Quick Notes on studying MS in Canada:

1. Types of Masters: Master of Science, Master of Arts and Master of Engineering are pursued to specialize in areas of Science, research and arts. Master’s degree can be course-based or research-based depending upon the field of study and the Universities. In the case of course-based degrees, there is a large amount of course-work followed by intense examinations in the first year of study. Second year generally deals with thesis preparation or internships and projects in the field of interest. In the case of research-based degrees, both the years are filled with research-work followed by a thesis preparation and its oral defense. There are few programs with Co-op (Internship) as an optional component.
2. Duration of MS in Canada: MS in Canada can last between 1-2 years
3. Intakes: Most Masters courses in Canada will begin in September and few of them in January and May as well.
4. Fee Range: Course fee for MS in Canada average ranges CAD$ 18,000 – CAD$ 45,000
5. Work Experience Requirement: Work experience is NOT required to study Masters in Canada at nearly all Canadian Universities
6. GRE: Few programs require a GRE score. A good score generally is 300+. We recommend our students to aim for higher than 315
7. English Language Requirement: IELTS test is preferred. The test could be done within one month from the date you decide to take the test ie. preparing for the test, registering for the test and appearing for it. If you need to register for the test or need help or coaching, you could contact us at +91 9820864001. A score of 6.5 overall with not less than 6.0 band in each section of Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking section is required for most of the programs.
8. Time to Apply for MS in Canada: Best time to apply for MS in Canada is Nov to March for a September start. Although there are many programs with deadline until April. Different programs in the same University have different deadlines.
9. Work DURING Study in Canada: You are allowed to work 20hrs /wk during study terms & full time during holidays.
10. Work AFTER Study in Canada: To work in Canada after you graduate, you must apply for a work permit under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP). You could stay back on a work permit in Canada (post study work visa) which is equivalent to the length of your program to look for a job and work full-time. A work permit under the PGWPP may be issued for the length of the study program, up to a maximum of three years, but no longer than the length of the study program. Eg. if you finish a two years MS in Canada, then you are eligible to get a work permit in Canada for 3 years. However, if the length of your course in Canada was 1 year, then you will only get a one year work permit to work in Canada or find suitable jobs. Generally a study program of higher than 16 months of duration in Canada will fetch you a post study work permit of 3 years in Canada
11. Canada Student Visa: To apply for a visa, you must complete and submit all required documents as requested by the Canadian government including the official acceptance document(s) from the school at which you will be studying, and, if planning to study in Quebec, a Certificate of Acceptance from the Quebec government, and pay the required visa processing fee. You may be required to undergo an interview with a Canadian Visa Officer and/or a medical examination and/or prove that you have sufficient funds to study and live in Canada
12. Quick reasons to study an MS in Canada:
    • Studying in Canada is relatively cheaper with lowest Tuition Fee amongst English Speaking Countries.
    • More importance is given to the practical aspects of education by Canadian Universities enhancing a student’s research skills and professional competence.
    • Canada’s diverse culture, relaxed immigration laws and relatively stable economy are just some of the reasons students study there.
    • Canada also has a slightly shorter academic year than the U.S., with college classes running September through April. The condensed schedule means a shorter winter break but more time for international students to work over the summer.
    • Canada, being a well developed country, has many job opportunities in every possible field after a Master’s degree ensuring a high quality of life along with a good pay-scale.
    • Students also find it is easier to stay and work in Canada after completing an MS. Once you complete an education programme in Canada, it’s very easy to obtain post-grad work permit.
    • You could work in Canada for the length of your program upto a maximum of 3 years. Most provinces require you work full time for 12-months, and then you can begin an application for permanent residency.
      

MS Programs that Engineering Students can study in the Canada:

Admission requirement for studying MS in CANADA:

Resume

A well crafted resume goes a long way. It should clearly talk about your employment, education, and achievements. Generally, we recommend that your resume / CV should be should only be of one page. Here is where you can get a simple explanation on what can appear on a smart resume

Transcript

• A transcript is a must and needs to be submitted to all Canadian Universities that you are applying to
• A transcript is an official record from your current or former institution giving a breakdown of the marks or grades you have achieved during all the years of your degree level study
• If you are in your 3rd year of study (degree college), your College will print all the subjects and the scores achieved in 1 or 2 (sometimes 3 or higher) pages (on their letter head) and will stamp, sign and seal it for you in an envelope
• An official transcript should show the official seal/logo of the issuing institution, and/or an authenticating signature should be provided
• If you have not yet completed your current course of study, your College should be able to provide an official interim transcript showing your marks achieved to date
• A transcript is available from your School/College and every School/College has its own format – you have apply for the transcript at the School/College
• It takes time to acquire your transcript — hence, apply early

GRE

Graduate Record Examination (GRE): Few MS programs in Canada may require you to take your GRE. Its best to take it before October in the year prior to when you are joining. Students generally take about 2.5 to 3 months to prepare for the test. The validity of GRE is 5 years, thus most students prefer prefer taking the test while they are in their 3^rd of engineering (or second last year of their undergraduate study period). You can learn more about GRE here

IELTS or TOEFL

In order to get admission in the Canadian universities, candidates need to demonstrate English language competency by scoring high in TOEFL or IELTS exams. In IELTS, the preferred score is 7.0 or 6.5 (out of 9) and in TOEFL iBT, the preferred score is 100 or higher but different Universities have TOEFL requirement starting from 80 (out of 120). Both TOEFL and IELTS test dates are available each month. Learn more about TOEFL or IELTS

Essays

Compelling essays highlight your most salient attributes and make you stand out to the admission committee. Most Canadian MBA programs would require you to write 2 to 3 topical essays which come with a word or a character count. Admissions to Top MBA programs is based on what you bring to the table through these essays – Canadian Universities will want to see your leadership skills, networking skills, interpersonal skills, team work abilities, ability to perform and sustain under pressure, and more qualities. Answers to these essays must be as candid as possible.

Some examples of questions that Universities may ask are like:
Describe one incident where you had to display your leadership skills? (300 words)
What are your long-term goals? (300 words)
Discuss about a challenging situation at work and how did you handle it? (400 words)

Letters of Recommendation

A recommendation letter that highlight candidates’ achievements in academic or professional world would add great value to the candidature.

• If you are working (after your graduation), then it is advisable to get at least one recommendation letter from your immediate supervisor who is generally considered to be in the best position to have been able to observe your work and assess your capabilities
• If you are applying while you are studying in your final year, then you should try and take recommendation letters from referees who have taught you a subject. Additionally, you can take one from the Principal or Dean or Director
• Mostly Canadian Universities prefer an online recommendation. You will need to register the referees online (in the online application portal). Your referee will receive an email from the Canadian University and your referee will have to following the instructions to submit the recommendation online
• While registering the referees, it is preferred to have the Institutional or Organizational email id (not gmail, yahoo, outlook, etc.)
• Your referees will have to submit the recommendation before the application deadline
• Most Canadian Universities will ask for at least 2 recommendations

Work Experience

It is not necessary to have work experience (in general) to apply for MS courses in the Canada. If however you do have work experience after your graduation, highlighting that fact is an added advantage. Work during your studies is considered to be part-time work (which does not substitute for full-time work). Some Universities will recommend you to include the work experience letters during the application stage if you have a gap between your last qualification and the time when you are applying for your MS program

Interviews

Generally, there are NO interviews conducted for MS applicants. Your application is your only chance to display all your skills to the University. In minimal or exceptional cases, there might be an interview. These interviews could be conducted by a faculty member or a staff or an alumni or a third party representative appointed by the University. These interview are more often informal in nature and are meant for information exchange. These interviews allow university representatives to judge the candidates’ focus, passion, future career goals and personality.

Our experience says that interviews last anything between 15 to 45 minutes. These interviews may through a telephone call or via skype

How we help? 

Consulting:

We explain the complete process of studying in Canada. We assess your profile and understand your suitability to study in Canada. We suggest areas of profile development

Shortlisting:

Based on your interest area, future plans, career objectives, budget and several other factors, we help you select the right MS programs in Canada you must apply to. This is very important because you spend application fees per university, send out couriers and invest more during the process and not applying to the right set of Universities would mean a loss of money and time. We categorically suggest Ambitious, Moderate and Safe University options from which you can select from so as to create the right set of final 8 Universities 

Application Documentation:

We guide you with your documents required for applying to MS programs in Canada. This includes helping you build and edit the right CV, editing suggestions to strengthen your essays and SOP, providing guidance on your recommendation letter content, and more. We are one of the leading admission consulting in the country and essay editing is our forte 

Application:

We guide you through the applications to Canadian Universities where we plan the complete application, help you bring out your strengths during your application, help you fill the application forms correctly, check the content, rectify any errors, and help you submit the application. This is followed by checking the application documents to be sent to the right department at the University. 

Follow Up Counseling:

We are always there for you. Universities email you their queries or provide updates on your applications. Often times, we follow up with your Universities. After your applications too, generally you are bound to come up with a lot of questions, and we will be happy to help 

Interview rounds:

Many top Canadian Universities would want to do an interview round with you before finalizing your admissions. We provide you with mock rounds and help you build your confidence, so that you could establish to the University that you could contribute well to their Masters class 

Finalization:

Once your offers are in, we help you finalize on the right program. Often students face a dilemma at this stage when they receive more than one admit 

Financial Matters:

We will guide on how you have to make your fee payment and get your confirmation from the University

Visa Guidance:

We guide you through the complete student visa process including suggesting the right documents, documentation check, applying for appointment, preparing the visa application file, providing mock interview rounds and more 

Connect:

We try to connect you with other students who are going to Canada or who are already studying there 

Accommodation:

We guide you with booking of your accommodation in Canada to whatever extent that is possible.

Remember:

Shortlisting the right set of Universities and editing essays is the biggest task where students face issues. We have always encouraged our students to join top Universities and with limitless iterations to essays/SOP and brainstorming discussions, we believe to have placed students to Universities that have been their dream!