5 Things You Should Know About Canada Student Visa Fees

Things You Should Know About Canada Student Visa Fees: There are many reasons why students decide to study abroad and Canada has become one of the most sought-after locations, especially among people looking to further their education while also enhancing their job prospects in the process. 

One of the most important things you need to know about studying in Canada is that it isn’t cheap all those top-notch facilities and world-class instructors don’t come free, after all. 

But if you plan well in advance and take advantage of all the available financial aid, you can save yourself quite a bit of money when it comes to studying abroad in Canada.

READ ALSO 8 Top Universities in the USA That Offer Full Scholarships to International Students

What you need to know about Canada Student visa

 International students studying in Canada must apply for a study permit before arriving in the country. 

1. There are two categories of study permits 

There are two categories of study permits that students can apply for: Study Permit – Temporary Resident (which includes visiting), and Student Permit – Permanent Resident.

Student Permit: Temporary Resident:

The temporary resident study permit is valid up to 5 years from date of issue or until completion of studies, whichever comes first; however, there are some exceptions where temporary residents must apply for extensions after one year based on circumstances such as humanitarian grounds or human rights violations.

Student Permit: Permanent Resident:

The permanent resident study permit is only issued to students who are studying in a program that leads to a degree, diploma or certificate from a DLI or that is at least 6 months long. 

If you’re studying in an elementary or secondary school, CEGEP (or other pre-university programs), you need to apply for your study permit under Temporary Resident status.

2) What a student loan is all about

A student loan is a long-term, unsecured loan designed to help students pay for higher education. It typically has lower interest rates and repayment terms than other types of loans and requires no collateral. 

The borrower may have the option of deferring payments until they graduate or find employment. 

Interest on the loan accrues during the deferment period, but no payments are due. In some cases, the lender may allow borrowers to repay their loans in installments over 10 years instead of monthly payments over 30 years if they wish (like most private lenders). 

However, this can be expensive as it would cost about 4% more per year in interest than the standard 10-year payment plan with monthly payments. 

Private lenders may also offer shorter repayment periods than federal loans, which could save money on interest. For example, a $10,000 loan repaid over three years at 8% APR would require $2,800 in total principal and interest payments. 

Repaying the same amount over six years at 6% APR would require only $1,600 in total principal and interest payments. 

Students should compare these options carefully before deciding how to repay their student loans.  

To qualify for a Federal Direct Loan you must be enrolled in school at least half time, be less than 24 years old and not have any outstanding federal student loans.

To qualify for many private student loans you must be either 18 or older, attending school full time, or within 120 days of graduation from your current program. 

Some private lenders may even grant loans to people who have never attended college if they are enrolled in an accredited professional program such as nursing school. 

 Federal loans are available to undergraduate and graduate students as well as parents paying for their children’s education. 

To apply, fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online and be sure to include all family members applying.

3) What scholarship is

Scholarships are a great way to get free money for school, and they’re not as rare as you might think. 

Some are based on financial need, some are merit-based, and others require an application form. 

Find a list of scholarships that fit your criteria and fill out an application form to be considered. 

If you don’t have the time or energy to find scholarships, check out scholarship matching services like Cappex’s Scholarship Matching Service. 

These websites do all the hard work for you by looking at your profile information (grades, GPA, ACT/SAT scores) and pairing you with scholarships that match your background. and the best part is that they’re free 

Also transferring refers to changing schools mid-semester. 

Transferring often happens when students decide their current college isn’t the right fit for them. 

Sometimes transfer students may decide it would be better if they studied closer to home, or maybe found a program that better suits their needs. 

Transferring can also happen when students take courses during winter break in order to graduate faster from college Often, this type of transferring will only last until spring semester starts. 

The benefits of transferring include graduating sooner, studying what you want, and living close to home. 

The downside is that credits earned before transfer may not count towards graduation requirements in your new school’s curriculum. 

There are even ways to avoid paying tuition while transferring, make sure you research how the process works before making any decisions though so you know what steps to take first. 

You should consult your advisor, and see if the credits from your old school will still count towards graduation in your new one, for more advice on deciding whether to transfer or not, check out this guide below; 

5 Tips to Help You Decide Whether To Transfer Schools Or Not 

So now that you know everything there is to know about the pros and cons of transferring, let’s go over five tips to help you decide whether or not you should transfer schools: 

1. Your GPA – It depends on where your grade point average falls within your school’s standards. 

If it falls under a 2.0 GPA then transferring could be beneficial because there is no chance of losing good standing at your previous institution. 

However, if your grades are above 2.0 then taking these risks could jeopardize them which could affect future transfers into other institutions. 

2. Financial Aid – Your federal student aid may cover some costs such as housing, books, and meals depending on where you live and attend classes full-time. 
3. Credits Earned Before Transfer – This can be tricky, but make sure you speak to your advisor and the academic departments you plan to enroll in before transferring. 
4. How Long Will You Be Gone? – It is important to understand that transferring often means you’ll have to leave campus for an extended period of time and won’t have access to your dorms, meal plans, etc. 
5. Why Do You Want To Transfer? – This question sounds simple but it’s important because once you answer it truthfully, the reasons why you want to transfer will determine whether or not transferring is the right decision for you

4) How much will your education cost

If you plan to study in Canada, whether at a college or university, it is important to understand how much studying will cost you. 

There are many factors that contribute to how much your education will cost, including the level of the program and the school that you choose. 

The more prestigious the institution, the higher the tuition fee will be for any given course, generally speaking, undergraduate programs range from about $7000 per year to over $40 000 per year for some schools, graduate programs range from $10 000-$25 000 per year. 

With post-graduate programs, this ranges from $12 000-$20 000 per year as a student you should also consider accommodation costs when estimating their total budget. 

Housing can range anywhere from $800 to over $3000 per month. 

However, those living with family may have lower accommodation costs depending on the location they live in and what kind of accommodations they need. 

Some students may opt to commute from home instead of paying for housing, those who do not want the stress of commuting might opt to rent an apartment close by campus.

Some universities offer scholarships to offset these costs, but there are limited opportunities so applicants should apply early. 

Some employers offer generous financial assistance packages as well as paid internships, apprenticeships and co-op placements which provide valuable experience while attending school. 

In addition, student loans are available in most provinces if necessary.

Students must make sure they understand the cost implications before beginning a degree program because they cannot stop midway through without having incurred a heavy financial burden and only being able to complete one part of their degree requirements. 

They will then be faced with two options: either continuing to pay for courses they’ve already completed but haven’t finished, or waiting until the program is offered again and repeating all of the work already done. Either way, students incur additional expenses.

5) About scholarship tips and tricks

First, don’t wait until your senior year to apply for scholarships. 

If you have a GPA of 3.5 or higher, chances are you could have started earlier than that. Be sure to use scholarship search engines and online databases such as the College Board and ScholarSpace. 

These sites allow students to enter criteria such as their major, grade point average and interests in order to receive customized information about potential scholarships they may be eligible for based on their qualifications. 

Once you find an appropriate scholarship with which you may be eligible, take the time to read through the requirements and make sure it suits your needs before applying. 

Some scholarships require essays, transcripts and letters of recommendation, so if these sound like too much work, then this scholarship is not for you. 

Finally, when filling out applications for scholarships, be sure to ask about deadlines because some close up to six months before graduation day.

Conclusion

In conclusion choosing a country to study abroad is an important decision that can help you grow as a person and have a profound impact on your future. 

The right place will allow you to expand your academic horizons, form lifelong relationships, and become a more open-minded global citizen. 

Above are five things you should know about how international student visa fees work, so you can make informed decisions about where to apply for university.