What Students Say?
Likes
- It had the course I wanted to do and I wanted to transfer from my existing University of Waterloo. University of Waterloo is very hard.
- I really liked the exposure I got being a student in one of the most esteemed and diverse university in Canada. I learned a lot about different cultures, nationalities, and society in general. Academically stimulating discussions and work opportunities kept us on our toes. I improved my communication skills and learned a lot about my subject of choice. Leaning to live alone and be comfortable with yourself is the key to mental peace. Giving time to our mental health and exercise was preached by every uni counselor and senior.
Dislikes
- I hated that the academic stress got too much and we let it interfere with our peace. I also hated the extreme competitiveness of the all the international students. I disliked the gap in communication and underlying discrimination caused by our Indian accents. Even other Indian students are rude to you, if you are not up to date with the slang, or the local culture. We have to put in a lot of effort to fit in, which causes a lot of stress.
The overall experience at the University of Waterloo was not very good. I got academically burdened and faced a lot of obstacles in finishing my degree, which led me to transfer to York University. It could have been a much better experience if I knew how much academic stress I was going to face. There is a huge difference between studying in a college in India and studying in a University in Canada. Social life plays a very important role in keeping your sanity and not feeling homesick. International students must know how to manage their finances, cook good food and be regular at exercising and gym. Keeping a strong balance between work and study is essential too. More than anything else university in Canada taught me a lot about being independent and living a healthy adult life.
Course Curriculum
The course curriculum is very well-updated and structured. I was admitted to the Co-Op Program at the University of Waterloo, so I got industry work experience after every 2 semesters of study. I'm not gonna lie, getting those co-op jobs was not easy at all. You have to maintain a very high average and also perform brilliantly in all your major courses. You have to have a decent resume and be confident to talk to anyone.
Exams
I applied and got into The University of Waterloo. Then, after 3 years, I took a transfer to York University. For both of these admissions, I only took the English Exam. IELTS - 7. Firstly, I had to get an Expected - 12th Boards Marks Sheet signed and stamped from my School. I made a CV for the university admissions as I had a lot of co-curricular activity certificates. I had to take 2 LoRs from my school; one was from my Principal, and one was from my Commerce HOD. I also had to write a letter to the Canadian Embassy for the study VISA process. Interview round: I did not have any interview rounds as my profile was good enough to get an admission.
Placement
At the University of Waterloo, there are tons of Research opportunities and excellent placement opportunities for only STEM students; other faculties don't have it as easy or as good as engineers. Placements are not a thing in Canadian Universities if you are not a top 1% student.
Internship
I was in the Co-op program at the University of Waterloo, but when I transferred to York, I was in a regular program. In my first year in 2018, I interned in Grameen Foundation India, luckily that was situated in my hometown of Gurugram, Haryana so it was a great experience at home. The salary was paid in INR but was equivalent to what I would've got in Canada. I got paid 1,20,000 per month.
Fees
Tuition fees, rent and other living expenses add up to almost 1 Crore rupees for 5 years. This excludes any luxury expenses or international vacations. Getting a part-time job becomes very important if you are not from a well-off financial background.
Scholarship
Yes, I received $2000 scholarship for the first two semesters.
Faculty
The faculty was great, apart from some professors, who were too busy to give individual attention. But I slowly realized this is the same for all university professors. After the first year, we got used to studying ourselves, and in some courses like Math and Statistics, we got help from Teaching Assistants and seniors.
Campus Life
Campus life at the University of Waterloo is very depressing and tough. The clubs and student council events try their best to make students feel at home and involve them in activities, but overall academic pressure is too much. On the other hand, York University has a very diverse array of activities, and the Academic Pressure is not too much. York also provides a good balance between events on Campus as well as having fun in the City.
Hostel
All first-year students are recommended to stay in the in-campus University Residence. The in-camp residents are amazing at the University of Waterloo. Very comfortable living spaces, with adequate facilities for sports, gym, and study areas. The food is very good, with a lot of different options for all types of dietary preferences. When I was at York University, I lived in an apartment with 3 other people. The rent was $1000 CAD.
