So you’ve made the decision, you’re studying overseas. Several factors must be considered, including the value and recognition of your future degree, whether an international student community exists at your potential institution, and the general quality of life in your new home. As a result, more and more students are weighing their options and choosing to study in Canada.
One of the largest deciding factors when choosing a university overseas revolves around whether or not the degree will be recognised and respected upon returning home. No matter how sensational you found your overseas experience, if your time spent studying yields no valid qualification, there is little point. Thankfully, in the 2010 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Canada contributed three universities to the world’s top thirty-five, with a combined total of more than one hundred fifty thousand students in attendance.
Statistics aside, this means that each year, a very large number of students are emerging from Canadian institutions with highly regarded degrees. Conveniently, all three of these institutions have established communities for international students, meaning that on your first days in the promised land, you’ll have literally thousands of fellow foreigners to share the experience with. If, on the other hand, you’re set on a small town, close-knit university experience, Canada has a plethora of available options; however, be prepared for the fact that they may not be shoulder-to-shoulder with Cambridge and Harvard in the world rankings.
As is to be expected, studying in Canada does come with the same drawbacks of any period spent studying abroad. For starters, you will be away from your current friends and family; however, with Canadian universities boasting an average international population of seven percent at the undergraduate level and nearly 20 per cent at the graduate level (Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, 2007), you will be surrounded by a generous family of likeminded internationals to share the experience with.
In addition, you may miss some comforts from home; however, with five Canadian cities ranking in the world’s top thirty (Mercer Quality of Living Worldwide City Rankings), chances are you’ll find somewhere more than decent to replace your local coffee haunt.
Finally, Canada may not have the hustle and bustle of London or the winding lanes of the British countryside; however, what Canada lacks in proximity, it more than makes up for in breathtaking scenery. The Rocky Mountains, the Great Lakes and the prairies exemplify the vastness of the Canadian landscape, features which coincide with a very generous volume of breathing space intrinsic in the Canadian lifestyle.
So whether it’s this draw of open space, the established international student communities or the quality of education, Canada is not short of options. As long as you can stand some frosty weather, you’ll be sure to find that studying in Canada exceeds your expectations.
By Julia McDonald
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