Students who wish to study in Canada from Korea need to follow the right procedures. These include finding the perfect school and course of study, applying for a program and/or scholarship, and paying necessary fees.
Therefore, all of this information contained on this page is important for a Korean student seeking to study in Korea.
Are you an indigene of Korea or have completed your secondary education in the country? Do you consider Canada to be a perfect country for post-secondary education?
Ever wondered what makes Canada special for academic purposes? Then, every section of this article is for you! Read up and begin your journey to becoming a graduate as fast as possible!
Note that the content of this page addresses students in North and South Korea. The application procedures for both countries are similar, if not the same, in many circumstances.
In this article
- Benefits of Studying in Canada
- Types of Programs Korean Students can Study in Canada
- Cost of Studying in Canada from Korea
- Average Tuition Fee for International Students in Canada
- Minimum Personal Support Amount in Canada
- Who can Sponsor Korean Students to Canada
- Other Costs to Consider for Study in Canada from Korea
- Scholarship for Korean Students in Canada
- General Eligibility Requirements for Scholarships in Canada
- Organizations that Offer Scholarships to Koreans
- How to Apply for Admission in Canada from Korea
- Minimum Academic Requirements to Study in Canada from Korea
- English/French Language Requirements
- Other Requirements for Admission into Canada as a Korean
- Applying for Canada Study Visa from Korea
- Study Permit Canada Requirements
- Study Permit Canada Fees
- Study Permit Canada Processing Time
- Study Visa Application Offices in Korea
- Frequently Asked Questions
Benefits of Studying in Canada
Canada is the world’s trending immigration destination. From vacation to business deals, job opportunities, and academic options, foreigners from all over the world increasingly fall in love with the country.
These are only but a few points why you should consider obtaining your post-secondary education in Canada as a Korean:
- Canada has an advanced educational system that is rated among the best in the world
- The learning environment in most Canadian schools is conducive, and the indigenes are one of the friendliest to strangers.
- Furthermore, international students who study in Canada, including those from Korea, are exposed to many scholarship opportunities. The scholarships can be fully or partially funded.
- Relative to other countries like the US and the UK, Canadian schools have less competition in terms of foreign students that apply to them. Hence, you have a high chance of obtaining admission if you apply from Korea as long as you meet the admission requirements.
- If you study from a Canadian institution, your credentials will be respected anywhere in the world. What is more? You have a high chance of building a career and settling in Canada if you obtain post-secondary education from the country.
- Do you also know that Canada boasts of the most affordable schools among the developed countries of the world? Moreover, there are more than enough funding options for students who make the country their study destination.
Types of Programs Korean Students can Study in Canada
Post-secondary institutions in Canada usually offer some or all of the following program types:
- Undergraduate Programs: These are for students who have just finished from secondary or high school in Korea (Godeung hakgyo). Undergraduate programs are certificate, diploma, and degree courses.
- Graduate Diploma: You can take the graduate diploma program if you already have a graduate certificate from Korea but still desire to further your studies on a certain career path.
- Masters: Masters programs are specifically a way of furthering your education after obtaining a basic degree. Most Canadian institutions offer master’s programs as part of their post-graduate study options.
- MBA: MBAs are usually two-year long programs for students interested in studying business professionally.
- PhD: the PhD program is the highest qualification obtainable from a post-secondary institution. You can study for your PhD in Canada with a Master’s certificate from Korea or directly with a basic degree certificate.
Cost of Studying in Canada from Korea
There is no fixed cost for studying in Canada as a Korean. Cumulative costs depend on the province you are in, the affordability of the school, the nature of your program, and the amount of external funding you receive.
Some of the cheapest schools in Canada are in provinces like Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. The most expensive schools are in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec.
Average Tuition Fee for International Students in Canada
The average tuition fee for a foreign student in Canada is between C$10,000 to C$22,000 for an undergraduate program and C$10,000 to C$25,000 for a post-graduate program.
Minimum Personal Support Amount in Canada
The minimum personal support is the amount you should set aside to cater to your personal expenses when you leave Korea for Canada. On average, this is about C$10,000 per year. You should expect to spend more or less depending on the province you live and school in.
Who can Sponsor Korean Students to Canada
Unlike some immigration options to Canada from Korea, the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada does not require you to have recognized sponsors if you are applying to study from Korea or any other country at that.
Nevertheless, your parents, other family members, friends, and charity organizations may support your education if they wish to.
This means that you may as well be the one sponsoring your education through means such as the work and study option when you resume to your school in Canada.
Despite this, you will submit proof of sufficient funds when applying for a study permit. This is usually a bank statement or any other official record showing you, or a close family member has enough money to bring you to Canada and settle down as a student.
Other Costs to Consider for Study in Canada from Korea
When studying in Canada as a Korean, your spending will not be limited to your tuition fees, feeding, and accommodation alone. You should also factor in other expenses like:
- Application fee for the Canada study permit
- Flight fee from Korea to Canada
- Textbooks, union fees, and additional student services fees
- Health insurance, transportation, entertainment, and other emerging needs.
You may have to spend over C$500 on textbooks per annum. You may pay over C$1,000 for travelling from Korea to Canada by flight.
Scholarship for Korean Students in Canada
Although studying in Canada is relatively affordable when comparing institutions in the US, UK, and Australia, the exchange rate between the Canadian Dollars and Korean Won could mean a lot of financial burden for you. Therefore, you can consider applying for scholarships after obtaining admission in Canada.
Canada is one of the most generous countries in that there are more than enough scholarship opportunities with the government, schools, charity bodies, and individuals actively serving as funding partners to help foreign and local students scale through school smoothly.
You only need to apply for any of them by carefully studying the eligibility requirements and sticking to the application procedures.
General Eligibility Requirements for Scholarships in Canada
Scholarships are granted to students using various criteria. Therefore, eligibility requirements for scholarships are never static.
Usually, what makes students eligible for scholarships are excellent academic performance, commitment to certain extra-curricular activities, and/or demonstration of financial need.
Organizations that Offer Scholarships to Koreans
- Chevening
- The Smooth Movers Scholarships
- Women in Finance
- British Council
- Provincial Governments of Canada
- Federal Government of Canada
- Institutions of learning, etc.
How to Apply for Admission in Canada from Korea
Applying for admission in any Canadian Designated Learning Institution involves exploring schools to find which best suits you, meeting the academic requirements, taking entrance exams and language tests, applying for financial aid, and obtaining a study permit.
Minimum Academic Requirements to Study in Canada from Korea
No matter the type of program you are applying for, the following are the academic requirements required to study in Canada from Korea:
- The High School Certificate of Graduate for an undergraduate program and the Graduate Certificate for previous education for a post-graduate program.
- Proof of proficiency in English or French
English/French Language Requirements
When applying to study in Canada, different institutions have their unique language requirements. Some require all foreign students to prove proficiency in either English or French, others exclude students from countries whose primary language of communication is any of the two languages as the case may be.
Since the formal language of communication in Korean isn’t English or French, you must prove reasonable proficiency in the desired languages when applying to study in a Canadian post-secondary school.
Again, the kind of language tests accepted and the benchmarks for the tests vary from school to school. You can readily determine that by checking the admission requirements for international students on your chosen school’s website.
Some of the language tests accepted from Korean students are but are not restricted to IELTS, TOEFL, and CELPIP
Other Requirements for Admission into Canada as a Korean
- Special requirements for particular courses such as a specified academic performance in previous education, submission of portfolio, interviews, etc.
- Age specifications according to the school
- Entrance examinations and IQ tests
Applying for Canada Study Visa from Korea
If you apply to any Canadian school from Korea and obtain admission by virtue of an Acceptance Letter, then congratulations! But there are still a few more hurdles to cross: you must obtain a study visa, or you will not be able to enter into Canada, even if you are able to leave Korea.
The Study visa, known as Study Permit in Canada, is the official document that allows you as a foreign student from any of the two Korean countries to study in a Designated Learning Institution (DLI).
Your study permit remains valid for your study duration in Canada, plus a few extra months to round up your stay in the country or obtain a different kind of permit.
You can apply for your study visa from the comfort of your country home in Korea. The basic requirement you need for this process is the Letter of Acceptance from the Canadian school you applied to.
Study Permit Canada Requirements
As a student applying from Korea, you need the following documents to obtain your Canada study permit:
- An Acceptance Letter from a Designated Learning Institution in Canada
- Your North or South Korean Passport. Importantly, your passport must remain valid for the period of years you will remain in Canada. Suppose the Korean passport expires along the way. In that case, you will have to renew it to carry out any other immigration process.
- Proof of funds to support yourself when you move from Korea to Canada
- Photographs of you (passport-sized)
- Proficiency in English Language or French
- Additionally, you need a Medical Examination Report and a valid credit card for paying the application fee.
Study Permit Canada Fees
According to the IRCC, the application fee for the Canadian study permit is C$150. This is equivalent to about 142,800 South Korean Won and about 109,120 North Korean Won.
Study Permit Canada Processing Time
It takes up to 6 months sometimes when applying for a Study Permit from Korea. However, you should expect to get it in as early as 15 days.
The only reason why there will be a delay is if you do not provide all the necessary documents when applying. To redeem enough time for yourself, begin applying to a school of your choice in time.
Also, once you obtain a letter of Acceptance, start applying for your study permit immediately. You should have all things ready before your school resumes the session.
Mind you, if you do not respond to your acceptance letter within three months, you may forfeit the admission altogether.
Summarily, you should not schedule your flight to Canada from Korea until you have possessed all the official documents needed for a smooth migration.
Study Visa Application Offices in Korea
21, Jeongdong-gil (Jeong-dong),
Jung-gu Seoul, 04518
South Korea
Telephone (Domestic): 02-3783-6000
Email: [email protected]
- VFS Global
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need IELTS or TOEFL to Study in Canada from Korea?
Yes. As a Korean, you need a language test such as IELTS or TOEFL to prove your English or French language proficiency when applying to study in Canada.
Can Korean Students Work in Canada while Studying?
Foreign students, including those from Korea, can work while studying in Canadian schools. They can do this through the work and study options available in many schools and obtain extra income to fend for themselves.
