The Allure of Studying in Canada

As the second largest country in the world, Canada has plenty to offer in the way of big cities as well as serene settings. The beautiful natural environment of Canada includes the longest coastline in the world, the largest surface of freshwater of any other country, and hundreds of thousands of lakes. But there's so much more to love about studying in Canada than just geography.

Canadian Colleges Offer World-Class Education
As a nation, Canada places great emphasis on education, and Canadians put their money where their mouth is. Here's proof: the country spends more on education compared to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average, and is at the top of the G8 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the U.K., and the U.S.) in education funding.

Canadian education outcomes are exceptional as well. A Canadian degree, diploma, or certificate is highly regarded in academic, business, and government circles worldwide. In fact, five universities in Canada were ranked within Newsweek's Top 100 Global Universities.

Canadian Colleges Provide Plenty of "Bang for Your Buck"
Studying in Canada is a smart financial decision, too. Canada offers the lowest tuition rates for foreign students compared to the U.K., U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, reports the Association of Commonwealth Universities. That's because all Canadian universities receive public funding through the provincial governments. By comparison, U.S. public university fees are almost one-third higher than fees at Canadian universities, and U.S. private university fees are more than double those at Canadian universities.

Not only that, but Canadian cities have a lower cost of living than many other locations in the developed world, according to the 2009 Cost of Living survey by Mercer, a global HR company. Toronto has the highest cost of living in Canada, but the cost of living in Toronto is 30 percent lower than it is in London. The costs of living in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago are also higher than the cost of living in Toronto.

Canadian Colleges Embody Multiculturalism and Diversity
Canada is a peaceful, politically stable, and safe country, with laws that protect the rights of its citizens. There are 43 ethnic origins that at least 100,000 people in Canada claim in their background, according to the 2006 Canadian census. And Canada has the highest per capita immigration rate in the world, driven in part by democratic economic and refugee policies.
 
It should come as no surprise, then, that Canada was the first country in the world to adopt multiculturalism as an official government policy. In Canada, multiculturalism ensures that all citizens can keep their identities, take pride in their ancestry, and still have a sense of belonging. Whoever you are, wherever you're from, and wherever you're going, you will be welcomed and accepted when you're studying in Canada.

Canadian Colleges Boast Unmatched Quality of Life
According to the 2008 United Nations Human Development Index, Canada is the third best country in the world when it comes to quality of life. And according to Mercer's 2009 Quality of Living survey, Canada's cities are ranked the highest in the Americas. Canada's comfortable population density, advanced and accessible health care system, and low incidence of violent crime undoubtedly factor into those rankings.

So when it comes to studying in Canada, what's not to love?

 

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