FAQ: Post-secondary studies in Canada

1.  What is the difference between a college and a university?
A:  Colleges typically have more vocationally-related curricula than universities, with smaller classes, off-campus course offerings, a greater ratio of laboratory space to classroom space, and an interactive teaching style.

2.  What is a college?
A:  Colleges are officially known by a range of titles, including Community College, Technical Institute, UniversityCollege, and Cégep. All of these institutions have the primary function of responding to the training needs of business, industry and the public service sectors. They also meet the educational needs of vocationally-oriented secondary school graduates, employment-seeking university graduates, as well as the lifelong learning requirements of the adult population.  Most colleges offer diploma programs, while some can offer degrees and applied degrees. Some colleges will also offer university transfer programs.

3.  What is a university-college?
A:  University Colleges combine Canadian university and college traditions, with a strong base of applied and academic programs offered in campus environments. As the name suggests, a university college offers university degrees as well as college diploma and certificate programs.  Students can expect to find a wide range of program choices at university colleges, including English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.

As a component of the Canadian university system, university colleges offer students a choice of either academically-oriented university degree programs or the more practically-oriented college diplomas and certificates. As part of the Canadian college system, university colleges are distinguished by their strong student support services, small classes and strong campus environments. They also may offer combined degree/diploma programs and university transfer programs.

4.  What are university transfer programs?
A:  University Transfer programs (UTP) are offered through Canadian colleges and technical institutes that have agreements or relationships with universities. These determine which of the college's programs are transferable to a degree program, where a student may transfer to, and which courses will apply towards the degree. They allow students to take courses that are parallel to those offered for the first two years of a four year university program.

Note: Students must still apply to the university to gain admission to complete the last two years of the four year program. For more information, please refer to the StudyCanada website.

5.  Do students with Canadian passports require a student visa to study in Canada?
A: Students with Canadian passports do NOT require a student visa to study in Canada.

6.  Are there course prerequisites for university?
A:  Most universities have course prerequisites for different faculties/programs, and they differ depending on the university. Please refer to the individual university for precise information.

7.  How do I find specific program information?
A:  Please refer to www.aucc.ca for details. This website has a search engine that will enable you to find Canadian colleges and universities that offer a specific program.

8.  What are the IB requirements for university admission?
A:  IB requirements for university admission may vary depending on the institution. In general, students need to have completed the IB Diploma Program with a minimum of 24-30.

9.  What are university fees for Canadian students?
A:  University fees will vary depending on the institution and the province. On average, Canadian students pay $4,724* CDN per academic year in tuition fees; $695*CDN in compulsory fees (eg. Health insurance, student association, athletics, etc.); and $200 CDN - $700 CDN for textbooks and course materials.

*Figures taken from Statistics Canada survey for 2008/2009.

10. What universities offer good co-op programs?
A:  There is no nation-wide ranking system for university co-op programs. Different universities may offer different types of co-op programs. Please refer to the individual university for more precise information. When searching for a co-op program, consider its history, the types of employers that it has agreements with, and how the program offered is related to your area of studies.

11. Do students in universities have to specialize right away, or do they get some time to decide what they want to study?
A:  Different universities have different requirements. Usually, students take general studies in the first two years of university and specialize in third and fourth year. Please refer to the individual university for more information.

12. When is the CEC Education Fair?
A:  The Canadian Education Fair is organized by the Canadian Education Centre every year in October.

13. How can the Canadian Education Centre help me?
A: Our centre provides up-to-date and comprehensive resources on many educational institutions across Canada. We hold regular information seminars to educate local and international students on a variety of topics including Studying in Canada, University Transfer Programs, Applying to Universities, and English Foundation Courses.  We regularly invite different Canadian institutions to come to our centre to meet with students and their families and to give a presentation on their school. For more detail on our activities and upcoming events, please refer to our website or contact us at 2524-9668 or cechongkong@cecnetwork.ca.

Didn't find what you were looking for? Email us cechongkong@cecnetwork.ca or reach us at 2524 9668.