Anyone’s dc gone to uni in Canada?

[CormorantStrikesBack]

Dd is applying for Ottawa for a Masters. I asked her about fees and maintenance loans and she shrugged and said it’s just like the uk and the govt give you a loan and you pay it back. Surely they don’t give foreigners a loan? She doesn’t have citizenship.

SFE give the loan iirc, assuming she is resident in England.

Oh wow, so just the same as if she was going to uni the uk? Sounds like it would work then. Yes, she’s resident (and citizen) in the U.K.. thanks.

Meant to say it’s for architecture so even though it’s a masters the finance is done as per an undergraduate degree.

She should double check the cost of studying the Masters over there. Canada changed their requirements for International student visas this year (2024) and have doubled the amount of money you have to prove that you have available for living costs to C$ 20,635 (approx £11,300) per year. This is in addition to the tuition fees which you will have to pay. I’m not 100% sure but taking a quick look at SFE it looks like the Masters loan is only £12,167 for course and living costs so she might need to find some additional funds to make it happen.

Also not sure from the post of she is going in as a Postgraduate student or not (the comment about finance being as per an Undergraduate degree got me wondering). If she is going in as an Undergraduate she should also be aware that starting 2024 Canada is limiting the number of Student visas it is issuing. There is a cap on how many each province will get and once they have hit that number no more will be issued. Therefore even if she gets an offer of a place & has all the funds etc. in place it is possible that she might not get the visa. (I only know because one of DD friends in the US has been caught out by the changes and has been refused a visa for her Canadian college place). If she is going as a postgrad I think you can disregard this as I don’t believe they are subject to the visa number cap.

Finally might want to check SFE. I didn’t think they gave loans for doing a degree at a non UK university.

Thanks, Google hasn’t been helping but will get Dd to email SFE. I’ve no idea if it would count as a postgrad or an undergraduate course, in the uk they view the whole thing as an undergraduate even though technically it’s postgraduate….not sure if Canada is of the same opinion.

she would get free lodging out there so not sure if that would reduce the amount of funds she’d need to prove she has. Good point about visas.

It doesn’t look possible. SFE website clearly says no.

canadia govt website says their federal student loans are only for citizens or residents. I’m guessing being a resident is more than just saying I’ve moved here.

private loans are available at 13% interest rate and I assume no thing of not having to pay it back till you earn x.

i knew what Dd was assuring me of would turn out to be too good to be true. I don’t know where she gets this half baked information from.

Op your dd must be in her 20s- you need to leave it all to her and let her apply

Just to echo a previous post, do check re visas. My dc is doing an undergraduate course with a mandatory 3rd year abroad. Canada was a popular choice but there has been a v recent change to the visa regulations, and her friends have only been able to get 6 month visas. Might be different for Masters and I’ve only heard about it anecdotally, but it’s been a real pain for DCs friends.

Yes I get that, but she was saying stuff to me yesterday which didn’t sound right about the Canadian government would loan her money. She’s daft enough to apply, get accepted and go and have a loan not realising it’s a private company with awful terms and conditions 🤷‍♀️. I don’t feel I can just sit back and not give some advice.

I think you're right to be concerned. But I would direct her to the websites of the actual universities because that is where she will find the costs for international applicants and her options.

Residency in Canada is far more than turning up and saying you live there. There's a legal process involving sponsorship and evidence of long term residency. I don't have the link to hand, but it is easily found as well.

Start here: www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada.html

OSAP doesn’t look like it is available for international students: https://www.ontario.ca/page/learn-about-osap

Thanks for the links.

i bet she’s seen something about student loans for residents and just assumed if she moves there she’s a resident. 😫🙈