One of the biggest dilemmas faced by international students who wish to study in Canada is choosing between the Winter intake, Fall intake, and the Spring intake in Canada to start their overseas education. Most of them need guidance in understanding the best intake season in Canada for international students.
There are various factors that can help you decide whether to choose the Winter intake, Fall, or the Spring intakes in Canada.
Students are accepted in Canadian universities in different intakes or semesters because students from all over the world apply for admission and it is virtually impossible to accommodate so many students in just one single intake thus creating the need for more intakes.
What are the types of intakes in Canada for international students?
There are “three types of major intakes available for international students” who wish to study in Canada.
- Spring / May intake
- Fall / September intake
- Winter/January intake
9 Steps towards Studying in Canada:
- Research and shortlist colleges
- Start preparing as soon as possible
- Undertaking the exams required for immigration
- Start applying:
- Accept / decline the Offer letter
- Give the interview
- Apply for your visa
- Prepare for your life in Canada
- Book your tickets
1. Research And Shortlist Colleges:
Before applying for admission in any Canadian college or University, you should do thorough research on the institutions and the courses they provide and make a list of institutions you are interested in. After making the list, you should shortlist it based on which institution will suit your interest, academic goals and future career.
2. Start Preparing As Soon As Possible:
As most colleges and universities in Canada start accepting applications early and the admissions are provided on a first come, first serve basis, you should start your application process as soon as possible in order to apply when the admissions for the spring intake starts.
3. Undertaking The Exams Required For Immigration:
You should start preparing and give exams such as GMAT, GRE, SAT, TOEFL, and IELTS based on the course and university you wish to enroll in. You should start the preparations for the necessary exam at least 3 months before undertaking them in order to score better marks.
4. Start Applying:
Once you’ve shortlisted the colleges you wish to enroll in and have prepared your final application which consists of all the required documents with a Statement of Purpose (SOP), you should start applying to those colleges as soon as the admissions open.
5. Accept Or Decline The Offer Letter / Admission Letter:
Once you’ve applied for admission and you’re deemed fit for the admission in a certain college, the college will send you an acceptance letter through an e-mail which you must choose to accept or decline as soon as possible.
6. Give The Admission Interview:
Some colleges require you to appear for an interview before they accept your application, personally or electronically. You must give the interview and make sure you perform well in it.
7. Apply For Your Visa:
Once you receive an offer letter from a Canadian institution, you should hastily apply for your student visa as the processing of student visa applications generally takes time.
8. Prepare For Your Life In Canada:
After you receive your study visa and are all set to go to Canada, you must prepare for life there beforehand by finalizing your accommodation and mode of transit among other necessary items.
9. Book Your Tickets:
Once you’re ready to fly to Canada, you must book your air tickets and should depart at least one month before your academic session begins in order to get accustomed to life in Canada.
| Activity Plan | Spring / May
2024 intake |
Fall / Sept 2024
intake |
Winter / Jan
2024 intake |
| 1. Research and
shortlist colleges |
May 2023 – July 2023 | Sept 2023 – Oct 2023 | Jan 2023 – March 2023 |
| 2. Start preparing as
soon as possible |
Aug 2023 – Sept 2023 | Oct 2023 – Dec 2023 | March 2023 – June 2023 |
| 3. Undertaking the
exams required for immigration |
Oct 2023 – Dec 2023 | Dec 2023 – Jan 2024 | June 2023 – July 2023 |
| 4. Start applying | Nov 2023 – Feb
2024 |
Oct 2023 – March
2024 |
June 2023 – Aug
2023 |
| 5. Accept / decline
the Offer letter |
Dec 2023 – Feb 2024 | Nov 2023 – April 2024 | Aug 2023 – Sept 2023 |
| 6. Give the interview | Dec 2023 – Feb
2024 |
Dec 2023 – March
2024 |
Aug 2023 – Sept
2023 |
| 7. Apply for your
visa |
Jan 2024 – Feb 2024 | March 2024 – July 2024 | Aug 2023 – Oct 2023 |
| 8. Prepare for your
life in Canada |
March 2024 – April 2024 | July 2024 – Aug 2024 | Nov 2023 – Dec 2023 |
| 9. Book your tickets | May 2024 | Sept 2024 | Jan 2024 |
Deadlines For Applying For Intakes In Canada
While applying for admission in Canada, one must bear in mind the deadlines for each intake.
| Intake | Deadlines |
| Fall 2024 intake in Canada | December 2023 – March 2024 |
| Winter 2024 intake in Canada | March 2023 – June 2023 |
| Spring 2024 intake in Canada | September 2023 – November 2023 |
Comparison Between Intakes Based On University
Students who want to study in Canada must find out for which intakes is the university of their choice open for admission. Most universities are open for admission in Fall and Winter intake whereas very few universities offer admission in the Spring intake. You should thoroughly research the admission openings in their preferred intake even before appearing for exams such as IELTS, GMAT, and TOEFL as these exam results have an expiry date after which you have to give the exam again.
Top Universities Accepting Applications For Winter Intake 2024 In Canada
- University of Toronto
- University of British Columbia
- McGill University
- McMaster University
- University of Montreal
Top Universities Accepting Applications For Spring Intake 2024 In Canada
- York University
- University of Waterloo
Top Universities Accepting Applications For Fall Intake 2024 In Canada
- University of Toronto
- University of British Columbia
- McGill University
- McMaster University
- University of Montreal
Comparison Between Intakes Based On Acceptance Rate
Every learning institute in Canada has an allocated quota for admission. The highest acceptance rate is found to be in the Fall intake followed by the Winter intake. The lowest acceptance rate is in the Spring intake in which the chances of a candidate being offered admission is very low.
Comparison Between Intakes Based On Job Opportunities
In most universities, Job fairs and on-campus recruitments take place during the second year, this means that if a student has started their education in the Fall intake, by the second year they would have completed 3 semesters whereas if a student has started their education in the winter intake, they would have completed 2 semesters.
Comparison Between Intakes Based On The Availability Of Courses
Most institutes offer all of their courses in the fall semester. In the winter semester, more than 80% of courses offered by institutes are available whereas very few courses are offered by institutes in the spring intake.
Comparison Between Intakes Based On The Availability Of Internship Opportunities
As in most universities, the new academic year begins in the fall semester, students who start their education in the fall intake have the best chances of getting an on-campus job or internship this is due to the fact that most research and teaching assistant internships are offered by teachers when the new academic year begins.
Conclusion
It is highly advised to select the Fall intake to start their education in Canada as it has various advantages. Nevertheless, choosing the appropriate intake to start their higher education entirely depends on the individual’s preferences and one should thoroughly research and select the intake which will help them in their future education and career plans.
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