Study in Canada

1. University of British Columbia, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vancouver, British Columbia

2. University of Manitoba, Faculty of Pharmacy, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CANADA

3. University of Toronto, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Toronto, Ontario

4. Toronto Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, Toronto

5. University of Montreal, Faculty of Pharmacy, Montreal, Quebec

6. Laval University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Quebec, Quebec

7. Memorial University of Newfoundland, School of Pharmacy, St John’s, Newfoundland

8. Dalhousie University College of Pharmacy, Halifax, Nova Scotia

9. University of Saskatchewan, College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

10. University of Waterloo, School of Pharmacy, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1

11. Vancouver Pharmacy Institute, 8-1180 Cecile Drive, Port Moody/Vancouver, British Columbia V3H 1N1

    University of Alberta, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Edmonton, Alberta.

Canadian Education System

Education in Canada is under the complete jurisdiction of the provinces and territories (States) and as such, there is no Federal(Central) education system in Canada. In keeping with the national commitment to education, public education in Canada is free up to and including secondary school (12th Std), in all the provinces. At the post-secondary level, institutions are divided into community colleges and universities. A significant number of university graduates attend college upon completion of their degree in order to acquire vocational skills for employment.

Types of Certification

• Certificate : Is a qualification awarded upon successful completion of a programme which is usually one year in length.

• Diploma : Is a qualification awarded on the basis of one or two year’s of successful study.

• Advanced Diploma : Is a 3 years program some of which may lead to a Bachelors Degree.

• Bachelors Degrees : Are awarded by Universities/ University Colleges/ Community Colleges after four years of full-time study and lead to graduate level studies.

• Post Graduate Diplomas / Certificates : It lead to a Masters Degree. These programs have work terms which provide full-time opportunities to gain practical experience along with theoretical studies. A typical co-op term lasts 12 to 17 weeks. The prerequisites to participate in these programs is a Bachelors Degree of 3 or 4 years duration.

• Masters Degree : Is an option for Bachelors Degree. Graduates who have an interest in further learning and research, and for those who want to broaden their career possibilities. It is for 2 yrs duration and can be pursued after a 4 yrs Bachelors or a 3yrs Bachelors & a 1year Post Graduate Diploma from Canada.

• Doctorate or PhD : Is a degree ranking above the Masters Degree and generally requires four to seven years to complete

Co-operative Work Term

Co-op is a work term provided as part and parcel of the course curriculum. It provides an excellent opportunity to students to gain first hand practical experience related to the field of specialization. Students can gain on-the-job experience while continuing to study . Co-op provides full time opportunities that last for 12 to 17 weeks.

Co-Operative work programmes, combine courses in many subjects with relevant work, giving students an invaluable head start with their careers. This assists International students in connecting with the Canadian job market and developing a network with the Canadian companies.

Institutions

The degrees & diplomas from Canadian Institutions are among the most widely recognized in the world. The education system in Canada encompasses of both public funded & private institutions. Students have a diverse choice of 92 Universities & 175 Community Colleges offering a wide array of programmes. While pursuing their studies, the students, are allowed to work for the first 6 months on-campus and thereafter off-campus. Student can earn more from vocational & Technology courses than normal degrees.

Post secondary education is offered by four types of educational institutions:

• Technical/ Career Colleges : These are privately owned and operated with the main objective of preparing students for the job market after a short period of instruction. The emphasis at career colleges is on practical skills over a broad range of programmes.

• Community Colleges & Technical Institutes : They typically have more career oriented, practical/ technical related curricula, with small classes, off-campus course offerings, a greater ratio of laboratory space to class room space, and an interactive teaching style.

• University Colleges : As a component of the Canadian University system, University Colleges offer students a choice of either academic oriented university degree programmes or the more practical-oriented college diplomas and certificates.

• Universities : Canadian Universities are largely public funded and as a result, offer consistently high quality education at lower tuition rates for International students than their counterparts in competing countries. They offer a broad range of courses and degrees from Undergraduate to Doctorate and also certificate and professional degrees. Class sizes in universities are generally large.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The average grade achieved by a student during the course of an educational program, is calculated on various scales depending on the Institution. (eg : Generally the student may be evaluated an a 4-point scale or a 9 point scale).

Intake

International students are expected to start planning for their studies in Canada 1 year in advance. The major intake for Canada primarily is ‘Fall’ i.e September. The other intake is in the month of ‘Winter’ i.e. January, but it depends on the students program and the institution that he/she is applying to. Very few institutes might have the May intake as well.

English Language Requirement

All students must be fluent in English if they are applying to Canadian Institutes. International students need to reach the required level of English language competence. All students should take up the IELTS or TOEFL(ibt)exams. An IELTS band of 6.0/6.5 for Undergraduate & 6.5/7 for Postgraduate courses or a TOEFL score of 80 and above for Undergraduate and 90 and above for Post Graduate courses is desirable.

Eligibility

Canada plays host to more than 180,000 International students in any given year. Increasingly, Canada is becoming the country of choice for students from all parts of the world.

Quality Education

Canada spends more per capita on its education system than any other country in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). A Degree/Diploma from a Canadian Institute is recognized world wide. International students who graduate from Canadian Institutions enjoy successful and prosperous careers. Canada is known for its quality education & competitive entry requirements.

Inexpensive

Canadian Institutes, charge lower tuition fees for international students than their counterparts in competing countries and at the same time, maintain excellent educational quality. However as the fees are more affordable, admissions are more competitive. Over the last three years, Canada’s inflation rate has remained one of the lowest in the industrialized world.

Permanent Residency and Canadian Immigration

International students can apply for their Permanent Residency which takes up to 15 to 18 months from within Canada. However they need to meet the minimum eligibility criteria of 67 Points.

Ranked as the Number one Country

For the past 9 consecutive years, a United Nations survey has found Canada to be the best place in the world to live. The survey conducted every year, evaluates quality of life in 174 countries, using over 200 performance indicators. Canada earns particularly high marks for its access to education, high life expectancy and low crime rates.

A safe place to study

Every step is taken to ensure the safety of students on Canada’s campuses. Most universities / colleges have their own campus security 24 hours a day. There are also ” Walk Safe” programmes to assist people in getting to public transportation during late hours.

A bilingual nation

Canada is a bilingual country with two official languages, English and French. The vast majority (75%) of Canada’s French-speaking inhabitants live in the province of Quebec, which is located in the eastern part of the country but there are French-speaking communities throughout the country. English is the main language of communication in all provinces other than Quebec.

Work during and after and co-op programe

Students in Canada are allowed to work part time on campus during the first 6 months of their program and off campus part time thereafter. The duration permited is upto 20 hours per week. Several programs may even have a paid co-op term where one gets hands on experience in working in the industry. These may even be paid co-ops. Further students on the completion of their program can work upto 3 years depending on the length of their study program.

Immigration

Canada welcomes over 2 lac immigrants per year & has a policy for skilled professionals as well as Business Immigrants. Canada has maintained a strong stable economic growth because of its active immigration policy. Two thirds of the 5.4%pa increase in population is due to immigration.

Canadian Immigration is one of the simplest immigration systems in comparison with other countries. It allows a person to live and work anywhere in Canada, and confers upon that person a Permanent Resident status. It comes with certain responsibilities and may be revoked if the holder does not meet Canadian Residency obligations, or is found guilty of serious criminal activity. A person who is a Canadian Permanent Resident may apply for Canadian Citizenship after 3 years.