Studying in Canada without a high school diploma: Transfer Program
Since Canada does not have a uniform education system and all universities act completely autonomously, the admission requirements for individual Bachelor courses are different. It is best to ask the university of your choice directly. As a rule, however, the requirements for a bachelor’s degree in Canada are the Abitur and – depending on the university – sufficient English or French skills, which international applicants usually have to prove by means of a language test.
However, the Community Colleges / Collèges Communautaires also accept applicants with secondary school leaving certificate and completed vocational training. Although these Canadian colleges primarily offer work-related courses, there is also the option of taking part in a scientifically oriented transfer program (associate course). After two years it is possible to switch to a university.
Universities generally recognize the two years of study at Community College as the first two years of a regular bachelor’s degree. Often there are cooperation agreements between community colleges and universities to one, recognition of credits to be guaranteed. After only two more years, the students achieve the Canadian university bachelor’s degree, which is also recognized as an academic degree in Germany. This is because this is at one of a community college conferred degree is not the case. In this context, it is essential to find out about the possibility of a transfer in advance. Because the universities do not cooperate with the colleges everywhere in Canada, a major country in North America listed on ehuacom.
Cost of a bachelor’s degree in Canada
All universities in Canada are funded by tuition fees. There are no uniformly fixed rates. The costs for a Bachelor’s program in Canada vary accordingly and can – depending on the province, university and degree program – range between Can $ 8,000 and Can $ 34,000 per academic year. The average amount is currently around Can $ 18,500 per year. Overseas students often pay up to two-thirds higher tuition fees than their Canadian fellow students.
In addition to the tuition fees, there is the cost of living. These are on average higher than in Germany. It depends, of course, on where you are studying. Life is of course more expensive in big cities like Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal than in more rural areas.
Options for Financing a Bachelor’s Degree in Canada
Fortunately, there is some financial help to make a bachelor’s degree in Canada affordable for students with a smaller budget. Canadian universities, Canadian foundations, and the Canadian government offer scholarships to international students.
Here you can find International Scholarships for studying in Canada.
An early application for a scholarship is recommended, as the application deadlines are sometimes up to one and a half years before the desired start of the course.
Some Canadian universities offer the possibility of increased tuition fees for foreign students under certain circumstances, to the tuition fees for domestic students to match (differential fee waiver / Bourses d’exonération des droits de scolarité différentiels). Information on this is available from the Canadian universities themselves. For those who do not benefit from a scholarship, an education or student loan can also be considered in order to realize the dream of a Bachelor in Canada.
Also jobbing in Canada is possible. A study permit now also includes a work permit for activities on and off campus. This allows you to work twenty hours a week during the semester and even full-time during the semester break. The condition is, however, that the performance at the university does not deteriorate as a result of the part-time job.
More information about the work off campus is available on the Canadian government website.
Good reasons for a bachelor’s degree in Canada
The multiculturalism, the exciting contrast between cosmopolitan cities and unspoiled nature, but also Canada’s high standard of living and security have led to more and more foreign students coming to Canada for a bachelor’s degree in recent years. Of course, there are many other good reasons for this:
Canada invests more in its education system than any other OECD country. The quality of teaching is given at every university and college and the Canadian degrees are accordingly highly regarded worldwide. International rankings confirm: Canadian universities are among the best in the world.
A bachelor’s degree in Canada is much more practice-oriented than in Germany. Canadian universities work closely with local companies. In academic teaching, emphasis is placed on research focusing on specific problems.
University studies in Canada are also possible without a high school diploma. This is made possible by the Community Colleges and the Transfer Programs.
The range of study programs is huge: All students can expect a solid basic education and still have the opportunity to specialize right from the start.
International students benefit from Canada’s bilingualism.
Those who achieve a very good honors degree can start directly with their doctorate and thus greatly shorten the path to an academic career.
Visa and health insurance for Canada
If you are studying for a bachelor’s degree in Canada, you will of course be staying in the country for more than six months. This means that you as an international student a study permit (study permit / permis d`études) apply must. For that you have to show, for example
a certificate of admission from a Canadian university
a police clearance certificate and
proof of sufficient financial means to study in Canada
You are also required to have health insurance in Canada. Canadian universities often offer insurance packages for international students themselves. These are often mandatory. Foreign health insurance for Canada taken out in Germany , however, is the cheaper option.
