Why study an online programme in Canada
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- Sep-Jun Academic Year
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- 1015000 Students
- 36626083 Population
Study in Canada
While you obsessively stare at pictures of Justin Trudeau (don’t deny it!), you may as well see whether Canada is actually a place you can study abroad in. The Great White North and the super friendly upstairs neighbors to the U.S., Canada is known for its maple syrup, the Niagara Falls, and their excellent ice hockey teams.
Studying in Canada has become an appealing option for international students. Not only is it one of the safest places to go to in the world; Canada (and particularly major cities like Toronto and Vancouver) also has a wealth of cultural diversity that is truly inviting to foreign students from everywhere in the world.
Why Study in Canada
1. Canada takes education seriously
Did you know that Canada is the world’s most educated country? In fact, over half of its residents have university degrees. It must be pretty interesting to be a student there, eh?
2. Canadian universities are among the best education institutions
Some of the top international universities and colleges are located in Canada, and students from all over the world have come to join the biggest names in their field.
Experts in Journalism, Politics, Medicine, and Technology got their start at universities like the University of Toronto and McGill University; and you’ll have the chance to work alongside some of the sharpest minds in the world.
3. Flexibility through education variety
Canada offers an interesting variety of higher education institutions: universities, colleges, polytechnics, and cégeps (vocational schools). Depending on the goals you have, or what you’re looking for, you may want to select the institutional model that fits your needs.
4. Highly regarded diplomas
Canadian college and university graduates are highly-valued on the job market, and people who study there have been able to find great jobs in any field they’re interested in.
5. Canadian culture embraces diversity
No matter who you are, where you come from, or what you want to study, Canadians are ready to welcome you warmly. The North American country invests a lot of effort to ensure international students are safe, treated fairly, and happy to take part in the Canadian education and lifestyle.
Which universities and colleges to attend in Canada
If you were to see all of the top university rankings lists, you’d see a strong presence of Canadian universities in all of the top 100 lists. Below we’ll run through some of our favorite highlights:
What is it like to study in Canada?
Canadian higher education is known for being quite casual, and students at the university level are given quite a level of flexibility with regard to attendance, course requirements, and assignments.
However, students still have to abide by the classroom rules set by their individual instructors, and understand what the expectations are for each course.
Generally, degree courses are discussion-based, seminar-style classes, where it’s a smaller group of students debating or questioning different topics. You’ll also find the normal lecture-style classes, especially for topics that have a lot of students (Computer Science, Medicine, Business, etc.). The way courses are structured really depends upon the content or the subject being taught.
What to study in Canada
In Canada, you’ll enter a giant buffet of subjects to select from. Universities in every major city in all of the provinces offer degrees in a wide range of Master’s and Bachelor’s degree subjects – from Art History to Neuroscience, to Accounting and Software Engineering. To narrow down this panoply, here are some that you can consider:
- Economics degrees in Canada
- History degrees in Canada
- Finance degrees in Canada
- Pharmacy degrees in Canada
- Engineering degrees in Canada
Major cities in Canada
Although Canada is a huge country, geographically speaking, most of its inhabitants live toward the southernmost region of the country. Some of the biggest cities in the country are also home to major universities and institutions:
How to apply
Each university in Canada has its own system on their website that allows future students to apply for and enrol in their degree programmes. So, once you select the university of your choice, you can go through their application and submit your materials there.
Here are some of the basic requirements you’ll need for every application:
- A scan of your diploma (high school or Bachelor’s degree)
- A transcript/record of your previous courses
- A scan of your passport
- Your CV
- Testing scores
- Evidence of scholarship or funding
- Letters of recommendation (between 2-3)
- Portfolio and/or writing samples
Helpful ways to make sure you qualify for a Canadian university
Take Preparation Courses
These kinds of courses enable degree-seeking students to get an extra educational boost just before they start their Master’s degree or other post-graduate degree programmes. Try a pre-M.B.A., pre-Law, or pre-Medicine programme, as well as any other foundation or preparation courses that will allow you to study in the degree programme of your choice.
Improve your English through an English-language prep course
If you’re attending a Bachelor’s, Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Canada, you will need to prove that your language skills are good enough to participate in the classes and understand the lectures. These courses will also prepare you for any of the English-language tests that universities require.
English-language tests
To apply to study in Canada, you’ll need to provide proof you have a diploma for your English proficiency.
The certificates generally accepted by the universities in Canada are:
- PTE Academic
- TOEFL
- IELTS
- C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency
Still, you should always check on your university’s website, just to be sure what the exact requirements are.
Living in Canada
Let's take a closer look at the average tuition and living expenses in Canada:
Average university tuition fees in Canada
In Canada, the fees vary based on your level, university, discipline, and country of origin. Private universities are more expensive than public ones, but overall, tuition fees for international students range between:
- 1,000–30,000 CAD/year for Bachelor's degrees
- 1,000–65,000 CAD/year for Master's degrees
Cost of Living in Canada
Compared to the rest of the world, Canada can be rather pricey. Especially in major cities, you may find that transportation and food have higher price stickers than most other countries.
You should prepare at least 800–1,500 CAD per month for most cities. In Vancouver or Calgary, living costs can reach 2,000 CAD per month.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the average costs for various things in Canada:
- Rent (private apartment): 650–1,200 CAD/month
- Utilities: 230–270 CAD/month
- Pair of jeans: 64 CAD
- Monthly transportation card/ticket: 97 CAD
- Bottle of wine: 15 CAD
- Loaf of bread: 2.90 CAD
- Milk: 2.50 CAD
- Ticket to the cinema: 14 CAD
About Canada
Fun Facts about Canada
- After Russia, Canada is the second largest country in the world in terms of land mass.
- Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world’s lakes combined. Plenty of opportunities to go for a swim!
- The Blackberry Smartphone is developed in Waterloo, Ontario.
- Canada is home to approximately 55,000 different insect species.
- Canada has a prison for polar bears who break into people’s homes.
Universities, colleges and schools in Canada
Abbotsford
- NorQuest College (1 Distance Learning course)
Antigonish
- St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) (1 Distance Learning course)
Athabasca
- Athabasca University (68 Distance Learning courses)
Brampton
- Algoma University (4 Distance Learning courses)
- Canadian College of Technology and Business (5 Distance Learning courses)
Brantford
- Wilfrid Laurier University (5 Distance Learning courses)
Burnaby
- Simon Fraser University (4 Distance Learning courses)
- British Columbia Institute of Technology (28 Distance Learning courses)
- Alexander College (10 Distance Learning courses)
Calgary
- University of Lethbridge (5 Distance Learning courses)
- Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) (31 Distance Learning courses)
Cambridge
- Conestoga College (11 Distance Learning courses)
Charlottetown
- University of Prince Edward Island (2 Distance Learning courses)
Edmonton
- MacEwan University - School of Continuing Education (1 Distance Learning course)
- University of Alberta (2 Distance Learning courses)
- Concordia University of Edmonton (2 Distance Learning courses)
- Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (78 Distance Learning courses)
- English Language School (3 Distance Learning courses)
Fredericton
- Yorkville University (14 Distance Learning courses)
- University of New Brunswick (5 Distance Learning courses)
Greater Sudbury
- Laurentian University (10 Distance Learning courses)
Guelph
- University of Guelph (4 Distance Learning courses)
Halifax
- Mount Saint Vincent University (7 Distance Learning courses)
- Acadia University (2 Distance Learning courses)
- Dalhousie University (5 Distance Learning courses)
- Saint Mary's University (2 Distance Learning courses)
Hamilton
- McMaster University (4 Distance Learning courses)
Kamloops
- Thompson Rivers University (4 Distance Learning courses)
Kelowna
- University of British Columbia (15 Distance Learning courses)
- Kelowna College of Professional Counselling (2 Distance Learning courses)
- University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus (1 Distance Learning course)
Kingston
- Queen's University (17 Distance Learning courses)
Kirkland Lake
- Northern College (4 Distance Learning courses)
Kitchener
- Conestoga College (11 Distance Learning courses)
- Wilfrid Laurier University (5 Distance Learning courses)
Lethbridge
- Lethbridge College (2 Distance Learning courses)
- University of Lethbridge (5 Distance Learning courses)
London
- Fanshawe College (23 Distance Learning courses)
- Western University - Canada (2 Distance Learning courses)
Medicine Hat
- Medicine Hat College (1 Distance Learning course)
Nanaimo
- Vancouver Island University (14 Distance Learning courses)
New Westminster
- Douglas College (3 Distance Learning courses)
North Bay
- Canadore College (5 Distance Learning courses)
North Vancouver
- Engineering Institute of Technology (1 Distance Learning course)
North York
- Seneca College (118 Distance Learning courses)
Orillia
- Lakehead University (21 Distance Learning courses)
- Georgian College (1 Distance Learning course)
Oshawa
- Trent University (1 Distance Learning course)
- University of Ontario Institute of Technology (19 Distance Learning courses)
- Durham College (1 Distance Learning course)
Ottawa
- University of Ottawa (2 Distance Learning courses)
- Algonquin College (2 Distance Learning courses)
Parksville
- Vancouver Island University (14 Distance Learning courses)
Pickering
- Centennial College (69 Distance Learning courses)
Sarnia
- Lambton College (2 Distance Learning courses)
Saskatoon
- Saskatchewan Polytechnic (28 Distance Learning courses)
- University of Saskatchewan (4 Distance Learning courses)
Sault Ste. Marie
- Algoma University (4 Distance Learning courses)
Sherbrooke
- Bishop's University (1 Distance Learning course)
St. Catharines
- Brock University (4 Distance Learning courses)
St. John's
- Memorial University of Newfoundland (8 Distance Learning courses)
Temiskaming Shores
- Northern College (4 Distance Learning courses)
Terrace
- University of Northern British Columbia (3 Distance Learning courses)
Thunder Bay
- Lakehead University (21 Distance Learning courses)
Timmins
- Northern College (4 Distance Learning courses)
Toronto
- Humber College (2 Distance Learning courses)
- Centennial College (69 Distance Learning courses)
- Yorkville University (14 Distance Learning courses)
- Toronto Film School (5 Distance Learning courses)
- York University - Osgoode Hall Law School (3 Distance Learning courses)
- Northeastern University (5 Distance Learning courses)
- Kaplan International English (1 Distance Learning course)
- International Business University (2 Distance Learning courses)
- Ryerson University (1 Distance Learning course)
- University of Toronto (2 Distance Learning courses)
- Eurocentres (2 Distance Learning courses)
- Seneca College (118 Distance Learning courses)
- York University (5 Distance Learning courses)
Vancouver
- Yorkville University (14 Distance Learning courses)
- Vancouver Island University (14 Distance Learning courses)
- Alexander College (10 Distance Learning courses)
- University of British Columbia (15 Distance Learning courses)
- University Canada West (3 Distance Learning courses)
- Eurocentres (2 Distance Learning courses)
Victoria
- Royal Roads University (84 Distance Learning courses)
- University of Victoria (10 Distance Learning courses)
Waterloo
- Conestoga College (11 Distance Learning courses)
- University of Waterloo (5 Distance Learning courses)
Williams Lake
- Thompson Rivers University (4 Distance Learning courses)
Windsor
- University of Windsor (2 Distance Learning courses)
Windsor
- St. Clair College (1 Distance Learning course)
Winnipeg
- University of Manitoba (1 Distance Learning course)
- University of Winnipeg - Professional, Applied and Continuing Education (PACE) (24 Distance Learning courses)
Woodstock
- Fanshawe College (23 Distance Learning courses)
Interesting programmes for you
Find Distance Learning Programmes in Canada
What subject to study in Canada?
- Agriculture & Forestry 5 Masters
- Applied Sciences & Professions 40 Masters
- Arts, Design & Architecture 66 Masters
- Business & Management 277 Masters
- Computer Science & IT 112 Masters
- Education & Training 101 Masters
- Engineering & Technology 124 Masters
- Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences 48 Masters
- Hospitality, Leisure & Sports 25 Masters
- Humanities 53 Masters
- Journalism & Media 35 Masters
- Law 25 Masters
- Medicine & Health 106 Masters
- Natural Sciences & Mathematics 30 Masters
- Social Sciences 124 Masters
Study a master programme from the comfort of your own home. The Studyportals platform offers the largest overview of online and blended study opportunities from all over the world. You now have the possibility to follow your dream study programme at one of the best universities in the world without having to relocate.
Distance education is the perfect solution for professionals looking to further their career. It offers the possibility for additional qualification while keeping the current job. With flexible schedule and resources available online, distance study programmes can be the key to your career development and a job promotion.
Online study is also a money saver, as the student does not have to spend money on moving or on a possibly expensive day to day life in a new country. So if you are in search for the best education, but do not want to relocate, give up your current life style or disrupt the comfort of your family, distance learning is the solution for you.
Looking at a growing demand for these study opportunities, combined with a lack of transparency in this quickly growing and exciting study mode, we decided to open up our portals and to also offer you information about these education options offered globally.
Please note, that for the time being this section does not yet include any on campus programmes offered in these parts of the world.
Learn below about the different countries and choose your online study from a growing selection of online studies offered by accredited institutions.
Distance Learning
Distance learning is a mode of study that allows the student to study most or all of a course without attending at a campus-based institution. The distance can refer to both material and interaction. Distance learning provides access to learning when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both.
The programmes often include a computer-based training system and tools to produce a virtual classroom. The tuition fees for distance learning vary from institution to programme to country. It is certain that the student saves expenses related to accommodation and transportation, because you can maintain the current living expenses. Distance learning is also a great solution for people that already have a job, and still want or need further education.
Discover other countries
The Netherlands is a very popular study destination. Internationals choose this beautiful country because Dutch universities are some of the best in Europe, the living standards are high, foreigners are always welcome, and you get to live in one of the happiest and safest countries in the world. The Netherlands is also renowned for innovative technologies and engineering solutions, which is reflected in the wide range of Engineering degrees offered by universities.
English is spoken by around 90% of Dutch citizens, so forget about language barriers. Also, bike lanes and the “cycling culture” will help you to stay fit and healthy, and there are diverse job opportunities and internships for international students.
In the Czech Republic, you will enjoy top-quality education and research, especially in subjects like Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The number of English-taught degrees offered by Czech universities is constantly growing. This is a response to the numerous international students attracted by academic opportunities and great living standards at reasonable costs.
The Czech Republic is among the safest countries in the world, according to the Global Peace Index, and it allows you to travel around Europe easily. While out of class, you can visit local attractions like the Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, the local spas, and hot water springs, etc.
Finland is an excellent choice for all internationals and especially for EU/EEA students who can study at local public universities for free. The beautiful Nordic country has one of the best education systems in the world and ranks among the safest and happiest nations in the world. You can also choose from over 400 English-taught programmes.
In your spare time, you can explore the breathtaking Finnish nature and landscapes, as well as the numerous lakes that give the country the nickname ‘The Land of a Thousand Lakes.’ From here, you can easily travel to neighbouring countries like Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, or Estonia.
Ireland is among the top countries in the world in terms of quality of life, peace, safety, and development. It represents an appealing blend of beautiful landscapes, English-speaking environments, and a strong, welcoming, and rich culture — of which the Irish people are very proud. International students also enjoy the full support of Irish universities, which hire and train staff that are able to help with accommodation, studies, visa details, or any other challenge.
Norway is a paradise for anyone who wants to study abroad for free. Public universities don’t charge any tuition fees. This policy applies to all international students, regardless of their nationality. The academic standard is very high, and professors are easy to approach, always willing to go the extra mile for their students. Additionally, classes are organised in small groups, which further improves learning and cooperation.
You can choose from a wide range of English-taught programmes, and you don’t need to worry about language barriers outside of classes either, because most Norwegians speak English as a second language. Internationals should find it easy to adapt to Norway’s society, which is based on equality and fair opportunities — reflected both in the legal system and in people’s behaviour.
Sweden is a very ambitious, eco-friendly, and visionary country. For example, by 2040, it aims to produce all its energy from renewable sources. Universities play an important role in achieving development goals, thanks to their world-class research facilities. If you’re from the EU/EEA, you can study at public universities for free.
As a student, you will discover and easily adopt the three main values of Swedish society: freedom, equality, and sustainability. These values are reflected in every aspect of the local society, and you’ll quickly learn to appreciate them. Language barriers are also almost non-existent since around 80% of Swedes speak English.
Switzerland has one of the most advanced free-market economies, which is reflected in the high living standards and the satisfaction of people living here. In terms of higher education, Swiss universities are constantly ranked among the best in Europe, and they shine in areas like Business, Tourism, Culinary Arts, and Engineering.
When compared to Western universities, tuition fees in Switzerland are affordable, and all studies — especially PhD programmes — are world-class. You’ll have the opportunity to develop in a multilingual environment and try learning international languages like German, French, or Italian. If you settle down here, the unemployment rates are low, and salaries are well above the European average.
Universities in the UK are some of the most highly regarded in the world, and for good reasons. Some of the world's most highly regarded research takes place in British universities, which are regularly featured in international rankings. While studying in the UK, you will be able to develop in a highly multicultural environment with high chances of pursuing lucrative careers after graduation. The teaching in the UK is designed to encourage new idea generation, encouraging individual research and group cooperation, through class discussions and creative assignments.
Canada is one of the most popular study destinations in the world due to its high focus on the quality of its universities and its emphasis on attracting international students who can later immigrate. Canadians are very welcoming to international students and they invest a lot into making sure students are safe, treated fairly, and enjoy their stay in the country. Study in one of the strongest economies in the world while enjoying a high living standard and a flexible study environment. Classes have smaller student groups ensuring everyone gets the attention they need, and encouraging group assignments and debates.
The United States is home to some of the most prestigious universities and colleges in the world. With over 150 universities featured in international rankings, the U.S. has some of the best business schools, medical schools, and engineering schools. Universities and colleges in the U.S. are well known for academic flexibility and ways to customize your study experience with optional studies and extracurricular activities. Depending on where you will be studying, you will be able to visit iconic places like the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Goldengate Bridge, The Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, Disney's Magic Kingdom Park, and much more.
Israel attracts international students through high standards of education and a wide range of English-taught degrees. Local universities shine in areas like Technology, Sciences, Business, and Entrepreneurship. In fact, Israel is a renowned land of innovation, having earned itself the nickname ‘Start-Up Nation’.
While living and studying here, you will discover a wonderful culture developed throughout 4,000 years of history; different cultural influences are noticeable everywhere, especially in Israeli food, art, and history.
In major cities, English is widely spoken, so communication shouldn’t be a problem. In your spare time, you can visit one of the over 400 nature reserves and 80 national parks.
By studying in Australia you will take advantage of the great student environment both inside and outside classrooms. In addition to some of the best business and engineering schools in the world, you will be able to explore a greatly developed country that still retains its wild side with its warm climate, beautiful beaches, and the Great Outback, with over 500 national parks. Many Australian universities provide internships and work placements, preparing students early on for the job market.