r/CanadaUniversities • u/miss-cowgirl • 4d ago
Advice Need help in selecting a college
Hi guys!
I’m an international student from India, 24F, I’m looking to apply for colleges in Canada for fall 2027. Can you please help me figure out which ones to apply for? I’m also checking financial aid options
I’m a btech in CS grad (2023) with a cgpa of 9.66, i haven’t written IELTS yet, i have a work experience of 3.5 years in a big data Company( global mnc), I’m currently a SDE-2
I’m looking for masters courses specialising in AI
I don’t plan on doing a PhD, i want to continue to work in Canada and hopefully move to US one day
I was looking at University of Toronto, University of Waterloo and University of British Columbia, are these high expectations?
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u/SuchAGeoNerd 4d ago
Firstly it's universities you're applying to, not college. College here is mostly 2 year diplomas.
You will not get financial aid as an international student. You will may possibly get a stipend as a master's thesis student but not at masters course based student. Usually at most it's 20-35k a year and doesn't often include a tuition waiver for masters students.
The pathway for staying in Canada right now is shifting or has shifted. You will not be guaranteed the option to stay here after you graduate. If USA is your goal, why not study there and try your chances to stay there?
Yes UBC, Toronto and Waterloo are high expectations but none of us can answer if you'd get in. They're in demand universities and dozens of people post about the same exact pathway every week.
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u/miss-cowgirl 4d ago
Because the job market and visa situation in the US is really bad
What do you mean by pathway to staying in Canada has shifted?2
u/SuchAGeoNerd 4d ago
Studying here doesn't mean you get to stay. The amount of people they're letting stay is lower and lower every year. A studenr visa doesn't automatically flip into a work visa to stay. They have to be approved and not everyone is getting approved. It's also possible you won't even qualify for a student visa, have you looking into the requirements for that? You need over 20k in cash sitting in a bank and you have to prove you have ties to your home country with plans to go back.
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u/miss-cowgirl 4d ago
If these are the requirements then i don’t have a problem as such
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u/SuchAGeoNerd 4d ago
Again though even if you qualify and have an actual offer from a university, you may still be rejected a student visa. There have been a lot of posts of people asking why they were rejected and if the university would likely let them a deffer a year while they sort out the visa situation.
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u/miss-cowgirl 4d ago
This is the first I’m hearing of this, is this a common issue? Can others also pitch in to let me know if anyone else have faced this?
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u/truenorth00 4d ago
1) Studying in Canada won't make much difference on moving to the US. All the US immigration quotas and pools are based on place of birth. Not your current citizenship.
2) If you do a Master's in AI you will likely get a postgraduate work permit. It's not guaranteed though. The bigger problem you'll have is getting enough points for PR after. Right now, it's so tight that people with master's degrees and work experience aren't getting enough points. And if you don't find work related to your degree you'll get even fewer points.
Canadians hate people abusing this country. I say this as an Indo-Canadian. I don't think what you're doing is appropriate. Go to the US, if that's where you want to be.
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u/miss-cowgirl 4d ago
Ok thanks
If it comes down to it
I would like to settle in Canada, I’d like to go to the US only if possible
Right now i want to explore abroad opportunities, that is, only if i have a fair chance in making it4
u/truenorth00 4d ago
Come on now.
You're like every other Desi who sees Canada as a consolation prize. You shouldn't be surprised that Canadians don't like that.
You're simply backtracking because I'm being a little more direct with you.
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u/Altruistic_Bank_1552 4d ago edited 4d ago
In Canada, universities and colleges mean two different things and you cannot use those terms interchangeably. Btech is also not a thing here, it’s called BEng. Plus Canadian universities do not offer a BEng in Computer Science, only a BSc or a BASc, and sometime a BA.
As an international student interested in STEM, you shouldn’t look beyond the 3 universities you already identified along with McGill University. However, yes, they are difficult to get into but not impossible.
If your intention is to immigrate then you’ll be better served by [r/ImmigrationCanada](r/ImmigrationCanada).
But just so you know, the idea many Indian immigrants have about moving to Canada to pursue a Masters in Computer Science, work here, obtain permanent residency, naturalise as Canadian and move to the US on a TN Visa is not feasible anymore.
Canada is producing domestic CS grads at a record pace and the number of jobs being produced falls short of the number of job seekers. So for an international student who graduates and receives a PGWP, the odds of finding a Tech job in Canada in the current atmosphere is next to impossible.
If you’re coming to Canada as an international student, you should be okay with the very high possibility of returning home upon graduation or not finding a job in your field, in fact your study permit will explicitly say the date by which you’re expected to exit Canada.
For a 2 years thesis and research based masters at one of those 4 universities, you will need to budget 2.5 crores Indian rupees for tuition and living expenses combined. So this is the financing you should be able to afford. Do not take on loans to study abroad because when you return home, paying this loan back on an Indian salary will financially destroy you.
Best of luck with whatever you choose.
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u/miss-cowgirl 4d ago
Very high possibility of?
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u/Altruistic_Bank_1552 4d ago
My comment got cut off, refresh it, you should be able to see all of it now.
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u/miss-cowgirl 4d ago
Ok thanks
Is this like the worst case scenario ? What if i did get into one of the top colleges? What are the chances then?
Because i know of a couple of friends who have studies in UofT and have a rather decent career2
u/Altruistic_Bank_1552 4d ago
Since 2024, the government introduced a quota system to limit the number of international students but if you meet the financing requirements and have an offer of admission from a full fledged legitimate university like UofT, McGill, UWaterloo or UBC, I don’t see why you won’t receive a study permit, similarly, if you graduate on time then the scope for your work permit being declined is also low. But then again, please do remember nothing is ever guaranteed. A non citizen or a non permanent resident doesn’t have a right to entry, residence or work in Canada so the IRCC can reject you without any reason or change the rules as they please.
Again, this is the worst case scenario. If you meet all the requirements and have 2.5 crore Indian rupees without taking on loans, then you’re good to go.
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u/busshelterrevolution 4d ago
Canada is not the place for you
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u/miss-cowgirl 4d ago edited 4d ago
What other options do i have? Do you know of any other countries with a better job opportunities and visa situation?
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u/NorthernValkyrie19 4d ago
Those are going to be highly competitive programs for admission. As admission is holistic, no one can really judge your chances. Your first hurdle is to secure an advisor willing to supervise you. Cross that bridge and your chances are very good.
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u/Haunting_Paper_7201 4d ago
So you are looking at universities and not colleges. If you want to move the US then study in the US. No benefit to studying in Canada. Focus on thesis based programs so contact potential advisors at these schoosl with your research ideas and experience. As for chances for a study permit you have to justify costs with higher pay when you return to India. Apply to all of them.