If you are applying to universities in Ontario - you will need to apply through the OUAC 105 application form. Once you have applied, either through OUAC or direct, each university will send you a confirmation of receipt of application, they will provide you with a username and password to their application portal where you will upload all of your application documents (passport, transcript, predicted IB grades etc.).
Each university in Canada will have its own entry requirements and application requirements (essay, portfolio etc.). In most cases, students will apply with a transcript (Grade 9-11) and their predicted IB grades. Both of these documents are provided to you by Ms Al-Shammari upon request.
It is important you check each university to see their application deadline and entry requirements. Most deadlines are January 15th. Applications open in October.
Reasons why you should consider applying to Canada:
Institutions that are internationally recognised and a quality of education that is some of the best in the world according to the OECD.
International student tuition rates that are relatively affordable, particularly in comparison with the USA, UK and Australia.
The opportunity to build a flexible degree following a liberal arts-style system. This is particularly well-suited to students who have a breadth of academic interests.
Applications and admissions that are straightforward and that do not require standardised testing, references or essays (with some exceptions).
Paid work experience, internships and research that can be integrated into the degree so that students graduate with real-life experiences on their CVs.
A study permit that allows generous work-while-study options and provides a clear pathway to post-graduate permanent residency.
Useful Resources:
https://www.educanada.ca/index.aspx?lang=eng
With 96 public universities and over 15,000 English and French study programs on offer, Canada is one of the world’s top destinations for university education. Canada is home to 11 of the top 250 universities in the world and institutions range from large, research-intensive universities with world-class reputations to smaller universities with intimate learning environments. Universities in Canada are generally the jurisdiction of each province and territory and are highly regulated for quality assurance.
Secondary school students normally choose universities for undergraduate degree programs, which in Canada typically last 4 years (though some are 3 years). Universities also offer postgraduate programs, professional designations, certificate and diploma courses, short career-focused programs and co-operative education and internships. University degrees in Canada are equivalent to those in the US and Commonwealth. Three categories of universities you may come across are listed below.
The U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities
The U15 is a collective of some of Canada’s most research-intensive universities, fostering the development and delivery of long-term, sustainable higher education and research policy in Canada and around the world.
Art & Design Universities Canada
Art & Design Universities Canada is a new consortium of the country’s four specialised art and design universities: Alberta University of the Arts (Calgary, AB), Emily Carr University of Art & Design (Vancouver, BC), NSCAD University (Halifax, NS), and OCAD University (Toronto, ON). All four universities are members of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (consortium of 36 leading art schools in the US and Canada). Note that art and design courses are also offered at a number of non-specialised universities and colleges.
Primarily Undergraduate Universities
This category includes universities that are largely focused on undergraduate education, with relatively fewer graduate programs and graduate students. Two common types of primarily undergraduate universities include university colleges (faith-based or secular university-level colleges with association to a university) and liberal arts colleges (standalone universities offering arts and sciences curricula based in the Oxbridge tradition and with intimate class-sizes focused on the Socratic Method). In terms of the latter, the Maple League of Universities is a Canadian consortium of four of these liberal arts colleges, but there are many more.
University
Bachelor’s degree (3 years) pre-requisite: high school diploma
Bachelor’s with Honours (4 years) pre-requisite: high school diploma
Master’s degree (1 to 2 years) pre-requisite: Bachelor’s degree
PhD or doctoral studies (3 to 5 years) pre-requisite: Master’s degree
College or university
Certificate (1 to 2 years) pre-requisite: high school + other requirements depending on the program
Professional degree (3 years) pre-requisite: high school + other requirements depending on the program
Search college and university programs in Canada
University leads to academic excellence and a rewarding career
Canadian universities offer programs at three levels: Bachelor’s, masters and PhD or doctoral studies. Some universities also offer short programs that give students certificates, diplomas or professional degrees. These may appeal to you if you’re a mature international student who has been working and wishes to acquire new skills to advance your career.
College offers a straight path to jobs
If you’re looking for practical, hands-on career training, a Canadian college education will get you there. College aims to prepare you for your chosen career, so you can get a good job in Canada or in your home country when you complete your studies.
Colleges in Canada may be known as:
Colleges of applied arts and technology
Community colleges
Institutes of technology
Polytechnics
Some colleges offer applied bachelor’s degrees. Colleges in Canada do not offer master’s or PhD degrees.
With 127 public colleges, institutes and polytechnics (CIPs), and over 10,000 English and French study programs on offer, Canada is one of the world’s top destinations for career-oriented education. Choosing a CIP is choosing an experience that is in tune with the changing global market. Canadian CIPs work closely with business and industry to design programs that offer hands-on training and teach the skills employers are seeking. Students at CIPs will have countless opportunities to take part in (often paid) internships, co-operative programs and work placements that will provide real-work practical experience, directly integrated into the degree.
CIPs in Canada are generally the jurisdiction of each province and territory and are highly regulated for quality assurance. Secondary school students normally choose CIPs for the range of degree options on offer. A degree can be vocational or academic, and can include certificates, diplomas, apprenticeship and post-graduate diplomas. Some CIPs also offer full academic degrees (3 or 4 years in length), as well as applied research degrees and university transfer programs (in which the student completes a portion of the degree at the CIP and then the remainder of the degree at a partner university). Research suggests that students who have completed a portion of their degree at a CIP may actually be more competitive than their university-educated peers, with many CIPs boasting graduate employability rates of over 80% within six months of graduation. Two categories of CIPs you may come across are listed below.
Colleges
Also referred to as ‘community colleges,’ colleges in Canada can include trade or vocational schools, but also institutes of technology and polytechnics. Colleges are usually not degree-granting institutions (rather, they offer certificates, diplomas, apprenticeships and post-graduate diplomas), though some may be enabled by provincial/territorial legislation to grant degrees using joint programs with universities or by permission of the provincial Minister of Education. Colleges are mandated to serve the community and accommodate everyone (including students who eventually want to transfer to university) and so offer a very broad range of programmes and courses. Colleges have far-reaching industry connections and practical training is engrained into study. In addition, colleges often have courses to improve a student’s employability, such as language training. Trade schools, which offer apprenticeship training in a specialised occupation, are usually programmes contained within a college or vocational school. Students do not always require a completed secondary school diploma to enter trade or vocational schools.
Most public colleges in Canada are members of Colleges and Institutes Canada, a national association or colleges, institutes of technology, and polytechnics.
Polytechnics
Sometimes referred to as ‘colleges’ – but also ‘institutes’ or ‘institutes of technology and advanced learning’ – polytechnics sit somewhere in the middle of universities and colleges. Like a university, they can offer full four-year bachelor’s academic degrees with theoretical grounding, however like a college, these are usually in practically-focused subjects (e.g. computer science or animation, rather than philosophy or anthropology) and will always include a work-integrated learning component. Unlike community colleges, polytechnics are able to be very specific about what programmes they offer (and these programmes tend to be highly competitive). Like a university, polytechnics engage in research, however this is often applied (i.e. research to benefit community businesses, SMEs and industry). Polytechnics are usually located in key economic regions and contribute to a more innovative, productive and globally competitive Canada.
All public polytechnics are members of Polytechnics Canada, a national association of institutes of technology and colleges. Importantly, all polytechnics are also members of Colleges and Institutes Canada (but not the other way around).