10 things to know about studying in Canada

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Have you considered studying abroad? Moving to Canada to study? With more than 100 world-class universities across the country, there’s good reason to. From coast to coast to coast, it offers many international students a safe and supportive learning environment and the opportunity to work after graduation.

Want to learn more? In this guide, we cover ten things you should know about studying in Canada:

things you need to know about studying in Canada
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1. Canada is incredibly diverse

More than one in five Canadians were born outside the country – making Canada one of the most multicultural places in the world. According to, nearly half of the people born outside Canada are from Asia, about 28% of the people are from Europe, and 8.5% are from Africa. Even more, 37.5% of children in Canada were either born abroad or have a foreign-born parent.

A large number of students at Canadian universities and colleges also come from abroad – which is a big draw for many international students. In fact, international students areacross Canada!

2. The country has two official languages

Canada has two official languages: English and French. The English-speaking part of the population is called anglophone, while the French-speaking part of the population is called francophone. Aboutin Canada have French as their first language, and the majority of them live in the province of Quebec. There are also more than 100 French-speaking universities and colleges across Canada.

It’s important to note that federal government institutions are all bilingual. This means you can submit your student visa documents in either English or French. When you enter Canada at the border, you’ll also notice the officer will greet you by saying “bonjour, hello” (or vice versa)

In addition to English and French, there are alsospoken in Canada.

3. Tuition costs can be more reasonable

International student tuition fees in Canada are usually lower than in places like the US and UK. However, they are still a big expense., tuition ranges between $1,800 CAD – $20,000 CAD per year for an undergraduate university degree. Colleges are sometimes less expensive; however, tuition can still reach $18,000 CAD per year.

4. There are scholarships available

Good news: there are lots of. Many scholarships, called entrance scholarships, are offered to students by institutions upon acceptance based on academic performance. So, you don’t have to apply for them.

Others are offered by the government. For example, if you’re studying in the province of Ontario, theOntario Graduate Scholarship Programoffers masters and doctoral students up to $15,000. To learn more about scholarships and awards for international students,is a good resource.

5. Institutions provide lots of support

Universities and colleges in Canada want their international students to succeed. Your institution will have an international student office that should provide services like visa and health insurance support, upskilling workshops, and advice on how to adjust to life in Canada. There will also be campus-wide support services. These include:

  • mentorship programs
  • mental health services
  • academic accommodations
  • language workshops
  • housing support
  • employment support.

6. On-campus housing is a community hub

The majority of institutions in Canada offer on-campus housing. Sometimes, student residences are reserved for first-year students. But many universities and colleges will also offer on-campus housing to students coming from abroad.

Residences can consist of dorm rooms, private studio apartments or shared houses, and often come with a meal plan. Living on campus is a great way to meet new people from around the world and make lifelong friends – and for many students, residences become a real community hub.

But, you can still have a student housing experience off-campus. In most cities, student housing options aren’t affiliated with any particular institutions, but still offer a similar experience with the same amenities – things like cafeterias, study spaces, and entertainment areas.

7. You might be able to work while you study

As an international student in Canada, you can only work if you’re enrolled full-time at a. If so, you’ll be able to work for 20 hours per week off-campus, and full-time during scheduled semester breaks. Your study permit should have your work conditions printed on it.

However before you begin work, you’ll need to apply for a. This is free and only takes a few minutes to do online.

How much you make will depend on where you live. The minimum wage in Canada varies by province and territory. So checking this is a good idea to ensure you can budget your living expenses appropriately if you plan to work in Canada.

8. Travel can be expensive – but there are some cheaper options

Did you know Canada is the second-largest country in the world? It has a landmass of 9.1 million square kilometers! This is one reason traveling in Canada is expensive. There are also high airport taxes and a lack of competition in the aviation industry, so. For example, a 1-hour flight between Toronto and Montreal can cost up to $300 CAD.

However, if you want to explore the country – and travel is deemed safe by government authorities this year to do so – there are some cheaper ways to see Canada. For example, the country’s train serviceoffers discounts to students and riders under 25. Alternatively,is a discount bus service that offers routes throughout Canada and the U.S.

9. Canada offers post-study visas

Want to settle in Canada after you graduate? You’re not alone. Three in 10 international students who came to Canada after 2000.

Canada offers a few ways for students to work in the country after graduation. For example, if you are eligible, thecould allow you to stay in Canada for up to three years after studying. You could also apply for a.

10. Canadians value a global perspective

Having international experience in Canada is viewed as a big advantage. Nearly every university in the country offers their students the opportunity to study or work abroad. Better yet,say it makes their business better.

Most students must take an English language proficiency test to meet the requirements to study in Canada.PTE Academicis accepted by more than 200 Canadian institutions – and is the best choice to help you get accepted.

Learn more about PTE and our other tests

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    5 spooky ideas for your primary classes this Halloween

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    It’s almost Halloween, and the ghosts and vampires will soon be coming out to play. Did you know that although we often associate Halloween with pumpkin carving and eating candy, the festival has much older origins?

    is an ancient Gaelic festival that celebrates the end of the harvest and the start of winter. This is why people often associate the colors of orange and black with Halloween: orange is the color many leaves turn in autumn and black is the color of the darker winter months.

    People used to believe that spirits walked the Earth on the night of Samhain. The tradition of dressing up as ghosts and demons started as a way to hide from the spirits who walked the streets. Similarly, people used to leave treats outside their houses for the spirits and from this came the tradition of trick-or-treating.

    So to help get your younger students in the Halloween spirit, here are five spooky ideas to try in your primary classes.

    1. ‘Pumpkin’ oranges

    Pumpkin carving is fun - but it’s also messy and pumpkins can be really heavy. Instead, bring in an orange for each student and give them a black marker pen. Get them to draw a scary face on their orange and then write a short text describing it.

    My pumpkin orange, Ghoulie, has two big eyes. He’s got a small nose and a big mouth, with lots of teeth. This Halloween, he’s going to sit outside my house. He’s going to scare people but he doesn’t scare me. I think he’s very funny.

    2. Bat fishing

    This is a great way to practice questions and review language with your younger students. Have your students cut out bat shapes on card and tell them to write a question on the back of each one. They can write personal information questions, such as ‘What do you eat for breakfast?’ or questions related to topics you’re studying at the moment, like ‘How do you spell dinosaur?’

    Attach a paper clip to each bat and put them on the floor, with the questions face down. Then attach a magnet to a piece of string.

    Divide the class into teams and have students take turns to fish a bat from the floor. When they catch a bat using the magnet, a student from another team asks them the question written on the bat. If the team can answer correctly, they keep the bat. If they don’t answer correctly, the bat goes back on the floor.

    When all the bats have been fished, the team with the most wins.

    3. Haunted house dictation

    This is a good activity to review prepositions of place and house vocabulary. Before you start, elicit some scary things from the students, such as ghost, spider, witch, zombie. If these words are new for your students, draw a picture dictionary on the board for them to refer to in the next stage.

    Next, give students an outline of a house with the rooms labeled, but without any furniture. Then dictate a sentence to the students and have them draw what you say on their individual houses. For example, ‘In the kitchen, there’s a big cupboard. In the cupboard, there’s a witch.’ Or, ‘In the living room, there’s an old sofa. A zombie is sitting on the sofa.’

    You can then divide the class into pairs or small groups and have them take turns dictating sentences to each other. When they finish, they can compare their pictures and then write a short story about their haunted houses.

    4. Trick-or-treat board game

    Draw a 7x5 grid on card and add Start and Finish squares. Number the other squares so the students know what direction to move in. Then, on some of the squares write Trick and on some of the other squares write Treat. Finally, prepare a set of ‘trick’ and ‘treat’ cards for each group. (There are some ideas for tricks and treats below).

    Before students play, teach them some phrases to use while playing the game. For example:

    • Whose turn is it?
    • It’s my turn.
    • Roll the dice.
    • Who’s winning?

    Then divide the class into groups of four and give each group a board, a set of ‘trick-or-treat’ cards, a dice and a counter. Have them take turns to roll the dice and move. If they land on a Trickor Treat square, they have to take a card and do what it says. Then they put the card at the bottom of the pile.The winner is the first person to reach the Finish square.

    Ideas for ‘trick’ cards

    • Go back 3 squares
    • Miss a turn
    • Go back to the start
    • Count down from 10 to 1 in English
    • Say the alphabet backwards (Z, Y, X…)
    • Laugh like a witch
    • Pretend to be a ghost

    Ideas for ‘treat’ cards

    • Go forward two spaces
    • Roll again
    • Go forward five spaces
    • Choose someone to miss a turn

    5. Spooky stories

    Are your students bored of celebrating Halloween every year? Mix things up with stories or readers. Allowing their imagination to run wild. There are lots of you can use or get inspiration from, creating your own. If you want your pupils more involved you could also have them make or take part in your very own 'create your own adventure' spooky story.

    After reading the story, have your students create comic strips of different parts of the book and display them around the classroom. If your students prefer theatrics, get them to act out or sing parts of the story.