I got an offer from both, with a scholarship, in computational science (biology, specifically). I know that UCT has a slighly higher ranking and Cape Town is the city of my dreams, but I am just curious about the experiences of those who attend/previously attended either of these universities, so I can make an informed decision.
Where are you planning on working in the future, after you graduate? And is this for an MS or a PhD?
I don’t know anything about UCT. I will admit that I would like to visit there someday but never have.
Calgary is a very good university in a beautiful location. It is about an hour’s drive from Banff National Park (with BIG mountains and bigger ones, and a lot of wildlife), which is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Their medical school is very good, and it has one of the five veterinary schools in Canada, although I don’t know anything about biology there. If you are not a Canadian, then a degree in Canada allows you to apply for a work permit (eg, a two year Master’s would allow you to get a two year work permit). Not knowing anything about you, you are not likely to go wrong with a degree from Calgary.
I agree with @juillet that where you intend to work after graduation is a factor. Good luck with the choice.
Thank you for the replies. Both are MSc degrees although Calgary is more like a joint degree starting off as an MSc and being completed as a PhD after 4 years. I intend to continue my academic career with PhD and postdoc later on.