A master's degree with a good academic record; GRE and references in some cases; previous research work, papers published etc.

The total cost on an average is CDN$ 10,000 as tuition fee and CDN$10,000 as living expense per year which varies for different provinces and courses. There is no ranking of any of the institutes recognized by Govt. of Canada.

It is important to become proficient in English to make your stay in Canada a good one. You will probably be required to take the International English Language Testing System(IELTS) or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) before you will be admitted to a Canadian university. The school may also have additional tests for graduate students who are prospective teaching assistants like GRE or GMAT and for undergraduate students SAT is required.

• IELTS
• TOEFL
• GRE
• GMAT
• SAT
  

Scholarships offered by Canadian schools

A number of Canadian universities and colleges offer scholarships and financial aid, generally based on academic merit. Check with the scholarship office of each school that is of interest to you to determine if there are entrance scholarships granted with admission for first year of study or continuing scholarships which will have requirements in place for your full course of study. Competitive scholarships often require a separate application which could take academic, financial need and extra curricular activities into account. Athletic entrance scholarships are not usually offered at Canadian colleges and universities.

A pre-application is a tentative list of schools that you would like to apply to. On the basis of your academic profile, your probable test scores and financial ability compile a list of universities to which you must send a letter requesting further information. At this stage, you can write to the selected 25-30 universities. You can directly request application materials from the universities. There are three ways to get application forms.

1. Requesting Application Forms via email
2. Requesting Application Forms via Air Mail
3. Downloading from the university website
   

1. Completed Application form
2. Essay/s or writing sample
3. Statement of Purpose required for graduates and optional for undergraduates
4. Resume for MBA Students
5. Official score reports of SAT/TOEFL/GRE/GMAT to be sent by ETS
6. Letter from Bank stating - funds available for study
7. Affidavit of Financial Support i.e. letter signed from sponsor or parent
8. Two/Three Recommendation Letters from Professors or Employer
9. Transcripts and Mark sheets from College or University
10. Certificates of Extracurricular Activities

Letter of reference or recommendation letter plays a very important role in the admission process especially for Master's and Doctoral courses. A recommendation letter is a signed statement from a person who knows you well professionally or has taught you in a subject that is related to the course you are applying to. It should list your positive and negative qualities, strengths and weaknesses, your character and integrity and other such information.

The author or teacher must indicate his position, how long he/she has known the applicant and in what capacity. He/she should briefly discuss the need, importance and usefulness of the study the applicant proposes to undertake. Authors are usually asked to rank applicants in their letters of recommendation, which helps admission officers to interpret the academic credentials of foreign students. Students should obtain letters of recommendation (often on the prescribed forms sent by the institutions) from teachers who know them as a person as well as a student. You may like to request your author to give concrete examples that may show your qualities and help your case.

The personal essays, and/or statement of purpose, also play a very important role in the process of evaluating your application for both admission as well as financial aid because it gives the faculty, assessing your application, information about you as an individual. For MBA candidates this is probably the most important criterion. In the statement of purpose, which must be concise, the student must define his or her academic goals, and/or research plans. It should include justification for choosing the academic program and specialization, and for selecting the particular college as well as the advantages and benefit of studying that particular course.

To study at a Canadian University, you must first be accepted in a program of study by a recognized Canadian university. Once you have determined which universities meet your needs, contact the registrar's office at each institution to obtain an application for a bachelor's program or a professional degree. If you wish to pursue postgraduate studies in Canada you may obtain more information by contacting the dean of graduate studies at the universities that interest you. It is important to apply early.

Generally, international students should apply to a Canadian university up to eight months in advance. Some universities have application deadlines as late as June for a September start date. Typical entry points for international students are the September and January semesters. However, many universities have adopted a procedure of "rolling admissions" which means that they consider international students' applications as they come in throughout the year.
However, for graduate programs in particular, it can take time to ensure you are matched with the right faculty adviser, so give yourself enough lead-time.

Calendars with course descriptions, admission requirements and procedures, costs and scholarships are available from the registrar at each university.

Engineering, optometry, medicine, veterinary medicine, law, and dentistry are fields where the first professional degree is considered an undergraduate program. Limited seats are available contingent on your academic merit. A high level of academic achievement is required for admission. Often at least two years of undergraduate study in a related field are required before you can be admitted to the first professional degree program. Check the university calendar to identify tests such as LSAT (law) or DAT (dentistry) that may also be required.

Studying in Canada is not free, but it is affordable. The average cost for a foreign student for one school year (8 months) in an Arts & Science program is approximately C$7100 (US$4765). However, tuition varies from institution to institution.

Tuition fees for international students vary from province to province and depend on your faculty of choice. The following table shows the range of tuition fees for each province. Fees are in Canadian dollars - for general arts and science programs.

Cost of living in Canada:
The cost of living in Canada is moderate, compared with other countries. Some prices of typical goods and services are as follows (in US dollars):

1. One month's lodging, one-bedroom apartment: $400 Approx
2. Bus fare, one way: $2.25 Approx
3. Local telephone call: $0.25 Approx
4. Modest restaurant meal: lunch $7/dinner $14 Approx
5. Movie: $11.50 - $13 Approx
6. International Postage (letter): $1.40 Approx
   

Canadian winters are chilly, an adequate warm clothing budget is essential. Budget around $250 - $350 US approximate for proper winter wardrobe.

You will need to have a valid passport and a visa in order to enter Canada. Since it can take several months to obtain a passport and all the documentation, start the process as soon as you can.Here you will find information regarding Visa requirements and procedures.

Submit the completed application kit to the immigration section of the Canadian High commission, New Delhi. Kindly submit only notarized photocopies of all documents.

1. Study Permit Application form.
2. Personal Information Form for students and postdoctoral researchers.
3. Letter of acceptance from Canadian University, College or Technical Institute.
4. Certificate of Acceptance from the province of Quebec (Only if you plan to study in Quebec)
5. TOEFL / IELTS score, if applicable
6. Passport, valid for at least one year, from the proposed date of entry into Canada.
7. Visa fee to be payable by Bank draft
8. Copies of Academic Mark sheets and Certificates
9. Work Experience Certificates, if applicable.
10. Proof of payment of fees, if applicable
11. Proof of Funds - Applicants must demonstrate that they have sufficient liquid assets to pay the tuition fees, living expenses and travelling cost without engaging in employment in Canada. Students must demonstrate that they have at least Cdn$10,000 plus the cost of tuition for a twelve-month period, plus the cost of travelling to and fro from Canada. Even Bank Loans are accepted.
12. Letter from the sponsor
13. Income Tax Papers of the sponsor