In details
Choosing the right Canadian post-secondary institution to complete your studies can be one of the most important decisions. The choice you make on a potential university or college could impact your academic success, employment prospects and your career pathway. With the number of options available, it may be difficult to get started!
The newest version of the CanadaVisa School Search is here to help ease that process. The School Search provides a regularly updated database with over 160 designated learning institutions profiles for you to browse through and get familiar with. The latest addition to the School Search is the possibility to rate a school and leave a written review of your experience at the school.
Using the School Search
Getting started with the School Search is easy. You can use the simple search bar to look for a Canadian college or university by name, province, city, or field of study. For example, if you are interested in finding the best engineering schools in Canada you can enter the term engineering in the search bar or use the present filters to select a program from the drop-down menu.
It is also possible to browse all institutions, or focus on only universities or colleges separately. By using the filters below the search bar, you can tailor your searches even further.
Over 160 detailed profiles
Each profile page features information about the institution to help you get an understanding of that the school has to offer, including:
- Average tuition costs for international students;
- Average GPA requirement;
- Insights on student life and the experience of studying at the institution;
- Services for international students;
- Popular study programs at the school;
- Reviews about the school.
If you think you have found the right perfect school for you, School Search provides contact details for each institution so you can get started with the next step towards studying in Canada.
You can always revisit the School Search and rate your experience at the school!
Review Canadian colleges and universities
When using the School Search for the first time you can read written reviews of the schools from others who may have attended the institution to complete their studies. You can also gauge your interest in the school by looking at the overall ratings of the school from other School Search visitors based on eight categories:
- On-campus housing
- Off-campus housing
- Campus food
- Campus facilities
- Class size
- Extracurricular activities
- Nearby shops and services
- Academics
We understand higher education is not one-size-fits-all. Every person is unique and has a different set of interests and goals. The School Search is here to help you find the right school in Canada for you.
The School Search is here to help you by providing useful and concise information that could help you make an informed decision when choosing Canada as your study destination.
Studying in Canada: A Pathway to Canadian Permanent Residence
Education offers a route to Canadian permanent resident status. There are a range of programs whereby international students may apply for permanent immigration. In some cases, this can be done without obtaining a job offer from a Canadian employer.
In addition, international students in Canada may:
- Work for up to 20 hours per week while in school, and on a full-time basis during school breaks;
- Obtain a Post-Graduation Work Permit for the equivalent duration of the studies once the program is successfully completed, allowing students to remain in Canada for many years before becoming a permanent resident;
- Bring an accompanying spouse or common-law partner to Canada on an open full-time work permit, allowing him or her to work for any employer;
- Bring accompanying minor children to study in Canada at the same rate that Canadians pay;
- Become eligible for Canadian permanent residence, either through a Provincial Nominee Program, through Quebec’s immigration system, or through the Express Entry immigration selection system.
The steps to becoming a Canadian permanent resident through education are outlined below.
Are you eligible?
To discover your options for studying in Canada, and working or immigrating after graduation, complete the Canada Visa Study Pathway Form today.
Step 1: Learn the basics and begin your search
Beginning your search:
CanadaVisa School Search
This website helps you find the institution best suited to your needs. This resource provides detailed, up-to-date information on each institution's location, cost, admission requirements, and more.
SchoolMatch Canada
SchoolMatch provides you with a FREE personalized report to show which schools match your expectations and goals. It has helped thousands of students find the right education institution in Canada.
Canada Study News
This website focuses on every aspect of studying in Canada as an international student, from preparation to immigration. You can get the free Canada Study Newsletter delivered to your inbox each month.
Concern: ‘I have been working in a full-time job for many years. How could I put everything on hold and (re)-enter the education system? How would I gain an income?’
Solution: International students in Canada can work off-campus while studying, allowing them to gain an income, build up valuable Canadian work experience, and make professional connections that can help them later in their career.
Concern: ‘Isn’t college or university only for young people who haven’t yet begun their working lives?’
Solution: If you are worried that immigration to Canada via education is not a realistic pathway, note that age is neither a barrier to gaining admission to a school nor obtaining a study permit. Canadian schools, including colleges and universities, have many mature students on their enrollment.
Step 2: Gain admission to a Canadian designated institution
Once you have identified a particular study program, or a shortlist of potential study programs, you will need to gain admission by obtaining what is known as a Letter of Acceptance. While the exact admission requirements and procedures vary between institutions across Canada, our dedicated ‘Get Admission to a Canadian Educational Institution‘ page outlines potential requirements for gaining admission to a Canadian designated institution.
Step 3: Apply for a Canadian Study Permit
Once you have gained admission to a study program at a Canadian designated institution. you may begin to apply for a Canadian Study Permit. A Study Permit is a document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that allows a foreign individual to study in Canada for a designated period of time.
In addition to having already obtained a Letter of Acceptance, an applicant for a Study Permit also needs to satisfy the Canadian Visa Officer that he or she has sufficient funds to pay tuition fees and cover living expenses while in Canada. Applicants from certain countries may also require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV).
Concern: ‘I don’t have sufficient funds.’
Solution: The types of proof of financial support that may be accepted by IRCC include: proof of a student/education loan from a financial institution, a letter from the person or institution providing you with money, and proof of funding paid from within Canada if you have a scholarship or are in a Canadian-funded educational program.
Concern: ‘I have already been refused in a previous effort to obtain a Canadian Study Permit’
Solution: Prospective students in Canada who have been refused a Canadian study permit may find themselves in a frustrating position. There may, however, be a solution. Learn more on our dedicated ‘Study Permit Refusals and Appeals‘ page.
CanadaVisa Study Hub
The Study Hub is an online portal designed to help prospective students, current international students and recent graduates on a post-graduation work permit easily navigate Canada’s immigration system. Sign up and check out the wide range of customized tools and resources inside the Study Hub.
Members of the Study Hub who are currently on a Study Permit or post-graduation work permit can also apply for the new CanadaVisa Scholarship! Every month, one member will win a scholarship worth $500. Join the CanadaVisa Study Hub now to enter with a chance to win — you’re only one step away!
Step 4: Complete your study program and obtain an open work permit
Once you are studying in Canada, it is important to maintain your status in the country. This may entail renewing or changing your study permit. After completing your study program in Canada, a typical path from student to permanent resident status in Canada is through taking advantage of something Canada offers that is not available, or more difficult to obtain, in other countries — an open Post-Graduation Work Permit.
This work permit, which allows its bearer to work for any employer in Canada, may be issued upon completion of the study program and is equal in length to the duration of that program, up to a maximum of three years. Thus, a graduate who completed a three- or four-year study program may be eligible for a three-year work permit, allowing him or her to remain in Canada for a total of six years.
Step 5: Become a permanent resident of Canada
Individuals who have obtained a Canadian degree, diploma or certificate and built up professional experience in Canada may have multiple immigration options through the available federal and provincial programs. There is only one place where you can get an assessment of your immigration options across the more than 60 programs that lead to Canadian permanent resident status the CanadaVisa immigration assessment form.
Even if you have submitted this form before and been informed that you are likely ineligible to immigrate to Canada, remember that things may change. New programs may be created for which you may be eligible, or existing programs may be amended, which also has the potential to make previously ineligible individuals eligible.
Individuals who are currently ineligible to immigrate to Canada can take control of their own destiny and begin the pathway to Canadian immigration through education it may be your best chance to achieve your Canadian immigration goals.