Study in Canada from Ghana – Full Guide

This article covers a wide range of information that can help you apply for study in Canada from Ghana.

Furthermore, you will gain knowledge on reasons and benefits of studying in Canada, popular Canadian provinces, academic programs, average tuition, study permit requirements, fees, scholarships, student loans, among others.

Moreover, all these information will facilitate your transition from a Ghanaian student into being an international student in Canada.

Why Study in Canada from Ghana?

Here are reasons why you may need to apply to a Canadian college or university for admission.

• Majority of Canadian college/university’s graduates gets employment soon after graduation. Moreover, You can easily get a job in Canada after graduation unlike Ghana.
• The post-secondary institutions in Canada avails scholarships to international students than the institutions in other foreign countries, including Ghana
• Due to work placements, internships, apprenticeships, etc., you can easily gain Canadian work experience in relevant field of study.
• Canadian communities gladly accept Ghanaians and other foreign nationals.
• Studying in a Canadian institution places you in a step ahead for immigration to Canada.

Popular Canadian provinces for Ghanaian students

Certainly, Canada has ten (10) provinces and three (3) territories. However, the following are the most popular Canadian provinces for Ghanaian students.

• Quebec (QC): The province of Quebec is a very huge Francophone Canadian province consisting of several cities. Additionally, Quebec is the largest province in Canada, followed by Ontario.
• Ontario (ON): The Canadian province of Ontario is a thriving, populous and commercial province located in central Canada. Besides, Ontario holds the largest portion of Canada’s population.
• British Columbia (BC): Located in Western Canada, British Columbia is the third populous province in Canada.

Types of programs Ghanaian students can study in Canada

• Undergraduate programs: These programs are for you if you just graduated from high school and want to study in Canada from Ghana.
• Graduate Diploma: These programs enable you to earn credits to further your graduate studies.
• Masters: Of course, there are varieties of Masters degree programs availed by Canadian institutions. These include MSc, MA, MPH, MLA, MFA, MSM, MPA, MSW, etc.
• MBA: Master in Business Administration degree seems professional than other masters programs. For the most part, MBA study lasts for up to two (2) years.
• PhD/Doctorate: PhD is the highest degree you can get in a post-secondary institution. Besides, Doctorate degree programs usually last for a minimum of 3 years.

Cost of studying in Canada from Ghana

Read here for information on the costs involved to study in Canada as a Ghanaian student.

Average tuition fee for int’l students

Indeed, international tuition fees in each institution vary program to program.

However, below are the average tuition costs for students enrolled in different program types at Canadian post-secondary institutions.

• Undergraduate program: CAN $15,000 to CAN $22,000
• Graduate program: CAN $10,000 to CAN $25,000

Minimum personal support amount in Canada

You are required to set aside a minimum of CAN $10,000 as allowances during study in Canada.

Who can sponsor Ghanaian students to Canada

The following persons can sponsor you for study to Canada;

• Parent, guardian or any member of your family
• Friend
• Relative, etc

Study loan for Ghanaian students in Canada

As a non-Canadian who want to study in Canada from Ghana, you can also access a number of student loans.

Additionally, private lender like “MPOWER Financing” provides student loans to international students with fixed interest rates.

Other costs to think about to study in Canada from Ghana

Of course, you need to make some other payments apart from your tuition. Examples of these payments include flight fee, textbooks, health coverage, etc.

Thus, below are the estimated costs for each of these fees.

• Flight fee from Ghana to Canada: ranges from CAN $900 to CAN $1,400
• Health insurance coverage: CAN $800
• Textbooks & supplies: may cost up to CAN $600
• Student Services fees: CAD $300

Scholarship for Ghanaian students in Canada

Truly, the cost of studying in Canada is extremely high. Thus, you can check if you are eligible for scholarships in order to lower the expensive cost.

General eligibility for scholarships

Undoubtedly, scholarships in Canada are merit-based and are awarded to students based on their academic performance.

For this reason, you only need to attain an entrance average not less than 70% before a scholarship can be automatically awarded to you.

Organizations that offer scholarships to Ghanaians

The following organizations offer scholarships to students who came for study in Canada from Ghana.

• Commonwealth
• MasterCard
• UNESCO
• Aga Khan Foundation
• Rotary Foundation
• The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

How to apply for scholarship to study in Canada from Ghana

If you desire applying for a scholarship before leaving Ghana, you need to visit the college or university’s official website for directives on available financial aids and application guidelines.

Full vs. partially funded scholarships

Generally speaking, fully funded scholarships covers 100% of your tuition fee for an academic year while partial-funded scholarships only covers part of your tuition fee.

How to apply for admission in Canada from Ghana

This area covers information on academic and language requirements, as well as on how you can apply to study in Canada from Ghana.

Minimum academic requirements

Most importantly, there is no Canadian post-secondary institution without admission requirements.

With this in mind, you must have graduated from high school if you want to apply for an undergraduate program in Canada.

Furthermore, graduate studies applicants need to have previously completed an undergraduate program from a recognized institution.

However, you need to attain a minimum admission average of 70%.

English/French language requirements

Canadian educational institutions accept the test results of several proofs of language skills.

Besides, the language requirement of each Canadian post-secondary institution is different from the other.

For example,

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) assessment
• Michigan English Test
• Pearson Test of English (PTE)
• Duolingo English Test
• CanTest

Other requirements

• Letter of intent or statement of purpose: This is a succinct essay usually required to be included in your admission application.

For the most part, they feature a word count of 500 or should not exceed one page.

• Reference letters: The educational institution may request you to provide letter of reference (s) from an academician, clergy, etc.

Steps to apply for admission from Ghana

Are you thinking of traveling internationally for study? Below are steps that can help you complete the application process for study in Canada from Ghana.

• To begin with, you need to check the educational institution’s list of programs in order to confirm its availability.
• Second, it is essential to check if you can afford the institution’s tuition and other fees, as well as if you have met its admission requirements.
• Third, apply for admission into the college or university and submit all supporting documents as requested by the institution.

You also need to pay an application fee to the institution. International application fees for studies usually vary institution to institution.

• Fourth, wait for the college or university to process your application.
• Fifth, if you receive a Letter of Acceptance from the institution, this means that you’ve been accepted for study into your preferred academic program.
• Six, use the Letter of Acceptance, amongst other documents to apply for your Canadian study permit.
• If your study permit application gets approval, you can now leave your country of origin for study in Canada from Ghana.

Self application vs. use of consultants/representatives.

Basically, you can apply for study in Canada from Ghana by yourself or through an educational consultant or representative.

Moreover, using a consultant or representative has great benefits since they are mostly accredited by the institution’s itself.

Simply by downloading, completing and submitting the Use of a Representation Form, you can hire a consultant/representative to assist you for your applications.

Applying for Canada study visa from Ghana

You will definitely need a student permit before you can study anywhere in Canada.

However, this aspect covers information on the requirements, fees, document checklist, as well as processing time for Canadian study permit,

Study permit Canada requirements

Certainly, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) require all international students to meet certain conditions in order to study in Canada from Ghana or any foreign country.

With this in mind, it is important that you satisfy the following conditions.

• First, you are qualified for Canadian study permit if you have received a Letter of Acceptance from any of IRCC’s Designated Learning Institution (DLI).
• Second, you need a proof to fund, which enables you to show availability of sufficient money for flight to Canada, tuition, allowances, as well as all other learning expenses.
• Third, you may be required to undergo a medical examination to prove your wellness.
• Fourth, you may need a police certificate in order to prove that you are clean and not an ex-convict.
• Above all, it is necessary for you to prove to the visa/immigration officer that you will not stay in Canada after the expiry of your study permit.

Study permit Canada fees

Generally speaking, all students who are planning to study in Canada from Ghana must pay for their Canadian study permit application.

Therefore, you need to pay as sum of CAN $150 in order to apply and process your study permit.

Study permit Canada document checklist

If you intend to study in Canada from Ghana, you need to put the following documents and credentials in place.

• Proof of identity such as a valid passport or traveling document, as well as two (2) new passport photos with your full names and date of birth written at the rear.
• Letter of Acceptance (LOA) received from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) for admission into an academic program.

However, LOA is not required if any of your family member has an approved Canadian study or work permit.

• Proof of funds through a Canadian bank account, tuition receipt, recent bank statements, bank draft (CAD $), Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), financial aids or student loan documents, among others.
• Letter of explanation with information on reasons why you chose Canada and on your roles as a student.

• Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ). This credential is issued by the Government of Québec.

Study permit Canada processing time

Indeed, you need to wait for about 14 weeks before you can get your study permit to study in Canada from Ghana.

By then, your Canadian study permit application will have gone through complete processing.

Paper vs. online application

If you are contemplating whether to apply online or on paper to study in Canada from Ghana, it is best that you apply online for convenient and quick application.

Thus, ensure that your documents and credentials are in electronic format (.PDF).

You also need an internet-enabled computer with up-to-date browser as it facilitates hassle-free application process.

In addition, you may need to opt for paper application if you are already in Canada with a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and your spouse/common-law partner is a Canadian worker under NOC Skill Level C or D.

Study visa application offices in Ghana

Undoubtedly, Canada has established Visa Application Centres (VACs) in different countries of the world, including Ghana.

Besides, there is only one VAC in Ghana, which is located in Accra.

• VFS Global Visa Application Centre:

Address: 1^st Floor, Atlantic Towers,

Behind Marina Mall, Accra, Ghana

Phone number: +233 30 275 0200

• Website: vfsglobal.com

Additionally, you can visit the VFS Global Visa Application Centre in Accra for visa application and passport collection between 8am to 4:30pm on Mondays to Fridays.

How to check study permit application status

Generally speaking, there are two (2) different ways of checking your Canadian study permit application status online.

• On one hand, you can access your application status using your GCKey’s username and password.
• On the other hand, you can also view your application status by signing in via your online Canadian banking information.

Hence, you must have created an online bank account with any of the following Canadian banks;

• National Bank
• TD Bank
• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
• ScotiaBank
• Servus Credit Union
• Royal Bank of Canada
• Tangerine Bank
• Simplii Financial Bank
• The Bank of Montreal (BMO)
• ATB Financial
• Caisse Alliance
• Conexus Credit Union, among others