In Canada, there are many colleges that offer great programs and courses for students. So why should you choose to study at a college instead of a university?
Reasons to choose to study at colleges instead of universities in Canada
Why we should choose to study in college?
1. Budget friendly
The cost when you study in College is lower than that when you choose Universities. Tuition fees for Colleges (2020-2021) range from 13,000 – 20,000 CAD for an academic year, depending on your major and school
2. Practical curriculum
Colleges in Canada often offer programs that are considered more practical and applicable. The curriculum usually directs students into developing soft skills and professional skills that can be applied immediately to their careers after graduation.
3. Easier entry requirements
Colleges often require students with English proficiency test from 6.0 – 6.5 or higher. Meanwhile, most Universities require 7.0 or higher depending on the major.
4. More extensive choices for colleges
Currently, Canada has more than 130 Colleges while there are only about 100 Universities.
5. Shorter study time
The program at College is only about 2 years. Meanwhile, most of the programs offered by Universities will be for about 4 years. Longer study times mean higher living costs and also longer wait times for students to gain practical experience within their field.
Some common misunderstandings about studying at University vs College
1. Colleges are only for students with academic underperformance
This is a completely wrong point of view. College is for students who want to gain more practical knowledge and want to join the workforce quicker. Meanwhile, people who pursue a University education are usually more academic and research-focused. Moreover, College students will definitely have more free time than University students which allow them to develop their soft skills and experiences through job and other activities.
2. Colleges Graduates can’t get a good job
This is another assumption about College education. In Canada, employers do not focus on looking for people who have University degrees but on people who acquire the necessary skills and knowledge. Moreover, when students have good relationships and credibility with teachers and friends, they are more likely to get referral letters or job referrals in the future. In other words, they have a good character, proactively attend/create a lot of activities, know how to establish relationships with people around them, and have so much of real-life skills and experiences. These aspects are highly appreciated by employers.
Therefore, if students graduated from University without referral or credibility from people around them, they are less likely to be able to compete with College graduates with extremely good soft skills and a quality network.
3. University is all about academic knowledge
This is not an entirely right statement. It is true that universities are indeed more academic and research-oriented than colleges. However, universities still have internship programs so that students can experience the real world.
4. Studying College after transferring to the University will take more time and cost more than studying for 4 years at the University
This view is not entirely true. The length of time that students transfer from College to University depends on the number of credits that the students obtain. The cost of studying for 2 years after transferring is somewhat lower than the cost of studying for 4 years at a University because the cost for the first 2 years is College tuition.
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