Hi, I am a junior in high school beginning my college search and was wondering if anyone had any insights about going to college in Canada. I am a US resident, living in the New England area, so Canada is not all that far from where I live now. I have heard that it is MUCH cheaper to study in Canada than it is back here in the US. Is this true? If so, what are some good schools in Canada? Does the application process work the same when applying to Canadian schools? I don’t know much about studying in Canada, but it is definitely something I am interested in doing if it is worth while. Please help me out and give me some info! Thanks
If it’s cheaper than your instate option, then go for it. Sounds like a hassle to get a visa and all that stuff, but that ain’t my area of expertise. If it ends up more expensive, then just stay in state.
Some Canadian colleges have reciprocal agreements with nearby states. That may be worth checking out. If you are talking about the big name schools in Canada - McGill, UToronto, UBC etc. pricing is between in-state and OOS tuition in the US. (For example, tuition at McGill is CAD 1200-1500 per credit hour). You won’t be eligible for any financial aid / scholarships typically.
Canadian schools care about your grades and ACT/SAT scores but not EC’s. Look at their applications for a better idea.
Services are generally less comprehensive than in the US. Living costs are about the same.
Big differences:
They usually take a higher percentage of their undergrad courses in their major subject than in the U.S.
Sports are there but aren’t a big deal.
Frats & sororities not very common or prominent.
Lower drinking age (18 or 19, depending on the province).
Typically a higher percentage live off-campus than at comparable U.S. colleges.
Financial aid not readily available for Americans.
Some colleges are bi-lingual (e.g. U of Ottawa, Glendon College (part of York U., but with its own campus).
Overall:
Schools & students tend to be good & serious.
Getting visa isn’t a big hassle. Don’t let that stop you.
If u like exploring customs & food & language that are different from your own, then it will be fascinating. If u bristle at anything new & different, then it probably won’t be. Canada is very similar to the US, but it is not the SAME as the US.
Wide variety of prices for Americans, with some real bargains if you look for them.
The well-known Canadian unis like McGill and UToronto are giant sink-or-swim public research powerhouses, so similar to UW-Madison and UMich.
http://www.mun.ca/undergrad/apply/fees.php
This U. Is in an interesting and picturesque city, & is cheaper for Americans than most in-state colleges would be (fees listed are in Canadian dollars, and the conversion rate currently favors Americans, so total costs for a year–room, board, tuition, fees, books-- seem to be about $16,500 in U.S. dollars.).
McGill does offer merit aid to Americans. At McGill be aware that you will be studying on a bilingual city in a French province. Much more a culture change than Toronto.
BTW, in Canada a college is a community college. Only a university can grant degrees. Canadians say they are “going to university”.