UK or Canada: Where Should You Study?

After completing high school, every student is concerned about upgrading their career at the right university and the right place. Studying abroad is a dream come true for many students, but the foremost thing is which country will be the best option for them. It is mostly noticed that aspiring students mostly prefer to study in the UK or Canada. These two options have been the most popular due to several great opportunities they offer in terms of exposure and quality of education. Both the United Kingdom and Canada have been consistently ranked at the top place among the list of most desirable countries for studying abroad. Undoubtedly, both countries have the most prestigious universities due to their remarkable developments and achievements in the education sector.

At Edroots, we will help you identify the right career pathway by choosing the best university and the best course while deciding to choose between the UK and Canada. In this blog, we will discuss in detail studying in the UK vs. Canada and understand which would be better by looking at it from different angles.

Student Visa Requirements 

For a General Visa, the students should be aged 16 and above and they must be accepted for pursuing the course at any of the academic institutions in the UK. For a Child Visa, the students should be aged between 4 and 17 and must be accepted at a UK educational institution. Also, the student should have a route sponsor. A short-term study visa is for students who have been accepted for a short-term course in the UK.

In Canada, it is usually known as a “study permit”. However, due to frequent changes in the regulations of study permits, you need to stay updated. You can get the latest information at the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) site. You can consult us for a counselling session, during which we will help you understand the visa application procedure.

Also Read: UK Student Visa 2024: Eligibility, Documents & Application Process

Documentation or Admission Requirement 

The documentation requirements for admission will vary by the university, the level of study, and the subject. Here are the common requirements for both the UK and Canada: accredited education degree, transcripts for degree or courses, application form, resume, Statement of Purpose, and the scores of standardized English language tests, such as IELTS or TOEFL, if required. 

Eligibility Criteria 

Both the UK and Canada require an IELTS test. The minimum eligibility score for IELTS is 6.0 or 6.5 for each section. The countries also require 12th-grade certificates for undergraduate degrees and a bachelor’s degree certification for postgraduate courses. In the UK, for the Humanities stream, the student's 12th-grade marks should be a minimum of 65%, and for Science and Commerce, 12th-grade marks should be 70-80% or above. For Masters, the student should have about 50-60 % marks in the qualifying Bachelors-level degree, while Canada requires at least 65% for both UG and PG, and the admission requirements are considered more relaxed in the North American country.

Cost of Studying 

The cost of studying in the UK and Canada will vary based on the university and course you choose. The annual tuition fees in each destination have a huge difference. For undergraduate degrees, the average annual fee in the UK is £ 13,000 to £ 32,000, and in Canada is $ 15,000 to $ 50,000. 

High-in-Demand Job Prospects 

In the UK, the high-in-demand job professionals are lawyers, engineers, orthodontists, IT directors, advertising and public relations directors, dermatologists, and others. On the other hand, in Canada, job opportunities are higher in demand for project managers, nurses, HR directors, financial analysts, IT managers, and engineers.

Scholarships For International Students 

Most of the universities and colleges in both these countries offer a wide variety of scholarships for international students each year. The scholarships offered in the UK are the International Undergraduate Merit Scholarship, Foundation Programme Progression Scholarship, and Roehampton Music Scholarship for UG. For a postgraduate degree, the Business First Scholarship and the Student Scholarship in Data Science and AI are available. Scholarships offered in Canada for UG are the International Award At Mount Allison University, the Kristie Charitable Foundation Award, the Douglass Family Bursary, and the Stollery Family Educational Scholarships while the CSC Tuition Scholarship is available for PhD. 

Cost of Living 

The cost of living in both countries is completely based on your lifestyle and the city where you prefer to study. However, in the UK, the living expenses are cheaper compared to Canada. It was found that the living expenses in Canada are 8.2% more than in the UK. Our consultants will give you complete information about the cost of living and let you decide on the right place. So, based on your lifestyle, you can also decide to move with your family to any of these countries. In general in-campus accommodation in the UK is between £664 to £850 (£100-130 per week) and in Canada, it is $500 to $1500.

Safety Considerations 

UK universities prioritize student safety by investing in security, especially on campus. From CCTV surveillance to trained security ensures the well-being of students and gives them a comfortable and safe environment for them to achieve their goals. Studying in Canada is considered safe for students in every way. Students also feel safer on the streets. The universities in Canada also implement safety practices in different ways through patrols, security services, and other programs to give their students a safer and balanced student environment both on and off campus.

Employment Opportunities 

When you want to stay in the UK after graduation to work, you need a new visa. You can also apply for an extension. The common working visas for international students are Tier 1 for Graduate Entrepreneur, Tier 2 for General, and Tier 5 for Temporary Workers. And, if you are planning to work in Canada after completingIf you are planning to work in Canada after  your graduation, the PWPP will let you get work experience. If the student gets selected into the PWPP, he/she will be granted a work visa.

Health Insurance Coverage 

In many of the Canadian provinces, international students are eligible for provincial healthcare coverage which reduces healthcare expenses. And, in the UK, international students have to pay to get private health insurance, which will be an additional expense. 

Conclusion

If you are confused about where to study in the UK and Canada, this article will help. This is a comprehensive guide to choosing between the UK and Canada. Hope that you have a clear understanding of the above comparison. If you want to know more about studying in these countries, get in touch with our certified career councounsellorsselors. We will be the one-stop solution for all your international study needs.