Canada, also known as the Maple Country has become a favorite option for Nigerians seeking relocation, and one of the easiest ways to achieve this is through international studies. Most of the Universities in Canada accepts applications for three major intakes:

1. Fall Intake – September to December
2. Winter Intake – January to May
3. Spring/Summer Intake – May to August

Please find below the step-by-step process to guide you in applying and gaining admission into a Canadian university:

1. School and Course Selection: The first step to take in order to fulfill your Canadian study dream is to research the schools and courses you would like to study. This should be done before the admission calls for these universities begin. It is usually advisable to consider more than one school in order to broaden your options, especially in the case of rejections.
2. Check for Entry Requirements: After confirming the schools and courses you would be interested in pursuing, go to each school’s website and find out the requirements for entry. You can send emails to the consultants in various schools to seek clarification on the entry requirements.
3. Prepare for Application: After getting information on the requirements, the next step is to prepare the necessary documents for the application process. These documents usually include;
   • Valid passport
   • Academic certificate and transcript
   • Letters of reference
   • Statement of purpose
   • Language test results
   • English or French (in some cases)
   • GRE OR GMAT (In some cases)
   • Curriculum Vitae (in some cases).
     
     Some schools in certain provinces ask for an evaluation of your degree from the World Education Service (WES). You can apply to as many schools as possible as long as you can afford the application fees. There are certain schools that give application fee waivers.
4. Types of Postgraduate Studies: There are research-based and course-based postgraduate studies. For the research-based studies where you can reach out to lecturers in the school that teach the course, you want to supervise your research. These supervisors help guarantee that you get admission and also qualify you for waivers and scholarship opportunities.
5. Apply to School: Once the school begins calls for admission, you can fill out the application forms for the schools you are interested in and upload the necessary documents. Application is done directly to the university through the application portal.
6. Prepare Funds: While waiting to be granted admission which can take several weeks, it is advisable to prepare funds you would be needing to cover tuition and other expenses. Most schools require a proof of funds statement to show that the applicant is capable of paying the tuition fee and also has enough money to cover accommodation and other expenses before issuing admission. The school advises you on how much you will need to cover tuition for the entirety of your program and living expenses for a year which is usually around $36,000 (CAD).
7. Provisional Admission Offer: If your application is successful and you meet the schools’ requirements for admission, you are offered admission. This admission will provide details on the acceptance fee, tuition and amount needed to show as funding. This also provides information on tuition installments to be paid, a certain amount is paid an up-front deposit of your tuition or deposit to secure admission. Fees are paid using the form A document in Nigerian banks which helps in purchasing foreign currency to pay for services.
8. Applying for a Student Permit: Following receipt of the Provisional Admission Letter or Acceptance Letter (a copy of your admission letter and receipt of acceptance fee payment), the student applies to the Canadian Consulate through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Online (link:https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/student.asp).

The documents necessary for this process are;

• a valid international passport
• acceptance Letter
• statement of proof of funds or scholarship
• digital passport
• family information
  
  Three forms will be required to be filled,
• an application for a study permit ($150)
• an application for a temporary resident visa
• a family information form.
  
  A client document is supposed to be sent alongside the 3 forms, this document includes a police report, curriculum vitae, an introduction letter, and the result of the medical examination which can be done before or during visa application. A Biometric and Medical check is scheduled for the student. A fee of $85 (CAD) is paid for biometrics, medical results can be submitted alongside the application for a student permit or when requested. After this, your visa can either be approved or denied.

9. Travelling: After your visa is approved, you can look for accommodation before leaving if you do not already have a place to stay. You can proceed to book your flight tickets and prepare yourself by getting the necessary things like the right clothes for different weathers, electronics, and foodstuff you will be needing and you will be set to go.

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