Canada calling

York University, Toronto is the third largest University in Canada known for its high educational standards. Two representatives from the University, Janna Pesaro and Billie Mullick, senior executive officer, Enrolment and Student Services, York University were recently in the Capital to interact with the students interested in studying at York. Education Times speaks to Mullick on the University and the programmes offered by it.
What is the objective behind your visit to India?
We have been coming to India for last five years for spreading a word about our university and recruiting students.This time we have come to meet the students who have displayed an interest in the York University and have applied to it through the Canadian Education Centre in India. We feel that a personal interaction with an aspiring candidates is more gratifying. We tell them about our university and get to know their suitability for our courses. We find Indian students academically committed and adaptive to Canadian environment. We are targeting Indian students primarily at the undergraduate level. Our admission requirements at the postgraduate (PG) level are slightly different because we require 16 years of education for enrolling into a PG programme.
Tell us about the York University and attractions of studying there?
York is the third largest University in Canada, offering education to over 40,000 students. The University has four campuses with the main campus in midtown Toronto. It has 10 faculties including faculty of arts, sciences, environment studies, business and law. It moreover, offers an opportunity to study in both languages English and French.
Canada has been judged as one of the best countries for living. Toronto has a dynamic and multicultural environment, which is reflected in our student population as well. We offer a safe environment to our students. Quality of education is closely monitored. Residential facility is available for both single and married students on campus. Our courses popular with the Indian students are in computer engineering, computer sciences and business administration.
Our Schulich School of Business is world renowned for its ''Bachelor of Business Administration'' (BBA) and ''International BBA'' programmes. We further offer bachelors programmes with special focus on economics, public policy and administrative studies.
How much is the fees and cost of living at York? Are there any scholarships available?
The tuition fees for the international students is Canadian $ 11,000. Studying and living in Canada for one year will cost an international student around 21,000 Canadian dollars. For offering scholarships we do not differentiate between local and international students. Students are awarded scholarship of Canadian $ 500 to $ 6,000 on the basis of merit. There is a special scholarship available for international students called the ''Global leader for tomorrow'' worth Canadian $ 10,500 Canadian, which takes into consideration academic work, community service and extra-curricular activities undertaken by a student and can be renewed every year.
When do you have your intake?
We have our intake twice a year in January and the larger one in September. The deadline for applying for September 2003 intake is February 2003 for business programmes and March 2003 for other courses. My personal advice to the students is to apply at the earliest possible. One can apply online as well.
Visit: www.yorku.ca