As one of the popular study abroad destinations, Canada offers more than a single intake/admission possibility to those aspiring to pursue higher education in the country. Unlike Indian universities having only one admission intake, Canadian universities offer three intakes for admissions. These intakes are short stipulated time periods of the year in which the applications are accepted, processed, and streamlined for a pool of courses offered at Canadian universities. The three intakes in Canada are:
- Fall- Most popular among Indian applicants, fall intake starts in the month of September
- Winter- Relatively less popular is best suited for students who miss out the fall intake. The season starts in January.
- Summer- Only a limited number of courses (some short term courses in Canada) are available for applications to international students for summer intake. The season starts in April to May.
For international students, understanding these intakes in Canada is important as the same correspond to separate academic sessions. Picking the right session can help you make timely adjustments for standardized test scores, and Canadian study permit.
Timeline for Intakes in Canada
The preparations for applying to get admissions in Canadian universities begin long before the enrollment. Here’s an overall timeline provided to plan arrangements in a consecutive manner for applying to the top universities in Canada:
| Preparations | Fall | Winter | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Course/University | Within August to October of previous year | Within January to April of previous year | By May of previous year |
| Compare and Apply | By December of previous year | Within June to July of previous year | Within July to August of previous year |
| Check eligibility | Around January of the year of Applying | By August of previous year | Within August to September of previous year |
| Apply for a visa to study in Canada | Within February to April of the year of applying | Within June to September of previous year | Within January of the year of applying |
| Appear for the standardized tests | Within April of the year of applying | Within August to September of the previous year | By January of the year of applying |
| Arrange supporting documents | By May to July of the year of applying | By September to October of the previous year | Within February to March of the year of applying |
| Apply as per deadlines | August to October | September to November | April to May (variable) |
Deadlines for Intakes in Canada
Moving to a new country is not easy, but knowing the perfect time for you to move into the country might help in getting acclimatized. Canadian universities accept international applications in the seasons of fall, winter, spring and alternatively summer.
Check out: MBA Admissions in Canada!
Prospective students are encouraged to choose their favorite college or university at the earliest to take admission through their desired intakes in Canada. This provides them with enough time to organize the prerequisites within time and go through the step by step application process. Students can also plan the cost of living in Canada long before application deadlines.
Fall Intake in Canada
Fall intake is the most-applied season for higher education in Canada across the Canadian universities. Generally, the maximum number of seats are made available in this intake. Over this, if you are planning to study an uncommon program with limited seats, this season is the best time to apply to the course.
The application deadlines of the fall intake in the majority of the universities in Canada are scheduled between September and December. However, international applicants are advised to apply as early as possible because only a handful of seats are available for international students in the top universities in Canada. Universities open their doors for applications in the fall season between August and October.
Following are some of the top universities in Canada offering admission in the fall semester and their respective application deadlines:
| University | Fall Application Deadlines |
|---|---|
| University of Toronto | January 12 |
| Queen's University | February 1 |
| Western University | February 1 |
| McGill University | January 15 |
| University of Montreal | February 1 |
| University of Alberta | July 1 |
Winter Intake in Canada
The least number of applications to the Canadian universities are submitted in the Winter term. The reason behind this is, the extremely cold weather is difficult to adapt for the prospective students arriving from a warm climate zone.
The winter intake begins in January and may extend until April. International students planning to begin their studies from the winter session require to apply within the application deadline around September and November.
| University | Winter Application Deadlines |
|---|---|
| University of Toronto | January 12 |
| University of Montreal | September 1 |
| The University of British Columbia | January 15 |
| University of Alberta | November 1 |
Spring Intake in Canada
In the spring season, minimal programs are offered by only a limited number of universities in Canada. The season generally begins in April and May. On average, the application deadlines for Spring intake are scheduled until February and March. However, the dates may vary depending upon the university.
| University | Spring Application Deadlines |
|---|---|
| University of Toronto | january 12 |
| McMaster University | April 1 |
| The University of British Columbia | January 15 |
| University of Montreal | February 1 |
| University of Alberta | March 1 |
Which Intake in Canada to Choose?
There are certain parameters that can help you choose among the three intakes. These include your results, university’s deadlines for the choice of programs and other such factors.
- First of all, check in which season the universities offer your preferred program.
- Make sure your transcripts and other academic documents are ready before the application deadline of the season.
- Check if the scores of standardized tests for Canada will be available before the deadline.
- Organize your financial resources for the entire program, as some universities require proof of financial availability for application.
If you are ready with the aforesaid prerequisites and the immigration documents for upcoming deadlines, it is suggested that you start the process soon.
Pros and Cons of Intakes in Canada
All the intakes of the universities in Canada have some benefits and drawbacks. Students need to compare the intakes based on their priorities and then choose their best fit intake. Following are some of the pros and cons of the different intakes in Canada:
| Intake Season | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Max seats, course availability, more scholarship options, Decent weather to acclimatize | Huge number of applications causing tremendous competition |
| Winter | Less competition, time to prepare documents | Freezing weather, Less course availability |
| Spring | Least number of applications ensuring more seat availability | Mostly short-term programs are offered, Admission offered by few universities, Spring break season |
MBA Intakes in Canada
As MBA is a highly coveted program across the world because of its promising career outputs, hence, it is an extremely popular degree in Canada. About 50 business schools offer around 100 MBA in Canada programs in an academic year.
Some universities offer the degree through outstanding accelerated programs like one-year MBA in Canada. Most of the universities in Canada offer fall or winter intake in their MBA programs. A table of the application deadlines for MBA in some of the top universities in Canada are listed below:
| University | Intake season | International Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto | Fall |
Early round: October 5, 2022 |
| Western University | All intakes |
Round 4: September 19, 2022 (All international applicants are highly encouraged to apply by Round 4 on September 19, 2022 in order to ensure sufficient time for visa processing) |
| The University of British Columbia | Fall |
September 20 |
| University of Calgary | Winter |
February 1 |
| Queen’s University | Fall |
September 1 |
| University of Montreal | Winter |
Round 1: November 15, |
| McMaster University | Fall |
Round 1: October 12, 2022 |
| University of Alberta | Fall and Winter |
January 2023 Winter Term: November 1, 2022 |
| McGill University | All intakes | Applications for the Fall 2023 cohort will open on October 3rd, 2022. Deadline are yet TO BE ANNOUNCED |
| University of Manitoba | Fall and winter |
Fall: March 1, |
| Dalhousie University | All intakes |
Round 1: November 1 |
| Laval University | All intakes | Fall: February 1, Winter: September 15, Summer: January 15. |
| University of Victoria | Fall | September 1 |
| University of Ottawa | Spring | March 1 |
| University of Saskatchewan | Spring | March 31. |
How to Apply for Admission Intakes in Canada
Whichever term you choose to apply to, try applying at the earliest. This is because most of the universities follow first-come-first-serve basis intakes in Canada. Especially in the fall session, chances of getting selected increases with early applications.
Prepare for the standardized tests to study in Canada, required to apply to your favorite program in a preferred university. The undergraduate programs generally require SAT or ACT scores. The graduate programs may require GRE or GMAT scores.
Documents Required for Admission Intakes in Canada
The eligibility criteria and supporting documents for intakes in Canada widely varies based on the universities and programs selected. Following are the supporting documents for applying to the top universities in Canada for international students:
- Completed application forms.
- Application fees.
- Student permit or visa based on your program of study.
- Academic transcripts.
- SOP.
- Personal essay.
- Standardized test scores.
- LOR.
- Proof of financial availability.
- Health insurance (if required).
- CV/ resume.
- Immigration documents.
- English proficiency test scores.
The graduate programs require a competitive GPA, standardized test scores like GRE or GMAT, work experience and professional LOR in addition to the general requirements.
Deadlines of Scholarships for Intakes in Canada
International students planning to study with financial aid need to apply to various scholarships in Canada offered by the Government, universities and external organizations. Following are some of the popular scholarships and their deadlines for various intakes in Canada:
| Scholarships | Intake Season | Deadlines |
|---|---|---|
| India First Year Excellence Scholarship | All seasons | Automatic application with enrollment to University of Alberta. |
| IDRC Research Awards | Fall | September 16 |
| Rotary Foundation Scholarships- Global Grants | Fall | June 30 |
| Ontario Trillium Scholarship | All seasons | Based on the university. |
| QS Scholarships | All seasons | May 31 |
| CorpFinance International Limited India Bursary | All seasons | March 1 |
| BrokerFish International Student Scholarship | Fall | December 21 |
| Aga Khan Academy Renewable Scholarship | All seasons | March 15 |
| Arthur J.E. Child Scholarship in Business | All seasons | March 31 |
| Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship Program | Fall and winter | December 15 |
| Karen Mckellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award | Fall | December 1 |
| B.J. Seaman Scholarship | All seasons | August 1 |
It has been seen that fall intake in Canada best aligns with Indian study abroad aspirants. The deadlines are in course with the school/college results, arranging transcripts and relevant documents is also easy. Winter intake can be opted by those who for some reason may have missed the fall intake. Summer intakes in Canada are often for short-term courses or certain professional courses which can be opted. Choosing the right intake will highly depend on the choice of your course and university and the dates by which applications close for the same.
FAQ
Ques. Which term shall I choose while applying to study in Canada?
Ans: Most of the international students apply in the fall term for admission to the Canadian universities due to the abundance of programs and maximum number of seats offered. However, you should select an admission term depending upon your chosen program and availability of all the admission prerequisites. An incomplete application without sufficient documents is prone to rejection.
Ques. When shall I begin my preparations for fall intakes in Canada?
Ans: You must start putting the requirements together one year before the program starts. For fall intakes, you should begin with choosing the program and your favorite college between August and October of the previous year.
Ques. When shall I prepare to apply for winter intakes in Canada?
Ans: If you are planning to take admission to a Canadian university in the winter intake, begin your preparations as early as January of previous year. This way, you will be ready with all your academic requirements, standardized test scores, finances, and other necessary supporting documents.
Ques. What documents are required for admission to Canadian universities?
Ans: The required documents for studying in Canada varies based on the university or college. However, some of the common requirements include transcripts, acceptable GPA, standardized test scores including English or French proficiency test scores, financial documents, immigration details, health insurance, SOP, multiple LOR, personal essay, and work experience.
Ques. Does the cost of studying vary based on the intakes in Canada?
Ans: No, the costs of studying remain almost equal for the same program in different terms and range around 60,000 USD (~45 lakh INR). However, the costs widely vary for graduate programs in Canada based on the course type.
Ques. When shall I apply for admission to the top universities in Canada to avail scholarships?
Ans: Majority of the scholarships to study in Canada are offered to the international students applying in the fall semester. However, most of the universities provide scholarships for the international students throughout the year.
Ques. Can I take admission to a program after the application deadline in Canada?
Ans: Generally the top universities in Canada offer admission to the students on a first-come-first-serve basis. However, the seats in most of the universities get filled within the deadlines in the fall and spring semester. You might get a chance to get into your favorite university after applying after the deadline for some diploma and post-diploma courses. However, students are recommended to try avoiding the risk and apply in the next term if they are not prepared within the deadline.
Comments