Study in Canada from Iceland – Complete Guide

This article is for students that want to study in Canada from Iceland. One of the major benefits of being an international student is that you get to experience the best of two countries.

You enjoy the thrill of your country of origin and also explore Canada’s beautiful education system.

In this article, you are going to find out the:

• Top reasons to study in Canada from Iceland,
• Most popular Canadian provinces for students from Iceland,
• What kind of programs international students can study in Canada from Iceland,
• How much funding is involved,
• Scholarships you enjoy in Canada as an Icelandic national,
• Exactly how to apply to any Canadian school from Iceland,
• Required steps to get your Canadian study visa,
• Conclusion

Top reasons to study in Canada from Iceland

The quality of education in Canada is world-class and it is inexpensive.

Here are other reasons why Icelandic students love to study in Canada:

• It’s relatively inexpensive: the tuition fee compared to the benefits students enjoy makes studying in Canada a good deal. If you’re lucky, you can easily win a Scholarship!
• Worldclass in-school experience: While studying in Canada, you’ll be exposed to your field of expertise well ahead of time. Hospitals, law firms, oil and gas industries, etc. Canada is full of so many experience hubs that you get to choose which company to intern with.
• Afterschool employment: Canadian provinces are full of companies and schools that are looking to hire brilliant graduates. That way you get to enjoy a high standard of living and increase your chance of landing a PR or Canadian citizenship.
• Zero racism in Canada: Canadian residents are one of the most welcoming people in the world. And they’re even so friendly to foreigners, especially students from far away countries like Iceland. You’ll be in for a treat from the locals when you study in Canada from Iceland.
• An easier way to gain PR or Canadian citizenship: One of the easiest ways to gain Canadian citizenship is through their student visa program. With your student visa, you can easily get a work permit after graduation. And a work permit is an almost guaranteed method of landing a permanent residency in Canada from Iceland.

Most popular Canadian provinces for students from Iceland

Canada is officially divided into ten provinces and three territories.

Over the years, many Icelanders have immigrated and settled in different parts of Canada. A lot of Icelandic students have made their homes in different parts of the country.

Here are some of the most popular provinces for Icelandic students from Canada:

Manitoba: The province of Manitoba is one of the most welcoming to Icelandic students. The town of Gimli hosts a yearly Icelandic festival where the inhabitants recall and celebrate their rich culture.

Students that feel strongly about connecting with their fellow Iceland natives are ultra-comfortable in this province, especially in Gimli town.

British Columbia (BC): This province is another gem for most students from Iceland. If you’re headed for this province, you’ll enjoy a lot of help from the Icelandic Canadian Club of British Columbia. They also offer scholarships to international students from Iceland! More on that in the scholarships section.

Quebec (QC): Quebec is the largest province in Canada, and houses students from almost any country in the world. You won’t have to look long to spot your fellow Icelandic students in this province.

What kind of programs can Icelandic students study in Canada?

There are a number of higher institutions in Canada including Colleges, Universities and various Institutes.

As an international student from Iceland, you can enrol in:

Undergraduate programs: Did you just finish high school and you want to pursue your first degree in Canada? Canadian Universities offer undergraduate programs to international students like you that want to study in Canada from Iceland!

Graduate Diploma: Diploma programs in several fields and studies abound in Canada. You just need to make your choice and enrol.

Masters degree programs: This is for you if you just finished your first degree and you wish to further your education. You can easily enrol in Masters programs in Canada from Iceland.

Masters in Business Administration: If you wish to even skill up more and get yourself more skilled in business administration, an MBA is a good one. And you can find several MBA programs to study in Canada from Iceland. Remember that MBAs last for two years.

PhD/Doctorate degree programs: This is the highest degree you can have in your field. You can easily start your research and thesis at Canadian Universities. It will take you at least three years to finish your doctorate degree.

How much funding is involved

High-quality education is available to international students in Canada.

What makes it even more appealing is its low cost compared to other countries like the United States and the UK.

Tuition fee for International Students in Canada

It’s important to remember that different schools in Canada charge different fees. But we’ve researched the average tuition fees for anyone that wants to study in Canada from Iceland.

Below are the average tuition costs for the different programs in Canada:

Undergraduate degree programs: CAN $15,000 to CAN $22,000
Graduate programs: CAN $10,000 to CAN $25,000

Mandatory personal support fund

The government of Canada requires every international student to have some money for personal support.

The minimum amount you must save as your study allowances is CAN $10,000.

Sponsors for your education in Canada

If you can’t put together the funds, you can easily get sponsored. Here are some sponsors you can consider:

• Your parents (Or guardian or any relative),
• Friends,
• Study loans or scholarships for students that want to study in Canada from Iceland

You can also get study loans from private companies. One of the most popular lenders in Canada is the MPOWER Financing student loan company.

Costs to also consider if you want to study in Canada from Iceland

There are a few other one-time costs to consider if you wish to study in Canada from Iceland. You will have to pay for your flight, your textbooks, health insurance, etc.

Flight from Iceland to Canada takes about 5 hours 27 minutes. The flight cost ranges between CAN $453 to CAN $650.

Health insurance for international students cost on average CAN $800.

Hardcover textbooks and supplies: Up to CAN $600. To save costs, you can use eBooks instead of paying the high cost of textbooks.

Other student service fees: Set aside ~CAN $300

Scholarships for students that want to study in Canada from Iceland

One way to reduce your education fees in Canada is to win a scholarship. Scholarships in Canada are usually fully-funded or partially funded.

But either way, if you wish to study in Canada from Iceland, you get to enjoy reduced fees.

Scholarship Eligibility for Icelandic students in Canada

To be eligible for most of the available scholarships, you need to have a good academic standing. These scholarships were put in place to assist bright students that lack the necessary funding.

So if you already have strong academic results, chances are you can easily win a scholarship in Canada.

Organizations that offer scholarships to students that want to study in Canada from Iceland

One of the best scholarships for students that want to study in Canada from Iceland is the Canada Iceland Foundation.

The foundation has been around for over 60 years helping Icelandic students secure scholarships in Canada.

Other Universities give annual scholarships to exceptional students. So, once you keep your grades up, you may have several scholarships to choose from.

Other funding sources to consider are from big non-profit organizations like:

• Commonwealth,
• MasterCard and
• UNESCO.

All you need to know about applying for admissions from Iceland

You will need to meet some requirements before you start your application.

We’re going to cover:

1. The academic requirements,
2. Language requirements, and
3. Other requirements.

Academic requirements

Your minimum academic requirement would depend on the program you wish to pursue.

If you want to enrol in an undergraduate program, then you’ll need a high school certificate. If you want to enrol in a Masters or a PhD program, you should have an undergraduate degree.

Just be sure to get all your official documents ready before you begin your application.

Language requirements

The official languages in Canada are English and French.

This is why you may need to prove that you can understand those languages.

The two most widely accepted results are from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Other results that may be considered in select institutions include:

• Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) assessment,
• Michigan English Test,
• Pearson Test of English (PTE),
• Duolingo English Test and
• CanTest

Other requirements

Some institutions would demand more documents from students from select countries. That is why this section is included so that you will be aware of what these documents are.

Letter of intent/Statement of Purpose (SOP): This 500-word essay is usually required. It’s where you explain the reason behind your decision to school in Canada. You can learn how to write a strong Statement of Purpose here.

It also helps you convince the Canadian Immigration authorities to quickly grant your student visa.

The essay is usually one page in length, or at most 500-words.

Reference letters: This letter backs you up and proves that you are a talent the school would like to have.

When you get the letter from a respectable personality (like a professor, PhD or Doctorate degree holder in your field), it has a very heavy weight.

Steps to apply for admission in Canadian schools from Iceland

There are three basic steps to prepare for:

Step #1

Browse your school’s website and the department you wish to apply to.

Make a list of the required documents like tuition fees, language proof requirements. Don’t forget other instructions every international student is expected to meet.

Step #2

Make sure you can afford the tuition fees, and that you meet the academic requirements. If not, you can easily write or call the admissions departments if you have any questions.

Step #3

Submit your application before the deadline and wait for the final decision.

Make sure you pay the application fees on the admission website. That makes you eligible to be admitted.

If your application is successful, you move on to the next steps.

Step #4

If successful, you’ll be sent an Acceptance letter from the institution. The letter will state the conditions of your admission.

Step #5

With your Letter of Acceptance and other required documents, start your application for your Canadian study permit.

The processing time is about 14 weeks so it’s wise to start applying for your study permit as soon as you can.

Study permit requirements for students that want to study in Canada from Iceland

The IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) requires all international students to meet certain requirements. This includes students that want to study in Canada from Iceland.

Here are some requirements to meet:

• You must have a Letter of Acceptance from any of IRCC’s Designated Learning Institution (DLI),
• Make your proof of funds available,
• You must provide a detailed medical report to state your medical health,
• A clearance may be needed from the police to prove you’re not an ex-convict, and
• A statement that you will willingly leave Canada after the expiry of your study permit.

Study permit fees for students that want to study in Canada from Iceland

The fee for a Canadian study permit is CAN$150 for all international students.

Study permit documents you’ll need

Here are the documents you’ll need:

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

• Valid ID document (e.g. a valid passport or travelling document) plus two (2) new passport photos with your full names and date of birth written at the back.
• Your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) for admission into an academic program. (You don’t need this if you have a relation who’s a Canadian resident)
• 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 (Your SOP) with valid reasons why you chose Canada and on your roles as a student.

Step #6

On approval of your study permit, start planning your trip to Canada!

So make sure you arrive before your lectures begin though!

Happy travelling and bring us some Viking gifts!