In Canada, there are publicly funded and private schools including community university s/ technical institutes, career colleges, language schools, secondary schools, summer camps, universities and university colleges. Different provinces follow different education systems.
Under the Canadian system, it isn’t necessary for children to attend kindergarten. Children who do attend kindergarten usually start at the age of four or five. All children begin Grade One (first standard in many countries) at about six years of age. The academic year normally runs from September through the following June. Secondary schools go up to Grades 11 or 12, depending on the province. Once they have completed their secondary education, students may attend university or college.
Canada has 92 Universities and 175 community colleges and University degrees have three levels- Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral.
A Bachelor degree in Canada compromises for full time three or four years depending upon the nature of program you are doing (regular or specialized). On the other hand, Masters Degree consists of two years of study for which honors degree is imperative. For Doctoral program in Canadian University you require minimum three to four or sometimes five years of extensive research and study. It includes PhD and doctoral degree in Music (DMus) and law (LLD) can also be obtained from the Universities.
You could also find many diploma and certification program in Canadian Universities where the time duration is generally 1 to 2 years. Besides the regular academic degree of Management and Engineering, you could also obtain professional degree in various fields such as medicine, pharmacy, Law, nursing and dentistry, education and social work. Some of the Canadian universities are regarded world wide and the degree and diploma obtained from these Canadian Universities are recognized globally and promise you bright future. After the completion of studies you could also find great job offers in Canada itself. Students who have Canadian Degree or Diploma are eligible to work for up to one year. International students require a work permit to work on-campus.
For international students willing to study in Canada are required to get a study permit from Citizenship and Immigration Canada. You could also find scholarship programs being run by the Canadian Universities. Students who are not able to afford the expense of education can opt for these programs by securing at least 90% to 95% of marks in the merit. However, one of the basic exams that every international student has to undergo is TOEFL (Test of English as Foreign Language) It is mandatory for the students whose mother tongue is not English. The score of TOEFL matters a lot in deciding your fate for the admission in the topnotch Universities of Canada.
Only those who have completed 16 years of education can enroll in a university.
Cooperative education : Some Graduate Certificates/Diplomas often include a paid co-op component. It combines courses with relevant work, giving students an invaluable head start with their career. Students will also get connected to the Canadian job market. Thus the work experience is part of the curriculum.
Post-graduation work visa : The post graduation work visa is created especially for international students. This visa allows graduating students from post-secondary public institutions and some private institutions the opportunity to apply for work visa on an offer of employment in their respective field of study and give them the opportunity to gain crucial Canadian work experience in the field of their studies for a term of either one or two years.
While in Canada on a work Visa, it is also possible to have your permanent residence application processed in tandem. Once your application has been approved you will be able to continue to stay in Canada.
Certificate : This is a post senior secondary qualification awarded on successful completion of a program which is usually one year in duration. These programs are typically offered by colleges.
Diploma : This is a post senior secondary qualification awarded on successful completion of a program which is usually one to two years in duration. These programs are typically offered by colleges.
Bachelor degree : This undergraduate program is a post senior secondary qualification awarded on successful completion of three to four years of study. These programs are typically offered by universities and lead to graduate level studies.
Bachelor degree (Honors) : This undergraduate program comprises a higher degree of concentration in the honors subject, as well as a higher level of academic achievement. At some universities, an honors degree may require an additional year of study.
Master degree : This graduate program is awarded on successful completion of two years of study. These programs are offered by universities and could comprise a combination of coursework and research.
Doctorate or Ph.D. : This graduate program is the highest qualification awarded on successful completion of four to seven years of study. The program comprises some coursework, but primarily assessed on original research and thesis submitted. The degree is generally known as a Ph.D. however, doctoral degrees may also be granted in particular fields of study such as music (DMus) or law (LLD).
The academic year : The academic year usually starts in September and ends in May. Each academic year normally comprises two semesters, the second semester commences in January. Some institutions have a trimester system which comprise three semesters in an academic year and therefore offer multiple intakes in January and May.
A limited number of specialized programs are offered in the summer session that commences in May.
International students would be able to obtain an open work permit under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program, with no restrictions on the type of employment and no requirement for a job offer. In addition, the duration of the work permit has been extended to three years across the country.
SPP program for Canada Student Visa (launched inIndiain 2009)
Student Partners Program
The Student Partners Program (SPP) is an administrative framework designed and implemented in partnership between the Canadian visa offices in Indiaand the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC). The SPP was launched in April 2009 is being continued in 2011. For the calendar year 2011 the list of 43 participating ACCC members can be found at:
Applying under SPP increases the probability of getting visa.