Canada offers a diverse and inclusive environment
Prof. Ted Sargent, Vice-President, International of the University of Toronto, was in India early this month to promote the University as a destination for Indian undergraduate and graduate students.Prof. Sargent is a distinguished researcher and holds the rank of University Professor in the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University. He also holds the Canada Research Chair in Nanotechnology. He spoke to us on why Canada and specifically the University of Toronto (U of T) is a growing destination for Indian students. Edited excerpts: Canadian universities seem to be a growing destination for international students? Why is this? Many international students choose Canada because it offers a welcoming, inclusive and diverse environment. Toronto is one of the world’s most multicultural cities and was recently ranked the safest city in North America, by the Economist magazine. We have a thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem that prepares our students for an evolving workplace.
Our students and alumni comment on the value of U of T’s entrepreneurial ecosystem in fostering the skills they need to create and find opportunities.
With more than 50 enterprise-fostering courses, programs, labs, clubs, contests and speaker series across our faculties, departments and campuses, it’s no surprise that U of T ranks No. 1 in North America for number of spin-offs launched. Why is the u of T appealing to indian students? We have growing interest from Indian students. In 2017, 175 Indian undergraduates registered, an increase of 68% compared to 2016 when 104 students registered. I believe U of T is appealing because of its reputation, excellence in research and innovation, favourable price point and atmosphere of inclusion.
For example, tuition at the privates in the US is generally $60,000 including living expenses, though many do get discounts in the form of scholarships. At U of T tuition for international students ranges from (Canadian dollar)$48,000 to $53,000, or US$39,000 to $43,000. What makes u of T one of Canada’s top ranked university? What are its strengths? One impressive feature of U of T is that so many of its programmes rank so highly. While STEM subjects like business, engineering, life science and computer science are popular with international students, we are ranked 15th in the world for Arts and Humanities and very highly for many other programmes. U of T was the birthplace of the discovery of insulin and stem cell research and of the electron microscope. What is your advice to indian students looking to seek admission abroad? We encourage students to start researching their university options as early as possible, especially if they are enrolled in CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) or CISCE (Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations). This is because both of these curriculums employ a two-year academic system following class X, in which students take the same subjects in both class XI and XII.
This, in turn, determines whether or not the student will have the prerequisites needed to qualify for admission into their target university program.
The official deadline to submit an application is January. However, we strongly recommend that international students complete the application earlier. Required documents, including proof of English facility, should be submitted as early as possible.
Admission requirements vary by academic programme and campus. It is always best to check the website to determine your specific requirements.
Currently, about 20% of undergraduates are international.
The university offers a variety of residence room styles including dorm, apartment and townhouse, and we guarantee residence to all new first-year students who apply for residence by March 31 and receive an offer of admission by June 1. given the politicaleconomic situation, what are the job prospects for international students after graduating from a us/ Canadian university? I cannot speak for the US. But in Canada, international students can work on and off campus during their study period and can also obtain a work permit for up to three years after graduation. Many international students end up becoming permanent residents. Obviously getting international job experience helps to prepare students for the global job market. Our employability rankings are very high. Tell us something about the rotman school of Management (the university of Toronto’s graduate business school) and what makes it attractive for indian students? The Rotman School of Management’s full-time MBA programme has been a popular destination for Indian candidates.
Of the 350 students in the class of 2019, 56 are Indian and have joined the programme from 9 different countries around the world.
In 2016, our application numbers for the full-time programme were up by 26%, and already the applications for next year’s full time MBA class are up another 36% yearover-year.
Rotman Commerce is the of the Rotman School of Management and the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS). We receive nearly 7000 applications for admission to our first-year undergraduate business programme class, and enroll approximately 800 students every year.
Rotman Commerce has historically enrolled around 20 students every year from India. Additionally, Rotman’s India Innovation Institute is a hub for researchers across U of T and around the world that brings together faculty and students interested in how India is using innovation to transform itself across a variety of spheres, including technology, manufacturing, services, processes and government.