Every youth dreams of a good education for higher & favourable degrees, scholastic values as well as a medium and environment offering life teaching lessons during these years at college\universities. Whether a resident or a day scholar, a student always yearns for a very proactive, congenial and tech-savvy atmosphere at the educational institution.
Youths from different parts of the world dream to stay and build their career in Canada. There are various universities where students can live and enjoy their college life. York University housing in Toronto believes in providing all the facilities to students coming from various parts of the world.
Here are a few tips about making the most of a student life in Canada. If followed right, it can provide pleasant memory and unique experiences to the students.
How to prepare for Student Permit?
Students landing in Canada should have prior preparations done for exchanges\formalities at the immigration counter. They should be ready with appropriate answers to questions by the Officers \ Immigration Authorities. Only then the study permit will be issued. It is important to go through the permit documents thoroughly checking name, date of birth, country of birth and all relevant details have been correctly and fully entered and endorsed.
Get Social Insurance Number
Akin to study permit, the other important document that students must possess is the SIN (Social Insurance Number) for which one has to visit Service Canada. One can apply for jobs after the allotment of SIN. A word of caution here is in place that SIN should be shared only with an employer and the bank. No calls and requests for disclosing or sharing SIN should ever be entertained to avoid scam calls frequenting naive students and exploiting them. SIN may get issued at the airport also in some instances. Colleges also have representatives from Service Canada to assist students during the first week so that they do not miss any classes during the initial period of college year.
Know the procedure of opening GIC/Bank account
All new students can open a GIC account through which the deposited money is used to meet the monthly expenses. On reaching Canadian destination, one needs to visit a bank for his\her account. It can be Scotia bank, CIBC or ICICI bank where booking an appointment at the nearest branch and opening an account should be done soonest. There are colleges where a bank account opening facility is provided.
Understanding College programs and the campus life
Courses and regular classes usually follow after an orientation. It is strongly recommend that one attend it religiously. It helps to get clear idea about the student life, curriculum and other allied activities of studying in a university. In such an orientation phase it is handy to understand requisites of the chosen course of study, meet classmates as well as professors, get the hang of your college facilities and infrastructure and sort out the admission related paperwork. So one must arrive a day or two before the orientation, provided the accommodation is already arranged. If not, one should arrive at least two weeks before. Arriving here much before the college start can turn out to be a bad and expensive idea, especially for those who have no relatives in Canada but is advantageous on many counts for a smoother beginning. Moreover, each college is different as some colleges will let you get the bus passes while others don’t. On inquiring with students who have previously studied on that campus one can check if there is anything to be done regarding the class schedules. One can get information through the college website or mail any queries beforehand.
Finding the right job
Another matter of importance and concern about the student life in Canada is the availability of part-time jobs. The chances depend on the area one resides in. Part-time jobs are scarce in colleges located in remote regions. One should opt for places having Big Malls or Canadian coffee shops and fast-food restaurants.
Also, students should keep their resume updated and show their basic labour exposure of common jobs in their resume to make it more presentable. Find out about the chances of jobs and the requirements before applying. Online job sites can help to search for various opportunities. Students should try all the options to get the best job.
