Guide to Life in Canada : Insights for Indian Students
Canada has become a highly sought-after destination for higher education. With world-class universities and an open post-study work permit programme, Indian students prefer to study abroad in Canada. In 2022, Canada issued study permits to 226,450 Indian students, highlighting the growing popularity of Canadian universities and colleges. Understanding the lifestyle differences and cultural nuances can help ease the transition as you plan your move to study abroad.
This blog post provides a comprehensive guide for Indian students planning to study in Canada, offering practical tips and insights to help ease the transition.
1. Prepare for Journey
Before embarking on your educational journey, addressing fundamental preparations is essential.
Understand Canadian Weather
Canada’s vast geographical spread leads to sharp climate variations by region. But the cold remains real, with average winter temperatures ranging from -15°C to below freezing.
- Investing in a solid winter jacket, gloves, hat, scarf, and thermal-lined boots proves essential.
- Many choose parkas with fur hoods for maximum insulation during bitterly cold months.
- Summers, however, deliver mostly pleasant weather in the 20-25°C range.
- Punctuality matters, given cities like Toronto and Ottawa face heavy snowfalls that disrupt transport in the winter.
- Leave buffer time for potentially delayed buses or trains due to snow cleanup.
Academic Excellence
- Identify programmes that best match your academic background and career goals to study in Canada.
- You must research department rankings, faculty expertise, alumni outcomes, and funding availability.
- Consider locations, costs of living, and scholarship options across the shortlisted universities.
- Start preparation 6-12 months before the desired IELTS or TOEFL score.
- Focus on enhancing vocabulary, grammar, reading & listening comprehension through practice tests.
- Create comprehensive profiles highlighting academics, extracurriculars and achievements.
- Customise and strengthen elements like SOPs, resumes, and essays for each university admission portal.
- Maintain updated transcripts, records of research, internships and reference contacts.
- Identify recommenders who can substantiate your qualifications relevant to the programme.
- Draft SOPs articulating goals, knowledge and skill alignment with university strengths.
2. Adapt to Canadian Life
Student life in Canada gets easier when you quickly understand and adapt to their culture.
Cultural Adaptation
- Engage with fellow Indian students and join student associations for a sense of familiarity.
- Forge meaningful connections with Canadians and students from diverse nationalities to enhance your cultural understanding.
Health Services in Canada
One significant advantage of student life in Canada over countries like the USA involves easy access to affordable healthcare services, extending to international students.
- Each university implements comprehensive medical insurance plans covering regular doctor visits, emergency treatments or hospitalisation costs as part of enrollment fees.
- Most campuses provide on-site medical clinics or hospitals catering to routine health problems.
- Specialised treatment cases get redirected to regional partner hospitals, still falling under students’ existing insurance plans.
- Mental health also garners priority in Canada with easily accessible psychological counselling services across campuses to handle adjustment struggles or episodic emotional distress.
Extracurricular Activities
- Engage in extracurricular activities to develop skills like leadership and communication.
- Canadian institutions offer various clubs and organisations, allowing you to explore interests and build a valuable network.
3. Overcome Challenges
Studying abroad in Canada brings tremendous overall growth for Indian students,both academically and culturally. But certain aspects require acclimatising mentally and logistically.
Part-Time Work
Canada’s favourable post-study work visa policies allow international students to take part-time jobs, especially in on-campus settings.
- Positions like research assistants, library helpers or retail shop staff on university premises offer earn-while-you-learn prospects without visa hurdles.
- Off-campus openings like restaurants, cafes or product delivery also actively hire international students now with favourable hourly wages.
- Consult with campus immigrant offices to ensure a clear understanding of workplace rights for foreign employees.
- Gain local Canadian work experience while studying strategically to boost employability for eventual job applications within Canada post-course completion.
Accommodation in Canada
Most undergraduate students opt for on-campus residences, at least initially.
- Many Indian students in Canada choose to share rooms or apartments with fellow Indians when moving off campus later. This offers built-in social support to ease cultural adjustment.
- Graduate students frequently take up off-campus housing, with most universities having tie-ups with nearby apartment complexes.
- Homestays with local Canadian families also emerged as a housing alternative for cultural immersion before the pandemic.
- Expect additional norms like removing shoes indoors, adhering to set meal times and limiting guests.
Financial Planning and Scholarships
- Opt for university residences or off-campus shared apartments to save on rent.
- Start financial planning 1 year before your study abroad goals.
- Start identifying relevant Canadian scholarships 6-12 months before applications.
- Focus efforts on merit-based, region or country-specific government scholarships.
- Strengthen your academic profile – grade average, research potential, etc., to stand out.
Final Word
Studying in Canada offers Indian students a unique personal and academic growth opportunity. By preparing well, adapting to the new culture, and embracing the challenges, you can make the most of your Canadian educational experience.
Shaifali Bhardwaj
Content Writer
About Author
A people- and story-person, Shaifali enjoys crafting narratives inspired by the life of people she meets. She likes to read autobiographies and fiction, indulge in some YRF drama, and even spin stories inspired by everyday objects (like her work desk). Stories being her oxygen, she began her career with HT Media, where she wrote health and entertainment news stories, and later started helping students write and edit essential application documents like statements of purpose. This fulfilled her desire to uncover unique stories and articulate them in the most compelling manner, while forming lasting bonds with her students. Presently with Career Launcher Study Abroad, she’s expanding her skills in website content and copywriting to advance in her field. On weekends, you may find her at a dance workshop or requesting weekday leaves for trekking adventures.
