The International Student Blog

At some point, you may have heard that Canada is a lot like the United States, but colder and with more affordable healthcare. This is partially true, as many of the things that are attractive and popular about the United States exist in Canada as well. However, Canada is its own unique place with climate that varies by geographical location. The country is massive and incredibly diverse; you’ll find big cities like Montreal and smaller Inuit communities in the Arctic Circle. But the country has great qualities that make it an ideal academic home for international students.

1. Best Quality of Life in the World

You cannot make a list of reasons to study in Canada without including the country’s quality of life, which is calculated by using the standard of health, comfort, and happiness. It’s become a cliche to hear that Canada has the greatest quality of life in the world. But it’s actually true according to numerous studies and polls over the years. In 2020, Canada was named the country with the best quality of life by people around the world for the 5th year in a row, according to CIC News. It “ranked number one overall for being politically stable, number two for having a good job market, and number four for having a well-developed public education system.” 

2. Quality of Education

Another reason to study in Canada is, of course, the country’s exceptional quality of education – it consistently ranks as one of the best countries in the world for quality of education, and was ranked third in the world in 2020, surpassed only by the United States and the United Kingdom. Of course, when it comes to higher education, rankings like these don’t always tell you everything because a lot depends on the quality of the individual school. Some countries rank low on these kinds of scales, but have a few exceptional schools that would rank high on a list of individual schools. This is the case with Canada, as 10 of the world’s top 250 universities are in Canada, including McGill  University, McMaster University, University of Alberta, University of Montreal, and University of Calgary.

3. Employment Opportunities

In Canada, education is generally viewed as the best route to personal success. There is a direct correlation between investments in education and economic growth. According to the BBC in 2017, Canada has the world’s highest proportion of working-age adults who have been through higher education, so, at a good Canadian school, you can be fairly confident that your degree will pay off.

4. Cost

In addition, education is generally affordable at Canadian schools. This doesn’t necessarily mean that it is affordable for all, it just means that it may be a little easier to finance your education at a Canadian school than in the US or UK. Again, this varies based on the individual school. But when you consider the average cost of living in Canada, generally it is more affordable to live here than the previously mentioned countries.

5. Welcoming People

In the US, and probably across the globe, Canadians are known to be welcoming, friendly, polite, genuine, and trustworthy. This makes a huge difference for international students, as integrating into local customs is always incredibly difficult, and having a sense of belonging instantly makes you so much more likely to excel at whatever it is you’re trying to do. Canada is also consistently called one of the safest countries in the world for international students.

6. Bilingual Environment

Bilingualism is a great skill to teach your brain. Any international student will know this; the ability to grasp another language is a unique ability, and gives you a unique sense of confidence in your academic potential. In Canada, there are two official languages: English and French. It varies based on the area of the country you’re in, but in some places, they speak both languages interchangeably. The best way to learn a new language is to live in a place where it is spoken, and you may find yourself picking up some French while studying in Canada.

7. Plenty to See and Do

With big cities like Vancouver, beautiful natural wonders like Niagara Falls and extraordinary Inuit Country in the north with views of the northern lights, Canada is home to some of the most compelling attractions that the world has to offer. If you ever find yourself bored, there is plenty of room for adventure in Canada.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 9th, 2021 at 3:33 pm and is filed under ESL/ English as a Second Language, Find a college or university, International Education, International Student, International Student Study Section, Jobs, Study Abroad, Study in Canada. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.