Canada: Quality education at an affordable price

Canada: Quality education at an affordable price

Canada may not immediately spring to mind for many Indonesian students examining foreign-study options.

The oversight is due more to a lack of awareness than a reflection on the quality of the country's educational services. Canada's colleges and universities are of international standards and accreditation.

"If you are looking for a country for study, think about Canada," says Treshia Gunardi, Manager of the Canadian Education Centre (CEC) in Jakarta. "Canada is a beautiful, welcoming country with friendly people."

Attesting to the excellent services available in Canada, she adds, the United Nations Human Development Report has repeatedly ranked Canada first.

"The UN survey ranks different things, like the crime rate, and also the quality of education," says Treshia, herself a seven-year resident of Canada. "One of the things it shows is that we offer a very good quality education."

Prospective students also are assured of uniform standards at Canadian institutions of higher learning because 90 percent of the country's 89 universities are government funded.

"Students often ask me what a university is ranked, and I simply reply that there are no rankings. All the universities have similar TOEFL and grade requirements for applicants."

Another advantage is that a Canadian education comes at a cost which is kind on the pocketbook.

"We offer lower tuition fees compared to the U.S. and the UK, and they are roughly the same as Australian universities," Treshia says. "Of course, cost of living varies between major cities, like Vancouver, and smaller cities and towns."

Treshia warns that students are doing themselves a disservice if they let the stereotypes about the country dissuade them.

"Yes, it is cold, but it is no different than parts of the U.S., like Michigan. And when it comes to distance, it is not that much further than the U.S."

Despite the confusion over geography -- "Students sometimes ask if Canada is part of the U.S." -- the countries proximity boosts educational opportunities. Students can "cross the border" to take specialized courses or transfer to U.S. institutions.

The relatively few Indonesians at Canadian higher education institutions is a "selling point", Treshia believes.

"Parents come in here and say 'well, I want to look at Canada for my child because there aren't too many Indonesians in Canada'. They want their children to be in an environment where they will be using English, more extensively."

The CEC can be the first stop in exploring Canada's educational opportunities. The center offers academic counseling and provides guidebooks, international student handbooks, brochures, course curriculums, visa counseling and applications at no charge. There are twice-yearly predepature-orientation sessions, an annual Canadian education fair and an information session once every three months.

For more information, visit CEC at the World Trade Center, 11th Floor, Jl. Jend. Sudirman, tel: 5254905, 5256676, fax: 5254904, or its website www.studyincanada.com.