Study in Canada Part 3

Costs and financing options

As already mentioned, the tuition fees in Canada differ greatly depending on which province or territory and at which university you are studying. In principle, international students pay significantly higher tuition fees than their local fellow students, as the study places for local students are subsidized through taxpayers’ money. For studying in Canada, the costs are on average below those that students have to plan for studying in the neighboring country of the USA.

International students in Canada can expect the following fees:

  • For a bachelor’s degree, they pay between CAD $ 5,000 and CAD $ 30,000 per academic year. The preparatory programs at the colleges are usually a little cheaper.
  • A Masters program costs between CAD $ 8,000 and CAD $ 34,000.
  • Participation in a visiting student program is already possible for CAD $ 6,000 to CAN $ 9,000 per semester.

Then there is the cost of living. These are roughly comparable to those in Germany and should be estimated at around CAD $ 1,000 per month.

Foreign student loans, scholarships and student loans

There are several funding options available to cover the cost of studying in Canada. For students who only want to spend one or two semesters in Canada, financing through BAföG abroad is particularly ideal. In this case, up to EUR 4,600 is paid towards the tuition fees for a maximum of one year. There are also other grants for travel and living expenses. Students should contact the BAföG office responsible for Canada inquire in Ilmenau whether they meet the requirements for the BAföG abroad. This can even be the case if you are not eligible for BAföG in Germany because your parents’ income is too high. This is because the tax base is different.

There are also some ways to get a scholarship to study in Canada, a major country in North America listed on toppharmacyschools. The DAAD and various church, party-affiliated or private foundations annually advertise full and partial scholarships for students with particularly good performance. The Canadian government and universities also provide scholarships to international students.

Another way to finance your dream of studying in Canada is with low-interest education and student loans.

Working while studying abroad in Canada

Under certain conditions, full-time students can also work up to 20 hours a week during the semester with their study permit. They can work full-time during the semester break.

Visa and entry requirements

For stays of less than six months for applicants from Germany, Austria and Switzerland without a visa for Canada needed. However, from March 15, 2016, travelers will need a so-called eTA (electronic travel authorization) for this short stay.

For longer study visits, international students need a study permit (study permit) apply. This should be applied for in advance of your stay in Canada at the Visa Application Center (VAC) in Düsseldorf. For this purpose, the applicants must prove, among other things, that they have sufficient financial means to be able to bear all costs themselves. A police clearance certificate is also often required.

Health insurance

Health insurance is compulsory in Canada. Many universities offer insurance packages to international students when they enroll. But it is often just as possible and often even cheaper, a travel insurance completed in Germany.

Work permit for Canada

The study permit includes since June 2014 at the same time a work permit for Canada, both for on campus – as well as off campus -Jobs (Off-Campus Work Permit Program). The host universities often have information on this ready.

Academic Year in Canada

In Canada, universities use two different systems to organize the academic year: Most universities use the semester, while some use the trimester / quarter system.

In the summer months, from May to August, the Canadian universities often offer the so-called summer sessions. Students can use these to advance their studies more quickly or to repeat certain courses.

The summer sessions are also extremely popular with international students as a “condensed semester abroad ”. They are ideal for earning credits during the semester break and at the same time gaining international experience.

Semester system

The vast majority of Canadian universities and colleges divide the academic year into semesters, i.e. into two consecutive study sections of equal length. They last between 15 and 17 weeks:

semester Period
case August – December
Jump January – May
(Buzzer) May – August

Trimester system

Far fewer universities in Canada, however, use the trimester system to organize the academic year. A trimester usually lasts ten to twelve weeks:

Trimester Period
case September – December
winter January – March
Jump March – June
(Buzzer) May – August

Some universities add the summer term to the academic year and speak of quarter in this case – however, the periods do not differ from the trimester division.

Canadian universities decide autonomously which academic system they use and when each semester or trimester begins and ends. It even happens that a university uses both systems: there are universities that use the semester system in the undergraduate area and the trimester system in the postgraduate area. Or the university by and large uses the semester system, while individual faculties, for example the business school, use the trimester system.

Generally, it is important to know if a college (relationship-oriented one faculty) in Canada divides the academic year into semesters or trimesters, as this also influence is to have, how many courses are occupied.

Study in Canada Part 3