However, you should note that there may be differences in terms of admission requirements and application process depending on the university. In order for your application to be successful, you should find out about the specific application process either directly at the universities or from your academic advisor.
Application process at a glance: checklist
- Choosing the right university in Canada, a major country in North America listed on andyeducation
- Obtain information about the admission requirements (which language and / or academic tests have to be taken? Are letters of motivation / recommendation part of the application? Does the university require additional documents such as a portfolio?
- Note the application deadlines and allow enough time
- Fill out the application form
- In the case of a semester abroad, make a choice of course and indicate alternatives
- Organize proof of language and academic qualifications
- Certificates, evidence of study and examination achievements (transcripts, excerpts from grades, diploma supplements) and possibly sworn translations by a certified translation agency
- Take the necessary tests
- Send the complete application documents to the responsible office: Admission Office / Department / Graduate School / Application Service Center
- If the application is checked positively, the Canadian university sends a so-called admission offer. This is required to apply for the Study Permit. You may receive a conditional offer if you still need to submit certain documents, such as language certificates, academic admission test results or performance certificates.
- Accepting the Admission Offer and payment of tuition fees to the official letter of acceptance to get
Components and process of applying for a degree in Canada – step by step
Have you decided on a university in Canada and found out about the admission requirements for your studies there? Then the next few weeks and months will be about organizing and putting together the necessary application components. Depending on whether you only want to study in Canada for one or two semesters, or whether you are moving to the country for a complete undergraduate or postgraduate degree, you will have to plan more or less time for the application.
In general, of course, the earlier the better! For short-term studies such as a semester abroad or an academic gap year, at least six months should ideally be planned for the application process. For a complete course, you should start preparing at least one year before the start of the course.
The following steps will give you a rough guide to the application process for studying in Canada.
1. Clarification of the admission requirements
In order to guarantee a smooth application process for studying in Canada, you should first find out about the respective admission requirements. You can find these on the website of the university of your choice under the respective study program.
2. Note the application deadlines
Most universities in Canada divide the academic year into semesters. In general, the fall semester begins in August and the spring semester in January. The respective application deadlines are not uniform, but are set by the universities themselves. It is also not unusual that the application deadlines at the university of your choice are not uniform and that the faculties set their own deadlines.
The deadline that applies to you usually also depends on whether you want to apply for a bachelor’s or master’s degree or a semester or summer program. Short-term applications are often also possible for short-term programs. Some universities in Canada may have different deadlines for international applicants than for applicants from Canada.
Find out more about the application deadlines on the websites of the university in Canada or contact the Admission Office. In addition, find out whether you can still submit certain documents after the official application deadline or not.
3. Fill out the application form
The filling of the application form is made at most Canadian universities online. Alternatively, you can print out the form, fill it in by hand and send it by post along with the other documents.
In the provinces of Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia, new students also have the option of applying centrally via an application service (Apply-Alberta / Ontario Universities Application Center / ApplyBC). The service centers make it easy to apply to several universities in the respective province at the same time without having to enter your general personal data each time.
Most Canadian universities charge a fee for processing the application, the so-called application fee. This is usually between CAD 50 and CAD 100 and will not be reimbursed if the application is rejected or withdrawn.
