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Top 10 Tips for Studying in Canada

Posted on 13/09/2017

10 Tips to Study in Canada

If you want to study at a Canadian University or designated learning institution, here at MAXCAN you will find the best resources and advice in order to make sure you get your Study Permit with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. However, it is important to pay attention to a few things. For that reason, we have listed a series of tips for you to follow as soon as you start considering coming here.
  1. Contact MAXCAN as soon as you have decided about coming to Canada to study, so that you take all the right steps from the beginning. Since applying for a Study Permit can be a complicated business, we will guide you through the whole process and make sure you do the right things to obtain it and be able to come to Canada to study!
  2. Choose a Program at a recognized School or University. It is important to know that in Canada, each province and territory is in charge of their own education system. For that reason, we will walk you here at MAXCAN through the different options you have, depending on what Program you want to enroll in. You can check the list of designated learning institutions HERE.
  3. Once you have chosen a school, college or university, you have to apply for that specific program of study in order to study there. Since every school has different rules on how to apply, contact them to learn how to apply. However, following are a few tips on that:
    • Make sure you apply at least six months in advance if you want to study at a primary or secondary school, and a year in advance for a post-secondary program at a university, college, etc.
    • Once you contact the school or university where you want to study, they will give you a list of all the documents you need to send them. Your school will be able to tell you about:
      • the cost to apply;
      • tuition fees;
      • health insurance;
      • rent and how much it costs to live in that area;
      • language tests you need to take to be accepted in the Program.
    • Fill out the application forms for the school or schools of your choice. Follow their instructions to submit them. It is important that you apply to more than one school or university in case you don’t get accepted by your first choice; that way you will have more options and chances of getting accepted.
    • To study at a Canadian university or learning institution, you will have to show proficiency in either English or French, depending on the institution you apply to. Many English-language universities and colleges require that you provide an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test result or a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOFEL) or the Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL). Canadian French-language universities usually assess applicants on a case-by-case basis. To find out the language requirement for a specific university or college, check with its registrar’s office.
  4. Once a school or university admits you as a student, they will send you an acceptance letter. This is the first and most important document you need, for without it you cannot apply for a study permit.
  5. Apply as soon as possible after you got the letter of acceptance for a Study Permit, for without the study permit you will not be able to start school, and can be rejected at the port of entry. For that reason, there are a few other things you have to keep in mind for your application. Here at MAXCAN we will make sure you do it the right way, so as to make sure you get your Study Permit.
  6. Before you apply for the study permit, you will need:
    • The acceptance letter from the Designated Learning Institution (DLI) you chose.
    • A valid passport or travel document.
    • You have to prove that you have enough money to pay for your:
      • tuition fees;
      • living expenses for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada;
      • and return transportation for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada.

      At MAXCAN we will guide you in regards as to the different ways you can prove you have the funds to study in Canada.

    • Be a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record and not be a risk to the security of Canada. You may have to provide a police certificate.
    • You have to be in good health. For that reason, you may need to complete a medical exam.
    • Write down the reasons why you want to study in Canada and not your country of residence, and intend to leave Canada at the end of your studies. This is called a “Study Plan” or a “Letter of explanation,” which helps the visa officer to understand you and your goals, such as why you want to study in Canada, and that you understand the responsibilities as a student.
    • If you are not currently in your home country, you may also have to prove your immigration status in the country you apply from.
  7. We will tell you whether you need to complete a medical exam, and get a police certificate before you apply and whether or not you need a visa. If you do need these documents, then you will have to submit these checks with your application, for IRCC will not process the visa application without the Medical Report and Police Certificate. We can assist you in how to get both the exam and the certificate in your country of residence. Find out more here about the security checks. In some cases, IRCC may also contact you and ask you to have your exam and get your police clearances after you apply.
  8. Complete your Application, and send it to the location assigned by IRCC (here at MAXCAN we will assist you with that). Make sure you answer thoroughly all the questions in the application, including completing all of your travel, studies, and employment history. Here at MAXCAN we will make sure the application is thoroughly completed, so that there are no problems once IRCC starts the process. Also, do not change your phone number or the e-mail you submitted in your application while is the application is under review. IRCC may try to call you and if you have changed your number and they cannot reach you they will reject your application
  9. If your application is approved, Immigration Canada will send you:
    • A letter of introduction, if you are from a visa-exempt country, which means a country where you do not need a visitor visa to come to Canada, to confirm your status, which you need to show to the immigration official once you arrive in Canada;
    • From a visa-exempt country, you do not need to apply an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or pay extra fees:
      • Your eTA number will be included in the letter of introduction. Also, the eTA will be:
        • linked to your passport. NOTE: You must travel with the passport you used when you applied for your study permit. For that reason, make sure your passport will not expire during the process.
        • The eTA will be valid for five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
    • If you are from a country where you need a visitor visa:
      • You will be required to submit your passport to an IRCC visa office. Your student visa will be affixed in your passport. For that reason, you must enter Canada before the visa expires.
      • The VISA will show if you can enter Canada only once (a single-entry visa) or if you can enter Canada multiple times (a multiple-entry visa).Nowadays, it typically is a multiple entry visa.
  10. Once you get your Study Permit, you will have to get Health Insurance, as the Government of Canada doesn’t pay for the medical costs of foreign students. Health coverage for foreign students varies in cost and coverage depending on which province you live in. Contact the school you applied to for more information about health insurance.

 

Posted in Tips and tagged Student Visa, Study Permit

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