WELCOME

Over the past 50 years, more than 1,000,000 students from around the world have chosen ELS.
With more than 60 center locations and over 650 university partners worldwide, ELS offers the destination and university preparation study plan that is perfect for you!

The First Step to your Canadian Education Dream

ELS Canada offers solid academic preparation and pathways to a number of well-known Canadian universities.

Study in Canada

Students choose Canada because a strong education and a positive international experience is the foundation for their exciting and successful futures. The quality, affordability and renowned research opportunities are key factors in this decision. University campuses across Canada offer multicultural environments, beautiful spaces and friendly people. As a leader in business, political diplomacy, technology and arts and culture — Canada’s education system is at the core of its success and its graduates are players on the world stage. Public universities in Canada are considered to be comparable to those in the United Kingdom and the United States.

According to the Postsecondary Student Information System (PSIS), international students accounted for about 4% of all students enrolled in Canadian universities in 1992. By 2008, the share of international students had doubled, reaching 8% of all university students in Canada. These changes are the result of an increase in the overall number of international students at Canadian universities from 36,822 in 1992 to 87,798 in 2008.

Overall, the number of students enrolled in doctoral and master degree programs has decreased. In contrast, the shares enrolled in bachelor's level programs rose from 55% in 1992 to 67% in 2008.

In 1992, students from Asia accounted for 49.8% of international students and reached 52.7% in 2008. The next largest group consists of students from Europe, with their share being 16.3% in 1992 and 17.9% in 2008.

Enrollment in Mathematics, Computer and Information Science, Physical Science and Engineering began to fall and so the largest gain was in "business, management and public administration," which accounted for 14.5% of international students in 1992 and for 23.2% in 2008.

Canadian universities and colleges offer programs that range from fine art to biology, commerce to astronomy and media studies to religion. At present, these universities and university colleges offer more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, professional courses and certificates.

DEGREE OPTIONS IN CANADA

Postsecondary institutions issue degrees, diplomas and certificates, depending on the nature of those institutions and the length of the programs. At universities and university colleges, there is an emphasis on degree programs. Applied degrees are offered by some colleges. At all other institutions, the emphasis is on diploma, certificate and attestation programs.

Diploma and Certificate Programs - Associate Degree (1-2 years)

Colleges and institutes offer diploma and certificate programs as their primary activity, while some offer degrees in areas of particular specialization. Where they are offered, degree programs may be two-year associate degrees or four-year applied degrees. Generally speaking, university diplomas and certificates require one or two years of study in a specific field or discipline. However, these programs vary widely from institution to institution, and from province to province.

Community colleges are government-regulated post-secondary institutions offering one- to two-year academic and pre-professional certificates, diplomas, two-year associate's degrees and even three- and four-year specialized bachelor's degrees. More than 150 community colleges accommodate approximately 900,000 full-time and 1.5 million part-time learners at over 900 campuses across Canada. Nearly 6,000 international students come to Canada for community college study each year.

Canada's community colleges are also sometimes called institutes, institutes of technology, technical colleges, regional colleges, CEGEPS (an acronym for Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel) in Québec, university colleges or simply colleges. Community colleges fill a unique niche in Canada's education system. They combine high quality, comprehensive academics with employer-centred programs, industry connections and internship opportunities. Community colleges offer academic courses in the arts and sciences, as well as specialized career and language training. The college itself may be a general education school, offering a variety of programs in different fields (such as health, business, technology, trades, academic upgrading, applied and creative arts, social services, hospitality and university preparation), or it may be a single field-, industry- or culture-specific college (for example, college of forestry, art and design, justice and public safety, or Native studies). Students can also take advantage of the University Transfer Program (UTP) by beginning their studies at a community college. This allows them to start in a smaller, more supportive environment, later transfer their credits and still earn a degree from one of the larger, well-recognized universities.

Undergraduate – Bachelor’s Degree (three-five years)

Students at the baccalaureate or bachelor's level are known as undergraduates. Successful completion of the secondary school program is the normal requirement for admission to undergraduate study. Bachelor's degrees normally require three or four years of full-time study, depending on the province or whether the program is general or specialized. An honours baccalaureate degree usually signals a higher degree of concentration in the honours subject, as well as a higher level of academic achievement. At some universities, an honours degree may require an additional year of study.

Postgraduate – Master’s Degree/Doctoral Degree

A master's degree typically requires two years of study after successful completion of an honours baccalaureate. The normal qualification for a doctoral program is a master's degree. However, students have been allowed, in special circumstances, to go directly from an honours baccalaureate program into a doctoral program. A minimum of three years and up to four or five years of study and research, as well as a dissertation, are the normal requirements for a doctorate. The degree is generally known as a Ph.D.; however, doctoral degrees may also be granted in particular fields of study such as music (D.Mus.) or law (LLD).

In regulated professions such as medicine, law, education and social work, an internship or practicum is generally required in order to obtain a licence to practice.

Types of Canadian Institutions of Higher Education

Liberal Arts

Liberal arts institutions are colleges with a primary emphasis upon undergraduate study in the liberal arts. Encyclopaedia Britannica defines liberal arts as a “college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general intellectual capacities, in contrast to a professional, vocational or technical curriculum.” Liberal arts institutions can be either public or private.

Private

A private institution generally does not receive funding from the provincial, territorial or federal governments, instead receiving private funding through alumni donations, faculty research grants and tuition fees. Large endowments and private funding often allow for more resources to be available to the students and faculty. Private universities are able to attract and retain faculty well-known in their academic fields. Students benefit from faculty experience in the field, which enriches the classroom experience. Unusual or innovative academic programs may be found on private university campuses.

Public

A public institution is one that receives funding from the provincial, territorial and/or federal government, although tuition revenue and private funding also contribute to their financial stability. These institutions may follow province-wide admissions requirements, or have their own individual campus requirements. Faculty research grants typically are important to public university faculty, and bring numerous practical research opportunities to students. These public universities often may have large departments which offer numerous degree options for students, from associate degrees to doctoral and postdoctoral programs. Public/Provincial universities generally are less expensive than private institutions.

Canada offers numerous options in higher education. Students can choose big or small, public or private, small town or big city settings. Another option is choosing between attending a four-year institution immediately after completing secondary school, or attending a community or technical college for the first two years, allowing the student to prepare for a career or to prepare for transfer to a four-year institution. The option of attending a community college first is quite popular as it presents a number of advantages, yet still allows a student to complete their bachelor’s degree from the college or university of their choice.