Learning and Living: UofL Adventure

My time at the university has been great. The faculty was always supportive, and I forged lasting bonds with my fellow grads. The skills I gained there played a pivotal role in helping me secure job.

My course is thesis-oriented. In the first year, I selected four courses, and the second year is dedicated to research. I had the opportunity to choose advanced subjects such as deep learning and NLP, reflecting the curriculum's timely updates with emerging technologies.

I understand the faculty to undergraduate student ratio is 1:30, and for master's research students, it's 1:5. The faculty is well-informed and readily available for assistance. Specifically, my professor, Dr. John Anvik, with professional experience from both the USA and Canada, has successfully guided many students to graduation. Our individual meetings are enriching, showcasing his deep knowledge and sincere commitment to student growth.

During my time here, COVID-19 restrictions limited many in-person activities. However, I anticipate next year, UofL offer a lot of extracurricular clubs, including those assisting international students. The campus annually hosts notable cultural and tech events with great engagement. The WiFi connectivity is consistent and efficient. Sports facilities are top-notch, featuring indoor courts, modern gym, and a swimming pool.

Placement opportunities on campus are somewhat limited. It's common to search for jobs on platforms like LinkedIn or Indeed in Canada. LORs are crucial for job applications, so securing one from your professor is vital. Companies here prioritize Canadian education or work experience, often they don’t consider your experience from home country. Many start at entry-level positions, but that's acceptable. A software developer's starting salary typically ranges between 45k-60k CAD in Calgary, it might be more in Toronto or Vancouver.

Room rent - 400 cad (for one room sharing) Groceries - 200 cad Mobile & network charges - 100 cad Due to inflation, prices have skyrocketed. It's advisable to have 1000 CAD per month to live comfortably in the Alberta province.

My IELTS score is 7. Masters in Computer Science course needs overall 6 and also minimum 6 in each section at UofL. I submitted LORs and my CV. Coming from an Electrical background and having 4 years of IT work experience before applying for a Master's in Computer Science, strong LORs were crucial. I secured them from CS faculty who instructed some of our courses in bachelors and from my team lead to showcase my coding proficiency. From the university's website, I obtained a list of faculty members and their respective research papers. I reached out to my professor via email, expressing my genuine interest in the research topics, and attached both my CV and Letters of Recommendation for reference. In response, the professor arranged an interview with me. During this session, I was tasked with solving a coding challenge. Subsequently, we delved into a detailed discussion about the projects I had undertaken in my professional career.

First year - 12000 cad (4000 cad per term) Second year - 9000 cad ( 3000 cad per term).

Yes, I received ‘UofL Graduate Research Award’ which is 9000cad for first year and 3000cad for second year.