Canada Education System

Secondary education

Secondary education in Canada is divided into two school sectors: public schools and private schools. Public secondary schools in Canada mostly consist of school council members, and mainly provide education for local students while private school’s students come from many regions domestically and internationally. Therefore, residence halls are available in most private institutions. International students have access to standard secondary program or tertiary preparation programs in private schools or they can also enroll in a public school as they like.

College

Colleges in Canada offer programs in many tertiary levels: Associate, Undergraduate, Postgraduate as well as short-term vocational training. There are various field of study which provides a wide range of program options. In addition, students whose English proficiency level is below the minimum entry requirements can sign up for English as a Second Language (ESL) courses before their admission. Colleges in Canada are well-known with good student support services, appropriate class size, state-of-the-art facilities, accessible entry requirement as well as many term dates available.

+ Post-secondary education in Quebec begins with college following graduation from Grade 11. Students complete a two-year or three-year general program leading to admission to a university, or a professional program leading directly into the labor force. In most cases, bachelor's degree programs in Quebec are three years instead of the usual four; however, in many cases, students attending a university in Quebec that did not graduate from college must complete an additional year of coursework.

+ Colleges that combine the features of a college and a university program altogether, based on the foundation of university studies. They are authorized to grant both associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees. Highlighted features of these colleges are small class sizes, university-like environment, well-equipped laboratories and easily-achieved entry requirements. College graduates are awarded Associate Degrees, which helps transfer directly to an undergraduate program. In addition, these schools also offer homestay accommodation for international students.

+ Career colleges focus on training essential skills for a specific career in a short amount of time. The programs of these schools mainly focus on practical skills.

University

Universities in Canada are famous for their world-class quality in training and researching. Degrees awarded by Canadian universities can be equivalent to world’s top universities in the world as if in the United States or the United Kingdom. These institutions provide various degrees, certificates and diplomas from Associate to Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD.

Master’s programs

Canadian Universities usually offer two types of master's degrees: the Coursework Program which requires having completed a specific study program, and the Research Program which requires having completed a postgraduate program and conduct a graduation dissertation.

To enroll in a master's program in a Canadian university, international students have to have excellent academic record (at least 7.5) for undergraduate programs; some universities also require advanced English proficiency and at least 1.5 year of work experience.