Studying abroad

Studying 

the guide for Caribbean students 

abroad

UGGLA 

Studying 

the guide for Caribbean students 

abroad 

Kenisha Russell

This publication has specifically been designed to assist prospective international students from the Caribbean. 

It seeks to provide accurate and detailed information on the subject matter covered. It is sold with the 

understanding that the parties discussed (immigration services, educational institutions, etc.) operate as 

separate entities and can therefore change procedures without prior notice. 

This will be an annual publication. The regulation for most of the subject matter is changeable, so it will be 

revised each year to incorporate these changes and other relevant developments. New editions will appear in 

October of each year. 

Anyone wishing to submit additions, corrections and or suggestions should send this information to 

caribeducationalservices@hotmail.com or to the publishing company mailing address listed below. 

Published by 

For Johan, 

without whom it would not have been possible. 

Thanks to Marie (Jenny) Jude Alerte, 

for all her hard work; 

and to my family, especially to Cecilia Rusell-Henry and 

Stacy-ann Walker for their faith in me and for loads 

and loads of emotional support. 

K.R. 

UGGLA 

KSR work & careers services 

www.ksrconsult.com 

Störa Gungans Väg 4 

12231 Enskede 

Stockholm, Sweden 

ISBN: 978-91-633-9350-1 

Swedish Library Cataloguing 

in publication Data 

A CIP catalogue record for this 

book can be obtained from the 

National Library of Sweden

table of 

contents 

INTRODUCTION • 15 

20 Glosary 

21 Terminology 

1APPLICATION GUIDELINES • 23 

Undergraduate studies • 24 

25 Why do I want to study abroad 

27 The application process 

28 

Two years in advance 

40 

Eighteen months in advance 

42 

Twelve months in advance 

Postgraduate studies • 44 

45 

48 

48 

49 

50 

51 

54 

55 

56 

57 

60 

Why postgraduate? 

Choosing a programme 

Taught master´s courses 

Research master´s courses 

Application requirements for master´s 

Doctoral degrees 

Eighteen months in advance 

Twelve to six months in advance 

Six months in advance 

Application requirements 

Personal letter to a master´s programme 

2CANADA • 63 

65 Country overview 

69 

Why Canada? 

71 

Admission and funding 

74 

General requirements 

89 

Undergraduate studies 

95 

Postgraduate studies 

96 

Canadian universities and CC 

101 Visa and immigration 

103 

Required documentation 

105 

Visa extension 

106 Work permits 

106 

Family visa 

106 

Working while studying 

109 

Work after studies 

110 

Canadian embassies in the Caribbean

113 

114 

116 

Employment: vacancy sources 

Hidden vacancies 

CV writing 

3THE UNITED KINGDOM • 121 


125 Why the United Kingdom? 

129 

131 

138 

140 

141 

142 

145 

146 

147 

148 

148 

148 

149 

152 

153 

154 

155 

England • 157 





Visa and immigration 


Application fees 

Accredited institutions 

Length of student visas 

Work permit 

Family visa 





Higher education career support 

Work patterns 

159 

161 

163 

163 

164 

Northern Ireland • 167 

Country overview 

Why England? 



English universities 

169 

171 

172 

173 

175 

Scotland • 177 

179 

181 

183 


Why Northern Ireland? 


Irish universities 



Why Scotland? 


184 

187 

188 

189 

Wales • 191 

193 

195 

196 

196 

197 

Scottish universities 





Why Wales? 



Welsh univerities 

4UNITED STATES • 199 


204 Why the United States? 

206 

206 

207 

208 

208 

209 

210 

210 

212 

212 

215 

216 

217 

217 

Community colleges • 212 


Non-degree programmes 

Undergraduate degrees 

Professional degree 

Master´s degree 

PhD programmes 

Education organizations 

Entrance tests 


Recognition of qualifications 

Application deadlines 

Living expenses 

Health insurance 

Scholarships 

223 

226 

230 

Universities • 245 

246 

248 

250 

250 

254 

276 

277 

Why Community Colleges? 

Admission process 

List of CC 

Why university? 



Admission process 

US universities 

CC or universities? 

Visa and immigration

277 

280 

283 

283 

284 

285 

286 

286 

287 

289 

291 

292 

Types of student visa 


Work permits 

Family visa 

Working after studies 

Embassies in the Caribbean 

Employment 

Resume writing 

Interviews do´s and dont´s 

Job search tools 


Work patterns 

5DENMARK • 295 


299 Why Denmark? 

301 Admission and funding 

302 General requirements 

308 Undergraduate studies 

311 Postgraduate studies 

312 Danish universities 


319 Required documentation 

320 Visa extension 


322 Family visa 

322 Working while studying 

322 Work after studies 

322 Embassies in the Caribbean 

325 Employment: vacancy sources 

325 Hidden vacancies 

327 Danish CV 

327 Higher education career support 

328 Interviews 

328 Work patterns 

6FINLAND • 331 


335 Why Finland? 


338 

342 

345 

354 

361 

363 

364 

365 

365 

366 

366 

369 

369 

370 

370 

371 

371 

Short term studies/exchange students 



Finnish universities 




Work permits 






Finnish CV 


Interviews 

Work patterns 

7NETHERLANDS • 373 


377 Why Netherlands 


380 


386 


390 

Dutch universities 


396 


397 



398 

Family visa 

398 


398 


400 



404 

Dutch CV 

405 


407 

Interview 

407 


409 

Work patterns

8NORWAY • 411 


415 Why Norway? 





432 Norwegian universities 





441 Family visas 





445 Norwegian CV 

445 Hidden vacancies 

446 Interview 

446 Higher education career support 


9SWEDEN • 451 


453 Why Sweden? 





474 Swedish universities 





481 Family visa 




10 

486 

486 

489 

490 

490 


Swedish CV 



Work patterns 

SWITZERLAND • 493 


498 Why Switzerland 


501 Tuition fees 




518 Swiss universities 








529 Employment vacancy sources 


11 

WORKING ABROAD • 535 

537 Methods of job hunting 

542 Tools of job hunting 

APPENDICES • 571 

572 Appendix A. Quick Admissions Checklist 

575 Appendix B. Banking 

580 Appendix C. Personal numbers 

583 Appendix D. Public questionnaire 

593 Resources list

Introduction 

Introduction 

15 

This work has two main 

tasks. The first is to 

update the knowledge of 

individuals that are interested 

in pursuing higher education in 

USA, UK and Canada. And the 

second is to offer different points 

of entrance into the education 

system abroad. I will review 

visa requirements; sources of 

funding; course information; 

country information; college and 

university entry requirements; 

costs and budgeting and much 

more. In addition, I hope to 

draw on a wealth of knowledge 

from various sources, to enable 

students to make a more 

informed decision and to be a 

reliable source that brings this 

information together. 

Previous experience has long 

dictated the preference of 

Caribbean nationals and our 

thought process when deciding 

to study abroad. The most 

popular places of study are 

the United States, Canada and 

England. Although this book 

will cover these countries, I am 

hoping to open your eyes to the 

possibilities of higher education, 

in other countries such as Sweden, 

Norway and Denmark. 

I know it must seem like a cliché 

to speak about globalization, 

especially in a student’s guide. 

However, European states have 

recognized that there is a growing 

community who are willing and 

that want to study outside of 

their home countries. As such 

they have introduced the so 

called ‘Bologna Process’. This is a 

process whereby Europe countries 

are working to unify and 

standardize its higher education 

qualifications. This process is to 

enable international students, 

such as interested parties from 

the Caribbean or Latin America, 

to study in Europe, without fear 

that their qualifications will 

not be recognisable. Further to 

this, I have highlighted a large 

number of courses that are taught 

in English throughout the non- 

English speaking world. For 

example in Sweden there are over 

500 Master´s courses taught in

Introduction 

17 

English. Double that amount of 

courses are available in Denmark. 

An easy comparison guide has 

also been provided, so that 

interested students can check 

degree types and qualification 

across the spectrum of countries 

listed and be able to locate 

qualifications within known 

terminology. Around the world, 

the levels of study are categorised 

in the following ways: 

• Undergraduate degree 

also known as Licence 

or Bachelors 

• Master´s degree 

• Doctorate degree or PhD 

However, within each level there 

are differences between courses, 

length of study, degree titles and 

mode of study. These differences 

can be identified within and 

across countries. These variances 

are just some of the factors that 

will be discussed and which 

all prospective international 

students should be aware of when 

choosing a programme of study. 

I am aware that some people 

may be angry because this work 

will lure our best minds away. I 

am strongly opposed to this and 

it should be noted that I am not 

advocating brain drain or I am 

not even saying that it is best to 

leave your home country where 

you have a family, a network of 

friends, and familiar surroundings 

to study abroad. 

In a document written by William 

Carter (1973) * for UNESCO, he 

asserts that [T]hose who have 

studied abroad are for the most part 

in positions of actual or potential 

leadership. They play a crucial role 

in decreasing the dependence of the 

developing countries on expatriate 

officials, advisers and specialists… 

In fact, he saw the act of studying 

abroad as a means of combating 

aid. In other words, if developing 

countries can train and educate 

their own people to similar levels 

of other countries, then they 

would stand a greater chance of 

* http://unesdoc.unesco.org/ 

images/0007/000770/077004eo.pdf 

competing on equal footing. 

Carter went on further to 

assert that study (ing) abroad is not 

a thing in itself, but must be seen 

in its proper context.The important 

words are study and training, 

not ‘abroad’. [One] utilize(s) the 

opportunity to study abroad (even 

though it may be good for its own 

sake) primarily because further 

education and training are necessary 

and the opportunities in certain 

fields are not adequate in your own 

country. This statement is as true 

now, as it was then. 

The statistics are irrefutable and 

demonstrate that many students 

from the Caribbean, for example, 

will travel abroad to further their 

education. As a consequence, 

better preparation is advised and 

is required to remove some of the 

many obstacles that students will 

face on this once in a life time 

journey. Additionally, it should be 

stated that the decision to study 

abroad should not be entered into 

lightly and that careful planning 

is required to minimize the 

financial and emotional strain. 

HOW TO USE 

THIS BOOK 

This book is divided into three 

main parts: Application Guidelines, 

Country Specific Information and 

Appendices. 

• Application Guidelines 

If you are serious about studying 

abroad and want to have the best 

experience possible, then please 

do not assume that reading only 

your chapter of interest will help 

you, don’t overlook CHAPTER 

1-APPLICATION GUIDELINES, 

which is further divided into 

two sections, undergraduate 

and postgraduate studies, which 

require keen attention depending 

on your particular path. Here you 

will find invaluable preparation 

guidelines regardless of where or 

what you want to study. These two 

sections are meant to open your 

eyes to the options available. 

• Country descriptions 

These chapters provide more 

specific information for each 

country: each chapter is then 

divided into four broad headings:

Introduction 

19 

• Country Information 

provides background information 

on the economy, geography, 

religion, language, politics and a 

preview of living in the country. 

• Admissions and Funding 

provides an overview of the 

education system, where and 

when to apply (if there is a 

central application system) 

entry requirements, language 

(taught and required), application 

procedure, recognition of 

qualifications etcetera. 

• Visa and Immigration 

explains necessary documentation, 

application processing times, 

ability to work during your studies 

or after your studies, the possibility 

of your family obtaining a visa to 

travel with you etcetera. 

• Employment 

section reviews how to, where 

and what to do to find a job. In 

addition, if the information is not 

included, this section provides you 

with vital sources where you can 

find the information that you need. 

The information that is contained 

in each country specific chapter 

are generalisations, based on an 

investigation of the requirements 

of the various higher educational 

institutions in each country. It is 

therefore the duty of the reader to 

ascertain the specific requirements 

of the institutions in which you 

have an interest. 

• Appendices 

People can sometimes view charts 

as boring things, in this volume the 

tables are an invaluable resource 

for narrowing your choice of 

programmes, assist you with 

budgets, finding contact details for 

universities and their international 

students office and finding the 

nearest embassy. 

Much time has been spent trying 

to ensure the accuracy of the of 

information provided. None-theless, 

much of the information is 

changeable and so it is integral 

that prospective students take the 

time to carefully research, read 

and assess pertinent regulations, 

especially with regards to visas, 

this will help to prevent delays and 

disappointments. 

• Recommended sites 

It is essential to add filters to any 

search engines or information that 

you request, noting the fact that 

you are an international student 

in order to get the most relevant 

and up-to-date information.Family 

members, friends or teachers may 

also be useful in gaining additional 

information. 

According to a friend of mine 

this is a book of choices, so think 

carefully and make the best 

decision for you. Studying at 

a university overseas will be a 

major undertaking for you, both 

personally and financially. But 

it is also a rewarding experience 

-intellectually, academically, 

socially and culturally. 

If you are reading this book and 

use the many resources listed here 

to assist you, my feelings are that 

you will not only make the right 

decision but that you will do well. 

All the hard questions have now 

been answered, so it is time to put 

into action all the research that you 

have been doing. 

The world 

awaits you!

Introduction 

21 

Glossary 

Terminology 

APIEL 

Advanced Placement International 

English Language Examination 

BA 

Bachelors of Arts 

BSc. 

Bachelors of Science 

CXC 

Caribbean examination council 

EU 

European Union 

GCSE 

General Certificate of 

Secondary Education / 

General Certificate of Education 

GMAT 

Graduate Management 

Admissions Test 

GRE 

General records examination 

HEI 

Higher Education Institution 

IELTS 

International English Language 

Testing System 

MA 

Master´s 

MELAB 

Michigan English Language 

Assessment Battery 

TOEFL 

Test of English as a Foreign 

Language 

UNESCO 

United Nations Economic 

And Social Council 

SAT 

Scholastic Assessment Test/ 

Reasoning Test 

WHO 

World Health Organisation 

PhD 

Doctor of Philosophy 

IEP 

Intensive English Programmes 

ESL 

English as a Second Language 

TSE 

Test of Spoken English 

ENIC 

European National Academic 

Recognition and Information 

Centre 

Certified 

Means that the university in 

your country or another official 

authority verifies by stamping and 

signing the copy, that the copy is a 

true copy of the original document. 

Degree student 

A student who is enrolled to take 

an entire degree at a particular 

university/institution. 

Exchange student 

A student sent from a partner 

institution who studies one or two 

semesters at another institution. 

The course credits are to be 

transferred back to the degree 

studied in the home country. 

Guest student 

A student who studies a semester 

or two at another university. The 

course credits are to be transferred 

back to the degree studied in 

the home country. The student 

does not come from a partner 

institution. 

Home university 

The institution to which you 

initially applied to complete 

your degree. 

Undergraduate Degree 

A degree (also called a first degree) 

is a standard programme of 

undergraduate study. The most 

common type of degree is called a 

bachelor’s, which typically takes 

three or four years to complete. 

An undergraduate, simply put is a 

college or university student who 

has not yet received a bachelor’s or 

similar degree. 

European Credit Transfer 

System (ECTS) 

ECTS is designed to give the 

same weight/recognition for 

academic achievement gained at 

all participating institution across 

Europe. ECTS can be used across a 

variety of programmes and models 

of delivery. 

Grade point Average (GPA): 

The average grade earned by 

a student, figured by dividing 

the grade points earned by the 

number of credits attempted. This 

is measure of weighting a students’ 

performance is mainly used in 

North America. 

Polytechnics 

Are universities that specialize in 

applied sciences. They usually 

offer more scientific and technical 

courses. 

Contact List 

is simply a list of persons that may be 

able t o assist you in your job search.

chapter 1 

Given that studying abroad can be 

so difficult, the question that you 

should consider carefully is... Why 

do I want to study abroad? 

Application 

guidelines

Undergraduate 

studies 

Application guidelines 

part 1 

When undertaking any 

form of higher education, 

it is important that you 

think carefully about your options. 

You must consider what you will 

achieve; the overall experience you 

want to gain; how it contributes 

LIVING IN AN 

UNFAMILIAR CULTURE, 

WITH NO FRIENDS, FAMILY 

OR CLOSE TIES... 

to your life goals; the kind of 

job market you will enter upon 

completion; where you would like 

to study; and the quality of the 

programme and how you are going 

to fund this endeavour. These 

are just a few of the questions 

that you should try to answer 

before making a final decision. 

For the majority of people from 

the Caribbean another hurdle that 

should be considered are the very 

restrictive visa requirements and 

finding ways to fulfill the various 

prerequisites. 

WHY DO I WANT 

TO STUDY ABROAD? 

It is worth reminding you 

that some undergraduate and 

postgraduate studies in Europe, 

USA and Canada take a longer 

time to complete than in the 

Caribbean. The main exception 

here is the United Kingdom, as 

many educational 

institutions are 

largely modeled 

from this system. 

As a consequence, 

it is of the utmost 

importance to 

review as many 

options as possible, 

especially because of the personal 

and financial commitment that 

is required to complete this 

undertaking. 

The commitment required to 

pursue studies abroad is also a 

compelling reason why students 

should not view this as an 

opportunity to get to travel or to 

get a visa to live abroad. Living 

in an unfamiliar culture, with no 

friends, family or close ties can be 

a daunting prospect and students 

who do not prepare thoroughly 

25

Application guidelines 27 

THE APPLICATION 

PROCESS a plan for survival 

and proceed in a realistic manner 

will face great difficulties. To 

save yourself some future 

disappointments and unnecessary 

stress, it is best to decide what it 

is that you need or would want 

from the experience. Think about 

the programme and the location, 

before committing yourself to 

studying abroad. Think about 

what is best for you, and not 

just the exciting prospect of 

living abroad. Sometimes the 

decision to study abroad is based 

on misconceptions and second 

hand information that is too 

often inaccurate. The advice here 

is simply to examine as many 

options as possible with the frame 

of mind that this experience 

is a tool that you are using to 

prepare for your future, for your 

career. Furthermore, holding 

a degree from a recognised 

institution from another country 

can grant you access to greater 

employment opportunities. With 

that said, studying abroad will 

undoubtedly provide you with a 

unique opportunity to challenge 

yourself. 

Think of this section as a 

survival test, and a method 

of develping the skills that 

will be required of you throughout 

your period of study. In general, 

to survive this process you will 

need a combination of skills, which 

include: organization, tenacity, 

communication, good research 

THIS IS A TIME 

CONSUMING 

PROCESS 

techniques, and an enquiring 

mind. Most important of all, you 

will need faith and patience. In 

order to increase your chances of 

getting funding, or even being 

accepted into the university and 

course of your choice, familiarizing 

yourself with the application and 

admissions process is integral. 

This is a time consuming process 

and not for the faint hearted. It 

should be noted that application 

dates vary from country to 

country and also by institutions. 

Some institutions have rolling 

application deadlines while others 

do not, and deadlines especially 

for international students are very 

strict. In many instances, this strict 

deadline is for your benefit, as it 

will facilitate the visa application 

process that is to follow. In 

order to increase your chance of 

receiving financial aid, you should 

also be aware that deadlines vary 

based on the giving institution. 

In the chapters relating to specific 

countries there will be more 

detailed information on closing 

dates and term time information, so 

pay close attention to these. 

In this chapter the discussion 

surrounds general and 

preparatory guidelines for 

applying to study abroad. The 

next step is the recommended 

Plan for Survival, which involves 

creating a timetable that will 

assist you through this process. 

Below are some guidelines that 

are equally important in your 

decision making process. These 

should be assessed based on 

individual need, given that there


are so many factors to consider 

before undertaking international 

study; take, for example, course 

dates, duration, eligibility, 

methods of instruction, housing 

and location. 

Two years 

in advance 

Research, 

decision making 

and preparation 

One of the many tips is to get a 

notebook that is dedicated solely to 

your interest in studying abroad. 

Any and all information with 

reference to this process should 

be entered here. This may sound 

simplistic but you will be amazed 

by how much this tool will help 

you to focus your thoughts and 

give you a motivating boost. 

• Decide on a 

country (or two) 

Review the country information 

provided in the COUNTRY 

SPECIFIC CHAPTERS and from 

other additional sources (some 

are listed in the bibliography) to 

narrow your country of choice. 

When making this decision look 

at the country’s culture, tuition 

fees, cost of living, the availability 

of financial support (scholarships, 

grants, loans, opportunity to 

work), visa processing and other 

criteria for pursuing your studies. 

In this instance, I am advocating a 

review of the country information 

first because one of the benefits of 

this work is highlighting countries 

that have tuition-free institutions. 

Concentrating on the country first 

also becomes important if that 

country offers a limited number 

of programmes that are taught in 

your native language, especially 

undergraduate programmes. 

However, the decision on where 

to study is an individual choice 

and should be based on personal 

reasons and life goals. 

• Compare and assess 

different universities 

Alternatively you could search for 

your particular course of interest, 

thereby identifying places of 

study that may be suitable. It is 

crucial to remember during this 

process of elimination, that not all 

institutions are the same, academic 

institutions vary in quality, 

reputation and overall standards. 

Consequently, this fact finding 

mission will determine how your 

time at the institution will be 

while completing your studies; the 

search determines if it was worth 

the sacrifices. You can gather a 

significant amount of information 

by contacting the institutions 

directly to request brochures and 

information booklets. For those of 

you who are able to afford the cost 

of travel, ask if it possible for them 

to arrange documents to assist you 

in obtaining a visitors visa to check 

on the institutions facilities. If you 

usually take an occasional summer 

trip abroad, another alternative for 

you is to combine that trip with 

the university visit. When you 

travel to the country of your choice 

for holidays visit the institution, 

go to the admissions office and 

explain that you are interested in 

applying to the school and would 

like a tour. Be in no doubt that 

they will try to accommodate 

you; universities and colleges 

are businesses and, therefore, the 

more students they have the more 

money they will earn. This decision 

making process is key to saving 

you money, because the application 

process itself can be expensive. 

For example, application forms for 

institutions in the United States 

can cost as much as 50 dollars 

each. Lest you forget you will also 

have to add the cost of couriers to 

send transcripts or referee letters 

and foot the bill to translate any 

required documents. 

• Check entrance 

requirements 

For students coming from 

countries that adopted the British 

school system with Cambridge A’ 

levels, or countries that use the 

Caribbean Examinations Council 

(CXC) and GCSE, if you chose to 

study in the United Kingdom or 

Canada then your qualifications, 

in most instances, will be accepted. 

If you are interested in studying 

in United States, you are required


to take standardized tests, such 

as SAT, GRE and GMAT. For 

most Scandinavian countries you 

would be required to translate 

your academic transcripts and, in 

some instances, you are required 

to take entrance tests. If your 

qualifications need translation then 

many countries have government 

approved organization(s) that 

can assess your qualifications and 

provide you with a letter stating 

its equivalent standard in your 

country of choice. 

• Consider language 

requirements 

Essentially, this book is advocating 

for students to try options outside 

of the norm and in some instance 

this means attending a university 

in a country in which the native 

language may not be the same as 

your own (Swedish, Norwegian, 

Dutch speaking countries). In 

some cases, this may be initially 

limiting in terms of programme 

and university choices but 

many of these countries, as is 

highlighted throughout this 

volume, have a wide range of 

courses taught in other languages. 

Through what is known as the 

Bologna Process many European 

universities are creating 

programmes taught in English 

or creating similar syllabuses in 

order for education across Europe 

to become more recognizable. 

Switzerland and Canada have 

several institutions with courses 

in French and, for the Dutch 

speaking part of the Caribbean, 

there is a full description of 

universities in the Netherlands 

(Chapter 7). Nevertheless, 

most programmes offered to 

international students are taught 

in English. If English is not your 

native language then you will be 

required to complete International 

English Language Testing System 

(IELTS) or Test of English as a 

Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 

some other type of language exam. 

In some cases, if you were taught 

English as a certain percentage of 

your previous education and you 

hold proof of that experience, then 

some institutions will accept that 

in lieu of these exams. Check for 

these requirements early in your 

decision making process, to avoid 

any disappointment. 

• Assess financial 

necessities 

Studying abroad is a costly 

undertaking and costs vary 

from programme to programme. 

When ‘shopping’ around for a 

place to study you should think 

about what the programme has 

to offer. It is important to have a 

clear idea of all costs, which will 

give you an understanding of 

how much money you will need. 

When contacting institutions, 

always ask for cost estimates to 

be broken down into categories. 

This information will become 

very useful if you are able to 

find sources of funding (See 

more on funding). Although 

financial aid should not be the 

only condition that you use to 

determine the best institution or 

study option, it should be given 

Free Toefl practice test site: 

www..ets.org 

careful consideration. As part 

of the decision making process, 

students should create a budget. 

A good starting point would be 

to review the estimated cost of 

living published by the various 

universities in the country of your 

choice for the previous year and 

remember to factor in the possibility 

of not being able to work or not 

finding work. This preliminary plan 

will also assist you in making a clear 

assessment of the funding required 

as well as fulfill a major criterion 

of all student visa applications. In 

the BUDGET ITEMS summary box 

there is a list of possible expenses; 

carefully consider these when you 

create your own budget. This list is 

by no means exhaustive, but it will 

provide you with a clearer picture 

of the amount of economic support 

needed to complete the course of 

study. 

• Research 

funding options 

So now you have given some 

thought to how much your 

programme of study may cost you, 

the next question you should try


to answer is: How can I pay for it? 

There are several methods * : 

• Educational loans 

The regulations vary country by 

country. In the United States, for 

example, there is an international 

student’s loan programme. One 

requirement is that you have 

a guarantor who is a citizen or 

permanent resident of the country. 

• Work study 

These can be on a university 

or college campus. Part-time 

employment that will offset the 

cost of your education while 

providing practical experience in 

your field of study. 

• Grants & scholarships 

These are monies that do not have to 

be repaid to the giving institutions. 

There are many types of grants and 

scholarships that are offerered. It is 

your responsibility to research as 

many options as you possibly can, 

* Remember to check with the international 

offices of any university you contact about the 

possibility of funding, the criteria and how much. Past 

experience dictates that even if you think that it is a 

long shot apply…you never know what will happen. 

if you want to be one of the lucky 

few to receive any sort of funding. 

Once again, it should be clear in 

your mind that you are about to 

undertake a labour intensive job that 

requires patience, but the reward, 

if you are granted the funding, will 

far surpass the effort. The trick with 

applying for any form of aid is to be 

persistent. There are a few sources 

listed here. 

Educational Grants Directory 

Written by Alan French, Dave 

Griffiths, Tom Traynor and 

Sarah Wiggins. Published by the 

Directory of Social Change in the 

United Kingdom: 

Directory of Social Change 

24 Stephenson Way, 

London NW1 2DP, 

tel: 08450 77 77 07 

Grants online 

In order to get access to this 

site, you are required to pay a 

subscription fee that gives you 

access for a limited time period. It 

is, however, possible to have access 

for a free trial period of 7 days. 

European Union (EU) Schemes 

The European Union (EU) provides 

some grants to promote the 

exchange of students and academic 

staff within Europe, such as the 

SOCRATES and LEONARDO 

programmes. The European 

Commission (EC) also makes some 

awards to students from developing 

countries. Contact the EC office in 

your country or write to: 

European Commission 

Directorate General III 

Rue de la Loi 200 

B-1049 Brussels, Belgium. 

Fund finder 

It provides a list of charities that 

help individuals and that have 

more than £500 to give away. 

Directory of Social Change 

24 Stephenson Way 

London NW1 2DP 

tel: 08450 77 77 07. 

Grants Register (Macmillan) 

Includes information on a variety 

of scholarships, fellowships and 

research grants, exchange and 

vacation study opportunities and 

professional and vocational grants. 

Rhodes scholarship 

Provides generous stipends for one 

year of study at Oxford. 

Researchers Mobility Portal 

For researchers and PhD Students: 

Advertises opportunities for 

students who want to pursue 

a PhD and for those that have 

completed a PhD but searching 

for job vacancies. In addition, 

there is a host of information 

more info: 

Directory of Grant-making 

Trusts 

www.dsc.org.uk 

www.grantsonline.org.uk 

Education grants in Yahoo 

directory: 

www.dir.yahoo.com/ 

Education/Financial_Aid/ 

Grants 

www.funderfinder.org.uk


regarding potential grants and 

fellowships. These are divided 

into three categories: under 

European Funding, national 

level and international level. This 

therefore means that the potential 

for students is extensive. 

Study Abroad 

UNESCO 

Country-by-country list of grants 

for studying in over 100 countries. 

Portal on Learning Opportunities 

throughout the European Space 

(PLOTEUS) 

PLOTEUS aims to help students, 

job seekers, workers, parents, 

guidance counsellors and teachers 

to find information on studying in 

Europe. 

Rotary Foundation International 

Awards several scholarships 

ranging from 13,000-20,000 

USD. These are available to 

undergraduate, graduate and 

qualified professionals. While 

abroad these individuals will 

act as goodwill ambassadors to 

people in the host countries. 

International agencies 

Some international organisations 

such as UNESCO and WHO 

operate schemes, usually for 

developing countries. Contact 

your own government’s ministry 

of education. 

research as many 

options as you 

possibly can 

Voluntary organisations 

Voluntary organisations such as 

religious bodies and charities 

sometimes award scholarships, 

though they can be limited in 

size and scope. Contact the 

appropriate organisations in your 

own country.There is an online 

guide to Europe’s philanthropic 

community. 

The Association of Charitable 

Foundations 

Provides links to charitable 

bodies that may have funding 

available. 

more info: 

Rhodes scholarships 

www.rhodesscholar.org 

Researchers Mobility Portal 

www.ec.Europa.eu/euraxess 

UNESCO 

www.unesco.org/education/ 

studyingabroad/networking/ 

studyabroad 

PLOTEUS 

www.ec.Europa.eu/ploteus/ 

home 

Rotary Foundation 

www.rotary.org 

Voluntary organisations 

www.fundersonline.org. 

Charitable Foundations 

www.acf.org.uk.


• Funding application tips 

1 

2 

Apply early as most are very 

competitive. 

Your application should be 

clear and concise. 

7 

It is a good idea to contact the embassy 

representative in your country. In most 

cases they will be able to provide you 

with further information, particularly 

about special agreements between 

your home country and the country in 

which you would like to study. 

3 

You should use the grant-making 

institute’s application form if it has one. 

8 

Finally, look in the most unlikely 

of places because you will not find 

funding if you do not search. 

4 

5 

6 

Try to apply to various 

sources for funding. 

Your chances will improve 

the more you apply. 

Some sources of funding may also 

cover only a portion of what you may 

need to complete your studies or for a 

specific purpose like the cost of books. 

• How do I decide? 

Another method of narrowing 

your list in order to make a sound 

decision is to assess the ranking 

of the universities in which you 

have an interest. There are several 

prestigious and well received 

organizations that rank universities 

worldwide. The QS World 

University Rankings, Princeton 

Review, and The Shanghai List 

are among the most prominent. 

The university rankings are based


on what are perceived to be the 

relative strength of the institutions. 

The QS World University Rankings 

list, for example, assesses factors 

such as the student faculty ratio, 

international faculty, international 

students enrolled among other 

factors. While the Shanghai 

ranking list is basically a research 

ranking because it mainly uses 

criteria related to research 

performance. For example, the 

DRAW A CHART 

AND WRITE A LIST OF 

PROS AND CONS... 

number of alumni who has earned 

an award, number of publications 

in highly ranked journals, citations 

and so on. Determining which 

of these to use (or any other 

university listings) is based on 

individual preferences but a 

simple online search for either of 

these organizations should yield 

relevant and useful information. 

The next suggestion may 

sound like common sense 

and unsophisticated but it is 

an effective decision making 

tool, as it allows you to review 

your thought process, (if not 

scientific) from a more objective 

viewpoint. It is simply to draw 

up a chart, as shown to the right, 

and write a list of pros and cons 

to weigh your choices. In this 

example, in this example the 

choice of university has been 

used as the listing method. You 

can create as many charts as 

you need. This should help to 

provide some measure of clarity. 

Whichever decision making 

method you chose to use, there 

is untold information. Make use 

of the internet but be wary of the 

information and, if possible, verify 

the information that has been 

gathered from other sources. 

There are some blogs/student 

forums that are dedicated to 

discussing current and past 

student’s experiences, which may 

be worth perusing. 

pros cons other options 

grants on offer 

Scholarships on oFFER 

Tuition fees 

Cost of books and SUPPLIES 

Cost of LIVING 

Respected proGRAMME 

Work experience 

On campus job


Eighteen 

months in 

advance 

Documents 

finalisation 

The last stage in this process is 

necessary to reduce stress and 

also enable you to determine 

what will be required of you as 

an international student. After 

the crucial decision has been 

made, that is which institution, 

programme, and/or country will 

most appropriately serve your 

needs, you will now need to go 

through the application process. 

Therefore, the next step is to create 

a checklist of documents that 

the application process normally 

requires and the things that you 

may need to do. * 

* Please find a quick list and an explanation 

of the role of each document in the appendix. 

• Certified academic 

transcripts 

Normally this has to be sent in 

a sealed envelope directly to 

the admissions office from your 

previous academic institution. 

Students are advised to check 

preparation costs and fees to 

send the transcripts via courier 

(or any secured delivery method) 

to the admissions office by the 

given deadlines. Bear in mind 

that there are other students who 

are applying and that there is 

normally a waiting period to have 

the transcript processed. Ttake 

this into account when creating 

your timetable. 

• Referees 

From the institution studied 

previously (extra curricula 

activities); however, if you are 

a mature student applying to 

postgraduate studies then your 

referee may include a previous 

employer. At this point you should 

consider speaking with whomever 

you decide to be your referee to ask 

for their permission and confirm 

their decision to write on your behalf 

so that you know exactly whose 

names (including correct spelling) 

and contact details are going to be 

on your application. This would 

also provide a good opportunity 

for you to explain to your referee 

the details of your chosen academic 

programme, and the possibilities of 

being contacted by someone from 

the admissions office. 

• Translation of documents 

If your documents are not in the 

native language of the country 

to which you are applying, it is 

sometimes required that you have 

the documents translated. This is a 

cost related exercise so when you 

are assessing the requirement of 

institutions be sure to check if this 

is a necessity. 

• Recognition of 

qualifications/certificates 

of equivalence 

All the countries listed within 

this volume have an institution(s) 

that provide a brief statement on 

how qualifications earned in other 

countries compare to their own 

grading system. They may explain 

which educational level and, if 

possible, which field of education 

is required. For example in United 

Kingdom that organization is 

NARIC, while in Denmark it is 

called CIRIUS. The results of the 

equivalency will assist you in getting 

admittance, scholarships and to find 

employment. 

• Evidence of 

financial support 

While completing the application 

process for entrance to 

universities, you should begin 

your search and retention of 

documents that may be used to 

prove how you will be paying 

for your studies. After notifying 

you of your acceptance, many 

institutions (unless they are 

providing you with funding) will 

ask that you provide them with 

a statement of intent on how the 

financial costs of studying will be 

met; whether from family or letters 

from a giving institution such as 

a scholarship grant and or loans 

that you have been given. This 

statement will also be necessary to 

meet visa requirements.


• Statement of purpose 

This really requires students to think 

carefully about the reason(s) that 

they have chosen to apply to that 

particular institution, the reason for 

wanting to complete the chosen area 

of study and an explanation of how 

it relates to future goals. 

• Create a resume 

and cover letter 

If you do not have a curriculum 

vitae (CV) /resume and a cover 

letter, get some assistance in 

creating these. These documents 

will be representing you, in lieu of 

an individual actually meeting you, 

so try to make a good impression. 

Twelve 

months in 

advance 

Complete 

Applications 

It is now one year before you 

would like to begin your 

programme you have done 

all the hard work (but you are 

on schedule), you have done 

your research and have all your 

documents ready or at least have 

a clear idea of the process you are 

going to use. Just be mindful that 

time is of the essence. 

• Apply for funding 

This is an excellent time to start 

putting in your applications for 

all the available financial support 

that you will need. From your 

preparation you will recognize that 

application deadlines vary, so as a 

central part of the application 

process this should be on your 

schedule list of things to do. 

Although there are a host of 

sites, or should I say because 

there are a host of sites and 

general information on funding 

(scholarships, grants, loans) 

opportunities, you may get 

lackadaisical in your pursuit of 

searching. But funding by its very 

nature is competitive and there is 

no guarantee you are going to get 

the first one for which you apply. 

This therefore means you should 

apply for as many as possible. If 

you are able to get a funding then 

it will change your experience; 

studying abroad will be a less 

stressful and a more worthwhile 

prospect. The freedom from 

economic stress will not only mean 

more study time, it means more 

time to participate in fun activities. 

• Complete Application 

Complete applications for the 

institutions of your choice, and 

start sending out the forms. This 

does not necessarily mean that you 

should stop researching and asking 

questions. During this period the 

questions should be more focused 

because, as you go through the 

preparation process and finalize 

all the necessities, you should be 

able to stop requesting generalized 

information and ask more personal 

questions that will enable you to 

better reach your goal. 

• Documentation Process 

Begin documentation procedures 

for any visa applications, 

housing and or any necessary 

travel arrangements. Applying 

for a student visa is a long and 

somewhat tedious process, but it 

would be disastrous if you were 

accepted to a programme and had 

done all that hard work but was 

unable to attend the school because 

you were denied the visa. 

You should complete thorough 

research on visa requirements and 

processing times, as is published 

by the various embassies. It is 

of utmost importance that you 

recognize that changes can be 

made to visa requirements and/or 

application forms at the discretion 

of the embassies, and without 

notice, so although this book 

contains visa information it is 

important to check and re-check 

the consulate and embassy for upto-date 

information. 

Finally, ensure that that you 

have arranged the timely 

collection and delivery of relevant 

documentation, transcripts, test 

results, and references to the 

appropriate institution. It would be 

silly to not be admitted because the 

documents are late.


Postgraduate 

WHY POSTGRADUATE? 

Postgraduate studies require 

careful consideration of 

your life goals. In some 

instances, I advocate that people 

get some work experience before 

making a final decision on a 

graduate course, mainly due to 

the fact that they are specialized 

courses. On completion, if you find 

part 2 

studies 

GET SOME WORK 

EXPERIENCE! 

This section is dedicated 

to those of you who have 

already completed a first 

degree and is considering your 

next move. Here is a guide to assist 

you in deciding if postgraduate 

study is the best route for you and, 

most importantly, to provide a 

better understanding of the many 

postgraduate degrees on offer. The 

information should be used along 

with the first section of the chapter. 

This section mainly addresses 

the differences in the application 

process between undergraduate 

and postgraduate studies. 

Consider this as a synopsis to 

assist the more mature students 

who are thinking about higher 

education. 

that you did not enjoy the subject 

matter as much as you thought, it 

will be costly, both in the economic 

sense and time wise, to make the 

transition to another field. 

One great advantage of completing 

a postgraduate degree is that 

employers will view you as a 

specialist in your field and as such 

you may gain a competitive edge 

over others without a similar level 

of education. This is nevertheless 

dependent on many factors


such as your field of study, the 

organization to which you apply, 

or just pure luck. This is because 

there are many companies that 

will hire an individual with a 

bachelor´s degree and requisite 

work experience. 

Your motivation for wanting to 

pursue a postgraduate degree, 

should therefore be clear. Weigh your 

skills base against what employers 

are looking for in a candidate. 

Instead of postgraduate studies, 

maybe a good option would be to 

enhance your degree by gaining (or 

updating) additional skills, such 

as computer courses, languages, 

or why not try to work abroad as a 

short-term self enhancement project. 

This will certainly improve your 

chances of success. 

Your motivation for completing 

a postgraduate degree should be 

clear, mostly because it will make 

the difference in your approach 

to further education. With that 

said, lets look at some of the most 

popular reasons for pursuing a 

postgraduate degree. 

A calculated 

career move 

Many people believe that further 

studies will provide them with a 

competitive edge in a challenging 

job market. It is sad to say that 

this is not always true. In some 

fields experience goes a long 

way. It is, therefore, advisable to 

research the area of work you are 

most interested in undertaking to 

identify whether a graduate degree 

will be assessed more favourably. 

A change 

of heart 

So when you started your first 

degree, or that job you thought 

you would love, you were not as 

well informed as you are now. 

Disappointed? This has happened 

to many people before, it is one 

of the most common reasons 

to complete a postgraduate 

programme. There are many 

specialized graduate programmes 

that will help you convert your 

skills from a particular career area 

to another. These include taught 

master´s, diploma or graduate 

certificates. A standard example 

of this in the United Kingdom 

is the postgraduate certificate in 

teaching; it is a one year course 

that offers school placements. 

Individuals are able to convert 

almost any degree to a teaching 

degree. Another example is the 

Common Professional Examination 

(CPE)/ Graduate Diploma in Law 

(GDL), a one year programme that 

includes all the core elements of a 

law degree. Check the options that 

are best for you. 

Job 

requirement 

In some career areas, the job 

requires a certain professional 

qualification. Examples of this 

are law, clinical psychology and 

lecturing at the university level. On 

the other hand, there are areas of 

employment in which employers 

do not specify a particular 

professional qualification. This 

is evidenced in many companies 

that run extensive graduate and 

postgraduate training schemes 

with fast track programmes to 

management. There are also areas 

where a postgraduate course 

does not put you in a more 

advantageous position, so do your 

research. 

I like the 

subject matter 

Throughout this book, it has 

been mentioned that undertaking 

further education is no easy feat. 

Although, strong motivation 

is necessary to complete a 

postgraduate course, the decision 

making process should be 

somewhat more objective than 

your mere liking of the subject 

matter. You should give thought 

to the implications of your choice 

for your life and career goals. 

Review the skill set you will 

gain by completing the course, 

ask yourself: Is this in line with 

my future career goals? Will this 

programme help me to fulfill my 

ambitions? 

more info: 

www.internationalgraduate.net


CHOOSING A 

Programme 

Broadly speaking there 

are several postgraduate 

qualifications that are 

available, including master’s 

courses, postgraduate diplomas 

and certificates and other specialist 

courses. There are, however, two main 

types of master’s degree; the first is a 

taught master’s course and the other 

is a research master’s course. 

Taught 

master’s 

courses 

There are a variety of taught 

courses, which may take the form 

of essays, project work, industrial 

training, or business placements, 

lectures, tutorials or discussion 

groups. Taught programmes 

usually include a dissertation 

(sometimes called a thesis paper). It 

is essentially a research project that 

you can work on individually or as 

part of a group. The length of time 

for completion of a taught MA degree 

is typically between 1 to 2 years. 

Master of Arts (MA) 

This is a humanities or liberal arts 

degree that covers most subject 

areas and is awarded by a large 

number of universities. This covers 

courses such as arts, history, 

languages, business, social sciences, 

as well as some science subjects. 

Master of Science 

(MSc or MS * ) 

Awarded to pure and applied 

sciences, this course is studied 

in preparation for higher 

qualifications, like doctoral studies. 

It could also be generally a way to 

improve employment prospects. 

The length of study also varies 

between 1 and 2 years. 

Master of 

Engineering (MEng) 

The Master of Engineering 

can either be an academic or 

professional master’s degree in the 

field of engineering. However, the 

type of MEng offered varies across 

some countries: 

* MSc in British Commonwealth nations and 

Europe or Ms in United States. 

• USA 

The MEng is mostly a professional 

degree offered as a courseworkbased 

graduate programme. 

• UK 

The MEng is an undergraduate 

degree with a dissertation in the 

final year. 

• Canada 

The MEng is a graduate degree 

involving coursework and a thesis 

or research paper. 

Research 

master’s 

courses 

Although in many research based 

courses there are a few taught 

modules, unlike the taught master’s 

course, sixty percent of the content 

of a research based master’s course 

is individual project work and is 

awarded on the completion of a 

research project in the subject. The 

research portion is key, as many 

students use this as preparation for a 

career in research or doctoral studies. 

A master’s degree by research is 

typically offered as a Master of 

Philosophy ( MPhil) or a Master of 

Research (MRES). 

Master of 

Philosophy (MPhil) 

The MPhil is often viewed as a 

provisional enrolment for a Doctor 

of Philosophy (PhD) as many 

students often take the decision 

to continue during this period 

of study. The course equips 

students with the necessary skills 

and methodological knowledge 

to undertake original research in 

their chosen field of study. In the 

United States, some institutions 

sometimes award candidates with 

a MPhil when they have completed 

two years of research and before 

they have defended their doctoral 

work. Students should take note 

of the fact that the demands on 

them will be great. To gain full 

completion students are expected to 

produce a project of approximately 

65,000 words with an extensive 

bibliography.


DOCTORAL DEGREES 

Master of RESEARCH 

(MRES) 

As stated on the previous page this 

degree is awarded on completion 

of a project work (dissertation), 

which is approximately 35,000- 

40, 000 words with extensive 

SEVERAL POST- 

GRADUATE 

QUALIFICATIONS 

bibliography. In the United 

Kingdom, this graduate degree is 

available in a range of academic 

disciplines. It differs from the MPhil 

in that it is more organized and 

structured by department or advisor 

that provides extensive guidance. 

Application 

requirements 

for master´s 

The Application process is similar 

to that of undergraduate studies. 

Please see previous section: 

UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES. 

This may be classified as a 

PhD (or a Dphil). This is the 

most well known research 

qualification. The normal time for 

completion is between 3-4 years, 

even allowing for differences 

between and among countries. 

Some doctoral programmes now 

include a taught element and 

it may be started immediately 

following a first degree or after 

a master´s course. But, it is the 

norm for individuals who would 

like to complete doctoral studies 

in the Arts and Humanities to first 

complete a Master´s course. 

Where should 

i study? 

As advised in the previous section, 

the choice of which country to 

study is an individually based 

decision. There are a plethora of 

factors that should be considered 

before you make a final decision; 

factors such as: 

• The academic requirements. 

• Availability of funding. 

•The type of course you are 

considering. 

•The modes of study available; that 

is, the type of postgraduate degree 

you would like to complete. 

•Visa requirements. 

• The quality of the course and the 

quality of the institution. 

• The recognition of available 

research facilities. 

• Personal considerations; if you 

are able to work on graduate 

assistantships, how you will cover 

living expenses. 

Choosing the right 

working environment 

In addition, based on the 

descriptions of the varying types of 

course you should ask yourselves 

these questions: 

• Will I be working in a 

group setting or individually? 

Completing research alone can be 

very isolating and requires a huge 

amount of motivation. You should 

give thought to the conditions 

under which you work best. 

• Make an effort to meet or 

learn more about the professors 

who will supervise your research. 

It is integral to have a good basis 

of understanding to build a


good working relationship. How 

well will you work with your 

supervisor? 

• Is funding available 

from the research councils or the 

institution of your choice? 

• The quality of the 

department that you will be 

entering. What is the research 

rating of the department? In many 

have a good 

relation with a 

past lecturer? 

countries, the research councils 

send in an assessment team, 

approximately five times per year, 

and this awarding body grants 

the institutions a rating. Consult 

the national research council’s in 

the country of your choice for this 

information. 

• Choosing the 

right institution 

To identify institutions that may be 

of interest, you can do several things: 

• Search databases and 

websites (please find details of 

some available resources at the end 

of the book). 

• By completing personal 

research in specialist publications 

and journals in your field of interest. 

• Given there are no central 

admissions office for postgraduate 

studies in most universities, 

contacting the department of 

interest for information directly 

may be a good option. 

• If you are about to 

complete your first degree or 

have a good relationship with 

a past lecturer, asking them for 

information is another route. 

When should 

I study? 

A pertinent question that many 

people ask is, when they should 

apply to postgraduate study. 

There is no right time to apply to 

a postgraduate course as this is all 

subjective and based on individual 

circumstances, life and career goals. 

Universities offer a range of modes 

of study to accommodate as many 

people’s life styles as possible, 

some of the choices on offer include 

students undertaking studies on 

fulltime, part time or distance basis. 

Also note that part time students 

make up the largest portion of the 

postgraduate population, mainly 

because at the graduate stage many 

individuals will work while they 

study. This may be a good option 

for people who are in a financially 

precarious position or for people 

who could not decide the route 

they wanted to take and, now that 

they have worked for a while, have 

a better understanding of how 

they want their career to progress. 

This approach to undertaking a 

postgraduate course should not be 

discounted as many people who 

leave directly from school may find 

that employers are hesitant to hire 

them without relevant experience. 

Outside entry level jobs, many 

employers are mostly looking 

for candidates with experience. 

Academic learning, especially at 

postgraduate level will provide 

students with great skills such 

as project management, written 

and oral communication, critical 

analysis and problem-solving. On 

the other hand, a drawback is that 

some postgraduates may develop 

a narrow focus and become 

limited to working only in their 

subject matter. 

There are pros and cons with all of 

these modes of study: 

• If you begin your 

postgraduate studies straight from 

an undergraduate programme, this 

route may be to your advantage. 

In this case you have not lost the 

habit of academic study. It would 

also be very appropriate if you 

completed a first degree in the 

same or relevant course to that you 

are about to undertake. 

• If you take a limited


amount of time off after completing 

your first degree * you can either 

work or travel. The benefits of 

working would be two-fold, in 

that you can save to fund your 

postgraduate studies. In addition, 

working and travelling may help 

you to acquire some relevant skills 

that will help you to stand out later. 

• Leaving postgraduate 

studies until later so that you 

can work full time also has its 

advantages. Financially, you may 

be in a better situation. However, 

working may also cause you to 

lose the study routine you had 

developed in undergrad, which is 

crucial for academic study. If you 

give up your work to pursue your 

studies you will have to consider 

the financial implications of this 

approach and what strategies can be 

useful for re-entry into working life. 

• And finally, working and 

studying. This offers a financial 

safety net but also puts you under 

a remarkable amount of stress. 

From my own experience, 

the juggling act of completing 

* 12-18 months, more time than this may 

create too large a gap in your CV. 

work and academic assignments 

can sometimes feel truly 

overwhelming. 

Eighteen 

months 

Now that you have answered all 

the hard questions it is time put 

into action all the research that you 

have been doing. The guidelines 

below are suggested to allow more 

preparation for choosing and 

applying to schools for further 

study. During this period you 

should begin to consider your 

options, review available courses, 

institutions and create an action plan. 

• Begin your preparation 

and make enquiries early; in many 

instances this will be advantageous 

to you getting into the right 

programme and generally enable 

you to make better decisions. 

• Consider funding 

Due to the fact that competition is 

so fierce, especially in the field of 

social sciences, getting an early start 

may just be the ticket to getting you 

funding. Institutions always make 

a point of asking how you intend to 

finance your studies because some 

departments will be reviewing 

applicants to determine how many 

(if any) are competing for awards; 

whether it is funding provided by 

the institution or publicly donated. 

Although at this stage you may 

not need a definitive source for 

the purpose of admissions. As 

international students and as a part of 

the visa process, the burden of proof 

must be met that you are financially 

capable. In some countries such as 

the United Kingdom, only students 

from the European Union are 

granted studentships by the Research 

Council. In Sweden, on the other 

hand, the Swedish Institute offers 

limited funding to students from all 

nationalities. While, in the United 

States, many institutions themselves 

offer funding. In addition, there are 

private individuals and other areas 

of funding but these vary from year 

to year. The onus is therefore on 

you to do your research. As a 

prospective international student 

contacting the consulate/embassy 

of the country where you wish to 

study, your ministry of education 

and the institution may be good 

starting points. 

Twelve to 

six months 

• Outline the content of your 

first and/or master´s degree and 

specify areas of particular interest 

related to the department in which 

you would like to study. 

• You should obtain more 

specific information, with reference 

to the type of details that are 

required for the application process 

and a clear understanding of what is 

entailed in the programme of study. 

• Look into the possibility 

of nomination for a department 

award or other available funding. 

• Try to visit the department 

of study to meet potential 

supervisors and review the


APPLICATION 

REQUIREMENTS 

facilities. As advised in the section 

for undergraduate studies, you 

can book this trip as a part of your 

annual vacation or you can ask 

the university for a letter or other 

documents to take to the embassy 

to obtain a visa for the purpose of 

visiting the campus. 

• Begin admission 

applications as soon as you 

believe that you have all the 

relevant information, bearing in 

mind visa processing times and the 

length of time institutions will take 

to notify students of acceptance. 

funding? 

• Begin funding 

applications if you have 

narrowed down your country of 

interest, it is also a good time to begin 

reviewing national newspapers and 

specialist magazines to find funding 

for various degree opportunities, 

especially for those who are interested 

in the field of medicine and science. 

Six months 

• Most universities are more 

clear about the level of funding 

that they are able to provide. 

• Many universities start the 

process of interviewing prospective 

students during this period. 

• This period is also the 

notification stage and prospective 

candidates will, probably know 

by this time how successful their 

application has been, and if there is 

funding attached. 

• Once you have been advised 

that you have a place, begin the 

documentation process for your 

student visa. Please review the 

chapter specific details for hints 

and tips on applying for your visa. 

In completing the research for 

this book and based on my own 

experience, it was found that 

many institutions do not have 

a central application system for 

doctoral studies. In addition, 

there is no ‘typical application 

system’; applications are entirely 

dependent on the institution and 

the department to which you will 

apply. You may be required to do 

any or all of the following: 

• To complete a standard 

application form. 

• Approach the course 

director to discuss opportunities. 

• Write an informal letter 

seeking information could get the 

process started. 

• Sending a proposal for 

a research project along with a 

personal statement explaining the 

merits of the project. 

These are just some of the 

methods of application open to 

you. In order to complete the 

process, you will need to be 

tenacious and be able to ask the 

right questions. 

Required 

documentation 

In order to complete the 

application process, prospective 

students will also be required 

to include some or all of the 

documentation listed below before 

they are accepted. These are as 

follows: 

• Academic transcripts from 

previous institutions 

• Copy of curriculum vitae/ 

resume 

• Academic and or work 

reference, usually with direct 

relation to programme of choice 

• Letter of motivation/ 

personal letter 

• Letters of recommendation 

• Translated documents 

(if the documents are not in the 

language of the country in which 

you would like to study). 

• Proof of language skill 

if the course will not be taught in 

your native language 

more info: 

www.internationalgraduate.net


Writing a Research 

Proposal 

A research proposal is a normal 

requirement when making 

an application for a doctoral 

degree. This is a brief proposal of 

approximately 2000 words. The 

aim of this document is to provide 

an idea of your research interests 

and intention, and your writing 

skills. 

The proposal should cover the 

following points: 

• Proposed topic. Why it is a 

significant or important area of 

study. 

• Preliminary research questions 

that will guide your process. 

• Preliminary discussion of 

your methods and approach 

• Relevant research or literature 

• Linking your area of interest to 

that of the research department 

and or supervisor to which you 

are applying. 

Recommended texts for 

proposal & research writing: 

Adamson, Arthur (1990), A students 

Guide for Assignments, projects and 

research. 

Allison, Brian (1996), Research Skills 

for Students 

Cryer,Pat (2000), The research 

student’s guide to success 

Cuba, Lee (2002), A short guide to 

writing about social science 

Dunleavy, Patrick (2003), Authoring a 

PhD: how to plan, draft, write and finish 

a doctoral thesis or dissertation 

Higgins, Robin (1996), Approaches to 

Research 

Newman, Roland (1989), Study and 

Research: A systematic approach for all 

students 

Moore, Nick (1987), How to do 

Research 

Mounsey, chris (2002), Essays and 

Dissertation 

Raimes, Ann (2007), Keys for writers: A 

brief Handbook 

The sociology writing group (1998), A 

guide to writing sociology papers 

White, Brian (2000), Dissertation 

skills for Business and Management 

Students 

Assess Financial 

Necessities 

An integral part of the process of 

deciding which institution and in 

what country you will undertake 

your studies, is approximating how 

much money you will need and 

finding a way to cover your costs. 

Below is a list of some of the areas 

of financial responsibility that you 

will have to meet. The list is by no 

means exhaustive but it will give 

you pause and time to reflect on this 

major decision. In addition, to aid in 

this process, a budget worksheet is 

included in the appendix. 

• Areas of financial 

responsability 

• travelling 

• tuition fees 

• rent: cost to live on campus 

• personal expenses: like laundry 

• health insurance 

• books and supplies 

• communication: whether 

mobilephones, cards, internet 

• transportation: buses/trains or 

car ownership 

• meals board 

• medical costs 

• utilities: gas, electricity, internet 

• taxes: on student assistantships 

and working on campus 

• bank fees, credit card 

• recreation/ entertainment 

Sources 

of funding 

• Funding through employment 

If you are able to work in the 

country which you have chosen 

to study then you should read the 

hints and tips on job searching in 

Chapter 11-WORKING ABROAD, 

or you may want to approach 

your current employer for 

sponsorship. 

• Specialised funding schemes. 

• Search for institutional 

scholarships/studentships and 

assistantships; 

• Charities and other groups 

willing to give funds; 

• Financing from loans, access 

funds and or parental contribution; 

• Doctoral studies in Europe are 

considered employment. In the 

United States and Canada, master´s 

students can sometimes work as 

research assistants.


PERSONAL LETTER TO A 

Master´s programme 

Example: 

Over the last year a series of events have occurred that has caused me 

to re-evaluate my career goals and rethink my purpose in life. After graduating 

with my MBA, I was excited to enter the corporate world and embark on a 

successful sales and marketing career. Shortly thereafter, I realized that I was not 

fully satisfied with my chosen career path and, as fate would have it, I began to 

yearn for a more fulfilling profession. During this time, a close friend encountered 

various health related issues, and I was thoroughly dissatisfied with how she 

was treated by a healthcare system that was supposedly designed to benefit the 

underserved. 

The final straw was a series of articles that I have been following in the 

Jamaica Gleaner about a HIV positive pregnant teenage girl who has not been able 

to afford basic prenatal care. As a Jamaican, I was disgusted with the handling 

of her case, and many others like her, and I decided that in order to make the 

changes I desired, I had to become a public health professional. Today’s public 

health professionals are faced with both old and new challenges. A Master of 

Public Health from the University of ABC will equip me with the skills needed to 

tackle these challenges, and make significant changes in healthcare policies and 

administration. 

Based on my research, ABC’s MPH programme provides both a 

theoretical and practical approach to the area of Public Health, which is exactly 

what I am looking for in a part-time graduate programme. Although I am 

particularly interested in using the specialized skills learnt in this programme 

for the planning, policy analysis and administration of healthcare programmes, 

I am fully aware of the other options that will be available to me in different 

areas of Public Health. In a world that is becoming increasingly more reliant on 

specially trained professionals, an advanced degree in Public Health will put me 

in a position to take advantage of the increasing demand for more well rounded 

healthcare administrators. 

While pursuing my MBA, I worked as a Graduate Research Assistant and 

was exposed to different Research Methodologies, which will assist me greatly 

during my research thesis. My Graduate Research experience has made me very 

comfortable working with various high profile faculty members, and has prepared 

me for a range of collaborative roles within the school work environment. An 

advanced degree in Public Health will compliment my MBA, and allow me to fuse 

my business background with Healthcare Administration and Policy Formulation. 

I am drawn to the University of ABC’s MPH programme largely 

because of the quality of the programme, the experience of the faculty, and the 

reputation of ABC’s Department of Public Health. This programme comes highly 

recommended and I am thrilled at the prospect of joining the University of ABC’s 

Department of Public Health community.

Canada 

James Gosling / inventor of JAVA 

chapter 2

Canada 

COUNTRY OVERVIEW 

65 

GREENLAND 

ICELAND 

Newfoundland 

and Labrador 

Quebec 

brunswick 

Nova Scotia 

ottawa 

Despite intensive immigration 

of skilled and highly 

trained peoples to Canada, 

the country is still facing a skills 

shortage. So if you have a vision 

of the career path you would like 

to pursue and, if your area of 

NOT JUST TO TRAIN 

STUDENTS BUT TO 

RETAIN THEM. 

the second largest country in the 

world, with a land mass of 9.9 

million square kilometers. It is 

situated north of the United States 

between the Atlantic and Pacific 

Oceans. The landscape is varied 

and extensive; it includes flat 

prairies, mountainous and 

coastal regions and frozen 

landscapes. 

ALASKA 

yukon 

Territory 

Nunavut 

Northwest 

territories 

british 

Columbia 

Alberta 

Saskatchewan 

Manitoba 

ontario 

UNITED STATES 

oF AMERICA 

interest is in any way related to 

a long list of skill or professional 

areas needed in Canada, then this 

country offers one of the best and 

most welcoming opportunities 

for international students. In 

fact, the government has many 

policies in place to not just train 

students but to retain them. 

These policies are designed with 

the hope that, upon completing 

your education, you will want to 

remain in the country. Canada is 

geographically large, with most 

areas being culturally diverse 

yet not demographically dense. 

Canada has been categorized as 

MOST POPULOUS CITIES = 1 million people 

Toronto 

Ontario 

Montreal 

Quebec 

Vancouver 

British Columbia

Canada 

67 

West 

coast 

British 

Columbia 

North 

Yukon 

Nunavut 

Northwest t. 

Prairies 

Manitoba 

Saskatchewan 

Alberta 

These are the five main regions 

in the country. Canada is unique in 

that it is one of the only (if not the 

only) developed nation that relies 

as heavily on primary industry 

as it does on its manufacturing 

sector. This is as a result of the 

vast natural resources which 

are spread across varied regions 

of the country. As such, many 

educational institutions reflect this 

mix of industry and manufacture. 

For example, Canadian institutes 

of higher education tend to be 

highly regarded in fields such as 

engineering because of their need to 

Central 

canada 

Ontario 

Quebec 

atlantic 

Nova Scotia 

New Brunswick 

Prince Edward Island 

New Foundland & Labrador 

continuously prepare professionals 

with expertise on the vast untapped 

resources. 

According to the International 

Monetary Fund (IMF), the 

Canadian economy is the eighth 

largest in the world (2007). Its 

GDP was approximately $1.274 

trillion, with growth of 2.7%. It 

is part of the G8 and other ‘rich 

clubs’ such as the OECD. Due to 

the world financial crisis in 2008, 

the economic growth was expected 

to slow down significantly, with 

national growth predicted at 

0.8%. The success of the Canadian 

economy is in large part due to a 

very well adjusted political climate. 

The government of Canada is a 

mix of the British parliamentary 

ECONOMY IS THE EIGHTH 

LARGEST IN THE WORLD 

and United States federal systems 

of government. There are three 

levels of government, these are 

federal, provincial and municipal, 

each having some overlapping 

responsibilities. Although the 

system of governance does reflect 

some influences from the US, 

Canadians consider themselves 

very different from Americans. 

The country is very multicultural, 

and although it has remained 

predominantly Catholic, there 

are several other faiths, including 

protestants and non-Christian 

religions. There has also been 

a growth of Islam, Hinduism, 

Sikhism and Buddhism. 

more info: 

www.gc.ca 

Canadian 

dollar 

C$ 

hdr.undp.org/en/statistics 

www.countryreports.org 

www.destineducation.ca

Canada 

WHY CANADA? 

69 

Roberta Bondar / astronaut 

If you have some interest in 

Canada but are still not sure if 

this is the place to further your 

studies, here is a list of reasons 

why Canada may be considered a 

good study destination: 

• The education system in 

Canada is one of the best 

in the world 

Qualifications from Canada are 

universally recognized and there are a 

range of institutions and certifications 

that prospective students are able 

to chose from. You might also find 

SOME OF THE LOWEST 

TUITION FEES AMONG 

ENGLISH-SPEAKING 

COUNTRIES 

it interesting that Canada has some 

of the lowest tuition fees among the 

English–speaking countries. 

• Strong government support 

Due to the Canada’s desire 

to have a more coherent and 

competitive educational system 

the government, with the backing 

of the Association of Universities 

and Colleges of Canada, is 

attempting to attract international 

students. One of the measures 

introduced is the creation of a law 

that introduced new immigration 

measures that will allow 

international students to work for 

up to one year after completing 

their education. Another incentive 

is that university students are 

able to work on campus without a 

work permit. 

• Multicultural society 

As an international student 

you will definitely not feel 

like a stranger in Canada. 

This is because Canada 

has a large multicultural 

community. Canada has 

welcomed more than 10 

million migrants over the last 

century, while simultaneously 

promoting Canadian values. The 

country has adopted a policy of 

multiculturalism which works 

to promote and preserve the 

traditions of the various migrant 

communities.

Canada 

71 

ADMISSION 

AND funding 

• Great place to 

learn a language 

As a result of the multicultural 

nature, and its history, the country is 

officially bilingual. Both English and 

French are official languages. This 

FIFTH BEST 

COUNTRY IN THE 

WORLD TO LIVE 

has earned them a reputation as a 

world leader in teaching languages 

and many international students 

opt to take a language course before 

starting their regular academic 

programme. This multiculturalism 

and strength in languages positions 

Canada as an ideal environment for 

international students. 

• Great standard of living 

Based on the Human 

development Index (2010), 

Canada was classified as the fifth 

best country in the world to live. 

It is a politically and economic 

stable country that is consistently 

striving to protect the rights of 

the citizens. 

more info: 

http://en.wikipedia.org 

In Canada higher education 

institutions are divided into 

two types: universities and 

community colleges. Universities 

provide academic and professional 

training and research programmes 

leading to degrees. Community 

colleges offer certificate and 

diploma programmes in career 

and vocational training. Academic 

transfers from community colleges 

to universities are also possible. 

Canada has a large selection 

of universities and community 

colleges with a good mix of both 

publicly and privately funded 

institutions. The universities are 

internationally recognised for high 

quality of teaching and research. 

They also maintain a high level of 

academic autonomy; that is, the 

educational system is administered 

mainly by non-governmental 

organisations. Despite the fact 

that the institutions are not 

officially ranked, the Canadian 

education system is still regarded 

as one of the best in the world. 

There are systems in place 

ensuring that high educational 

standards are consistently met. 

Recognised higher education 

institutions are given full authority 

under government legislation 

to grant degrees and other 

awards. National organisations 

also play a role in sustaining 

Canadian education standards 

by establishing membership 

requirements, which in a sense 

provides added quality control. 

The Association of Universities 

and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) 

represents universities and colleges 

and the Association of Canadian 

Community Colleges (ACCC) 

is the national organisation of 

community colleges. 

There are no national entrance 

exams. Instead, prospective 

students are assessed on an 

institution-by-institution basis. 

For more detailed information 

on admission requirements, 

application, tuition and other 

costs as well as possible 

funding, search either the online 

database or a printed version 

of the Directory of Canadian 

Universities. This information is

Canada 

73 

updated annually and features 

over 10,000 undergraduate and 

graduate programmes. For further 

information visit the Association 

of Universities and Colleges of 

Canada webpage. The Canadian 

government advises students to 

apply at least one year in advance, 

after choosing the institution 

they would like to attend. This 

early application is to facilitate 

the extensive visa process and 

to provide enough time to meet 

all the regulations necessary to 

obtain the correct permits as an 

international student. 

You should complete the 

application form for the 

institution(s) of your choice 

and submit it according to 

the instructions provided. It 

is worthwhile to complete 

application forms for several 

schools. This will provide you with 

the opportunity to choose from a 

range of institutions and places 

you in a position to take the best 

choice in the end. If the school 

admits you as a student, they will 

send you a letter of acceptance. 

You will then need this letter of 

acceptance in order to apply for 

a study permit at the embassy 

or consulate in your country. 

Presently there is no national 

central application system. Instead 

the central application systems are 

based on the province in which 

you would like to study. Links to 

the provincial central application 

systems can be found listed here 

below: 

Provincial central 

application systems: 

ALBERTA learning 

information centre 

www.applyalberta.ca 

www.alis.gov.ab.ca 

Post-Secondary Application Service 

of BRITISH COLUMBIA 

www. applybc.ca 

ONTARIO Colleges 

Application Service 

www.ontariocolleges.ca 

QUEBEC City region: 

Saguenay/Lac St-Jean region 

www.srasl.qc.ca 

Given that education is not 

regulated by the federal 

government, it then becomes 

your duty to ensure that your 

chosen school, college or 

university is accredited. If you 

are accepted to an institution 

that is not accredited, this 

will mean that your visa 

application will be denied. To 

find information on accredited 

institutions in Canada, please 

see the “more info” boxes. 

Institutions of interest: 

• cost of applying 

• tuition fees 

• health insurance 

• rent and yearly cost of living 

• language tests 

• other entrance requirements 

more info on universities 

and colleges: 

Information Centre for 

International Credentials 

www.cicic.ca 

The Association of 

Community Colleges 

www.accc.ca 

Association of Universities 

and Colleges www.aucc.ca 

National Association of 

Career Colleges 

www.nacc.ca 

more info: 

Provincial and Territorial 

Departments and Ministries 

Responsible for Education 

www.cmec.ca/educmin.en.stm 

The Government Website 

www.educationau-incanada.ca 

Bureau for International 

Education 

www.cbie.ca/index_e.htm 

Education Centre Network 

www.studycanada.ca

Canada 

75 

General 

requirements 

Language 

requirements 

Though Canada is officially 

bilingual, prospective students are 

not required to be able to speak 

both languages. The language 

requirement is largely dependent 

on the university to which you 

apply. You will be required to 

show proficiency in the language 

SHOW PROFICIENCY IN 

THE DAILY LANGUAGE 

of daily operation * . Canadian 

French language universities 

normally assess individuals 

on a case by case basis. On the 

other hand, English language 

universities have a set criteria. 

On the preceding pages you will 

find general requirements for 

English language proficiency 

certification but do remember to 

double-checked with individual 

universities. Applicants who 

have not completed three or more 

years of post-secondary work 

at a Canadian institution or at 

an institution at which English 

was the primary language of 

instruction, or have not 

been employed for a 

similar period of time in a 

position in which English 

was the primary language 

of business, will be required to 

provide certification of English 

language proficiency. 

Frank O´Gehry / architect 

* Individual departments or institutions 

may require higher scores. Test scores are valid for 

two years from the test date. Test results must be sent 

directly to the admissions office. 

Language schools: 

www.languagescanada.ca

Canada 

77 

• Accepted examinations 

and required scores: 

Test of English as a Foreign Language 

TOEFL 

• plus Test of Written English (TWE) or 

• Computer-based TOEFL plus Essay or 

• Internet-based TOEFL 

(offered through the Educational Testing 

Service, Princeton, NJ, USA) 

• 550 minimum overall score with a minimum of 50 in each section 

plus 4.0 minimum for the TWE; or 

• Computer-based minimum overall score of 213 

plus 4.0 minimum for the Essay; or 

• Internet-based minimum overall score of 90 

plus 24 minimum in Speaking and Writing sections, 

except the following Engineering departments: 

Chemical Engineering 

Civil and Environmental Engineering 

Electrical and Computer Engineering 

Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering 

Systems Design Engineering 

minimum overall 

score requirement: 

80 with minimum 

section scores of: 

22 in Writing 

20 in Speaking 

20 in Reading 

and 18 in Listening. 

Michigan English Language 

Assessment Battery 

MELAB 

85 minimum overall score; minimum of 80 in each section 

International English 

Language Testing System 

IELTS 

6.5 minimum overall score; minimum 5.5 in each section 

more info: 

www.ielts.org 

www.melab.ca 

www.cael.ca 

www.cantest.uottawa.ca 

Canadian Academic English 

Language Assessment 

CAEL 

Canadian Test of English for Scholars 

and Trainees 

CanTEST 

70 minimum overall score; minimum 60 in each section 

4.5 minimum overall score; minimum 4.0 in each section

Canada 

79 

• University tuition fees for 

full-time foreign students: 

General Arts and 

Science Programmes 

2006 - 2007 

Graduate tuition fees 

(per academic year) * 

2006 - 2007 

Undergraduate tuition fees 

(per academic year) * 

$1,896 - $3,549 

$8780 

$4,854 - $7,281 

$8970 

$5,735 - $19,467 

$8,233 - $14,349 

$7,260 - $9,384 

$7,843 - $12,810 

$9,078 - $20,000 

$10,068 - $12,930 

$5,650 - $26,764 

$6,900 - $16,800 

$4,170 - $7,937 

$5,573 - $8,283 

$2,000 - $7,078 

$8,489 - $11,482 

$5,500 - $21,546 

$8,000 - $15,767 

$2,600 - $33,667 

$9,248 - $17,667 

*Graduate programmes in all faculties 

*Undergraduate programmes in arts 

RECOGNITION 

OF QUALIFICATIONS 

As a part of the admissions 

requirement, some intitutions 

will ask you to have your 

qualifications assessed. There will 

also be a similar requirement if 

you try to find employment. In 

addition, given that your previous 

qualifications are from overseas, 

some higher education institutions 

will require documentation to 

check the authencity of your 

degree and its equivalence to 

Canadian educational levels. 

Foreign credential evaluation 

is processed by a specific 

organization as designated in each 

province. 

more info: 

www.cicic.ca 

www.accc.ca 

www.aucc.ca 

PROVINCE * 

Newfoundland and 

Labrador 

Prince Edward Island 

Nova Scotia 

New Brunswick 

Quebec 

Ontario 

Manitoba 

Saskatchewan 

Alberta 

British Columbia 

*Source: Statistics Canada 

www.nacc.ca 

Alliance of Credential 

Evaluation Services of 

Canada (ACESC) 

www.canalliance.org 

regulatory bodies: 

www.engineerscanada.ca

Canada 81 

• Credential Assessment and Qualification Recognition Services * 

* For credential evaluation services in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, 

Nunavut or the Yukon, you may contact any of the services listed on this page. 

ALBERTA 

• IQAS 

International Qualifications 

Assessment Service 

Alberta Immigration, 

Employment and Industry 

Tel.: +1 780 427-2655 

Toll-free in Alberta: 

310-0000 ask for 427-2655 

Fax: +1 780 422-9734 

www. employment.alberta.ca 

9th Floor, 108th Street Building 

9942 - 108 Street 

Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2J5 

Canada 

BRITISH COLUMBIA 

• ICES 

International Credential 

Evaluation Services 

Tel.: +1 604 432-8800 

Toll-Free within North America: 

+1-866-434-9197 

Fax: +1 604 435-7033 

icesinfo@bcit.ca 

www.bcit.ca/ices 

3700, avenue Willingdon 

Burnaby, British Columbia V5G 3H2 

Canada 

MANITOBA 

• ACAS 

Academic Credentials 

Assessment Service – Manitoba 

Manitoba Labour and 

Immigration 

Settlement & Labour Market 

Services Branch 

Tel.:+1 204 945-6300 

Toll-Free within North America: 

+1-800-665-8332 

Fax: +1 204 948-2148 

www.gov.mb.ca 

5th Floor, 213 Notre Dame Avenue 

Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B1N3 

Canada 

ONTARIO 

• CES 

Comparative Education Service 

University of Toronto 

Tel.:+1 416 978-2190 

Fax: +1 416 978-7022 

Costs for service 

www.adm.utoronto.ca/ces 

315 Bloor Street West 

Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A3 

Canada 

• ICAS 

International Credential 

Assessment Service of Canada 

Ontario AgriCentre 

Tel: +1 519 763-7282 

Toll-free:+1 800 321-6021 

Fax: +1 519 763-6964 

info@icascanada.ca 

Fees and Services 

www.icascanada.ca 

100 Stone Road West, Suite 303 

Guelph, Ontario N1G 5L3 

Canada 

• WES Canada 

World Education Services- 

Canada 

Tel.: +1 416 972-0070 

Fax: +1 416 972-9004 

Toll-free: +1 866 343-0070 (from 

outside the 416 area code) 

ontario@wes.org 

www.wes.org/ca 

45 Charles Street East, Suite 700 

Toronto, Ontario M4Y 1S2 

Canada 

TORONTO 

• CEFAHQ 

Centre d’expertise sur les 

formations acquises hors du 

Québec 

Ministère de l’Immigration et des 

Communautés culturelles 

Tel.:+1 514 864-9191 

Elsewhere in Quebec (toll free): 

+1 877 264-6164 

Fax: +1 514 873-8701 

renseignements@micc.gouv.qc.ca 

www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca 

255, boulevard Crémazie Est, 

8e étage 

Montréal (Québec) H2M 1M2 

Canada

Canada 83 

Health 

Insurance 

The government of Canada 

requires all international students 

to pay a fee for health insurance 

(medical insurance). As part of 

the visa process, you will have to 

provide proof that you are able to 

meet this cost. The government 

takes this burden of proof seriously 

IT IS POSSIBLE TO FIND 

SOME LEVEL OF FUNDING 

because it does not pay for the 

medical costs of foreign students. 

The cost of health coverage for 

foreign students varies between 

provinces. Contact the school at 

which you are applying to receive 

more information about medical 

coverage and health insurance. 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

Financial assistance to study in 

Canada is possible. Of the ten 

Canadian provinces, Quebec 

and Ontario seem to offer more 

substantial funding to international 

students. Funding in the other 

provinces seem to be more 

competitive because there are 

fewer scholarships on offer. But, 

it is possible to find some level 

of funding if you are willing to 

carry out the necessary research. A 

number of scholarships are offered 

by the Canadian government. For 

example, the Canadian 

Commonwealth 

Scholarship Program 

(CCSP), which 

provides aid to 

students of other commonwealth 

countries, for advanced studies 

in Canada. Information on 

this and other awards can be 

found on the Government of 

Canada international scholarship 

programs website. In addition, the 

Association of Universities and 

Colleges of Canada is a resource 

base for all universities and colleges 

in Canada. The site contains a 

wide range of information. All 

International students wishing to 

study in Canada and would like 

to apply for a scholarship, the 

following is advised: 

• contact the ministry of education 

or the Canadian embassy in your 

home country; 

• contact the Canadian bureau for 

international education; 

• review the information on 

the study in Canada website 

the official site of the Canadian 

government; 

• review the information on the 

AUCC’s website for information 

dedicated to international students; 

• and finally check with the 

universities to which you would 

like to apply, many offer private 

scholarships or other types of 

funding. 

more info: 

www.scholarships.gc.ca 

www.aucc.ca 

Listed below are some possible 

funding options, ranging from 

those offered by the provinces and 

government to private institutions: 

• Differential fee waivers 

In most cases international 

students are charged what is called 

a differential tuition. This means 

that the tuition is significantly 

higher for international students, 

in comparison to Canadian 

students. One of the main funding 

opportunities for international 

students that study in Canada 

is the differential fee waiver 

programme, where an international 

student may be granted the 

opportunity to pay the same fees 

as a Canadian resident/citizen. 

Contact individual universities 

for details or visit the awards 

section of the Canadian Bureau for 

International Education. 

more info: 

www.mels.gouv.qc.ca 

www.destineducation.ca

Canada 85 

• Ontario graduate 

scholarship programme 

(OGS) 

There are 60 places reserved by 

the government of Ontario for 

international students with high 

academic standings, the value 

of the scholarship ranges from 

$C 12,000-25,000. Applications are 

made through local rotary clubs 

and the qualified students are 

chosen by each district. Students 

are expected to apply a year in 

advance. Contact your local Rotary 

clubs or The Rotary Foundation, 

which is located at: 

One Rotary Center, 

1560 Sherman Avenue, 

Evanston, Illinois 60201, 

USA. 

Tel: (847) 866-3000 

Fax: (847) 328-8554 

• Rotary Foundation 

Ambassadorial 

Scholarships 

These scholarships aim to further 

international understanding and 

friendly relations among people 

of different countries. During the 

time abroad, Rotary scholars are 

expected to be ambassadors of 

goodwill through presentations to 

Rotary clubs and districts, school 

and civic organizations. 

• Trudeau scholars program 

The Program grants new scholarships 

every year to outstanding doctoral 

candidates in the social sciences and 

humanities. The Foundation supports 

doctoral candidates pursuing 

research of compelling present-day 

concern, touching upon one or more 

of the four themes of the Foundation. 

Trudeau Scholars are actively 

engaged in their fields, in which 

they are expected to become leading 

national and international figures. 

Application guidelines are available 

on the website of the Trudeau 

Foundation. For more information; 

contact: 

The Pierre Elliott Trudeau 

Foundation, 

1514 Doctor Penfield 

Avenue, 2nd Floor, 

Montreal, 

Quebec H3G 1B9, 

Canada 

Tel: 514.938.0001; 

tfinfo@trudeaufoundation.ca 

• Canadian institutions 

Many Canadian universities 

and a few colleges offer awards 

to international students. Some 

are for special programs, such 

as bursaries for the Diploma 

Program in Community-Based 

Development, which is offered by. 

Coady Institute 

St. Francis Xavier University 

P.O. Box 5000, 

Antigonish, 

Nova Scotia B2G 2W5 

There may also be a scholarship 

for disabled students pursuing 

studies at the University of Toronto 

and offered by The Toronto 

Rehabilitation Institute. Other 

awards are more general in nature. 

Contact the institutions you are 

interested in for information, or refer 

to one or more of the directories 

listed here under Resources. 

• The Canadian 

International Development 

Agency (CIDA) 

These awards are open to nationals 

of developing countries that 

qualify for official development 

assistance (ODA). Applications are 

made to the administering agency 

in the student’s home country; 

this is normally the ministry of 

education or at the Canadian 

diplomatic mission. The awards 

include travel to and from Canada, 

tuition fees, installation allowance, 

living and book allowance. CIDA 

administers the following types of 

awards programs: 

Bilateral Student and Trainee 

Programs 

A large number of programs are 

available for students from a 

number of developing countries. 

Multilateral Programmes 

The Canadian Fellowship 

Program for French-Speaking 

Countries.CIDA offers a 

number of awards each year for 

undergraduate and graduate 

more info: 

www.rotary.org 

www.trudeaufoundation.ca

Canada 87 

study to academically qualified 

students from 37 francophone 

developing countries. The 

program permits the countries 

to benefit from the expertise of 

Canadian universities, while 

strengthening links between 

Canada and these countries. 

Awards are for one year, 

renewable up to the normal 

duration of the degree sought. 

• Canadian Commonwealth 

Scholarship Programme 

The Commonwealth Scholarship 

and Fellowship Plan was designed 

to enable students of high 

intellectual promise to pursue 

programs of advanced study 

and research at the masters and 

PhD level in a commonwealth 

country other than their own. 

The purpose is that, upon their 

return, they could make a 

distinctive contribution in their 

own countries while fostering 

mutual understanding within the 

Commonwealth. The Canadian 

Commonwealth Scholarship 

and Fellowship Program is the 

Canadian component of the 

plan. Students must apply to 

the designated commonwealth 

scholarship agency in their home 

country. 

• United Nations 

Fellowship Program 

Academic programs and practical 

attachments for established 

professionals; channelled through 

UN agencies such as IAEA, 

UNESCO, FAO, ITU, ILO, UNIDO 

and UN New York. 

• National Research 

Council of Canada (NRC) 

Open to scientists and engineers 

who are working on challenging 

areas in the development of 

their research career but which 

are related to the NRC fields 

of interest. These research 

associateships are tenable only in 

the laboratories of NRC and the 

awards will be granted initially for 

a period of two years but they are 

renewable based on the student’s 

performance and the need of the 

council. The level of funding is 

equivalent to a regular salaried 

staff member. 

• Organization of 

American States 

Fellowships 

The OAS Regular Training 

Program (PRA) is one of the 

instruments of development 

cooperation of the Organization of 

American States. Its fundamental 

objective is to assist the member 

states with their domestic efforts 

in pursuit of integral development 

goals by supporting human 

resource development in priority 

areas, as is established by member 

states. The fellowships are 

awarded to individuals who have 

obtained a university degree and 

are qualified to pursue graduate 

level studies or research. Awards 

are for studies in any field, with 

the exception of medical sciences 

and introductory language studies 

Fellowships are granted for 3 to 12 

months and may be extended for 

a second period equivalent to the 

first and cover round-trip airfare, 

tuition fees, study materials, health 

insurance and living allowance. 

Students must apply to the 

designated agency in their home 

country. For further information, 

please contact the Organization 

of American States, Division of 

Cooperation for Development of 

Human Resources (DCDHR) of 

the Inter-American Agency for 

Cooperation and Development: 

IACD, 

Washington, D.C. 

20006-4499, 

U.S.A. 

Funding databases 

and resources 

The Canada Millennium 

Scholarship Foundation 

This scholarship was created to 

grant awards to students who are 

in financial need and demonstrate 

merit. 

Scholarshipscanada 

Is an extensive searchable database 

to find scholarships, student 

awards, bursaries and grants in 

available in Canada. 

Canada’s Natural Sciences and 

Engineering Research Council’s 

Offers scholarships and fellowship 

programmes, some of which are 

available to international students.

Canada 89 

International Development 

Research Centre 

Offers information for developing 

country students on awards 

funded and administered by 

the Ottawa-based International 

Development Research Centre. 

Unesco’s Study Abroad 

Information on scholarships and 

courses worldwide: 

UNESCO, 

7, Place de Fontenoy, 

Paris, 75007 France 

ACU 

Guides for Commonwealth 

students and Graduate study 

at Canadian Universities 

fact sheet: 

Association of 

Commonwealth 

Universities, 

Woburn House, 

20-24 Tavistock Square, 

London WC1H 9HF 

Can Learn 

Provides information and 

resources for financial planning 

and budgeting. 

more info: 

www.coursesfrancophonie.ca 

www.pcbf.qa.ca 

www.cbie.ca 

www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca 

www.OAS.org 

www.cbie.ca, 

www.scholarships.gc.ca 

www.millenniumscholarships.ca 

www.scholarshipscanada.com 

www.nserc.ca 

www.idrc.ca 

www.unesco.org 

www.acu.ac.uk 

www.canlearn.ca 

Undergraduate 

studies 

There is a large variation in the 

application process for higher 

education institutions based on the 

province in which it is located. This 

section provides a brief overview 

of the application process on a 

province by province basis. 

ALBERTA 

• Applying to colleges 

and universities 

Although there is a central 

application system in Alberta, 

but not all higher education 

institutions are participating in 

this scheme. At the time of writing 

the institutions listed below were 

using the ApplyAlberta system: 

• Alberta College of Art & Design 

• Bow Valley College 

• Grande Prairie Regional College 

• Keyano College

Canada 91 

• Lethbridge College 

• Mount Royal University 

• NorQuest College 

• Olds College 

• SAIT Polytechnic 

• The King’s University College 

• University of Calgary 

• Athabasca University 

• Concordia Univ. College of AB 

• Grant MacEwan University 

• Lakeland College 

• Medicine Hat College 

• NAIT - Northern Alberta IT 

• Northern Lakes College 

• Red Deer College 

• St. Mary’s University College 

• University of Alberta 

• University of Lethbridg 

APPLYALBERTA ACCEPTS 

APPLICATIONS FOR AT 

LEAST ONE YEAR 

STUDIES 

If you do not see the uniersity you 

wish to apply to listed here, contact 

them directly. The institutions 

that are a part of the application 

system accept applications through 

ApplyAlberta for undergraduate 

academic programs that are at least 

one academic year in length and 

that lead to a certificate, diploma or 

degree. In order to determine what 

information will be required from 

you, you still need to complete 

your due diligence and research 

the institution you want to attend 

to see complete programme 

requirements. 

After creating a log in, you will 

be required to complete personal 

information and a history of your 

previous education. Thereafter 

you can select an institution and 

answer more specific course 

information, such as your expected 

start date. It would 

therefore be handy 

if you gather the 

following information 

before you start, the 

application process: 

• Your postal code and 

address 

names of all the high schools and 

post-secondary institutions you 

attended 

• High school course names and 

the marks you received 

There are no restrictions on 

the number of institutions/ 

programmes to which you can 

apply, however, it is necessary to 

give this decision some thought 

as you are required to pay a 

processing fee to each institution 

which you apply. 

BRITISH 

COLUMBIA 


and universities 

The online application system 

in British Colombia is similar 

to that of Alberta. ApplyBC is a 

centralized, online application 

service open to anyone wishing 

to apply for admission to one or 

more higher education institutions. 

Once you have created an online 

account you can log in and 

complete the required information 

as instructed. The application 

has two main sections; the first 

is called a common form, where 

you provide personal information. 

This information will be saved 

and available for use, if you 

decide to apply to more than one 

institution. The second section is 

called the institutional application 

form and you will be required to 

provide information about course 

choice, your qualifications, etc. 

Before you start completing the 

application, you may need: 

• Permanent mailing address and 

telephone number(s) 

• Emergency contact name and 

telephone number(s) 

• Email addresses 

• Names and dates of high schools 

attended 

• Names and dates of postsecondary 

institutions attended 

It is also important to note that 

although some institutions will 

allow you to apply to more than 

one programme at the same 

time, others require that you 

submit a second application if 

you wish to apply to more than 

one programme. In addition, 

institutions participating in the 

ApplyBC online application 

service offer mainly undergraduate 

programs. There is none-the-less 

a few institutions, such as the 

University of Victoria, offering

Canada 93 

a small selection of graduate 

programmes through ApplyBC. 

However, if you cannot find the 

programme you are looking for, 

you should contact directly the 

institution you want to apply 

to. The application processing 

fee is C$150 for international 

students. There is one exception 

to the central, online application 

system. International students 

wishing to apply to Vancouver 

Island University should use the 

following application form (see 

web address below). 

Vancouver Island 

University´s pplication 

form: 

https://records.viu.ca/ 

www/study/apponline.htm 

ONTARIO 

• Applying to universities 

To apply for undergraduate 

programmes based in the province 

of Ontario you can either use 

the central application online 

or request a paper version. The 

requirements and the expectations 

are the same. Using this central 

application, you can apply for 

three university/programmes. 

The base application fee is C$130. 

To add additional university/ 

programmes, the cost is C$42 for 

each university/programme. If you 

request additional services, such 

as requesting a transcript, each of 

these services will be a minimum 

of C$10. Your applications will not 

be processed without the full fee 

payment. 

After you have completed your 

research and has made the decision 

on which university/programmes 

you would like to attend. Create 

a user name and password, log 

into the central application system 

and record programme choices 

of interest including their unique 

codes. Once you have registered 

and sent your application, you will 

receive a unique reference code, 

which you will need to respond 

with university offers and to access 

your application. Students are only 

eligible to complete one application 

in any year, either online, or with 

the paper format. It is also your 

responsibility to make note of 

deadlines specific to the institution 

that you have chosen. This is 

important because all fees are nonrefundable. 


One can also complete the college 

application forms online. Once you 

have registered and completed 

the application online, you will be 

given a unique identifier number, 

which will help you to keep track 

of your application throughout 

the process. Applications for 

colleges in Ontario are accepted 

on a rolling basis, however, in 

order to complete the necessary 

immigration process, and to be 

guaranteed a place, you should 

try to send an early application. 

Applications open in October of 

each year. You should try to apply 

before the 1st February to start 

in the fall because after this date 

applications are processed on firstcome, 

first-served basis. It is also 

important to bear in mind that the 

application process ranges from 

between three to nine months. 

There is a C$95 application 

processing fee and you are allowed 

to select up to five program choices 

but you are not allowed to choose 

more than three programmes at 

any one college. All fees are nonrefundable. 

Quebec 

• Applying to universities 

In order to apply for 

undergraduate programmes in 

Quebec, it is necessary to contact 

the institution that you are 

interested in attending directly. 


The application process for 

attending a general and vocational 

college (generally known as 

Cégeps, the French acronym for

Canada 95 

Collège d’Enseignement Général Et 

Professionnel) in Quebec is quite 

daunting. These programmes are 

geared towards people whose first 

language is French or that have a 

high level of fluency in French. All 

prospective students are required 

to pass test of French as a foreign 

language before they can receive 

an official letter of admittance. 

The test is administered by 

ETS Canada. To be admitted 

to a college, you should have 

completed studies equivalent to 

year 5 of high school in Québec. 

This corresponds to eleven years 

of study. Similarly, you must also 

meet the specific requirements set 

for your chosen program of study. 

The process for applying is: 

• Complete the admission 

application form on line 

• Pay the application 

processing fee by a registered 

cheque or money order for C$80 

made to the order of SRACQ, 

to cover the cost of processing 

your application and completing 

a comparative analysis of your 

previous studies. 

• Provide the documents 

needed to establish your eligibility, 

a clear explanation of the courses 

you have completed and the 

outcomes. You should also provide 

a legible copy of your academic 

transcripts for your last three years 

of study and the related diplomas, 

if applicable. If they are not written 

in either French or English, these 

documents must be accompanied 

by a French or English translation. 

• A legible copy of your 

birth certificate indicating the 

names of your parents and place of 

birth. 

• Obtain a Québec 

acceptance certificate for studies 

(CAQ): Once you have received 

your official letter of admission, 

you should apply for a Québec 

acceptance certificate for studies. In 

order to obtain the CAQ, you must 

demonstrate that you have the 

necessary resources to cover tuition 

fees, transportation expenses i.e 

a return ticket to your country 

of origin; settling-in expenses in 

the first year (C$500), and annual 

living expenses for the duration of 

your stay. The normally processing 

time for the CAQ is approximately 

20 days. This cost of applying for 

the CAQ is C$101. In addition, 

depending on your country of 

residence, you may be required to 

complete a medical examination. 

You may apply for further 

information by contacting: 

Ministère de l’Immigration 

et des Communautés 

culturelles 

Foreign Students Service 

285, rue Notre-Dame Ouest, 

Ground floor, Suite G-15 

Montréal (Québec) H2Y 1T8 

Canada 

Tel : 514-864-9191 

more info: 

Ministère de l’Immigration 

et des Communautés 

culturelles 

www.immigration-quebec. 

gouv.qc.ca 

Postgraduate 

studies 

Most masters programmes 

in Canada have a duration of 

approximately 2 years which 

includes full-time academics and 

research. Doctoral programmes 

in Canada have a duration of 5-6 

years. The course duration of 

such programmes depends on an 

individual’s skills, the duration 

of research and time taken to 

write a dissertation. Generally, 

applicants looking to gain a 

ALBERTA & QUEBEC: NO 

CENTRAL APPLICATION FOR 

POSTGRADUATE STUDIES 

masters degree need to possess a 

good undergraduate degree from 

a recognised university. Most 

doctorate degrees require a masters 

degree; though this is not always a 

requisite. The application process 

usually requires some or all of the 

documents outlined overleaf:

Canada 97 

• reference letters, 

• written statements 

• work experience details and 

academic records are also taken 

into account. 

• standardised tests may also 

be required –such as the GRE 

or the GMAT. For specialised 

postgraduate programmes –such 

as health sciences, law 

and architecture– students 

must have already 

completed 4 years of 

university study. 

For postgraduate studies there are 

no central application systems in 

Alberta and Quèbec, but there are 

a limited number of programmes 

in Ontario and British Columbia. 

If you are not able to find a 

programme or institution 

online, contact them 

directly. 

Yves Gagnon / wind energy researcher 

Canadian 

universities 

and CC 

Northern Lights College 

Northwest Community College 

Okanagan College 

Quest University Canada * 

Royal Roads University 

Selkirk College 

Simon Fraser University 

Sprott-Shaw CC * 

Thompson Rivers University 

Trinity Western University * 

University of the Fraser Valley 

University of British Columbia 

University Canada West * 

University of Northern BC 

University of Phoneix * 

University of Victoria 

Vancouver Community College 

Vancouver Island University 

• MANITOBA (MB) 

Assiniboine CC 

Brandon University 

Canadian Mennonite Univ. 

University of Calgary 

University of Lethbridge 

• BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC) 

Adler School of Professional 

Psychology * 

Alexander College * 

BC Institute of Technology 

Camosun College 

Capilano University 

City University of Seattle * 

College of New Caledonia 

College of the Rockies 

Columbia College * 

Douglas College 

Emily Carr Univ. of Art and Design 

Fairleigh Dickinson University * 

Justice Institute of BC 

Kwantlen Polytechnic College 

Langara College 

New York Inst. of Technology * 

Nicola Valley Inst- of Technology 

North Island College 

• ALBERTA (AB) 

AB College of Art and Design 

Ambrose University College * 

Bow Valley College 

Canadian University College * 

Concordia Univ. College of AB * 

Devry Institute of Technology * 

Grande Prairie Regional College 

Grant MacEwan College 

Keyano College 

Lethbridge Community College 

Medicine Hat College 

Mount Royal College 

NorQuest Collage 

Northern AB Inst of Technology 

Olds College 

Portage College 

Red Deer College 

Southern AB Inst. of Technology 

St. Mary’s Univ. College of AB * 

Taylor Univ. Coll and Seminary * 

The King’s University College * 

University of Alberta

Canada 99 

Providence Coll. and Seminary * 

Red River Coll. of AA and Sciences 

The Salvation Army William and 

Catherine Booth College * 

University of Manitoba 

University of Winnipeg 

• NEW BRUNSWICK (NB) 

Mount Allison University 

NB Community College 

St. Thomas University 

Université de Moncton 

University of New Brunswick 

• NEWFOUNDLAND 

AND LABRADOR (NL) 

College of the North Atlantic 

Memorial University of NL 

Marine Inst. Memorial Univ. of NL 

Sir Wilfred Grenfell College 

* Selected programs only. Please 

contact the Designated Institutional 

Representative (DIR) for more information 

Nipissing University 

Northern Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Ontario College of Art & Design 

Queen’s University 

Queen’s Theological College 

Ryerson University 

Sault College of AA and Tech. 

Seneca College of AA and Tech. 

Sheridan Coll. Inst. of Tech. and 

Advanced Learning 

Sir Sandford Fleming College 

St. Clair College of AA and Tech. 

St. Lawrence College 

The Michener Institute 

Trent University 

University of Guelph 

Université de Hearst 

University of ON Inst. of Tech. 

University of Ottawa 

St. Paul University 

University of Toronto 

Knox College, 

Regis College 

• NOVA SCOTIA (NS) 

Acadia University 

Cape Breton University 

Dalhousie University 

Mount Saint Vincent University 

Nova Scotia Agricultural College 

NS College of Art and Design 

Nova Scotia Community College 

Saint Mary’s University 

St. Francis Xavier University 

Univ St-Anne-Collège de l’Acadie 

University of Kings College 

• ONTARIO (ON) 

Algonquin Coll of AA and Tech. 

Algoma University 

Brock University 

Concordia Lutheran Seminary 

Cambrian Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Canadore Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Carleton University 

Centennial Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Collège Boréal d’AA et de tech. 

St. Augustine’s Seminary 

St. Michael’s College 

Trinity College 

Victoria University 

Wycliffe College 

University of Waterloo 

Conrad Grebel University College 

Renison College 

St. Jerome’s University 

St. Paul’s United College 

Waterloo Lutheran Seminary 

University of Western Ontario 

Brescia College 

Huron College 

King’s College 

St. Peter’s Seminary 

University of Windsor 

Wilfrid Laurier University 

York University 

• PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND (PE) 

Holland College 

Maritime Christian College 

Coll. Dominicain de Philosophie 

et de Théologie 

Conestoga Coll. Inst. of Tech. 

and Advanced Learning 

Conf. Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Durham Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Fanshawe Coll. of AA and Tech. 

George Brown Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Georgian Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Humber College Inst. of Tech. 

and Advanced Learning 

La Cité collégiale 

Lambton Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Lakehead University 

Laurentian University 

Huntington University 

University of Sudbury 

Thorneloe University 

Loyalist College of AA and Tech. 

McMaster University 

McMaster Divinity College 

Mohawk College of AA and Tech. 

Niagara College 

Société Éducative de l’Île-du- PE 

Univ. of Prince Edward Island 

• QUEBEC (QC) 

Bishop’s University 

Cégep André-Laurendeau 

Cégep Beauce-Appalaches 

Cégep de Baie-Comeau 

Cégep de Chicoutimi 

Cégep de Drummondville 

Cégep de Granby-Haute-Yamaska 

Cégep de Jonquière 

Cégep de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue 

Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles 

Cégep de La Pocatière 

Cégep de Lévis-Lauzon 

Cégep de Matane 

Cégep de Rimouski 

Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup 

Cégep de Saint-Félicien 

Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe 

Cégep de Saint-Jérôme

Canada 101 

visa and 

immigration 

scientifique 

Collège François-Xavier-Garneau 

Institut Teccart (2003) inc. 

Collège Héritage 

Cégep de Saint-Laurent 

McGill University 

Coll. international Marie de France 

Cégep de Sainte-Foy 

Université de Montréal 

Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf 

Cégep de Sept-Îles 

Université de Sherbrooke 

Collège Laflèche 

Cégep de Sherbrooke 

Univ du QC à Chicoutimi, UQAC 

Collège LaSalle 

Cégep de Sorel-Tracy 

Univ. du QC à Montréal, UQAM 

Collège Marianopolis 

Cégep de Thetford 

Univ. du Québec à Rimouski, UQAR 

Collège Montmorency 

Cégep de Trois-Rivières 

Université du Québec à Trois- 

Collège O’Sullivan de Montréal 

Cégep de Victoriaville 

Rivières (UQTR) 

Collège Shawinigan 

Cégep du Vieux Montréal 

Université du Québec en Abitibi- 

Collège Stanislas 

Cégep John Abbott College 

Témiscamingue, UQAT 

Concordia University 

Cégep Limoilou 

Univ du QC en Outaouais, UQO 

Dawson College 

Cégep Marie-Victorin 

Université Laval 

École de tech. supérieure, ÉTS 

Cégep régional de Lanaudière 

Vanier College 

École nationale d’administration 

Cégep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu 

publique 

École nationale de cirque • SASKATCHEWAN (SK) 

Champlain Regional College 

Collège Ahuntsic 

University of Regina 

École Polytechnique de Montréal 

Collège André-Grasset 

University of Saskatchewan 

HEC Montréal 

Collège de Bois-de-Boulogne 

SKInst of AppliedScience and Tech 

Inst. de Tech. Agroalimentaire 

Collège de Maisonneuve 

Institut de tourisme et 

d’hôtellerie du QC 

• YUKON (YT) 

Collège de Rosemont 

Collège de Valleyfield 

Yukon College 

Inst national de la recherche 

Collège Édouard-Montpetit 

The first step in the visa and 

immigration process to 

enter Canada as a student 

is to be accepted by an accredited 

institution. If you are not a 

Canadian citizen, a permanent 

resident of Canada or a family 

member of a foreign representative 

working in Canada, or a member 

of the armed forces of a country 

that is a designated state for the 

purpose of the Visiting Forces Act, 

you must obtain a study permit. 

A study permit is the official 

document issued by the Canadian 

embassy allowing someone 

who is not a Canadian citizen or 

permanent resident of Canada to 

study in Canada. The cost of the 

application and processing fee is 

$125.00 per person * . The Protocol 

Division of Foreign Affairs issues 

an acceptance to everyone who 

has diplomatic, consular, or 

official status in Canada and their 

family members. If you have this 

approval, you do not need a study 

permit to take courses in Canada. 

* All fees are in Canadian dollars, but you 

may be required to pay fees in local currency.

Canada 103 

There is no set processing period 

for a study permit. Due to the fact 

that the time required to process 

SOME PROGRAMMES 

DO NOT REQUIRE 

STUDENT VISA 

an application to study in Canada 

may vary at different visa offices in 

different countries. To expedite this 

process, you should apply as soon as 

you receive your letter of acceptance 

from the school. 

28 

days 

CUBA 

for 94% of applicants 

HAITI 


JAMAICA 


International students are not 

required to apply for a student visa 

for all programmes/courses. Here 

is a list of courses which do 

not require a study permit: 

• any programme of study 

that is six months or less that 

can be completed within the 

period authorized upon entry 

into Canada; 

• courses that are not academic, 

professional or vocational in 

nature that can be completed 

within the period authorized 

upon entry into Canada; 

• courses included in tour packages 

as a secondary activity for tourists 

• nursery schools or kindergartens. 

If your programme of study is six 

months or less but you intend to 

continue your studies in another 

programme you should apply for 

a study permit before going to 

Canada. This allows you to apply 

for an extension of your stay as 

a student from within Canada; 

otherwise, you will have to return 

to your home country to apply for 

a study permit from the relevant 

consulate office outside Canada. 

Required 

documentation 

You must show the officer that 

you meet the requirements of the 

Canadian Immigration and Refugee 

Protection Act and Regulations and 

that you will be in Canada for a 

temporary stay. You must also: 

• Provide some indication that you 

will leave Canada at the end of 

your studies; 

YOU MUST HAVE YOUR 

RETURN TRANSPORTATION 

• Show proof that you have 

been accepted by an educational 

institution; 

• Prove that you have enough 

money for the duration of your 

stay in Canada, to cover the cost of 

tuition fees and living expenses for 

yourself and accompanying family 

members (if any); 

• Show that you can cover the 

cost of return transportation for 

yourself and accompanying family 

members; 

• Be law abiding and have no 

record of criminal activity (you 

may be asked to provide a Police 

Clearance Certificate); 

• Not be a risk to the security of 

Canada; 

• Produce any additional 

documents requested by the officer 

to establish your admissibility; 

• Complete a medical examination, 

if required. 

• In some cases it may be necessary 

to attend an interview 

with the visa officer. 

In addition, to 

these requisites, 

students are 

required to provide the following 

documentation in support of their 

application: 

Proof of acceptance for attendance 

at a university, college or technical 

institution, a letter from the 

educational institution to show: 

• the name of the institution;

Canada 105 

• confirmation of your acceptance 

• and/or registration as a student; 

• the course of study; 

• the duration of the academic 

program; and 

• the latest date you may register. 

Proof of identity 

• a valid passport or travel 

document that guarantees re-entry 

to the country that issued it and; 

• six photos of you and your 

accompanying family members 

PROVE YOUR PRESENT 

IMMIGRATION 

STATUS 

Proof of financial support i.e. 

evidence that you can support 

yourself and accompanying 

family members while you study 

in Canada. Such evidence may 

include: 

• proof of a Canadian bank 

account in your name if money has 

been transferred to Canada; 

• your bank statements for the past 

four months; 

• a bank draft in convertible 

currency; 

• proof of payment of tuition and 

residence fees; 

• for those with a scholarship or 

those with a Canadian funded 

educational program: proof of 

funding paid from within Canada. 

If foreign exchange control 

measures exist in your country, 

you must provide proof that you 

will be permitted by the exchange 

control authorities of your country 

to export funds for all of 

your expenses. 

In addition, note that: 

• if you are not a citizen 

of the country in which 

you are applying, you 

must provide proof of your present 

immigration status in the country 

of application; 

• if the government that issued 

your passport or travel document 

requires a re-entry permit this must 

be obtained before you apply for a 

Canadian visa; 

• additional documents may be 

required, but this is based on 

individual circumstances. 

There are certain stipulations for, 

or conditions to, the study permit 

once issued. These may include 

one or more of the following: 

• the type of studies or course you 

may take 

• the educational institution you 

may attend 

• the location of your studies 

• the time and period of your studies 

• the time and place at which 

you shall report for medical 

examination or observation 

• the time and place at which you 

shall report for the presentation 

of evidence in compliance with 

applicable conditions 

• the prohibition of engaging in 

employment 

• the duration of your stay in 

Canada 

Patrick Covello/biochemist 

Visa 

extension 

The process of extending your 

student visa is fairly straight 

forward. You are required to apply 

a minimum of 30 days before the 

visa you currently holds expire. 

However, if your current permit 

expires before you receive an 

answer from the immigration 

services you are allowed to 

continue your studies under the 

condition of your previous visa 

until you have received a response. 

It is also now possible to apply 

online. 

more info: 

www.fco.gov.uk 

www.cic.gc.ca

Canada 107 

work permits 

Family visa 

If you are married or in a common 

law relationship (and you are able 

to provide proof), under current 

laws your partner may be allowed 

to live and work in Canada 

throughout the duration of your 

study. For further information 

please contact your consulate. 

Similarly, your dependent children 

are allowed to accompanying you. 

Children of parents who hold 

study or work permits are not 

required to have a study permit 

to attend elementary or secondary 

school in Canada, as long as their 

parent’s immigration document 

is valid for more than one year. 

Dependents of an international 

student whose study permit is 

valid for more than one year are 

not subject to “differential” fees. 

In order to make their transition 

back into education easier, it is 

advisable that you take two years 

of official school records with you 

(preferably in English, or with 

English translations). 

Working 

while 

studying 

As Caribbean students many of 

you may not have independent 

financial wealth and so I am sure 

if you are presented with the 

opportunity to work then you 

would want to be in a position 

to accept and perform well in a 

job. As such this information is to 

assist you with your transition into 

Canadian working life. 

First and foremost, it should be 

noted that it is possible to get a 

work permit while you study in 

Canada. However, the government 

clearly states, as a reminder, that 

your main purpose to be in Canada 

must be to study. Therefore, if you 

are no longer a student or your 

academic performance fall below 

a certain level then your work 

permit will be revoked or possibly 

cancelled when you send it in 

for renewal. Before undertaking 

your job searches please review 

the various categories under 

which you may apply. They are as 

follows: 

• Working on campus 

All students with a valid study 

permit may work on campus at 

THERE ARE SPECIFIC 

CONDITIONS FOR 

WORKING STUDENTS 

the institution where they study 

without a work permit, if you are a 

full-time student attending one of 

the institutions listed on the next 

page. 

• Working off campus 

The off campus working visa 

allows a certain category of 

international students to work 

while they study. In order to work 

off campus students must apply 

for a work permit. There are strict 

regulations that govern the right to 

work and although you may intend 

to or have already applied for a 

work permit, you should not begin 

to work off campus until you have 

received a work permit. The work 

permit allows students to work full 

time during winter and summer 

breaks but only 20 hours during 

the school term. For students to 

qualify they must be enrolled at 

a participating publicly 

funded post-secondary 

educational institution or 

in an approved program 

at an eligible privately 

funded institution. A 

clear description of the 

institutions that have participatory 

right is provided on the next page. 

It should be noted that although 

the institutions may qualify, 

some educational programmes 

are not included. Do contact the 

participating institutions to verify 

if your programme of interest is 

covered by this agreement. 

more info: 

www.workingincanada.gc.ca

Canada 109 

participating 

PUBLICLY 

FUNDED 

post-secondary 

educational 

institutions 

eligible 

PRIVATELY 

FUNDED 

post-secondary 

educational 

institutions 

public 

private 

are 

located 

have 

signed 

have 

approval 

• a college 

• a university 

• a CEGEP: collège d’enseignement 

général et professionnel in Quebec 

Operate under the same rules and 

regulations as public institutions, and 

receive at least 50 percent of their 

financing for their overall operations 

from government grants (currently 

only private college-level educational 

institutions in Quebec qualify) or 

schools which have signed an offcampus 

work agreement with their 

provincial or territorial government. 

are located in a province or territory 

that has signed a memorandum of 

understanding with Citizenship and 

Immigration Canada 

have signed an off-campus work 

agreement with their provincial 

or territorial government 

have approval from their provincial 

or territorial government to 

grant specific degrees. 

• Co-op and internships 

Any international student who 

would like to participate in coops 

or internships must apply for 

a work permit as well as a study 

permit. Do remember the rules 

and eligibility on how to apply for 

both the work and study permits. 

To be eligible for a work permit, 

you must meet the following 

conditions: 

• You must have a valid study 

permit. 

• Your intended employment 

must be an essential part of your 

program of study in Canada. 

• Your employment must be 

part of your academic program, 

certified by a letter from a 

responsible academic official of the 

institution. 

• Your co-op or internship 

employment cannot form more 

than 50 percent of the total 

program of study. 

Work 

after studies 

The Canadian government offers 

international students, who 

have graduated from one of the 

qualifying institutions listed on 

the previous page, the chance to 

gain invaluable work experience. 

This is a time limited visa that is 

determined by the duration of your 

studies. For instance: 

then 

If you studied for... 

you are not eligible for this 

program 

you may get a work permit 

for a period no longer than 

the length of time you 

studied (for example, if you 

studied for nine months, a 

work permit may be issued 

for a period of nine months) 

a work permit may be 

issued for three years even 

without the a job offer 

less than eight months 

less than two years but 

more than eight months 

two years or more

Canada 111 

• You are not eligible for 

postgraduation work 

if you: 

• study in a program that is less 

than eight months long; 

• participate in a Canadian 

Commonwealth Scholarship 

Program funded by the 

Department of Foreign Affairs and 

International Trade (DFAIT); 

• participate in a Government of 

Canada Awards Program funded 

by DFAIT; 

• receive funding from the 

Canadian International; 

Development Agency (CIDA) 

• participate in the Organization 

of American States Fellowships 

Program; 

• participate in a distance learning 

program either from abroad or 

from within Canada; 

• have previously been issued 

a Post-Graduation Work Permit 

following any other program 

of study. 

more info: 

www.cic.gc.ca 

• You may be eligible 

for the Post-Graduation 

Permit Program if none 

of the above criteria make you 

ineligible, but you must: 

• apply for a work permit within 

90 days of receiving written 

confirmation (for example, a 

transcript or an official letter) from 

your institution indicating that 

you have met the requirements 

for completing your academic 

program; 

• have completed and passed the 

program of study and received a 

notification that you are eligible 

to obtain your degree, diploma or 

certificate; 

• have a valid study permit when 

you apply for the work permit. 

This information was taken from 

the Canadian Citizenship and 

immigration website. 

Canadian 

embassies 

mailing adress 

Barbados - Bridgetown www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ The Canadian High 

The Canadian High 

Commission 

Commission 

barbados 

P.O. Box 404 

Bishop’s Court Hill 

tel: (246) 429-3550 

Bridgetown 

Bridgetown 

fax : (246) 437-7436 

Barbados 

Barbados 

bdgtn@dfait-maeci.gc.ca 

Guyana - Georgetown www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ The Canadian High P.O Box 10880 

Commission 

guyana/ 

Young & High Streets 

tel: 592-227-2081-5 

Georgetown, Guyana 

fax: 592-225-8380 

grgtn@dfait-maeci.gc.ca 

Embassy of Canada 

www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ 

Cuba - Havana 

Calle 30 No. 518 

cuba 

(esq. 7ma) 

tel: (+53-7) 204-2516 

Miramar (Playa) 

havan@international.gc.ca 

Ciudad de la Habana 

Cuba 

Delmas between Delmas 

tel: 011 (509) 2249-9000 

Haiti - Port-au-Prince 

75 and 71 

fax: 011 (509) 2249-9920 

Port-au-Prince, 

and 2249-9928 

Haiti 

prnce@international.gc.ca

Canada 113 

employment: 

vacancy sources 

mailing adress 

Canadian Embassy 

Capitán Eugenio de 

www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ 

Dominican Republic dominicanrepublic 

Marchena, No. 39 

A.P. 2054 

• Santo Domingo tel: 809-685-1136 

La Esperilla, 

Santo Domingo 

Dominican Republic 

Santo Domingo 

fax: 809-682-2691 

Dominican Republic 

sdmgo@dfait-maeci.gc.ca 

Calle Villanueva No 8 

tel: 1-200-0012 / 809-586- 

• Puerto Plata 

Edificio Abraxas 

5761 

Consulate 

Puerto Plata 

fax: 809-586-5762 

canada.pop@gmail.com 

Jamaica – Kingston tel: (876) 926-1500 3 West Kings House Road High Commission 

P.O. Box 1500 

Waterloo Road Entrance 

fax: (876)511-3493 

Kingston 10 

Kingston, Jamaica 

kngtn@international.gc.ca 

Jamaica 

Trinidad and Tobago tel: 868-622-6232 

High Commission 

High Commission 

P.O. Box 1246 

Port of Spain 

Trinidad and Tobago 

Maple House, 

3-3A Sweet Briar Rd., 

St. Clair, Port of Spain, 

Trinidad and Tobago 

tel:868-O-CANADA 

Note: T&T is on the North 

American telephone system, so 

calling from outside the country is 

the same as calling to, or within, 

North America. 

fax: 868-628-2619 

pspanpa@international.gc.ca 

Although there are various 

work permit options for 

which you may qualify, 

there is no guarantee that you 

will find a job. So below are some 

helpful tips on how to secure a job. 

The chance of finding employment 

on campus will be very limited as 

you are competing with the rest of 

the student body. It is, therefore, 

advisable to start your job search 

early. Once you have received your 

letter of acceptance and have sent 

off the required documents for 

your visa, contact the institution 

you will be attending and ask 

if there are any vacancies on 

campus. Be sure to clearly state 

the areas in which you are looking 

to work. The other option in your 

job search is to target specific 

offices on campus; for example, by 

writing directly to the institutions 

bookshop, cafeteria, gym or a 

lecturer carrying out research in 

your field of intrest. If you are 

lucky enough to have a work 

permit that allows you to work off 

campus you will have to be even 

more persistent and assertive in 

the job hunt.

Canada 115 

Hidden 

vacancies 

One method of applying for jobs 

that is often overlooked is sending 

out speculative letters. Essentially, 

if there is a company that interests 

you, it may be worth your while to 

send a letter stating your skills and 

interest in the company along with 

your resume. 

Another way to find out about the 

job market is to use your networks; 

speak to family and friends. 

• Recruitment agencies 

There has been an increase in 

private employment agencies – 

some of these companies are Kelly 

Services, Adecco etcetera– that 

seek suitable employees to 

fill vacancies provided by 

employers. 

These companies are reputable 

and will be able to carry out a 

more intensive search on your 

behalf. Check “more info” boxes. 

more info: 

www.jobsincanada.ca 

www.yellowpages.ca 

Online recruitment 

services and job listings 

www.canadiancareers.com 

www.workingincanada.gc.ca 

www.canadajobsly.com 

www.jobs.ca 

Job Service provided by the 

government of Canada 

www.jobbank.gc.ca 

Labour market trends and 

links to other job sources 

www.theworkplace.ca 

www.careerboard.com 

Hospitality and service jobs 

www.cooljobscanada.com 

experience 

Careers advice and services 

www.goingtocanada.gc.ca 

Geared towards finding jobs 

on University and college 

campuses 

www.canadian-universities.net 

Monster Canada 

www.monster.ca 

Canada Job Search Tool 

www.canadavisa.com 

Jobs4Canada 

www.jobs4canada.com 

Canada Summer Jobs 

(created to assist students in 

finding the right kind of 

work experience) 

www.servicecanada.gc.ca 

Job Shark 

www.jobshark.ca 

• Newspapers 

A good place to start your job 

search is by checking the job 

pages of newspapers, for instance 

The Toronto Star is one of the 

main national newspapers. Other 

newspapers are The National Post 

and The Globe and Mail. 

It may also be good to check the 

regional newspapers of the area 

in which you plan to reside; for 

example, the Vancouver Sun or the 

Montreal Gazette. 

newspapers: 

The Toronto Star 

www.thestar.com 

The National Post 

www.canada.com/nationalpost 

The Globe and Mail 

www.globeandmail.com

Canada 117 

CV writing 

• Contact details 

Such as name, address, telephone 

number, email address DO NOT 

INLUDE biographic details 

(marital status, religion, sex, social 

insurance number or age) 

• Personal Statement 

(although optional it is advisable) 

a brief description of career goals. 

• Education 

In reverse chronological order, first 

include from the last place of study 

to the first 

• Professional skills 

Based development: outline any 

conferences attended, workshops 

in which you participated or 

career related development 

programs. 

• Skills and Abilities 

Detail any skills and or abilities 

that you have acquired through 

clubs, societies, sports , volunteer 

work or leisure activities. 

• Work experience 

Again list in reverse chronological 

order with dates names and 

location of companies. Provide 

a description of your roles and 

responsibilities in point form 

• References 

Simply state that ‘REFERENCES 

WILL BE PROVIDED ON 

REQUEST’. Employers will usually 

accept academic, work whether 

paid or unpaid and personal 

references. 

Example of a CV 

more info: 

resume samples 

www.resumeworldinc.com 

www.resource. 

educationcanada.com 

Governamental resources 

(French and English): 

www.jobsetc.ca 

workbloom.com 

www.cvtips.com 

www.canadajobs.com 

JOHN DOE 

1200 Anywhere, Any city, Any town, postcode. 

Tel: 641-834-0000 – email: johndoe@whatever.ca 

SUMMARY 

A self-starter with a strong entrepreneurial attitude combined with sound knowledge of the Financial Services 

Industry, including Investment Management, Capital Markets, Statistical Modeling, Valuation, Financial 

Management, Asset Management and Regression Analysis. Strong analytical skills with proficiency in 

computer-modeling using current statistical applications and modern modeling methodologies. 

EDUCATION 

2006 – 2010 UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO 

B.Com. Degree Program – (GPA 3.97) 

2009 THE CANADIAN SECURITIES INSTITUTE 

Canadian Security Course 

RELEVANT SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED THROUGH EDUCATION 

• Ability to assess the capital structure of a company, evaluate its financing and business needs, 

calculate the cost of capital and associated financial risk and determine asset and equity valuation 

• Acquired knowledge of statistical and economic methods, financial and capital market environments 

and an awareness of the major issues facing financial and portfolio managers 

• Knowledge of asset evaluation, market efficiency and the macroeconomic influences on asset returns, 

as well as economic factors affecting investment decisions and the securities markets 

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE 

ROLMAC CORPORATE GROUP, Toronto, Ontario 2008, 2009 

Investment Broker’s Assistant – Investment Division 

(summers) 

• Compiled statistical, industry and corporate information from both primary and secondary sources 

and utilized computer modeling to identify investment opportunities for brokers’ clients 

UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO, London, Ontario 2007 

Research Assistant – Finance Department 

(summer) 

• Conducted regression analysis related to the effects of options trading on securities prices and trends 

of high and low yield stocks, using TSE computer modeling methodology 

• Completed project two weeks ahead of scheduled deadline based on ability to manage time 

effectively and coordinate and handled multiple tasks simultaneously 

TORONTO PARKS AND RECREATION, Toronto, Ontario 2006 - 2007 

Sports Camp Program Coordinator 

(summers) 

• Developed and implemented 10 sports activities and recreational outings for 65 camp students 

• Ranked # one among 20 Sports Camp Program Coordinators for creativity in program design 

• Designed a competitive soccer program that was recognized by Parks and Recreation and 

implemented throughout the Toronto area. 

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES/COMMUNITY SERVICES 

• Coordinator, Community Support Group for Students with Special Needs 

• President’s Advisory Committee Member, University of Toronto 

• Second Year Economics Representative, University of Toronto 

• Biking, swimming, bowling, competitive chess, and Victorian art collection 

COMPUTER AND RELATED SKILLS 

Statistical and Computer Modeling Applications; Lotus Suite; Microsoft Office Suite and Internet Explorer

Canada 119 

General hints 

and tips 

• The resume should be no longer 

than two pages. 

• Students may submit a copy 

of their transcript, to provide 

employers with information on 

relevant coursework and grades. 

• Target resume to the area of work 

to which you are applying. 

• Employers often acknowledge the 

receipt of speculative letters which 

some keep on file for a limited period. 

• The layout should be 

clear, in a bold and 

legible font. 

Marlene Jennings / jurist 

more info: 

www. goingtocanada.gc.ca

United Kingdom 

121 

United 

Kingdom 

Doris Lessing / writer 

chapter 3



123 

Northern 

Ireland 

belfast 

Scotland 

Edinburgh 

Wales 

Cardiff 

England 

London 

Officially, the United 

Kingdom consists of the 

United Kingdom of Great 

Britain and Northern Ireland. 

For physical geography and local 

administrative divisions, see 

England, Wales, Scotland, and 

Northern Ireland. The capital of 

Great Britain and its largest city 

is London. As a highly advanced 

country, United 

Kingdom is a 

member of premier 

world bodies 

like the G8. The 

country is also a 

founding member 

of the North 

Atlantic Treaty 

Organization (NATO) and the 

United Nations. The country has 

a permanent seat in the Security 

Council of the United Nations. 

The United Kingdom has a highly 

developed economy that has been 

measured at US$1.833 trillion. 

Its GDP is the fifth largest in the 

world. As per 2011 estimates, 

the country had a population of 

62 million and is the third most 

populous state in the European 

Union. 

Great Britain is a constitutional 

monarchy and its constitution 

exists in no one document but is 

a centuries-old accumulation of 

statutes, judicial decisions, usage, 

and tradition. The hereditary 

monarch, who must belong to 

THE COUNTRY HAS A 

POPULATION OF 62 MILLION 

AND IS THE THIRD MOST 

POPULOUS STATE 

IN THE EU. 

the Church of England according 

to the Act of Settlement of 1701, 

is almost entirely limited to 

exercising ceremonial functions 

as the head of state. Governance 

of the entire territory, however, is 

not centralized. Since 1999 both 

Scotland and Wales have assumed 

some regional governmental 

powers through the institution 

of a parliament and an assembly, 

respectively. In addition, Northern


125 

WHY THE 

UNITED KINGDOM? 

Ireland has had home rule 

through a parliament or assembly 

at various times since the early 

20th century. The introduction of 

Scottish and Welsh representative 

assemblies has raised the question 

THOUSANDS OF 

STUDENTS HAVE FLOCKED 

THE HOME OF THE ENGLISH 

LANGUAGE TO GAIN 

MASTERY OVER IT. 

ultimately lead to the dissolution 

of the United Kingdom. 

Despite the political debate, the two 

main parties are the Conservative 

party which descended from the 

old Tory party and the Labour 

party which was 

organized in 1906 and 

is moderately socialist. 

The Liberal Democrats, 

formed by the merger 

of the Liberal party and 

the Social Democratic 

party, is a weaker third 

party. Both Scotland and 

Wales have nationalist 

parties whose goal is the 

independence of those 

respective regions. 

• Education system 

The United Kingdom has had 

a long tradition of educating 

international students and, as 

such, the standards of quality for 

UK institutions are amongst the 

highest in the world. Universities, 

colleges and schools are 

continually assessed to make sure 

they meet a strict criteria. 

of whether England should have 

its own parliament, separate 

from that of the United Kingdom, 

with powers similar to those of 

the Scottish body, or whether 

Scottish and Welsh members of 

the British parliament should be 

barred from voting on matters 

that affect England only. The 

issue is controversial, with some 

fearing that the establishment of 

a parliament for England would 

As the home of the English 

language, the country has gained a 

special status throughout the world 

as thousands of students have 

flocked the country to gain mastery 

over the language. 

John Sulston / Human Genome Project


127 

• Recognised education 

UK qualifications are recognised 

and valued all over the world - in 

DURING TERM-TIMES 

YOU CAN WORK UP TO 

20 HOURS PER WEEK 

academic institutions, in commerce, 

industry and government. This is 

a direct result of the UK’s lengthy 

tradition of high-quality education, 

its continuing commitment to 

innovation and modernity, and 

the value it places upon the 

individual. For all of these reasons 

a UK education represents a great 

investment in the future. An 

investment in opportunity, earning 

power, career advancement and 

personal fulfilment. 

• Length of study 

Undergraduate degrees in the UK 

are generally three years in length 

and taught master’s programmes 

usually span a year, compared to 

four and two years respectively in 

most other countries. Where time 

is a factor, this means you should 

be able to save on both tuition fees 

and living costs by studying here. 

• Work opportunities 

During your studies in the 

UK, you can take advantage 

of having permission to 

work. A visa means that 

you have the right to enter 

and remain as a student in the 

UK, and is nomrally granted for 

studies of 6 months or longer. 

During University term-times 

you can work up to 20 hours per 

week and during the vacation 

periods you can work full-time. 

Many international students use 

this opportunity to gain valuable 

work experience and to improve 

their English language skills. 

• People and culture 

The experience of living in a 

truly international country. The 

UK is a multicultural and multifaith 

based country. It offers 

both strong English traditions 

and a diverse mix of global 

cultures to any international 

student. It is a cosmopolitan 

society and is home to 

over a quarter of a million 

international students at any 

one time. 

• Language training 

Studying in the UK will give you 

the opportunity to improve or 

perfect your English language 

skills. English is the international 

language of business, science 

and technology, and by studying 

in the UK you will be able to 

immerse yourself in the language, 

giving you the English skills you 

need for any career path. 

• Health care 

The UK has a subsidised health 

service called the National Health 

Service (NHS). The NHS provides 

free and subsidised treatment for 

UK residents. As a student, you, 

your spouse and any children who 

accompany you to the UK as your 

dependants are entitled to free 

NHS treatment as long as you are 

enrolled in a university programme 

for more than 6 months. 

more info: 

Pound 

sterling 

£ 

Quality Assurance Agency 

for Higher Education 

http://www.qaa.ac.uk


129 

ADMISSION 

AND funding 

Norman Foster / architect 

Traditionally, students from 

the Caribbean tend to 

mistakenly regard England 

as the United Kingdom. However, 

as previously stated, the UK is 

divided into four geographic 

regions. In general the admission, 

scholarship and visa information 

for all four geographies is the 

same. These four 

regions mean that 

there are other 

options, including 

but not limited to 

England, which you 

could consider. All 

four regions are considered in 

this chapter so as to provide you 

with the information you need for 

informed decision making. 

The British higher education 

system is based on a series of 

lectures, seminars, tutorials and 

self-directed study; which exposes 

students to a wide range of 

learning techniques and provides 

added preparation for the working 

world. Students who are coming 

from Caribbean countries with 

curriculum models based on the 

British system will be familiar with 

much of the educational customs; 

for example, the British academic 

year is divided into three terms 

(autumn, winter and spring). 

Each term is approximately 10 to 

12 weeks, with 3 week breaks in 

between each term. 

THE BRITISH EDUCATION 

SYSTEM EXPOSES STUDENTS 

TO A WIDE RANGE OF 

LEARNING TECHNIQUES 

At some universities, particular 

subjects require students to 

complete a foundation course 

first adding extra time to the 

normally required three years 

for undergraduate studies. A 

foundation course consists of a 

class or a number of classes that 

bring the student up to university 

level of understanding in the 

subject area, before commencing 

core courses of the degree. Degrees 

can be awarded for study of a 

single academic subject (single 

honours), a combination of two


131 

subjects (joint honours) or a 

modular degree course which 

consists of three or more subjects 

(combined honours). * 

There is a central application 

system for all undergraduate 

programmes. So the internet is a 

good place to start your search for 

APPLYING TO STUDY 

ABROAD CAN OFTEN BE AN 

OVERWHELMING PROCESS 

information on various institutions 

and the courses offered. As 

discussed throughout this volume, 

applying to study abroad can 

often be an overwhelming process 

because of the variety of options 

available. To minimize the pressures 

of an application process, the United 

Kingdom has invested in a central 

application system that processes 

applications for individuals 

interested in higher education; it is 

called the University and College 

Admissions Service (UCAS). 

* The ‘honors’ is normally referred to as 

‘majors’ in the American school system. For instance, 

a student could take a ‘double major’ 

UCAS is not the only source for 

information on the various higher 

institutions. To find course and 

institution information for the UK, 

prospective students can search 

for courses on the British Council’s 

Education UK website and/or 

on the Hotcourses website. It is 

also possible, if you have interest 

in a particular 

institution, to 

contact: 

contact them 

directly. ** 

Universities and College 

Admissions Service 

(UCAS) 

Rosehill, 

New Barn Lane, 

Cheltenham, 

Glos GL 3LZ, 


www.ucas.co.uk 

** A list of universities found throughout the 

UK is included in this chapter. 

General 

requirements 

Higher education courses 

throughout the UK have very 

stringent entry requirements. It may 

be worthwhile to mention here that 

entry to reputable institutions in the 

country is highly competitive as a 

relatively large number of people 

apply for higher education. 

England, Wales and Northern Ireland only 

Scottish equivalent of GCSE 

taken at end of S4 (age 15) 

Scottish equivalent of A level 

taken at end of S5 (age 16/17) 

A new system of exams for post-16 

in Scotland which started in 1999. 

In completing secondary/high 

school in the UK, these are the 

types of achievements that students 

normally earn. As international 

students. You will be required to 

prove equivalency to these results: 

GCSE 

AS 

A2 A level 

GNVQ 

NVQ 

SCE Standard Grade 

SCE Higher Grade 

SCE Higher Still 

GSVQ 

SVQ


133 

Entry requirements vary by 

course and institution as such 

these are general requirements. 

For example, students applying 

to art and design courses are 

required to provide copies of a 

portfolio or examples of work. 

Therefore, you should check 

the entry requirements for each 

selected course carefully. Entry 

requirements can be checked by: 

• looking at the profile information 

in the course search window on 

the UCAS or hot courses website, 

• checking the course prospectus, 

• contacting university or college 

admissions department 

Entrance requirements 

Students should also check their 

qualifications (including any for 

which they are currently studying) 

with the universities and colleges 

they want to apply to. 

Transcripts 

Prospective students will be 

required to provide institutions 

with certificates/transcripts 

that show that they have passed 

all of the required exams. The 

institutions may ask that these be 

translated into English, if your 

country’s main language is not 

English. Also check with their 

university or college on whether 

they need the originals or certified 

photocopies. 

LANGUAGE 

REQUIREMENTS 

The United Kingdom institutions 

accept a wide range of exams to assess 

an individuals’ English language 

proficiency. Listed below are a 

few that are very prevalent in the 

Caribbean. * 

University of Cambridge 

International Examinations 

CIE 

International English 

Language Testing System 

IELTS 

Test of English as a Foreign Language 

TOEFL 

* Be aware that there are other options. 

more info: 

TOEFL 

www.ets.org/toefl 

www.ets.org/toefl/locations 

institutions that accept 

TOEFL 

www.ets.org/toefl/ukdirectory 

Tests to assess English 

language proficiency 

www.ucas.com/students/ 

nonukstudents/englangprof 

There is one fundamental 

difference in the higher 

education system in the UK: 

In England, Northern Ireland 

and Wales the undergraduate 

studies normally take 3 

years to complete, while in 

Scotland the length of study 

is 4 years. 

• GCE O Level English Language (grade C or above). 

• IGCSE First Language English (Syllabus number 0500) - grade C or above. 

• IGCSE English as a Second Language (Syllabus number 0510) - grade C or above. 

Regulated by Cambridge ESOL, the British Council and the International 

Development Programme Education Australia. Most UK HEIs require an overall 

score of 5.0-7.5, depending on the content of the course. The test report form is 

considered valid for two years and candidates receive a band score for each of the 

following skill areas: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Applicants should 

offer academic rather than general training, reading and writing modules. 

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test is offered in internet-based 

(iBT) and paper-based (PBT) formats. The TOEFL iBT consists of four sections: 

Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing, and the entire test is four hours long. 

Scores are divided according to the four sections and an overall total score is 

provided. The test is recognised and accepted in over 6000 institutions globally. View 

the complete list of universities and colleges that accept TOEFL at www.ets.org/ 

toefl/ukdirectory. Each institution will list their TOEFL score requirements on their 

website and these may vary.


135 

RECOGNITION OF 

QUALIFICATIONS 

The National Recognition 

Information Centre for the 

United Kingdom (UK NARIC), 

is an organization in the UK that 

is responsible for equivalency 

and recognition of international 

YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR 

A SCHOLARSHIP AT LEAST 

ONE YEAR BEFORE YOUR 

DATE OF STUDY 

qualifications. UK NARIC is the 

first step for anyone planning 

to study or work in the UK. UK 

NARIC is the only official source 

of comparison information and 

advice on international education 

and training systems and overseas 

skills and qualifications. 

more info: 

www.naric.org.uk 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

If you would like to apply for a 

scholarship in the UK, you are 

advised to do so at least one year 

before your proposed date of 

study. In the first instance, it is 

best to contact your Ministry of 

Education or a British 

representative office 

(British Council, 

consulate or Embassy) 

in your country of 

origin or residence, 

as they should have 

details of scholarship 

opportunities for students. All 

other information with reference to 

scholarship application is outlined 

in the first chapter. 

• Rhodes scholarship 

Funded by the sums left in the will 

of Cecil John Rhodes, the British 

diamond magnate and imperialist. 

The Rhodes Trustees have instituted 

two (2) Rhodes Scholarships tenable 

at the University of Oxford to be 

awarded to candidates from the 

Commonwealth Caribbean as 

follows: 

Elena Ochoa / artbooks publisher 

The Jamaica Rhodes Scholarship, 

available to candidates from 

Jamaica only. 

The Commonwealth Caribbean 

Rhodes Scholarship available to 

candidates from the Caribbean 

generally, excluding Jamaicans. 

After election for the scholarsip, 

a successful candidate still has to 

gain admission to the University 

of Oxford. There is no guarantee 

of admission and the award of 

the scholarship is not confirmed 

by the Rhodes Trustees until the 

scholar-elect has been accepted by a 

department/faculty of the university 

and one of its colleges. Election for 

the scholarships, once confirmed, is 

normally for two years. 

• British Chevening 

Scholarships 

Funded by the Foreign and 

Commonwealth Office. The 

aim of the British Chevening 

Scholarships scheme is to bring to 

the UK future leaders, decisionmakers 

and opinion-formers for 

a period of postgraduate study


137 

at a formative stage of their 

careers. Candidates should have 

established a proven record of 

success and should have the 

potential to rise to positions of 

power and influence in their 

chosen careers. 

CSFP is britain´s 

contribution to 

the international 

commonwealth PLAN 

• Commonwealth 

Scholarship and 

Fellowship Plan (CSFP) 

Funded by the Department for 

International Development and 

the Foreign and Commonwealth 

Office. Commonwealth 

Scholarships and Fellowships are 

offered by the Commonwealth 

Scholarship Commission in 

the United Kingdom, as part 

of Britain’s contribution to the 

international Commonwealth 

Scholarship and Fellowship Plan. 

• Commonwealth Shared 

Scholarship Scheme 

Funded jointly by the Department 

for International Development 

and participating universities 

in the UK.This scheme assists 

academically able students 

who are applying 

from the developing 

Commonwealth countries 

and who would benefit 

from higher education 

in the UK, to the 

developmental advantage 

of their home countries 

but who, for financial 

reasons, are unable to study in the 

UK and are outside the scope of 

other British government support 

schemes. 

• Overseas Research 

Students Awards Scheme 

(ORSAS) 

Funded by the Department for 

Innovation, Universities and Skills. 

These grants are for postgraduate 

students undertaking full-time 

study for a research degree 

at British higher education 

institutions. 

more info: 

Rhodes scholarship 

www.rhodes-caribbean. 

com 

Scholarship Search UK 

www.scholarship-search. 

org.uk. 

Social Change 

information for 

international students 

who wish to study in the 

UK or who are already 

studying in the UK 

www.dsc.org.uk. 

Commonwealth Shared 

Scholarship Scheme 

www.csfp-online.org 

Overseas Research 

Students Awards Scheme 

(ORSAS) 

www.orsas.ac.uk 

Robert G. Edwards / Developer of in vitro fertilization


139 

Undergraduate 

studies 

• UK colleges and 

universities 

Many UK higher education 

institutions have a limited number 

of scholarships for international 

students. However, they may be 

restricted to students studying in 

particular subject areas or from certain 

countries. Contact the institution 

where you would like to study to see 

if you are eligible. The undergraduate 

application for all institutions 

throughout the UK can be done via 

the central online application system 

on the UCAS website. The system 

makes the application process easier 

in many respects; 

• The site may be accessed 

24 hours a day 

• Applicants are able to 

complete the application online and 

may return to the application as many 

times as is required to satisfactorily 

complete the form. 

• Students are able to 

apply for up to six (6) different 

institutions and place these in 

preferential order. 

• The cost of a single 

application is £11 GBP, if you choose 

to apply to more than one course, 

university or college you need to 

pay £22 GBP when you apply. 

• Payments can be made via the 

internet, using a credit or debit card. * 

• The card does not have to 

be in your own name, but you will 

require the consent of the cardholder. 

• The site accepts UK 

and international Visa, Delta, 

MasterCard, Maestro and Electron 

credit or debit cards. 

• In addition, you can pay 

via: cheque , postal order or direct 

payment to the UCAS bank account. 

• Average tuition fees 

(2010-2011) 

more info: 

UCAS 


* If you have trouble paying via credit or 

debit card, you should contact your local British 

Council who may be able to provide alternatives. 

english 

CAREER 

BASED 

AND PRE- 

UNIVERSITY 

INDEPENDENT 

SCHOOLS 

tional 

POST- 

GRADuATe 

courses undergraduate 

£7,000 to £12,000 

£4,000 to £12,000 

foundation 

£7,000 to £12,000 

£7,000 to £9,000 

arts and 

humanities 

7,500 to £25,000 

£7,500 to £22,000 

science 

£10,000 to £25,000 

clinical 

£10,000 to £33,000 

MBA 

£4,000 to £17,000 

£4,000 to more 

AS and A 

than £34,000 

levels 

£4,000 to £6,000 

BTECs and 

other voca- 

£5,000 to £10,000 

HNC/HNDs 

£4,000 to £17,000 

international 

from £200 

to £2,000 

from £8,000 to 

£28,000 per year 

foundation 

ranges vary 

from school 

to school

United Kingdom 141 

VISA AND 

ImMIGRATION 

Postgraduate 

studies 

For postgraduate research and 

study opportunities, a great 

source of information is Prospects. 

This organisation has a range of 

information and resources for 

prospective students that are 

interested to study in the UK. 

Other options include reviewing 

institutions individually for 

admissions information. Similarly, 

you could contact universities of 

interest so that they can send you a 

prospectus, which lists the courses 

it offers. There is also the British 

High Commission in your home 

country or at least an information 

office, which usually has copies 

of prospectuses and admissions 

information for institutions 

in the UK. By contacting your 

local British Council office, you 

may gain access to a wide range 

of information as the council 

functions as a reservoir of 

knowledge on studying in the 

UK. Most recently, there has been 

a move to centralise postgraduate 

programmes in the UK. As such, 

several institutions have posted 

their information on the UK 

Postgraduate Application and 

Statistical Service (UKPASS) 

website. Prospective students 

are able to search and apply for 

postgraduate programmes by 

registering with UKPASS. This is 

a fairly new effort and so there is 

a limited number of postgraduate 

programmes listed but it is worth a 

try. If a university or college is not 

part of the scheme, you may need 

to apply directly to that institution. 

more info: 

Prospects 

www.prospects.ac.uk 

UKPASS 

www.ukpass.ac.uk 

T 

he Home Office has 

introduced a new 

points based system for 

immigration * . The system awards 

points to people from outside the 

European Economic Area (EEA) for 

skills that reflect the individuals 

previous work, educational 

and other demographic details. 

Based on this scheme students 

are classifies as being in Tier 

4. Generally speaking, foreign 

nationals are now categorised as 

belonging to five levels or tiers: 

• Tier 1 Highly skilled individuals 

• Tier 2 Skilled workers with a 

job offer 

• Tier 3 Limited numbers of 

low skilled workers 

• Tier 4 Students 

• Tier 5 Youth mobility and 

temporary workers. 

You are probably asking yourself 

about the relevance of this 

information. The point is simply to 

show the levels of restriction and 

therefore the difficulty in obtaining 

* From the research undertaken, the UK’s is 

one of the most difficult visas to acquire. The state has 

a steady flow of immigrants and because of this the 

immigration services has put in place very stringent visa 

regulations. Therefore careful preparation is integral. 

a visa. It is therefore important to 

spend sometime researching visa 

requirements. 

• How do I apply for a visa? 

The method of application for 

a visa is largely dependent on 

your country of residence. There 

are a number of ways to apply; 

for example, by post, by courier, 

in person or online. You may 

also need to call the information 

services office in your country 

of residence. If you cannot apply 

Contact your local 

British Council 

or embassy 

online you will need to fill in a 

visa application form VAF 3A - 

Student. You can get a form free 

of charge from your nearest visa 

application centre or from the visa 

application forms page on the 

website. You are required to apply 

for a student visa in the country 

for which you are a national or 

where you legally reside.


143 

Students are required to apply for 

a student entry clearance before 

gaining permission to study in 

the UK. This applies whether 

or not you are a ‘visa national’. * 

Visa nationals require a Student 

Visitor visa before travelling to the 

UK; non-visa nationals can apply 

for this permission on arrival at 

the port or airport by producing 

the required documents. People 

who enter as student visitors 

are not allowed to extend their 

stay from the UK. For additional 

information, see the Foreign and 

Commonwealth Office leaflet 

British Visa Requirements, 

Information for Students (INF5). 

For this and any other information 

regarding student visas, see www. 

ukvisas.gov.uk. If you have not 

yet travelled to the UK, a printed 

copy can be obtained free from any 

British Embassy, High Commission 

or Consulate which operates an 

entry clearance service. If you are 

* A visa national is an individual that 

requires a visa (pre-approval based on set criteria’s as 

determined by the UK government) to enter the UK 

as a tourist/in transit. Conversely a non-visa national 

is an individual who would not require pre-approval; 

instead admission is determined at the port of entrance. 

• You will also need: 

• Your passport or travel document 

• A recent passport-sized (45mm 

x 35mm), colour photograph of 

yourself taken against a lightalready 

in the UK, you can obtain a 

printed copy from: 

Visa Correspondence Section 

UK Visas 

London SW1A 2AH 

Tel 0845 010 5555 

Required 

documentation 

In an effort to increase your chance 

of having your visa approved, you 

should include as much relevant 

documentary evidence as possible. 

This will show the immigration 

officer that you qualify and your sole 

purpose for seeking entry into the 

UK is to study. If you do not, your 

application may be refused. 

more info: 

VISA CORRESPONDENCE 

SECTION 

www.ukvisas.gov.uk 

As a guide, you should include: 

• any relevant diplomas or 

educational certificates that you have 

• a letter from the university, college 

or school confirming that you have 

been accepted on a course of study 

and/or a period of research in the UK 

• a statement of charges for the course 

(or period of research if appropriate) 

• information on whether you 

are following a certain type of 

postgraduate study, such as Academic 

Technology Approval Scheme 

Certificate (ATAS) 

• bank statements, payslips or 

other evidence to show that you are 

financially capable of covering both 

your living costs and the cost of your 

education. Evidence may be in the 

form of government sponsorship 

(if appropriate) or, if you are being 

privately sponsored (for example, by 

a college in the UK), a letter from your 

sponsor with details on how they will 

support you during the programme. 

coloured background . The 

photograph should be clear and 

of good quality; not framed 

or backed printed on normal 

photographic paper and full face 

and without sunglasses, hat or 

other head covering unless you 

wear this for cultural or religious 

reasons. 

• The visa fee, which is nonrefundable. 

You would normally 

pay this fee in the local currency 

of the country from which you are 

applying. 

• Other supporting documents 

you believe to be relevant to your 

individual application. 

• Visa processing times 

The student visa processing time 

varies depending on the country 

of application. It is prudent to 

apply at least 6 months before the 

actual start of your course, as this 

will give you the opportunity to 

resolve any issues that may arise 

during the process. If you apply 

from within the UK, the service 

standard is to have a decision 

made on 75% of applications 

within four weeks.


145 

Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov / physicists inventors of the new material grafeno 

more info: 

www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk 

Visa 

application 

fees 

if you apply from 

if you apply in 

if you apply by 

outside the uk 

person in the uk 

post from the uk 

main applicant £357 £650 £220 

£220 for each 

family member 

£150 for each family 

member included on 

the main applicant’s 

application form 


member included on 

the main applicant’s 

application form 

partner or child 

aged under 18 

(if they are applying at 

the same time as the 

main applicant) 

£220 for each 

family member 


member 


member 

partner or child 

aged under 18 

(if they are applying later) 

or child aged over 18


147 

Accredited 

institutions 

So you have been accepted to a 

university in the UK, but you are 

being denied a visa, although 

you have sent in all the required 

documents. The reason may be that 

the institution to which you have 

been admitted is not recognised by 

the government. UK immigration 

permission is granted only for 

study at colleges and universities 

which are listed 

on the Register 

of Education and 

Training Providers. 

Check whether 

the institution you 

want to attend 

is on the register 

before you make your immigration 

application. If the institution is not 

on the register, your application 

will be refused. The following 

education and training providers 

are automatically included on the 

register: 

• Those that receive public funding 

• Institutions that are accredited 

through the British Council, the 

British Accreditation Council, or 

the Association of British Language 

Schools 

• Institutions that have been 

inspected and approved by 

government inspection bodies. 

the institution to which 

you have been admitted 

must be recognised by the 

government 

more info: 

www.dcsf.gov.uk 

Length of 

student visas 

LENGTH OF STAY 

ALLOWED 

TYPE OF COURSE LENGTH OF COURSE 

The full length of the course 

plus four months after the 

end of your course 

12 months or more 

Degree level or above 


plus two months after the 


Six months or more, 

but less than 12 

months 

Degree level or above 

Less than six months The full length of the course 

plus one month after the 


Course to prepare you 

for study (known as 

pre-sessional) 


plus seven days after the 


Less than six months 

Short course (not one 

to prepare you for 

study) 

12 months or more The full length of the course 

(up to a maximum of three 

years if you are 18 years old 

or above) plus four months 

after the end of your course 

Below degree level 

more info: 

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/. 

The processing period is subject 

to change without notice, so 

please see website for up-todate 

details. 

The full length of the 

course plus two months 

after the end of your course 

Below degree level Six months or more, 

but less than 12 

months 

The full length of the 

course (up to a maximum 

of three years) 

plus one month after the 


Maximum of three 

years 

Postgraduate doctors 

and dentists on a 

recognised Foundation 

programme


work permit 

149 

Family visa 

Your husband, wife or civil partner 

and the children will receive 

immigration conditions that will 

allow them to work if you are 

granted permission to enter or 

remain in the UK as a student 

for 12 months or more. This is 

the case even if family members’ 

leave is less than 12 months. They 

should make sure they have a 

copy of your passport if they are 

12 months or Less 

travelling after you, as the entry 

clearance officer will need to see 

the pages showing your name, 

entry clearance sticker and how 

long your permission lasts. 

If your permission was granted 

for less than 12 months your 

family members will not receive 

immigration conditions that will 

allow them to work. * 

* Although, this will not prevent family 

members from gaining entry through other visa 

options. 

Working 

while 

studying 

All international students who 

have been given permission to 

study in the UK (except student 

visitors) are authorised to work. If 

your application for leave to stay 

in the UK as a student has been 

successful, you should be given a 

passport sticker that allows you to: 

• Work part-time up to 20 

hours a week during term time 

and work full-time during your 

holidays 

• Work full-time at the end 

of your studies, during the period 

when your course has finished but 

your immigration permission to 

be in the UK has not yet expired 

(normally for a maximum period 

of four months). 

• Take a work 

placement with an employer 

(sandwich students), and 

• Take an internship or a 

placement with an employer to 

gain valuable work experience in 

your field of study. 

To be granted entry as a student, 

you must be able to show that you 

can afford to study and live in the 

UK without needing 

to work. You must 

be able to support 

and accommodate 

yourself and any 

dependants without 

working in the UK 

and without recourse to public 

funds. * However, when your 

means are assessed, anticipated 

income can be taken into account 

if your UK institution is a publicly 

funded institution of further or 

higher education which is itself 

providing and guaranteeing the 

employment (and has provided 

details of how much you will earn). 

Similar immigration rules apply if 

you are a sandwich student, or has 

a guaranteed job which specifies 

how much you will earn. You can 

use accumulated savings from your 

* Public funds refer to a range of social 

benefits that are granted to citizens in precarious 

financial situation, such a unemployment benefits or 

government funded housing. 

work in the UK to show you have 

the financial means to take another 

course if you wish to continue 

studying in the UK. 

YOU MUST BE ABLE TO 

ACCOMMODATE YOURSELF 

WITHOUT WORKING IN THE UK 

Work after 

studies 

Within this tier system, the 

opportunity to work after 

completing your studies is largely 

dependent on whether you meet 

the requirements for any of the 

schemes that the UK government 

operates. ** 

If applying to stay in the UK 

to work in any of the categories 

previously mentioned, there is no 

** For further information go to the Home 

Office website.


151 

need to show that you can afford to 

stay in the UK without needing to 

work. At the moment, the schemes 

that are most suitable for students 

who have finished their studies 

are: 

• International Graduates 

Scheme (IGS) 

For all those who have obtained 

a UK degree or postgraduate 

certificate or diploma on or after 1 

May 2007, or a degree completed 

before this date from a list of 

qualifying courses. This scheme 

allows most students to apply to 

stay in the UK for up to a year in 

any kind of job without needing a 

work permit, to be self-employed, 

or to set up a business. 

• Work Permit Scheme 

Is available for jobs where no 

suitable candidate of British/ 

European nationality has been 

identified for the position, and 

in occupations where there is a 

shortage of qualified workers. 

• Training and Work 

Experience Scheme 

Is work-based training for 

individuals with a professional or 

specialist qualification, or work 

experience. 

• Highly Skilled 

Migrant Programme 

Is for candidates with degrees and 

work experience along with prior 

earnings at a certain level. 

include a post-study category, 

incorporating the International 

Graduates Scheme and Fresh 

Talent to allow international 

students to work in the UK for 

two years on completion of 

their degree studies. Tier 1 will 

also include an ‘Entrepreneurs’ 

category, incorporating the current 

Innovators scheme and a ‘general’ 

category incorporating the Highly 

Skilled Migrant Programme. 

You can apply for a maximum of 

12 months under the scheme but 

will not be able to apply again 

even if you complete another 

qualification later. However, 

keep in mind that it is possible to 

qualify for another work permit 

or move into the Highly Skilled 

Migrant Programme or Innovators 

scheme. 

Points-based 

system (PBS) 

Innovators scheme for 

entrepreneurs 

Is a new points-based system 

for controlling migration, which 

is being phased in over a two 

year period (mid 2009 start) and 

will replace all of the categories 

described above. Tier 1 will 

more info: 

Home Office website 


Francis Bacon / painter


employment: 

vacancy sources 

153 

• Newspapers 

Most vacancies in the UK are 

advertised in the press by daily 

newspapers. Job adverts are 

published on sector by sector basis 

in newspapers such as: 

• The Guardian 

•The Daily Mail 

• Times 

• Evening Standard: 

• Metro (free and daily) 

• You will also find jobs 

advertised in local and 

regional newspapers - links to 

these can be found via United 

Kingdom national newspaper 

and news media guide links. 

Newspapers: 

www.guardian.co.uk 

www.timesonline.co.uk 

www.thisislondon.co.uk/ 

standard 

www.abyznewslinks.com 

• Online recruitment 

services and job listings 

Vacancies are also advertised 

on the internet via job websites. 

Examples include: 

• Reeds 

• Milkround 

• Guardian 

• Monster 

• Work circle 

• Realworld magazine 

MOST VACANCIES IN THE 

UK ARE ADVERTISED 

IN THE PRESS 

more info: 

www.reed.co.uk 

www.milkround.co.uk 


www.monster.co.uk 

www.workcircle.co.uk 

www.realworldmagazine.com 

• Private recruitment 

agencies 

The United Kingdom has 

numerous recruitment agencies 

many operating in specialized 

business areas: For example social 

work, finance, education etcetera. 

In addition, many of these offices 

are chains and, as such, you may 

be able to locate them throughout 

the United Kingdom. Here is a 

list of examples, which is by no 

means exhaustive but offers a solid 

start: Joslin Rowe; Reeds; Adecco; 

Hays Banking Personnel; Morgan 

McKinley Associates. 

Hidden 

vacancies 

Speculative applications are quite 

common in United Kingdom 

and worth trying. As students 

access to a range of learning and 

work opportunities can found by 

networking and using personal 

contacts. To build a portfolio of 

contacts, you should join a variety 

of student organisations and 

professional bodies. Once you 

decide on your most suitable job 

role, sector and type of employer, 

make a list of organisations that 

interest you, using the best vacancy 

sites and sources. The following 

information is available at careers 

service: 

• local employers who are known 

to recruit graduates; 

• jobs and employers that 

graduates of your degree subject 

at your university have pursued 

professional institution resources - 

they may publish a list of member 

companies and industry vacancies; 

• trade associations listing member 

companies. 

more info on private 

recruitment agencies: 

www.1st4jobsinlondon. 

co.uk/agencies 

www.agencycentral.co.uk


155 

Higher 

education 

career 

support 

Most universities in the United 

Kingdom have a careers service. 

They have a wealth of knowledge 

to assist students in finding a job; 

including advice on CV and cover 

you should join a 

variety of student 

organisations 

letter writing and interview practice 

sessions, if that is what you require. 

Please browse the university 

website and make an appointment 

to go in and familiarize yourself 

with their services and the options 

available to you. 

Jobs Fairs provide students with 

the opportunity to meet potential 

employers face to face. Dress 

professionally and pre -registration 

in many instances will mean 

that you will be sent a list of 

the potential employers that are 

going to be attending; this gives 

you an opportunity to do some 

research on companies of interest 

and prep some questions. Further 

information on job fairs (times, 

dates etc) can be found in your 

careers office or online. 

Graduate recruitment has 

changed in recent years. 

Traditional approaches, like 

campus recruitment visits, are 

still important to employers, but 

organisations are increasingly 

using more creative and diverse 

approaches to reach new talent. 

Company websites are a principal 

source of information for potential 

more info: 

www.gradjobs.co.uk 

www.lgbtjobfair.co.uk 

www.prospects.ac.uk 

employees and may also provide 

the main, or sometimes only, route 

for applications. The deadline 

schedule has also changed. You 

may be able to apply at any time of 

year, but it is essential to confirm 

there is a strong 

emphasis on prior 

arranged meetings 

and punctuality 

application dates if you want to 

avoid missing an opportunity. 

There are several directories of 

graduate employers published 

annually, which contain vacancies 

for the year ahead and background 

information on featured employers. 

All are available from careers 

services: 

• Prospects Directory 

• The GET Directory 

• TARGETjobs Series 

• Go Wales 

• Gradireland 

• Doctor jobs 

Work 

patterns 

Within the UK is quite formal 

and this is reflected in the formal 

style of business dress. There is 

also strong emphasis on prior 

arranged meetings, punctuality, 

handshake-style greetings and 

a direct style of negotiation. 

Average working hours: usually 

8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, 

but may vary between sectors, 

with some starting at 9am. 

Working long hours is common 

practice and it is somewhat 

expected in the corporate culture. 

In addition, working overtime 

is regarded as commitment and 

is usually unpaid. Average 

holiday entitlement is 25-30 

days per year, including public 

(bank) holidays. 

more info: 

www.gradjireland.com 

www.targetjobs.com.uk

England 

chapter 3.1 

Michael-John Harper / dancer

United Kingdom: England 

159 

country overview 

IRELAND 

WALES 

SCoTLAND 

North 

North 

West 

South West 

West 

Midlands 

yorkshire 

100km 

North 

Midlands 

East 

London 

South East 

England is the largest country 

in the UK, which includes 

two other countries and a 

province: Scotland, Wales and the 

province of Northern Ireland. Since 

the establishment of Great Britain 

in 1707, England has not had a 

separate political identity. Yet each 

has its own distinctive history, 

landscape and modern culture. 

Despite this, England is sometimes 

wrongly used in reference to 

small but 

quite populous 

the entire island of Great Britain 

or even the United Kingdom. 

Recently there has been a debate 

about the fact that there is no 

separate government or parliament 

for England. 

England is small geographically 

129,720 sq km but is quite 

populous. According to an article 

published on the Guardian’s 

website on the 18th May 2011 

by Simon Rogers, the total 

population of England is 51,809.7 

million people. England may be 

described as the southernmost part 

of Great Britain but in reference 

to the European continent it 

is in north-west Europe. It is a 

mere 35 km from France and 

is linked by a tunnel under the 

English Channel. There is strong 

variation in the landscape. While 

the south of England is mostly 

low-lying land, with hills and 

agricultural landscapes. The north 

of England is mostly covered 

in moorland and mountains. 

The capital city of England 

is London and the one of the 

most well known city in all 

of the United Kingdom. Other 

major cities include Birmingham, 

Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and 

Sheffield. The multiculturalism of 

England is a strong reflection of 

its history and the abundance of 

religious groups represented across 

the country. Although Christianity 

is the most predominant religious 

leaning, other faiths which can 

be found here include but are not 

limited to the Church of England, 

Catholic, Methodist, Muslim, 

Jewish, Sikh and Hindu.


161 

why england? 

England has one of the largest 

economies in the worlds. 

Although there is a high level of 

industrialization the country still 

retains a socialist blend of policies. 

There is a strong mix of natural 

resources such as coal, petroleum, 

natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, 

salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead and 

silica. The basic unit of currency is 

Pound Sterling (£). 

British 

Pound 

sterling 

£ 

more information: 


• Affordable option 

English degrees can take only three 

years and postgraduate master’s 

courses only one year compared to 

four and two years respectively in 

most other countries. This means 

you will save a great deal on both 

tuition fees and living costs, and 

you will be able to start working 

and earning money sooner. English 

degree courses are shorter because 

they are more intensive, and 

therefore more efficient in terms 

of your time and money. Another 

plus is that health care is often 

free for international students. As 

an international student you will 

have access to the National Health 

Service (NHS) treatment, as well 

as reduced-cost medicines, dental 

treatment and eye tests. 

• Availability of funding 

If you are willing to put in the 

work, there are literally thousands 

of scholarships and grants on 

offer by English institutions 

and other organizations, aimed 

at international students. The 

government has also made it their 

business to attract international 

students with large amounts of 

funding in place for international 

students. 

• A warm welcome 

England has been welcoming 

international students for 

generations. They have many years 

of experience of looking after your 

needs, and will give you special 

support from the moment you 

apply and throughout your time 

in England. In addition, your local 

British Council office will give 

you advice and information on 

choosing courses and help you 

with your application. Applying 

is also made easy by UCAS. Their 

role is to make applying to a 

number of institutions at the same 

time straightforward. 

• Cultural immersion 

England is steeped in history and if 

you are a history buff or if you are 

simply interested in other cultures, 

then England is a great place to 

study. Castles, medieval places, 

Shakespeare, the changing of the 

guard at Buckingham palace are 

just a few of the things that awaits.


And if you are a football buff, don’t 

forget that this is the home of the 

premier league. 

• Great service 

As a bonus, many institutions 

arrange for international students 

to be collected from the airport and 

offer guaranteed accommodation 

for their first year. You can also be 

assured of continued help, advice 

and all round cultural immersion 

throughout your period of study 

with dedicated international 

offices, international student 

societies, planned social activities, 

academic support, counsellors and 

advisers. 

• Hassle free travel 

Given the close proximity to the 

rest of the UK, studying in England 

offers the perfect opportunity 

to explore. The national air, rail, 

coach and bus networks will get 

you almost anywhere in the UK, so 

you won’t need a car, as you might 

in some countries. Discounts or 

special rates are generally available 

for students on most forms of 

transport. It’s also easy to see the 

rest of Europe. Furthermore, the 

Channel Tunnel, cheap flights and 

ferries mean that you are never 

too far away from the other great 

capital cities of the European 

mainland. What is even better is 

that because of the closeness of the 

rest of Europe many institutions 

offer work placements and periods 

of study which will further help 

you to broaden your horizons. 

• Lowest ‘drop-out’ rates 

worldwide 

It is clear that the system of 

support and other facilities offered 

to international student works 

because England has one of the 

lowest numbers of students who 

leave before the end of their course 

in the world. 


www.visitbritain.com 

Charles Kao / father of fiber optics communications 

Your unconditional offer 

letter from the university of 

your choice will enable you 

to apply for an international visa 

from the British High Commission. 

You should base the decision on 

when to apply for your student 

visa based on the processing times 

in your country of residence. I 

would recommend an allowance 

163 

admission 

and funding 

Like the rest of the UK, 

applications can be made 

at the UCAS website. 

However, prospective students 

can also obtain information on 

institutions and courses from 

EducationUKScotland or the 

British Council office in your 

country. 


www.educationukscotland.org 

www.brithishcouncil.org 

visa and 

immigration 

of at least 12 weeks prior to the 

beginning of your course. In the 

event you do not receive your 

student visa due to lack of time or 

personal circumstances you may 

contact the Admissions Office. If 

you wish, you may also be able 

to defer your unconditional offer 

from the school until the next 

academic session.


165 

English universities 

• Institute of Advanced Legal Studies 

• University of Buckingham 

• American InterContinental University 

• Bucks New University 

• Anglia Ruskin University 

• Cambridge University 

• Aston University 

• Canterbury Christ Church University 

• Bath Spa University 

• University of Central Lancashire 

• University of Bath 

• University of Chester 

• University of Bedfordshire 

• University of Chichester 

• University of London Birkbeck 

• London City University 

• Birmingham City University 

• Institute of Classical Studies 

• Birmingham University 

• Institute of Commonwealth Studies 

• University College Lincoln 

• Coventry University 

• Bishop Grosseteste Univ. College Lincoln 

• Cranfield University 

• University of Bolton 

• University of Cumbria 

• Bournemouth University 

• De Montfort University 

• Arts Institute at Bournemouth 

• University of Derby 

• University of Bradford 

• Durham University 

• University of Brighton 

• East Anglia University 

• Bristol University 

• University of East London 

• University of the West of England Bristol 

• Edge Hill University 

• Brunel University 

• University of Essex 

• Leeds Trinity and All Saints 

• Norwich Univ. College of the Arts 

• University of Leeds 

• Nottingham Trent University 

• University of Leicester 

• Nottingham, University 

• University of Lincoln 

• Plymouth University 

• Liverpool John Moores University 

• University of Portsmouth 

• University of Liverpool 

• University of London Queen Mary 

• London Business School 

• Ravensbourne College of Design 

• London Metropolitan University 

and Communication 

• London School of Economics and 

• University of Reading 

Political Science 

• The American International 

• London School of Hygiene 

University in London 

and Tropical Medicine 

• Roehampton University 

• London South Bank University 

• Rose Bruford College 

• London University College 

• Royal Agricultural College 

• University of London 

• Royal Holloway, University of London 

• Loughborough University 

• University of Salford 

• Manchester Business School 

• Scarborough Campus, University of Hull 

• Manchester Metropolitan University 

• Sheffield Hallam University 

• Manchester, University 

• Sheffield University 

• Middlesex University 

• Solent University Southampton 

• Newcastle University 

• University of Southampton, 

• Newman University College, Birmingham 

• St George’s University of London 

• Northampton University 

• St Mary’s College 

• Northumbria University 

• Staffordshire University 

• European School of Osteopathy 

• University of Exeter 

• Falmouth, University College 

• Dartington College of Arts 

• De Montfort University 

• University of Derby 

• Durham University 

• University of East Anglia 

• University of East London 

• Edge Hill University 

• Edinburgh College of Art 

• University of Edinburgh 

• Falmouth University 

• Falmouth University College 

• University of Kent 

• London King’s College 

• Kingston University 

• Lancaster University 

• Leeds College of Music 

• Leeds Metropolitan University 

• Sunderland University 

• Sussex University 

• University of Teesside 

• Thames Valley University 

• University Campus Suffolk 

• University College Birmingham 

• University College Plymouth St 

• Mark & St John 

• University of Exeter in Cornwall 

• Warburg Institute 

• University of Warwick 

• University of Westminster 

• Wimbledon College of Art 

• University of Winchester 

• University of Wolverhampton 

• University of Worcester 

• Writtle College 

• York St John University 

• University of York

Northern 

Ireland 

chapter 3.2 

Maurice Harron / sculptor

United Kingdom: Northern Ireland 


169 

Londonderry 

Antrim 

Tyrone 

Down 

Fermangagh 

Armagh 

IRELAND 

Northern Ireland, sometimes 

referred to as the ‘Emerald 

Isle,’ has some of the most 

enchanting and rugged landscape 

to be found in the United 

Kingdom. This beauty is a result 

of the moderate temperatures, 

seemingly untouched countryside 

and a regularly rainy weather. 

Northern Ireland’s land mass is 

approximately a sixth of the total 

northeast area of the island of 

Ireland itself and is 5,459 square 

northern ireland´s 

cultural life has given 

the world some of its 

finest writers 

miles. In addition, according to 

the June 2011 estimates, it boasts a 

population of 1,800,000. Between a 

quarter and a third of the island’s 

total population claim to be a part 

of the United Kingdom. 

reputation. This is unfortunate, 

for beneath that reputation lays a 

country whose beauty and charms 

should be far more well-known 

throughout the world. Within this 

relatively small section of land in 

the North Sea is a country with 

rewards that are second to none, 

where cultural life has given the 

world some of its finest writers, 

and the natural landscape is 

breathtaking. 

With its violent past 

pushed behind it in 

most recent years, 

Northern Ireland 

has been poised to 

invest huge sums into 

educating its young 

population. * Today the country has 

…a thriving economy, new industries 

and millions being invested in 

regeneration. ** 

60km 

Nevertheless, Northern Ireland 

has suffered from a sad and 

complicated a history with violence 

that has marred the country’s 

* Northern Ireland has one of the youngest 

population in Europe, with the average age being 

just 27. ‘Get a grip on your future. Study in Northern 

Ireland: its an exceptional investment’. 

www.educationuk.org/northernireland 

** Get a grip on your future. Study in 

Northern Ireland: it is an exceptional investment.


why northern 

171 

ireland? 

The industries that have shown the 

most promise, thus far, are: 

• telecommunications 

• financial services 

• manufacturing 

• computing 

• health care 

• life sciences 

Capital and largest city (2008): 

Belfast, 268,323 

Language: 

English 

Religions: 

• Presbyterian 

• Church of Ireland 

• Roman Catholic 

• Methodis 

British 

Pound 

sterling 

£ 


www.en.wikipedia.org 

• The education system 

Northern Ireland has one of the 

best education systems in the 

world, this is built on a foundation 

of continued excellence. 

• Irish education is of 

the highest international 

quality 

The quality of the Irish education 

system is a major contributing 

factor to the rapid rate of economic 

growth Ireland has experienced 

over the last few decades. 

• Ireland is a highly 

developed 

democracy 

With a modern 

economy. The Irish 

economy is particularly 

strong in the areas of 

software development, 

pharmaceuticals, 

manufacturing and 

international services 

S. Lewis, Seamus Heaney, Lewis 

MacNiece and Oscar Wilde and 

Samuel Beckett who both attended 

school in Enniskillen. 

• Living conditions 

Ireland is beautiful - much of the 

countryside remains unspoilt 

providing an excellent natural 

habitat for a flourishing flora and 

fauna. Ireland’s landscape provides 

a rich environment for the many 

outdoor leisure pursuits for which 

it is famous. Water sports, hill 

walking, rocking climbing and 

caving are just a few of the many 

activities which can be enjoyed 

when taking a break from study. 

education contributed 

to the rapid rate of 

economic growth in 

Ireland 

www. www.educationuk. 

org/northernireland 

• English speaking country 

Some of the great writers in 

English literature have come 

from Ireland. These include Carl 


www.educationireland.ie


173 

• Leisure & pleasure: 

Ireland has a young vibrant 

population. Approximately with 

40% of the population is under the 

age of 25 and this demography 

could make Ireland one of the most 

exciting places in the world to be a 

student. 

• International population 

The number of international 

students visiting Ireland is 

increasing each year. Students 

from all over the world are taking 

advantage of the high standard of 

education in Ireland coupled with 

the unique cultural experience. 

This, therefore, means that huge 

efforts are placed on making 

the experience worthwhile for 




www.brithishcouncil.org/ 

home-contact-worldwide.htm 

UCAS 


admission 

AND 

funding 




Prospective students can 

also obtain information on 


EducationUKScotland´s website 

or the British Council office in 

your country. 

Irish universities 

stranmillis road, belfast, BT9 

www.stran.ac.uk/registry@.ac.uk 

Stranmillis University College 

SDY, Northern Ireland, UK 

191 Falls Road, Belfast, N. Ireland 

www.stmarys-belfast.ac.uk/ 

St Mary´s University College 

BT12 6FE 

Student Guidance Centre 

admissions@qub.ac.uk 

Queen´s University Belfast 

Northern Ireland, BT7 1NN 

Brunswick Street Building, Belfast 

internationaloffice@belfastnet.ac.uk 

Belfast Metroppolitan University 

BT2 7GX, N. Ireland, UK 

International Students-room L142 

international@ulster.ac.uk 

University of Ulster 

Co. Londonderry, BT52 15A, UK 

Dungannon Campus, Circular Road 

tel 0845 603 1891 

South West College 

Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, Bt71 6BQ 

Bunbury Campus, Robertson Drive 

www.swit.wa.edu.au 

Southern West College 

BUNBRY, WA 6230


175 

visa and 

iMmigration 


letter from the university 

of your choice will enable 

you to apply for an international 

visa from the British High 

Commission. When applying, 

allow at least 12 weeks prior to 

the beginning of your course 

for processing as it takes time 

to organise meetings and get 

your visa authorised. In the 

event you do not receive your 

student visa due to lack of time 

or personal circumstances you 

may contact the admissions office. 

If you wish, you may also be 

able to defer your unconditional 

offer from the school until 

the next academic session. 

Robert Hill/astronomer 

It is customary for students seeking 

to study in Northern Ireland 

to travel through the United 

Kingdom and then go through the 

border and immigration vetting 

processes. This is largely due to 

the fact several universities have 

reported cases where students 

have encountered immigration 

difficulties in the Republic 

of Ireland.

Scotland 

chapter 3.3 

Margaret Ross / Professor of law

United Kingdom: Scotland 

179 


Western Isles 

orkney 

Moray 

Shetland 

Although Scotland still 

remains a part of the UK, 

it has its own devolved 

government, which is responsible 

for most of the day-to-day 

concerns of the people of Scotland. 

This includes managing health, 

education, justice, rural affairs and 

transport. The Government was 

known as the Scottish Executive 

when it was established in 1999, 

following the first elections to the 

Scottish Parliament. The current 

80km 

South Ayrshire 

Argyll 

and 

bute 

Highland 

Stirling 

Perth and 

Kinross 

Central Scotland 

Dumfries 

and Galloway 

Aberdeenshire 

Angus 

Fife 

Scotish 

borders 

ENGLAND 

Aberdden city 

a devolved government is 

responsible for most of 

the day-to-day concerns 

of the people 

administration was formed after 

elections in May 2007.The Scottish 

Government is led by a First 

Minister who is nominated by the 

Parliament and, in turn, appoints 

the other Scottish Ministers who 

make up the Cabinet. The six cities 

in Scotland are: Aberdeen, Dundee, 

Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling and 

Inverness.


Why Scotland? 

181 

Scotland is described as ‘the 

land of opportunity’. With a 

population of over 5 million 

people, the country has a highly 

skilled workforce and holds an 

enviable reputation in the fields 

of engineering, business and 

the development of innovative 

technologies. In addition, Scotland 

is known the world over for the 

high standards of its education 

system. The Scottish Parliament 

has stated its dedication and 

• Universities and colleges 

The relationship between Scottish 

institutions of higher education 

and industries has been well 

researched. Enrolling in a Scottish 

university presents an excellent 

opportunity for students to be at 

the cutting edge of innovation 

in business. This is one of the 

reasons why, given Scotland’s 

size, its universities are renowned 

as leaders in specific scientific or 

technological disciplines. 

the country has 

a highly skilled 

workforce 

commitment to education by 

giving people at all levels of 

society the opportunity to increase 

their knowledge, earning potential 

and status. 

British 

Pound 

sterling 

£ 

• Diverse economy 

Scotland does not have a single 

staple industry but has a variety, 

which makes for a more stable 

economy. Industries range from 

tourism, information technology 

to oil-related industries. Exports 

include electronics products, 

chemicals, machinery, metal 

manufacturers, textiles and whisky, 

all characterised by the enduring 

Scottish hallmark of quality. 

• Accessible means of travel 

Being a student in Scotland means 

that you have access to the rest of 

Europe. With four international


admission 

183 

and funding 

airports, the stress of travelling 

is reduced. Domestic travel is 

also made easy by the fact that 

‘Scotland is a compact country, 

with short travelling distances 

between the principal centres. 

Excellent road and rail services 

provide fast and efficient travel 

throughout the United Kingdom.’ * 

• A great atmosphere 

Scottish people are well known for 

their open and friendly manner 

to visitors and this makes for a 

spectacular experience. 

In addition, Scotland’s 

landscape, which is 

famous the world over, 

provides a spectacular 

backdrop for a wide 

variety of outdoor 

activities. This ranges 

from hiking and camping for 

nature lovers to climbing and 

snowboarding for adrenaline 

junkies. 

* Taken from: www.intstudy.com. 

• Widely available 

healthcare 

Scotland has advanced medical 

facilities. Free medical and hospital 

services are provided through the 

National Health Service for people 

employed or ‘ordinarily resident’ 

in the United Kingdom, regardless 

of their level of social security 

contributions. Private medical and 

dental care is also available, as is 

private health insurance. 

a compact country 

with short travelling 

distances between the 

principal centres 

TUITION FEE COSTS IN £ 

ARE IN THE REGION FOR: 

£7 000 to 10 000 

Undergraduate 

£8 000 to 12 000 

Graduate (taught course) 

£7 000 to 11 000 

Graduate (research) 



at the UCAS website 

but prospective students can 

also obtain information on 


EducationUKScotland´s website or 

the British Council office in your 

country. 

• Cost of study in Scotland 

The fees vary between institutions. 

For some specialist courses, such as 

art and design or medicine, the fees 

will be greater than the average 

quoted here. You should contact 

the institution of interest to find 

out the exact fees. Nevertheless this 

information is generally available 

from the institution website. It 

is important to note that the cost 

of living and tuition fees are 

significantly less than England. 



www.brithishcouncil.org


185 

Scottish universities 

University of Aberdeen 

www.abdn.ac.uk 

01224 272000 

University of Abertay 

www.abertay.ac.uk 

Tel: 01382 308000 

Bell College 

www.bell.ac.uk 

Tel: 01698 283100 Ext 259 

University of Dundee 

www.dundee.ac.uk 

Tel: 01382 383 000 

University of Edinburgh 

www.ed.ac.uk 

Tel: 0131 650 1000 

Edinburgh College of Art 

www.eca.ac.uk 

Tel: 0131 221 6000 

Edinburgh Napier University 

www.napier.ac.uk 

Tel: 0131 444 2266 

Fife College of Further 

www.fife.ac.uk 

and higher Education 

Tel: 01592 268 591 

Glasgow Caledonian University 

www.gcal.ac.uk 

Tel: 0141 331 3000 

Glasgow School of Art 

www.gsa.ac.uk 

Tel: 0141 353 4500 

Northern College 

www.norcol.ac.uk 

Tel: 01224 283 500 

Heriot Watt University 

www.hw.ac.uk 

Tel: 0131 449 5111 

Queen Margaret University 

www.qmu.ac.uk 

Tel: 0131 474 0000 

Robert Gordon University 

www.rgu.ac.uk 

Tel: 01224 262000 

Royal Scottish Academy of Music 

www.rsamd.ac.uk 

& Drama 

Tel: 0141 332 4101 

Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) 

www.sac.ac.uk 

Tel: 0131 535 4000 

Regent Walk, Aberdeen AB24 3FX 

Bell Street, Dundee DD1 1HG 

Almada Street 

Hamilton ML3 0JB 

Perth Road, Dundee DD1 4HN 

Old College, South Bridge, 

Edinburgh EH8 9YL 

Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9DF 

Craiglockhart Campus, 

Edinburgh EH14 1DJ 

St Brycedale Avenue, Kirkcaldy 

Fife KY1 1EX 

70 Cowcaddens Road, 

Glasgow G4 0BA 

167 Renfrew Street, 

Glasgow G3 6RQ 

Hilton Place 

Aberdeen AB24 4FA 

Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AS 

Edinburgh EH21 6UU 

Schoolhill, Aberdeen AB10 1FR 

100 Renfrew Street, 

Glasgow G2 3DB 

King’s Build., W Mains Rd., 

Edinburgh EH9 3JG

James Fraser / historian on celtic culture 


187 

visa and 

immigration 

St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AJ 

Glasgow G12 8QQ 

Corstorphine Campus 

Edinburgh EH12 8TS 

University Direct CorporateCommunications 

Paisley PA1 3EB 

Stirling FK9 4LA 

Glasgow G1 1XQ 

Executive Office, Ness Walk, 

Inverness IV3 5SQ 

High Street, Paisley PA1 2BE 


letter from the university 

of your choice will enable 

you to apply for a student visa 

from the British High Commission. 

Again, when applying please allow 

at least 12 weeks for organizing 

meetings and getting your visa 

authorised. If in the event of you 

do not receive your student visa 

due to lack of time or personal 

circumstances please contact the 

admissions office. They may be 

www.st-andrews.ac.uk 

Tel: 01334 476161 

University of St Andrews 

www.gla.ac.uk 

University of Glasgow 

Tel: 0141 330 2000 

www.qmuc.ac.uk 

Queen Margaret 

Tel: 0131 317 3000 

University College 

Web: www.paisley.ac.uk 

University of Paisley 

Tel: 0800 027 1000 

www.stir.ac.uk 

University of Stirling 

Tel: 01786 473 171 

www.strath.ac.uk 

University of Strathclyde 

Tel: 0141 552 4400 

www.uhi.ac.uk 

UHI Millennium Institute 

Tel: 01463 279 000 

www.uws.ac.uk 

University of the West 

Tel: 0141 848 3000 

of Scotland 

you need to 

satisfy the uk 

immigration 

rules 

able to assist you by contacting the 

embassy or finding other solutions, 

one of these may be a deferral. 

Essentially, you need to satisfy the 

immigration rules which apply to 

the UK, to study in Scotland. 


www.scotland.gov.uk


189 

Working 

while 

studying 

Scotland has many part-time 

vacancies available for students, 

particularly in the service sector. 

Working on a part-time basis will 

enable you to earn some extra 

money while you study. The work 

experience you gain may not 

necessarily be in the area in which 

you intend to seek employment 

after you complete your studies. 

It does, however, give you the 

opportunity to learn and practice 

transferable skills that will look 

good on your CV when applying 

for jobs back home after you 

graduate. 

Work after 

studies 

In the summer of 2005, Scotland 

launched the Fresh Talent 

Scheme. The Fresh Talent 

Working in Scotland Scheme 

applies to any student who 

successfully completes a HND, 

undergraduate degree course, 

master’s, PhD, postgraduate 

certificate or diploma at a 

Scottish further or higher 

education institution to apply 

to stay in Scotland for up to 

two years after completing their 

studies in order to work. There 

are no restrictions on the type of 

paid work. 


www.scotlandistheplace.com

Wales 

chapter 3.4 

Michel Kaiser / Marine biologist

United Kingdom: Wales 


193 

60km 

Ceredigion-Cardiganshire 

Pembrokseshire 

North Wales Coast 

and borderlands 

Anglesey 

and 

Snowdonia 

Carmarthenshire 

Mid Wales 

and brecon 

beacons 

ENGLAND 

Wales is approximately two 

hours west of London 

by rail or by road. 

Although it is not a long journey 

you will find that Wales is a very 

different place. First, there is a 

difference in language. Although 

English is spoken in Wales, the 

Welsh also have their own local 

language. It is one of the oldest in 

Europe, spoken fluently by about 

one in every five persons in the 

population. The landscape is also 

english is spoken, 

but the welsh also 

have their own local 

language. 

Swansea, Gower and the Vale of Neath 

Cardiff and Coast, & Valleys of South Wales 

Wye Valley 

and Vale of Usk 

very different in character from the 

countryside in the England. The 

facts and figures might lead you 

to believe that Wales is small, but 

it covers an area of around 8,000 

square miles (or 20,800 square 

kilometres). But if you were to roll 

it out flat, as the locals normally 

say, it would be bigger than Texas. 

The vast outdoor spaces offers


195 

WHY WALES? 

the opportunity for a wide range 

of experiences. This includes 

walking, cycling, climbing, golf, 

mountain biking and paragliding 

are just the beginning of the list. 

The population currently stands at 

around 3 million people, so there’s 

plenty of room to accommodate 

foreign students. 

The capital city, cardiff, 

is home to a large 

concentration of 

creative people. 

If you are a history buff then 

Wales is a great place for sight 

seeing; it has lots of castles 

(over 400 at the last count), 

the Welsh National Opera (one 

of the world’s premier opera 

companies), the largest singlespan 

glasshouse in the world (at 

the National Botanic Garden of 

Wales), and a cool flag with a red 

dragon on it. The capital city is 

Cardiff. The Romans had a fortress 

there in the first Century AD, 

but Cardiff’s a lively youngster 

really. It was officially designated 

as capital in 1955, and it is home 

to a large concentration of media 

and creative people; turning out 

award-winning productions like 

the current incarnation of the 

legendary Dr. Who series. 

British 

Pound 

sterling 

£ 

• Quality education 

The real strengths of a higher 

education in Wales lie beyond its 

world class teaching and research; 

they are found in its superb 

and safe environment, cultural 

uniqueness and an enviable life 

style at a low cost. 

• Flexibility in degree 

choice Wales offers choice and 

flexibility with most institutions 

offering second semester start 

dates for many graduate courses 

including MBA’s, MSc’s and MA’s. 

In the last two years Welsh higher 

education institutions launched 

over 100 new courses and has 

attracted over £900m of research 

funding. 

• Multicultural welcome 

Wales welcomes international 

students from some 110 countries, 

enrolling students onto 5,300 different 

courses. In 2007, international 

students enrolling in courses 

increased by 7% to over 7,000 

students, with an average of 10% of 

the student population coming from 

countries outside the EU. 

• Research in Wales 

A wealth of collaborative research 

projects have recently been 

launched in Wales including: 

The Research and Enterprise 

Partnership between University of 

Wales Aberystwyth and University 

of Wales Bangor offering the 

following joint research centres: 

• Centre for Catchment to Coast 

Research 

• Centre for Integrated Rural 

Environment Research 

• Centre for Advanced Functional 

Materials and Devices Research 

The Wales Institute of Cognitive 

Neuroscience has combined the 

expertise and resources of Swansea 

University, University of Wales 

Bangor and University of Wales 

Aberystwyth. 

The Welsh Assembly Government 

is investing in research initiatives 


www.scotlandistheplace.com


197 

that combine the expertise of 

education institutions with the 

worlds leading companies, such 

as the Institute of Advanced 

Telecommunications and the 

Institute of Life Science; both at 

Swansea University. 


UCAS 


Home office 


admission 

Llantwit Road, Treforest, 

Pontypridd, CF37 1DL 

Castle Grounds, Cathays Park, 

Cardiff CF10 3ER 

Old College, King Street, 

Aberystwyth SY23 2AX 

Bangor, LL57 2DG 

Lampeter SA48 7ED 

Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP 

Western Avenue, Llandaff, 

Cardiff CF5 2YB 

College Crescent, Caerleon, 

Newport NP18 3YG 

Plas Coch, 

Wrexham LL11 2AW 

Mount Pleasant, Swansea SA1 6ED 

Carmarthen SA31 3EP 

Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NS 

18 Custom House Street, 

Cardiff CF10 1AP 

and funding 

Welsh universities 

Each university in Wales 

offers on-line search facilities 

to find information on all 

courses. However, like the rest of 

the UK, applications can be made 


www.glam.ac.uk 

www.rwcmd.ac.uk 

www.aber.ac.uk 

www.bangor.ac.uk 

www.lamp.ac.uk 

www.swan.ac.uk 

www.uwic.ac.uk 

www.newport.ac.uk 

www.newi.ac.uk 

www.sihe.ac.uk 

www.drindod.ac.uk 

www.wales.ac.uk 

www.open.ac.uk 

visa and 

immigration 

The regulations are the same 

as the rest of the UK. Please 

see Home office website. 

University of Glamorgan 

Royal Welsh College 

of Music and Drama 

Aberystwyth University 

Bangor University 

University of Wales, Lampeter 

Swansea University 

University of Wales Institute, 

Cardiff 

University of Wales, Newport 

Glyndwr University 

Swansea Metropolitan University 

Trinity University College 

University of Wales 

Open University in Wales

United 

States 

chapter 4 

Pauline Maier / historian

United States 

201 

Vermont 

CANADA 

Maine 

Pennsylvania 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Wisconsin 

New york 

Michigan 

Washington 

N. Hampshire 

Massachusetts 

Rhode Island 

Connecticut 

Minnesota 

NorthDakota 

Montana 

oregon 

South Dakota 

Idaho 

New Jersey 

Wyoming 

Delaware 

Maryland 

West Virginia 

Virginia 

ohio 

Iowa 

Nebraska 

Nevada 

Colorado 

Utah 

Kentucky 

N. Carolina 

Missouri 

Kansas 

Tennessee 

California 

Arkansas 

oklahoma 

S. Carolina 

Arizona 

Georgia 

New Mexico 

Texas 

Florida 

Alabama 

Mississippi 

Louisiana 

MExICo 

country overview 

The United States of 

America (USA) is a federal 

constitutional republic made 

up of 50 states (48 continental 

states, plus Alaska and Hawaii, the 

two newest states) and one federal 

district - Washington, District of 

Colombia, the capital district. * 

The continental states are: 

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, 

California, Colorado, Connecticut, 

Delaware, District of Columbia, 

Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, 

Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, 

Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, 

Massachusetts, Michigan, 

Minnesota, Mississippi, 

Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, 

Nevada, New Hampshire, New 

Jersey, New Mexico, New York, 

North Carolina, North Dakota, 

Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, 

Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South 

Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, 

Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, 

Washington, West Virginia, 

Wisconsin and Wyoming. 

* Source : CIA : The World Factbook 

-- https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/theworld-factbook/geos/us.html 

Freedom is one of the cornerstones 

of American culture. The 

constitution limits the influence 

government has on all aspects of 

the lives of its citizens. Nowhere 

is this more evident than in the 

organisation of their capitalist 

propelled free market economy. 

As such the US has the largest and 

most technologically powerful 

economy in the world. In this 

market-oriented economy, private 

individuals and businesses make 

most of the decisions, and the 

federal and state governments 

the gap between rich 

and poor is a major 

challenge 

buy needed goods and services 

predominantly in the private 

marketplace. Despite relative 

prosperity, the gap between rich 

and poor is a major challenge. 

More than 30 million Americans 

live below the official poverty line, 

with a disproportionate percentage

United States 

203 

of these being African-Americans 

and Hispanics (BBC Country 

Profile: USA, 2007) 

On April 1, 2010 the population 

of the United States was 

approximately 301 million (consult 

the US Census Bureau website for 

the most up-to-date information). 

In May 2007, the minority 

population topped 100 million for 

the first time. The following ethnic 

groups make up the population: 

White (81%), African Americans 

(13%), Asians (5%), American 

in 2006 the overall 

population reached 

300 million 

Indians (1.5%), Native Hawaiian 

and Pacific Islanders (0.3%). 

Hispanic is not classified as a 

separate ethnic group because 

the US Census Bureau considers 

Hispanic to mean a person of 

Latin American descent, including 

persons of Cuban, Mexican or 

Puerto Rican origin, living in the 

US who may be of any ethnic 

group (white, black, Asian, etc.). 

The Hispanic/non-Hispanic makeup 

of the total U.S. population 

is, however, 85% Non-Hispanic, 

15% Hispanic (US Census Bureau, 

2007). 

The US has a constitution-based 

federal republic, with two main 

political parties: the Republican 

Party and the Democratic Party. 

The chief executive of the United 

States is the president, who, 

together with the vice president, 

is elected to a four-year term. 

A president may be elected to 

only two terms. The United 

States Congress comprises 

two chambers: the Senate with 

100 seats, and the House of 

Representatives with 435 seats. 

Unlike any other chapter in this 

volume, researching the United 

States has led to an extradordinary 

find. Unbeknownst to most 

people, there are several types 

of institutions that comprise 

the higher education system. 

These include comprehensive 

universities; research universities; 

universities * ; community colleges 

and both public and private 

institutions. The truth is that many 

Caribbean nationals have already, 

from the experiences of others 

around them, predetermined that 

the United States is a great place 

to study. The purpose here is not 

to refute or assert the merits of this 

belief. It is simply to outline, as in 

previous chapters, the application 

process, visa and immigration 

regulations, and the possibilities 

of employment. It is also to assert 

that, unlike the usual route which 

is normally to apply to a four year 

university directly, there is a second 

and, in some instances, a more 

viable option. The first route may 

be termed the traditional study 

route; that is, applying directly to 

study at a university. The second is 

the non-traditional route applying 

to community colleges. 

The chapter has been divided 

to reflect these options. Firstly, 

there will be a discussion of 

general reasons for studying in 

* Sometimes referred to as a four year college. 

the United States; the application 

procedures and other necessary 

information wether you choose 

to pursue your education at 

a community college or at a 

university. The second section 

deals specifically with community 

college admission procedures as 

well as course availablility, costs 

and qualifications that can be 

earned. The third section examines 

these factors for universities. As 

with the other chapters, the last 

two sections will be a discussion of 

visa and immigration policies and, 

finally, a look at the employment 

regulations for students. 

American 

dollar 

$ 

USD

United States 

Why the 

united states? 

205 

• Education system 

The first reason is that the US 

has a very developed higher 

education system that takes 

into account an individual’s 

economic situation and previous 

educational background. 

Essentially, students have the 

choice of studying at either 

a university or a community 

college. 

• Recognised education 

Overall, study in the US, whether 

at a university or a community 

college, means that on 

completion you will hold a very 

competitive place in the job 

market. That is 

due to the fact that international 

students who successfully 

complete their education in US are 

highly sought-after by employers 

worldwide. In addition, institutions 

in the US are consistently topranked 

in world ratings. Institutions 

such as Harvard University, 

Stanford University, Massachusetts 

Institute of Technology, are all 

world famous and welcome 


• A variety of study 

options 

Furthermore, the US offers 

international students one of the 

most exciting, rewarding and 

comprehensive array of study 

options in the world. International 

students who choose to study 

in the US have almost unlimited 

study choices. 

• People and culture 

The US is a melting pot of 

cultures, where people from 

THE U.S. HAS A VERY 

DEVELOPED HIGHER 

EDUCATION SYSTEM 

all over the world interact on a 

daily basis. One will find most 

Americans to be very hospitable, 

friendly, kind, generous and 

accepting of foreigners. Of course, 

there are exceptions, as in any 

country, but these are not the 

norm. In general, the people are 

funny, gregarious, innovative, and 

eager to learn. These are traits 

that many international students 

adopt and take home with them. 

• Campus experience 

It has been said that the friends 

you make and the experience of 

THE FRIENDS YOU 

MAKE ARE worth 

as much as THE 

education 

itself 

campus life is worth as much as 

the education itself. Many make 

friendships that last a lifetime. 

The lessons learned by living with 

others from all over the 

world are priceless. 

Jacopo Annesse / neuroanatomist

United States 

admission 

and funding 

207 

Generally speaking, the 

admissions and application 

process for institutions 

within the US depend on the final 

qualification that the individual is 

seeking to obtain. There are many 

types of qualifications that an 

individual can earn and the level 

of studies is defined by the type 

of certification offered for the 

programme, rather than 

by the type of institution 

offering it. This section will 

provide an explanation 

of some of the types of 

qualifications into which 

international students 

may be granted entry. 

there are Many 

qualifications 

that an 

individual 

can earn 

Non-degree 

programmes 

Educational programmes 

corresponding to non-university 

level technical/vocational postsecondary 

studies would include 

all technical and occupational 

programmes that lead to a degree, 

diploma or certificate below the 

bachelor’s degree. Education at 

this level would include: 

• All institutions that only 

award qualifications under the 

bachelor’s degree; 

• Programmes leading 

to certification that is less than 

a bachelor’s degree offered at 

institutions that also award higher 

degrees. 


www.act.org/compass 

www.act.org/aap 

Undergraduate 

degrees 

There are two types of 

undergraduate degrees: 

Associate’s degree 

An Associate’s degree is a twoyear 

degree awarded by technical, 

community or junior college. 

These may be further classified 

as Associate of Arts (AA) and 

Associate of Sciences (AS). 

Associate’s degrees are usually 

very practical and offer advanced 

training in technical areas, such 

as business occupations, data 

processing, nursing, engineering 

technology, and interior design. 

Bachelor’s degree 

A bachelor’s degree is a four or 

five-year degree awarded by 

colleges or universities, e.g. 

• Bachelor of Arts (BA) 

• Bachelor of Science (BS) and 

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) 

To receive a bachelor’s degree, you 

must generally: 

• complete a sequence of 

courses within a major field of 

study, called major requirements or 

upper division. 

• complete a sequence of 

courses outside your major field 

of study, called general education 

requirements known as lower 

division. 

• students must usually 

complete in total 120 units/credit 

hours in order to graduate. With an 

average course load of 15 units each 

semester, this means that a student 

can complete a bachelor’s degree in 

four years of full-time study. 

• some universities have 

additional requirements, such as a 

final research project, honors paper 

or capstone written during the final 

year of study. 


Educational Testing Service 

www.ets.org

United States 

209 

Professional 

degree 

It’s a qualification entitling the 

holder to practise a specialist 

profession as specialties such as 

law, business, medicine, dentistry 

or veterinary. Students who 

want to pursue a degree in one of 

these fields must first obtain a 

bachelor’s degree. 

Master’s 

degree 

The master’s degree usually takes 

one to two years of full-time 

study. There are two main types 

of master’s degree programmes - 

professional master’s degrees and 

research master’s degrees. 

Professional 

master’s degrees 

They are certificates of competence 

in specialised fields and often 

have some type of internship or 

fieldwork component. They provide 

a specific set of skills needed to 

practice a particular profession 

and generally lead directly to 

employment. The Master of 

Business Administration (MBA) and 

Master of Education (MEd) degrees 

are two examples of this type of 

master’s degree. 

it takes 4 to 6 years 

of full study time to 

complete a phD. 

Other types of master´s: 

MFA in Fine Arts 

MM in music 

MSW in social work 

MPA in public administration 

Research master’s 

degrees 

Generally, they are part of the 

progression to a PhD programme. 

They provide experience in 

research and scholarship and may 

involve writing a thesis or taking 

a comprehensive examination. 

Academic performance in a research 

master’s programme can determine 

whether a student is likely to be 

allowed to continue on to a PhD 

a research project 

involves original 

research 

programme. Examples of research 

master’s degree programmes are 

the Master of Arts (MA) and the 

Master of Science (MS) degrees. 

Those awarded in professional 

fields of study include: master of 

laws (LLM) and Master of Science 

in various medical specializations. 

PhD 

programmes 

The main purpose of a PhD 

programme is to train research 

scholars in a particular field. 

The doctoral degree typically 

involves both coursework and a 

major research project. It usually 

takes four to six years of fulltime 

study to complete a PhD. 

In some instances, candidates 

for doctoral programmes may 

be able to apply directly after 

they complete their bachelor’s 

degree. However, some doctoral 

programmes require students 

to complete a Master’s degree 

before they can begin the doctoral 

pogramme. 

The first two years of a PhD 

programme involve classes and 

seminars to give the student a 

comprehensive knowledge of an 

academic field. Following this 

period of study, students take 

written and/or oral examinations 

to test their knowledge. Successful 

completion of the exams and 

approval of a research project leads 

to “candidacy.” 

The research project involves 

original research and, depending 

on the field, should take one to 

three years to complete. Faculty

United States 

211 

members guide the process of 

formulating the research project 

and evaluate the resultant thesis, 

but the student carries out the 

research independently. 

Education 

organizations 

The first step in the application 

process to being accepted as a 

student is in the United States 

is deciding on the route that 

you are going to take. This is 

important because your decision 

is a factor in determining the 

application process and as such 

the requirements that you will 

need to fulfil. Education is a 

multi-million dollar business 

in the United States and, in an 

effort to attract students from 

across the world, there are 

many organizations worldwide 

that help students to apply to 

universities and colleges in USA. 

All or some of these organisations 

can be found in almost every 

country, these include: 

• Official University 

Representatives 

• Government Agencies 

• Education Agents 

• Test Preparation Centres 

• Private Counsellors 

Entrance 

tests 

There are several entrance tests 

that are used to assess prospective 

students wishing to enroll at a 

higher education institutions. The 

first two placement tests assess 

high school students’ general 

educational development and 

their ability to complete collegelevel 

work. 

High test scores along 

with good academic grades 

significantly increase the chance 

of being offered a place at an 

American university. 

COMPASS 

Computer-adaptive 

college placement test 

act 

• Other entrance exams: 

General tests (any level) 

Specific tests (graduate level) 


www.ets.org 

www.kaplan.org 

www.princetonreview.com 

Assists educators to quickly evaluate 

incoming students’ skill levels in 

reading, writing skills, math, and 

ESL, to place students in appropriate 

courses and connect them to the 

resources they need to achieve 

academic success. 

Is the most widely accepted college 

entrance exam in the United States. It 

is divided into two main sections: 

• Multiple-choice test covering four 

skill areas: English, mathematics, 

reading, and science. 

• Writing test (which is optional) and 

is used to measure skill in planning 

and writing a short essay. 

SAT 

TOEFL 

IELTS 

GRE 

Graduate Record Examination 

GMAT 

Graduate Management 

Admission Test 

LSAT 

Law School Admission Test 

MCAT 

Medical College Admission Test * 

* Source: http://www.ets.org/

United States 

general 

requirements 

213 

Recognition 

of qualifications 

There is no singular organization 

that is responsible for evaluating 

previously earned qualifications. 

It is therefore recommended 

that you contact the 

international admissions 

office (undergraduate or 

graduate) for instructions on 

what to do and how to get 

your education evaluated. 

Some institutions and schools 

perform the evaluation themselves, 

but most will refer you to a 

credential evaluation service. 

• Important points to 

remember 

• Credential evaluations are not free. 

The cost will vary according to 

the complexity of the case and the 

amount of documentation you can 

provide. The student must absorb 

the costs for these services, which 

tend to range from $50 to $100 US 

per case. 

• Obtain English translations 

of any non-English documents, 

preferably notarized, prior to 

submitting any documents to 

a credential evaluation service. 

Some may perform this service. 

evaluation costs tend 

to range from 50 

to 100 uSD per 

document 

• U.S. educational institutions 

and credential evaluation 

services evaluate applicants 

on an individual case basis. 

They look for many factors in 

making an admission decision, 

not just your diplomas. This is 

how evaluations are done for 

U.S. citizens as well. Therefore, 

you can expect that various 

institutions and services may 

evaluate you differently according 

to their criteria for admissions. 

• Even though the international 

admissions office will process 

your application, it is a good 

idea to let the prospective faculty 

advisor know that you are 

applying. The faculty may have 

a decisive role in the admissions 

decision, especially for graduate 

level studies (master’s and 

doctoral level studies), and may be 

more familiar than the admissions 

office about your capacity to do 

work in their specific subject area. 

• Credential evaluation services 

provide procedures to appeal 

their recommendations. Do not 

appeal to the U.S. Department 

of Education, the federal 

government has no role in 

credential evaluation appeals. 

Use the procedure provided by 

the credential evaluation service 

and the institution to which you 

are seeking admission. 

On the next page is a 

list of organizations 

providing evaluation 

services. 

Byron D. Tapley / Aerospace Engineer

United States 

215 

c/o American Association of 

tel.: 1-202-293 9161 

National Council on the 

Collegiate Registrars and Admission 

fax: 1-202-872 8857 

Evaluation of Foreign 

Officers (AACRAO), 

Credentials 

One Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite 370, 

Washington, D.C. 20036-1110 

P.O. Box 9203 

tel: 800-517-4754 

College Station TX 77842 

fax: 512-528-9293 

Global Credential 

www.gceus.com 

Evaluators, Inc. 

1717 Massachusetts Av., N.W., 

tel.: 1-202-332 1480 

Suite 402 

telex: RCA 204856 CBOIE 

College Entrance Examination 

Washington, D.C. 20038-1480 

fax: 1-202-234 9806 

Board (The College Board) 

Office of International 

Education 

phone: (425) 487-2245 

21540 30th Drive SE, Suite 320 

fax: (425) 487-1989 

Foundation for International 

Bothell, WA 98201 

www.fis-web.com 

Services, Inc. 

info@fis-web.com 

400 Maryland Av., N.W., 

tel.: 1-202-401 0430 

International and Territorial 

Washington, D.C. 20202 

fax: 1-202-401 2508 

Services / United States 

Department of Education 

P.O. Box 5087 

tel: (212) 966-6311 

World Education Services, Inc. 

Bowling Green Station 

fax: (212) 739-6100 

New York, NY 10274-5087 

www.wes.org 

info@ wes.org 

List of institutions providing 

information on the recognition 

of studies on higher education 

Application 

deadlines 

Since you need to start the 

application process at least 12 

months in advance bear in mind 

the application deadline dates, 

which most of the time is at least 6 

to 8 months prior to the start of the 

semester. These are similar across 

the board for most institutions. 

Some institutions have rolling 

admissions deadlines along with 

the possibility of deferring for 

a semester once you have been 

accepted. 

• Fall semester: applications 

are accepted from May to June. 

• Spring semester: 

applications are accepted from 

October to November. 

• Summer semester: apply 

by the end of February * . 

* Remember dates vary by university and 

programmes especially for international applicants, 

these are rough estimates.

United States 

217 

Rent $ 400 per month 

Groceries $ 100 per month 

Utilities $ 100 per month 

Phone $ 100 per month 

Sundry $ 200 per month 

Living 

expenses 

The approximate annual living 

expenses are about $10,000, which 

includes accommodation as well 

as other daily expenses. However, 

the expenses may vary for each 

individual, depending on your 

lifestyle. Another factor to consider 

when planning your budget is the 

different cost of living by state. 

SOME STATES ARE 

MORE EXPENSIVE 

THAN OTHERS 

The main expenses can be broken 

down as the chart on your left 

shows. So, about $1000 per month 

is a good estimation. Most people 

can survive on $700-$1000 a 

month. The key here is to share 

apartments/houses so that you 

can save on the utilities, the fixed 

charge portion of the phone and to 

some extent on groceries. 

Health 

insurance 

The cost of medical insurance is 

between US $500 to $1000 per year 

for one person including doctor’s 

visit, medication, hospitalization, 

and surgery. Health care in the 

United States is very costly and 

everyone, including citizens, must 

be insured in order to cover any 

medical needs. 

Scholarships 

EducationUSA is a worldwide 

organization providing guidance 

to international students. Many 

advisers travel to countries or 

participate in fairs to promote the 

continuation of higher education in 

the United States. 

There is a huge number of 

scholarships available on the 

International Scholarship 

Database of VarsityAdmission. 

EduPASS is a website providing 

ample information on financial 

aid for international students, as 

well as, college application and 

immigration. 

You may also search scholarships on: 

• US scholarships database. 

• Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs 

• U.S. Department of State 

• The Association of 

Commonwealth Universities 

website provides a scholarships 

guide for Commonwealth 

postgraduate students offered 

by various governments, Rotary 

International, World Bank, World 

Health Organization, Asian 

Development Bank, United 

Nations, Rockefeller Foundation 

and other organizations. 

scholarships and 

fellowships: 

www.fundingusstudy.org 

www.varsityadmission.com 

www.edupass.org

United States 

219 

Sports Scholarships 

• Fast Web Scholarships for Athletes 

• National Association of Collegiate 

Directors of Athletics 

• National Collegiate Athletic 

Association 

• National Scouting Report 

• List of other sources for 

scholarships (for specific 

cases and/or interests) 

Find Financial Aid 

• Peterson’s “Find-a-School” Search 

Engine (with new financial aid 

search feature) 

• IIE Funding for US Study Online 

• InternationalScholarhips.com 

• Council of International Schools 

Scholarship List 

• OACAC List of Financial Aid 

Awarded 

to International Students 

• Fulbright programme 

Opportunities for Students 

of Engineering 

• Society of Women Engineers 

External Financial Aid Sites (with 

options for international students) 

• Chase Manhattan Bank 

• International Education Financial Aid 

• Citibank Student Loan Corporation 

• Gates Millennium Scholars 

Programme 

• College Connection Scholarships 

• Key Education Resources 

• College Scholarship Search 

• Next Student Loans 

• Educaid 

• Scholarship Experts Student Loan 

• Scholarship Resource Network 

• Fast Web 

• Federal Trade Commission: 

Scholarship Scams 

• Southwest Student Services 

Corporation 

• FinAid 

• Student Loan Network 

• Financial Aid Resource Center 

• Super College 

• Fundsnet Online Services 

• United Negro College Fund 

• International Education Finance 

Corporation 

• U.S. Bank Student Loans 

Opportunities for Students 

with Special Needs 

• American Association of University 

Affiliated Programmes For Persons 

With Developmental Disabilities 

• Exceptional Nurse 

• American Council of the Blind 

• National Attention Deficit Disorder 

Association 

• Association on Higher Education 

and Disability 

• National Center for Learning 

Disabilities 

• Children and Adults with Attention 

Deficit Disorder 

• National Information Center for 

Children and Youth with Disabilities 

• Disabilities Studies and Services 

Center 

• U.S. Dept. of Justice Americans 

with Disabilities Act 

For students from different 

cultural/ ethnic backgrounds 

• American Indian College Fund 

• Hispanic Scholarship Fund 

• American Indian Higher Education 

Consortium 

• Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities 

• American Institute for Managing 

Diversity 

• Black Collegian 

• Journal of Blacks In Higher 

Education 

• Black Excel: The College Help 

Network 

• Minority Scholarships and 

Fellowships 

• Department of Education/Office 

of Bilingual Education and Minority 

Languages Affairs 

• National Association for the 

Advancement of Colored People 

• Gates Millennium Scholars Fund 

Quality Education for Minorities 

• Hillel: Jewish Campus Life 

• Tribal Colleges, Native Studies 

Programmes, and Indian Education 

• Hispanic Association of Colleges 

and Universities 

• United Negro College Fund

Community 

Elizabeth Higginbotham / Professor of Sociology 

chapter 4.1 

colleges

United States 

223 

For many community colleges 

(also known as junior or 

two-year colleges) have 

been a comparativey unpopular 

entity in the higher education 

market. However, they provide 

a bridge to transition from high 

school to college; this means that 

expectations, with regards to 

previous academic completion and 

entrance requirements, are a lot 

less than a four year college. This 

does not necessarily mean that 

the quality of the education is any 

different from a four year college. 

They also offer courses for transfer 

toward a bachelor’s degree at a 

four-year school. 

Currently, there are 1,151 

community colleges in the United 

cC are stepping stones to 

prestigious 4-year colleges 

States; 1,004 of these are public 

institutions controlled by the state 

or local districts, and the remaining 

numbers are private. More than 11 

million students, about 44% of all 

undergraduate students, attend 

community colleges throughout 

the United States * . As students 

coming out of Caribbean economies, 

it is a costly exercise to gain a place 

in a university in the US, this is 

because of the outlay related to the 

application process and, unless you 

have done extraordinarily well in 

the entrance exam or throughout 

high school, it is very difficult to 

gain funding. Consequently, an 

increasing number of international 

students have discovered that 

community colleges are the stepping 

stones to prestigious 4-year colleges. 

In 2006, 15 percent of international 

students were enrolled in a 

community college and that figure 

has been growing steadily. Many 

people who began their higher 

education in the 

United States at a 

community college 

have continued 

their education at 

universities and gone on to make 

significant contributions and to 

achieve recognition. 

* Statistics taken from American community 

college: http://www.americancommunitycolleges. 

com/articles/consider-communitycollege.htm 

Why CC? 

Community colleges are the 

gateway to higher education in 

the United States for the following 

reasons: 

• Lower cost 

Community college tuition and 

fees average $6,500 per year, which 

is significantly lower than that of 

4-year colleges and universities. 

Students can lower the overall cost 

of a bachelor’s degree by taking 

the first 2 years of course credits at 

a community college. 

• Excellent transfer 

opportunities 

Most community colleges have 

agreements with 4-year colleges 

and universities (called articulation 

or 2 + 2 transfer agreements) which 

allow students to transfer their 

community college credits toward 

a university degree. Thus, students 

are able to attend a community 

college for 2 years of study, obtain 

an associate degree, and then 

complete 2 years at a university to 

obtain a bachelor’s degree. Many 

state universities give preference 

to qualified students who transfer 

from a community college in that 

state. 

• Flexible English 

proficiency requirements 

Community colleges provide their 

own assessment and offer IEPs to 

students who require additional 

English proficiency, TOEFL scores 

cc offer 

intensive english 

programmes 

are not always critical to the 

admissions process. As community 

colleges offer excellent IEPs and 

ESL programmes, many can offer 

more flexible TOEFL requirements. 

Moreover, some community 

colleges will accept an IELTS score 

in place of the TOEFL score. 

• Focus on teaching and 

student success 

Though community college 

lecturers do conduct research 

and publish articles and books,

United States 225 

their main focus is on teaching. 

Community college students, 

therefore, enjoy a great deal 

of personal attention from 

their professors. Additionally, 

community colleges seek out faculty 

with work experience in their 

subject area, adding a real-world 

perspective to students’ studies. 

• Small class sizes 

The average community college 

class size is between 15 and 20 

students, which allow professors 

to devote more time to individual 

students and for students to 

interact with each other. Small 

classes are highly beneficial for 

international students who may 

need to adjust to the pace of U.S. 

academic life and practice their 

English-language skills. 

• Additional practical 

training opportunity 

International students with F-1 

status are eligible to do one year of 

Optional Practical Training (OPT) 

in their field of study immediately 

following completion of an 

associates degree, and a second 

year of OPT immediately following 

completion of a bachelor’s degree. 

• Use of the latest 

technologies 

Due to their strong ties with 

business and industry, most 

community colleges are 

equipped with state-of-the-art 

technologies, classrooms, and 

facilities. Community colleges 

lead the nation in educating 

students in cutting-edge fields 

such as biomedical engineering, 

biotechnology, robotics, laser 

optics, internet and computer 

technologies, and geographic 

information systems. 

• Hundreds of programmes 

to choose from 

Community colleges offer 

programmes in all major fields of 

study which can transfer to 4-year 

colleges and universities. Majors 

range from art to political science 

to zoology. Programmes especially 

popular among international 

students currently include 

business, engineering, computer 

science, computer graphics, 

internet technology, multimedia, 

hotel management, restaurant 

management, psychology, 

accounting, early childhood 

education, and environmental 

conservation. 

• Opportunities to 

experience U.S. culture 

Community colleges have 

strong ties to their surrounding 

communities; they offer 

international students both a rich 

academic environment and a 

unique opportunity to experience 

many aspects of life in the United 

States—both on and off campus. 

• Excellent student 

support services 

Community colleges are committed 

to attracting a diverse student 

population and ensuring that all 

students succeed. The colleges 

offer a variety of support services 

and cross-cultural programmes, 

including tutoring, advising, 

career planning, study skills and 

counselling— many of which 

are designed specifically for 


Garth Fragan /coreographer

United States 

227 

Admission 

process 

• Eligibility 

Age requirement 18 years old 

and above. 

• Complete placement 

procedures/ testing: Applicants 

must take the college placement 

test before registering for courses. 

See Entrance Test (page 210). 

• All required documents 

must be returned to institution by 

the application deadline. 

• A doctor’s statement 

certifying that you are in good 

health and giving details of any 

physical or mental limitations that 

the school will need to consider in 

meeting your needs. 

480 or greater on SAT verbal.This is 

not compulsory for all community 

colleges. This is because many 

have courses in English as a second 

language. 

• Proof of spoken 

English ability 

This may be certified by a letter 

from an official of the U.S. Consulate 

of Embassy in your country. 

cc offer lots 

of programmes 

• Transcripts of all 

secondary and 

high school work 

Along with a certified English 

translation with a written 

explanation of the grading system 

used in granting the grades. 

Financial Statement 

This statement of finance must be 

signed and dated within 6 months 

of start of the semester for which 

you are applying. Please provide 

all financial information in English 

and USD currency. 

• Health Insurance 

Proof of international student 

health insurance is mandatory. 

Evidence of coverage for the F1 

student and their dependents are 

required. 

Types of courses 

offered * 

Serving so many people with so 

many different educational needs, 

community colleges offer lots of 

different programmes and you will 

be able to see them on the next two 

pages. 

• Proof of written 

English ability 

The written proficiency may be 

shown by a combined total of 550 

or greater on TOEFL or a score of 

• Complete the I-20 

Application Form 

• Complete the student 

visa (F1) 

more info: 

http://usachinacorp.com/ 

resources/Education/ 

communitycollegearticle.pdf 

* According to Connections, vol 1,# 3: The 

five most popular community college programmees 

are: registered nursing, law enforcement, licensed 

practical nursing, radiology and computer 

technologies.

United States 229 

special 

interest 

programmes 

• dance 

Basic skill 

programmes 

Teach academic and fundamental 

skills necessary for tomorrow’s 

job problem solving, negotiating, 

organizing, creative thinking, 

listening, and leadership. 

ADULT AND 

VOCATIONAL 

EDUCATION 

TECHNICAL AND 

JOB TRAINING 

PROGRAMMES 

• music 

• art 

• motive technology 

• aviation and aeronautics 

• building and construction business 

• electronics 

• emergency medical technology 

• police and fire department training 

• child and family studies 

• other areas with promising careers 

ABBE 

Adult Basic 

Education 

AHS 

Adult High 

School 

Comp. Ed. 

Compensatory 

Education 

ESL 

English as 

a Second 

Language 

designed for those individuals who 

would like to improve basic skills in 

reading, math, and language. 

Alternative to GED completion: leads 

to a high school diploma 

for adults with mental retardation 

or adults functioning on a level 

equivalent to mental retardation 

resulting from brain injury 

University 

transfer 

programmes 

• dual enrollment, “2+2” 

GED 

General 

Equivalency 

Diploma

United States 

231 

tuition fees * 

Studying at a US institution is an 

expensive investment, but one we 

are sure you will find worthwhile. 

For the 2006-2007 academic year, 

The College Board reported the 

following average annual tuition 

costs by type of institution: 

out of state 

residents 

list of CC 

$26,304 

Pima C.C. 

Tohono O’odham C.C. 

Yavapai College 

• CALIFORNIA 

Allan Hancock College 

American Academy of Dramatic Arts 

Antelope Valley College 

Barstow C.C. 

Brooks College 

Butte College 

Cabrillo College 

Cerritos College 

Chabot-Las Positas Community 

College District 

Chabot College 

Las Positas College 

Chaffey College 

Citrus College 

City College of San Francisco 

Coast C.C. District 

Coastline C.C. 

Golden West College 

personal expenses taken 

into account 

(lodging, transportation 

and other expenses) 

cost of studies alone 

state 

commuter 

residents 

students 

$12,294 

$2,272 

$16,357 

$16,967 

$5,836 

$33,301 

$33,085 

$22,218 

Southern Union State C.C. 

Wallace State C.C.(Hanceville) 

• ARIZONA 

Arizona Western C. 

Central Arizona College 

Cochise College 

Coconino C.C. 

Diné College 

Eastern Arizona College 

Maricopa C.C. District 

Chandler-Gilbert C.C. 

Estrella Mountain C.C. 

GateWay C.C. 

Glendale C.C. 

Mesa C.C. 

Paradise ValleyC.C. 

Phoenix College 

Rio Salado C.C. 

Scottsdale C.C. 

South Mountain C.C. 

Mohave C.C. 

Northland Pioneer College 

* Keep increases in perspective. All numbers 

are approximate figures. 

Two-year 

Public 

Community 

Colleges 

Four-year 

Public 

Institutions 

Four-year 

Private 

Institutions 

• ALABAMA 

Alabama Southern C. C. 

Bevill State C.C. 

Bishop State C.C. 

Calhoun C.C. 

Central Alabama C.C. 

Chattahoochee Valley C.C. 

C.C. of the Air Force 

Enterprise-Ozark C.C. 

Gadsden State C.C. 

George C. Wallace C.C. (Dothan) 

George Corley Wallace St. C.C. 

(Selma) 

James H. Faulkner State C.C. 

Jefferson Davis C.C. 

Jefferson State C.C. 

Lawson State C.C. 

Lurleen B. Wallace State Junior C. 

Marion Military Institute 

Northeast Alabama C.C. 

Northwest-Shoals C.C. 

Shelton State C.C. 

Snead State C.C.

United States 

233 

Orange Coast College 

College of Marin 

College of the Canyons 

College of the Desert 

College of the Redwoods 

College of the Sequoias 

College of the Siskiyous 

Compton C.C.(closed Aug 2006) 

Contra Costa C.C.District 

Contra Costa College 

Diablo Valley College 

Los Medanos College 

Copper Mountain College 

Cuesta College 

Deep Springs College 

Defense Language Inst. 

El Camino College 

Fashion Inst. of Design & Merchandising 

Feather River College 

Foothill-De Anza CC District 

De Anza College 

Peralta C.C. District 

Berkeley City College 

College of Alameda 

Laney College 

Merritt College 

Rancho Santiago CC District 

Santa Ana College 

Santiago Canyon College 

Rio Hondo College 

Riverside C.C. 

San Bernardino C.C. District 

Crafton Hills College 

San Bernardino Valley College 

San Diego C.C. District 

San Diego City College 

San Diego Mesa College 

San Diego Miramar College 

San Joaquin Delta College 

San José-Evergreen C.C.District 

Evergreen Valley College 

San José City College 

San Mateo C.C. College District 

Cañada College 

Foothill College 

Gavilan College 

Glendale C.C. 

Grossmont-Cuyamaca C.C. District 

Cuyamaca College 

Grossmont College 

Hartnell College 

Heald Colleges 

Imperial Valley College 

Kern C.C. District 

Bakersfield College 

Cerro Coso C.C. 

Porterville College 

Lake Tahoe C.C. 

Lassen College 

Long Beach City College 

Los Angeles C.C. District 

East Los Angeles College 

Los Angeles City College 

Los Angeles Harbor College 

Los Angeles Mission College 

Los Angeles Pierce College 

Los Angeles Southwest College 

College of San Mateo 

Skyline College 

Santa Barbara City College 

Santa Monica College 

Santa Rosa Junior College 

Shasta College 

Sierra College 

Solano C.C. 

South Orange County C.C. District 

Irvine Valley College 

Saddleback College 

Southwestern College 

State Center C.C. District 

Fresno City College 

Reedley College 

Taft College 

Ventura County C.C. District 

Moorpark College 

Oxnard College 

Ventura College 

Victor Valley College 

West Hills C.C. 

West Valley-Mission C. District 

Los Angeles Trade-Tech C. 

Los Angeles Valley College 

West Los Angeles College 

Los RiosC.C.District 

American River College 

Cosumnes River College 

Folsom Lake College 

Sacramento City College 

Marymount College 

Mendocino College 

Merced College 

MiraCosta College 

Monterey Peninsula College 

Mount San Antonio College 

Mount San Jacinto College 

Napa Valley College 

North Orange County C.C. District 

Cypress College 

Fullerton College 

Ohlone College 

Palo Verde College 

Palomar College 

Pasadena City College 

Mission College 

West Valley College 

Yosemite C.C. District 

Columbia College 

Modesto Junior College 

Yuba C.C. District 

Clear Lake C.C. 

Woodland C.C. 

Yuba College 

• CONNECTICUT 

Briarwood College 

Connecticut C.C. System 

Asnuntuck C.C. 

Capital C.C. 

Gateway C.C. 

Housatonic C.C. 

Manchester C.C. 

Middlesex C.C. 

Naugatuck Valley C.C. 

Northwestern Connecticut C.C. 

Norwalk C.C. 

Quinebaug Valley C.C.

United States 

235 

Three Rivers C.C. 

Tunxis C.C. 

• DELAWARE 

Delaware Technical & C.C. 

Dover 

Georgetown 

Stanton / Wilmington 

• FLORIDA 

Florida C.C. System 

Brevard C.C. 

Broward C.C. 

Central Florida C.C. 

Florida C.C. at Jacksonville 

Florida Keys C.C. 

Gulf Coast C.C. 

Hillsborough C.C. 

Indian River C.C. 

Lake City C.C. 

Lake-Sumter C.C. 

Manatee C.C. 

• ILLINOIS 

City Colleges of Chicago 

Richard J. Daley College 

Harold Washington College 

Kennedy-King College 

Malcolm X College 

Olive-Harvey College 

Harry S. Truman College 

Wilbur Wright College 

Cooking & Hospitality Institute of 

Chicago 

Fox College 

Illinois Community College Board 

Black Hawk College 

Carl Sandburg College 

College of DuPage 

College of Lake County 

Danville Area Community College 

Elgin Community College 

Heartland Community College 

Highland Community College 

Illinois Central College 

Illinois Eastern C.C. 

Miami Dade College 

North Florida C.C. 

Okaloosa-Walton College 

Palm Beach C.C. 

Pasco-Hernando C.C. 

Pensacola Junior College 

Polk Community College 

Saint Johns River C.C. 

Santa Fe C.C. 

Seminole C.C. 

South Florida C.C. 

Tallahassee C.C. 

Valencia C.C. 

Florida National College 

• GEORGIA 

Andrew College 

Georgia Dept of Tech & Adult Educ 

Athens Technical College 

Augusta Technical College 

Central Georgia Technical C. 

Chattahoochee Technical College 

Columbus Technical College 

Frontier Community College 

Lincoln Trail College 

Olney Central College 

Wabash Valley College 

Illinois Valley Community College 

John A. Logan College 

John Wood Community College 

Joliet Junior College 

Kankakee Community College 

Kaskaskia College 

Kishwaukee College 

Lake Land College 

Lewis & Clark Community College 

Lincoln Land Community College 

McHenry County College 

Moraine Valley C.C. 

Morton College 

Oakton C.C. 

Parkland College 

Prairie State College 

Rend Lake College 

Richland C.C. 

DeKalb Technical College 

Griffin Technical College 

Gwinnett Technical College 

Northwestern Tech College 

Savannah Technical College 

Southwest Georgia Tech C. 

West Central Tech C. 

Georgia Military College 

Univ Syst of Georgia (+) 

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural C. 

Atlanta Metropolitan College 

Bainbridge College 

Coastal Georgia C.C. 

Dalton State College 

Darton College 

East Georgia College 

Georgia Highlands College 

Georgia Perimeter College 

Gordon College 

Middle Georgia College 

South Georgia College 

Waycross College 

Young Harris College 

Rock Valley College 

Sauk Valley C.C. 

Shawnee C.C. 

South Suburban College 

Southeastern Illinois College 

Southwestern Illinois College 

Spoon River College 

Triton College 

Waubonsee C.C. 

William Rainey Harper College 

MacCormac College 

Northwestern College 

Springfield College in Illinois 

• LOUISIANA 

Louisiana Community 

& Technical College System 

Baton Rouge CC 

Bossier Parish CC 

Delgado CC 

Fletcher Technical CC 

Louisiana Delta CC 

Nunez CC

United States 

237 

River Parishes CC 

South Louisiana CC 

Sowela Technical CC 

Louisiana State Univ at Eunice (+) 

Southern Univ at Shreveport (+) 

• MAINE 

Andover College 

Maine CC System 

Central Maine CC 

Eastern Maine CC 

Kennebec Valley CC 

Northern Maine CC 

Southern Maine CC 

Washington County CC 

York County CC 

• MARYLAND 

Allegany College of Maryland 

Anne Arundel CC 

Baltimore City CC 

Carroll CC 

Henry Ford CC 

Jackson CC 

Kalamazoo Valley CC 

Kellogg CC 

Kirtland CC 

Lake Michigan College 

Lansing CC 

Macomb CC 

Mid Michigan CC 

Monroe County CC 

Montcalm CC 

Mott CC 

Muskegon CC 

North Central Michigan College 

Northwestern Michigan College 

Oakland CC 

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College 

Saint Clair County CC 

Schoolcraft College 

Southwestern Michigan College 

Washtenaw CC 

Wayne County CC 

West Shore CC 

Cecil College 

Chesapeake College 

College of Southern Maryland 

Community College of Baltimore 

County Frederick CC 

Garrett College 

HagerstownCC 

Harford CC 

Howard CC 

Montgomery campus 

Prince George’s CC 

Wor-Wic CC 

• MASSACHUSSETTS 

Bay State College 

Berkshire CC 

Bristol CC 

Bunker Hill CC 

Cape Cod CC 

Dean College 

Greenfield CC 

Holyoke CC 

Labouré College 

• MISSISSIPPI 

Coahoma CC 

Copiah-Lincoln CC 

East Central CC 

East Mississippi CC 

Hinds CC 

Holmes CC 

Itawamba CC 

Jones County Junior College 

Meridian CC 

Mississippi Delta CC 

Mississippi Gulf Coast CC 

Northeast Mississippi CC 

Northwest Mississippi CC 

Pearl River CC 

Southwest Mississippi CC 

• MISSOURI 

Cottey College 

Crowder College 

East Central College 

Jefferson College 

Marian Court College 

Massachusetts Bay CC 

Massasoit CC 

Middlesex CC 

Mount Wachusett CC 

New England College of Finance 

North Shore CC 

Northern Essex CCC 

Quincy College 

Quinsigamond CCRoxbury Community 

College 

Springfield Technical CC 

Stockbridge School of Agriculture 

at Univ of Mass (+) 

• MICHIGAN 

Alpena CC 

Bay de Noc CC 

Bay Mills CC 

Delta College 

Glen Oaks CC 

Gogebic CC 

Grand Rapids CC 

Linn State Technical College 

Metropolitan CC District 

Blue River CC 

Business & Technology Campus 

Longview CC 

Maple Woods CC 

Penn Valley CC 

Mineral Area College 

MO State Univ-West Plains (+) 

Moberly Area CC 

North Central Missouri College 

Ozarks Technical CC 

Ranken Technical College 

Saint Charles CC 

Saint Louis CC 

Southeast MO Hospital 

College of Nursing 

& Health Sciences 

State Fair CC 

Three Rivers CC 

Wentworth Military Academy & 

Junior College

United States 

239 

• NEVADA 

College of Southern Nevada 

Truckee Meadows CC 

Western Nevada College 

• NEW HAMPSHIRE 

Hesser College 

McIntosh College 

CC System of New Hampshire 

Great Bay CC 

Lakes Region CC 

Manchester CC 

Nashua CC 

NHTI – Concord’sCC 

River Valley CC 

White Mountains CC 

• NEW JERSEY 

Atlantic Cape CC 

Bergen CC 

Berkeley College 

Brookdale CC 

Bronx CC 

Hostos CC 

Kingsborough CC 

LaGuardia CC 

Queensborough CC 

Helene Fuld College of Nursing 

Maria College of Albany 

State University of New York (+) 

Adirondack CC 

Broome CC 

Cayuga County CC 

Clinton CC 

Columbia-Greene CC 

Corning CC 

Dutchess CC 

Erie CC 

Finger Lakes CC 

Fulton-Montgomery CC 

Genesee CC 

Her

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