Should You Study in Canada or the US?

Many students who are about to take that giant stride often ask themselves this huge question: Should I study in Canada or the US?

Over the past couple of years, both countries have emerged as top study abroad destinations among international students. They are both dream destinations for students who wish to get higher education abroad.

Yes, you have chosen to go to university in North America, and yes, both countries are very great options, but when you make the decision to study abroad you want to know which country is easier to get to, you want to know your visa options, you want to know your chances of getting jobs both as a student and after your programme, and you want to know where you will have the best chances of staying back for permanent residency. Perhaps you will also be interested in where you will feel most welcome.

This is why choosing which country is best for you is a big deal – bearing in mind that there is hardly a takeback in this choice.

Canada over the US?

In recent times Canada may now stand ahead of the US as the better destination for immigrants. The major reasons for this are speedy processing times for study permits, easier immigration, and lower costs.

The controversies surrounding the US F1 visa freeze in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a decline in the number of students applying to study in the US. Though the decision was revoked, the changes in H1-B student visa policies also affected the influx of international students to the US.

On the other hand, Canada did not experience such a drastic change in the number of international students opting for higher education with them.

Here are the factors that make Canada a better choice for international students:

Reasons why Canada is a better study choice than the US

Visa Policy

As is well known, the US visa application system is an extremely time-consuming and complicated process that requires a great deal of scrutiny and a lot of waiting. By comparison, the Canadian visa application process is relatively simpler and shorter, which encourages international students to study in Canada.

Additionally, Canadian universities allow international students to stay in Canada and search for employment opportunities. The Graduate Work Permit allows international students to remain for up to two years after graduation from a Canadian post-secondary institution, depending on the length of the course.

On the other hand, as F-1 visa holders, international students in the United States are allowed to remain in the country to complete up to one year of temporary employment directly related to their main field of study.

Eligibility Criteria

Though the admission process and the eligibility criteria that international students need to fulfil in order to get an education from the US and Canada are similar, there are some major differences that make it slightly easier to get into Canadian universities than those in the US.

To get into a bachelor’s programme in the US, international applicants must appear for the SAT or ACT exam. However, this is not the case in Canada. SAT/ACT scores are not mandatorily required.

For master’s programmes in the USA, applicants must mandatorily have appeared for the GRE exam. Though it is not required for all the universities, most of the US universities ask for GRE scores to give admissions to international students. On the other hand, GRE scores are not required to get accepted into a master’s programme in Canada. There are very few courses or universities that ask for GRE scores from international students applying for Canadian universities.

Tuition

Canada has some of the cheapest tuition fees for international students compared to other English-speaking countries. Studying in the country is significantly cheaper for foreigners than studying in the US. It is even cheaper than in the UK and Australia.

Undergraduate fees in Canada range from about $5,000 to $20,000 per annum, whereas they start from about $23,000 per year in the US.

Cost of Living

Apart from tuition fees, the cost of living in Canada is also much lower than that of the US. You pay significantly less for accommodation, transport and even food in Canada than you do in the US.

Employment Opportunities

One of the major reasons why students study abroad is the number of career opportunities it opens up. You will find it far easier to get a job in the US or Canada if you have gone to university there.

One of the advantages Canadian international students have over international students studying in the US is that of Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). The post-graduation work permit is an integral part of Canada’s immigration system which allows overseas students to work in Canada for up to 3 years after graduation.

It is also a gateway to permanent residence and eventually citizenship.

Final words

So should you choose Canada instead of the US as a study destination? It all depends on you, really – your intentions, your goals. However, considering these five aspects that we have looked at, Canada does appear to have a significant edge and needs to be given serious thought.