Education
GREAT CHOICES
Canada's University of
Guelph offers
international
students with
wide range
of options
 Located only an hour's drive from Canada's biggest city, Toronto (and only two hours away from the Niagara Falls / US border), the University of Guelph, as well as the beautiful city in which it is located, are well-known for their reputations as friendly and safe places to live and to study. In fact, Guelph is considered one of Canada's top 10 places to live. With fascinating 19th-Century limestone buildings, a vibrant history, beautiful parks and various recreational activities both in and out of doors, it is no wonder Guelph's 118,000 people rate it so highly as a community.
More than 700 international students from over 100 countries call the University of Guelph their home, and it's a great place for newcomers to fit right in.
“The U of G brings together a plethora of diverse personalities and experiences,” says Jamaican student Maanda Makwarela, studying French and Political Science at the university, “and each one contributes to your understanding of yourself and the world.”
Spread out over 1,017 acres of land (in addition to a 408 acre Arboretum and 30 acre research park), the Guelph main campus is, simply put, a beautiful place to be.
Depending on what precisely you're looking for, the university has three other regional Ontario campuses located in Alfred, Kemptville, and Ridgetown along with it's state-of-the-art-facility in Toronto (called the University of Guelph-Humber). Guelph offers its students a wide variety of not only courses, but locations as well.
For students who would like to combine their Canadian university experiences with more varied international experiences instead, Guelph is also a strong supporter of study abroad programs offering more than 50 different student exchange and/or semester abroad options in 30 countries around the globe. So for international students feeling torn about where they want to study, it no longer needs to be an “either / or” decision! Guelph students can also spend semesters abroad, exploring and studying at other partner institutions in the UK, US, and other exciting destinations worldwide. Not to mention that taking part in such opportunities can help international students to broaden their overseas experiences, as while increasing their hiring potential for later on simultaneously gaining credits toward earning a top quality Canadian degree. Or, for those hoping to gain actual career-related work experience while attending university, Guelph's Co-operative Education program (more commonly referred to as “Co-op”) offers students the opportunity to complete three to five work-terms throughout their degrees.
When it comes to exploring degree programs in Canada a country well-ranked for its high quality of education and research institutions, as well as for its relatively low tuition costs according to Canadian University Application Centre (CUAC) student counselor Hiba Fazl, the University of Guelph is a popular option for students coming from South Asia. Particularly for female students, who actually outnumber male students at the university six to one.
“Many students are particularly interested in going to Guelph for its biological science program, for example, due to the academic excellence the university has in this field. Other popular programs are engineering, business, and food an agricultural sciences which hosted numerous students from South Asia alone this year.”
 The University of Guelph hosts both Undergraduate and Graduate scholars, offering degree programs in more than 90 areas. With this much choice, students are then able to tailor their studies through combining different majors, minors, and elective courses (depending on their academic programs). Annual research funding of over $150 million (Canadian dollars) helps to ensure students at every level can participate in cutting-edge research, taught by highly esteemed and award-winning faculty members.
Having recently spoken with international students currently attending Guelph, student counselor Fazl says that many also point out the supportive atmosphere they've found at the university.
“I met third and fourth year students who said they are treated the exact same as they were on Day One,” she says. “That they were taken care of, and kept in constant contact with the International Student Centre at the university. They even told me they had special support groups formed to help them undergo both the academic and cultural transitions of coming to Canada. They said this was particularly important to them as it helped to keep them motivated and also aware of other activities they could do both on and off campus. ”
Besides the International Student Centre, another great source of information regarding university happenings and upcoming events are the two student-run newspapers and campus radio station.
And with the number of student clubs at Guelph numbering well over a hundred, there's certainly a lot going on! Including such options as the Fine Arts Network, Muslim Students' Association, Outdoors Club, various sporting groups, and the Interactive Community Action Network, students at Guelph can sign up to join any number of societies starting right from day one. A full list of the university's registered organisations can be found online at www.uoguelph.ca/organisations. For students preferring less 'organised' activities, the state-of-the-art exercise facilities (including two swimming pools, two ice rinks, six squash courts, climbing wall, and fully staffed fitness centres) are available throughout the year, as are the two campus art galleries.
For those students interested in attending the University of Guelph, but unsure about the logistics of applying and following through with becoming an international student, extensive help services are available from the Office of Intercultural Affairs at the university itself (which provides advice and assistance with everything from financial counseling to university medical and dental insurance), as well as from the initial “one-stop shop”: the Canadian University Application Centre (or CUAC), whose office is located on Gulshan Road in Dhaka. Offering student guidance in every aspect of Canadian university application from choosing the right programs, to submitting correct applications, applying for visas, and arranging residence options the CUAC helps hundreds of Bangladeshis each year to study in Canada.
If you or someone you know wants to learn more about attending the University of Guelph or another Canadian institution please visit www.canada123.org. Or, even better, come out and meet us in person! Friday, November 5th, CUAC and Canadian university representatives will be on location at The Westin Dhaka from 12 noon to 8pm, ready to answer all your questions with typical Canadian helpfulness. We look forward to seeing you there!
WHEN: Friday, 5th November - 12 noon to 8 pm
WHERE: The Westin Dhaka, Ballroom 3 , Gulshan 2 , Dhaka
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