Enrolling in a college or university in Canada is a valuable chance to further your studies.  While researching schools and cities to study, it’s interesting to see how we stack up.  Here are some thought-provoking facts about Canadian schools.

1. According to the article “10 of the Best Places to Study Abroad in 2018,” by Sabrina Collier, Montreal, Canada ranks #4. There is no reason given for this other than a respondent to a survey who enthused the city is “…cultural, young and lively.  It has absolutely the BEST foods, a European feel, study cafés everywhere, and beautiful people from all over”.
2. According to another article on the same web site, Canada doesn’t even place as one of “10 of the Most Affordable Places to Study Abroad.”²
3. The University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia are the two top universities in Canada, according to timeshighereducation.com. U of T is listed because they offer more than 700 undergraduate degrees and 200 postgraduate degrees, and it also boasts as being one of the best in the world for medicine.  UBC is voted because of the natural beauty of its location and for being one of the most competitive universities.
4. Children are eligible to attend kindergarten when they turn four in Ontario and Quebec, but not until they’re five in all the other provinces.
5. In 2000, there were a total of 176,556 university graduates across Canada. In 2015, there were a total of 307,245.
6. The 2017 Universities Canada survey states that since 2013, the number of academic programs that include an Indigenous focus or are designed for Indigenous students has been increased by 55%.
7. The average tuition fee for full-time Canadian graduate students in Canada from 2017-2018 for a dentistry student was $12,652 CAD, while a nursing student would’ve paid $7,709, according to www.statista.com.
8. Statistics Canada’s 2011 National Household Survey reveals that full-time workers with degrees in history earn above $65,000 annual, on average.
9. As last count in 2016, there are 96 universities in Canada.
10. For international students to get jobs, an MBA is the top course to study in Canada.⁷
11. You can expect to pay an average of $6,571 per year of study for an undergraduate degree and $6,907 per year for a graduate degree if you’re a Canadian citizen studying in Canada, according to topuniversities.com.
12. According to worldwidelearn.com, Athabasca University ranks as the #1 online university in Canada, with over fifty undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

I wasn’t aware of any of these statistics before I signed up for class.  It pays to know how the universities you’re considering compare and contrast to others, and even ponder how a child may benefit by beginning school one year earlier.  Make an informed decision and ask students who are already attending the university you’re considering to get a broader perspective for the future.