Most Indian students dream of studying abroad in top-notch universities in countries like the UK, USA, Australia, China, and Canada. Among them, Canada is the preferred location for most Indian students. It is because Canadian universities offer excellent academic facilities, advanced infrastructure, and vast student diversity. Among the various Canadian universities, the University of Alberta is among the top universities in Canada and the world. The University of Alberta is a public research university established in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford and Henry Marshall Tory. It is located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The university has 5 campuses- North Campus, South Campus, Campus Saint-Jean, Augustana Campus, and Enterprise Square. The main campus is the North campus, located at the banks of the River North Saskatchewan and spread across 200 acres of land. All campuses provide accommodation with the necessary facilities. It offers a plethora of undergraduate programs and postgraduate programs. The expert guidance at the university sharpens the student’s skills.
University of Alberta: Highlights
- University of Calgary, Alberta was started as a branch of the University of Alberta and later separated from it.
- It has around 40,000 students from over 150 countries of the world.
- Alberta University also has two affiliated colleges- St. Joseph’s College and St. Stephen’s College.
- The average salary for the fresher graduates from Ualberta is 67,000 CAD per annum.
University of Alberta: Rankings
| QS World University Ranking, 2022 | 126 |
| Country Rank, 2022 | 5 |
| Times Higher Education (THE), World University Ranking, 2022 | 125 |
University of Alberta: Courses
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The university is also known as the U of A or UAlberta. It offers a wide range of academic and professional degree programs, including undergraduate, graduate, diploma, and doctorate or Ph.D. level courses. The main focus of all the programs is research. There are 359 undergraduate programs and 500+ graduate programs in 300 research areas offered by the university. University also offers comprehensive Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to students and the general public. It offers 300+ extension courses, 40+ credentialed programs, and many other career advancement courses for working professionals. UAlberta mainly has 18 faculties which are further divided into different courses. The faculties are:
| Faculty of Agricultural |
| Life and Environmental Sciences |
| Alberta School of Business |
| Faculty of Fine Arts |
| Faculty of Education |
| Faculty of Engineering |
| Faculty of Extension |
| Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research |
| Faculty of Law |
| Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry |
| Faculty of Native Studies |
| Faculty of Nursing |
| Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences |
| Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation |
| Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine |
| School of Public Health |
| Faculty of Social Science |
| Faculty of Political Science |
Not just academic courses, the university offers sports programs in football, golf, hockey, cricket, cross-country, basketball, curling, dodgeball, inner tube water polo, swimming, track and field, rugby, soccer, tennis, volleyball, wallyball, and wrestling. When it comes to research programs, the University is an internationally regarded research institution, with over CAD 513 million in external research funding every year. It focuses on new discoveries, improving human health, and building new businesses. It has the most advanced research facilities and equipment for research areas like AI, Computer Science, Energy, and Agriculture.
University of Alberta: Fee Structure
The University of Alberta starts admissions in early September for the seasonal intakes-Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. To apply, all international students applicants must pay the non-refundable application fees of:
- For undergraduate program: 125 CAD
- For the graduate program: 100 CAD
- Residence application: Additional 25 CAD
The estimated tuition fee structure for international students as of the year 2020-2021 is
- Undergraduate Programs: 29,500.00 – 47,314.26 CAD
- Masters Programs (MBA, Master of Accounting, Master of Education): 5,110.00 – 28,281.00 CAD
- Non-Thesis Graduate Programs: 1,864.30 CAD
- Masters (Thesis) Programs and Ph.D.: 8,700.00 CAD
University of Alberta: Living Expense for International Students
The living expenses for international students when studying at the University of Alberta include: Accommodation: International students can opt for on-campus or off-campus residence. Edmonton is a small town, so both options are feasible. The estimated accommodation expense is-
- On-campus student housing: It is approximately 3,8400-9,555 CAD for eight months.
- Off-campus student housing: It is around 800 to 1,000 CAD per month, with an additional 200 CAD for food.
Food: 2,665 CAD or Rs 1.57 lakh per year Books and Supplies: 1,200 CAD or Rs 71,142 per year Transportation: 300-400 CAD or Rs 17,700–Rs 23,700 per year Others: 2,170 CAD or Rs 1.28 lakhs per year
University of Alberta: Scholarships for International Students
The cost of studying and living in Alberta can be expensive for many international students. Following are the organisations, government and private, that grants financial aid to international students-
- Students’ Union Scholarships & Awards
- Government of Alberta Scholarships and Bursaries
- Canada Scholarships
- Universities Canada
- Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research – Scholarships and Awards
- Graduate Students’ Association Awards
- The Government of Canada
The University of Alberta Registrar administers over 34 million dollars of awards, scholarships, bursaries, and financial support to the students. It can be a full scholarship covering tuition fees and other living expenses. It can also be an undergraduate scholarship or graduate scholarship covering only the tuition fees. The University of Alberta scholarships for international students are distributed among graduates and undergraduate students based on academic excellence and their extracurricular activities records. You can check the official website of the University of Alberta for more details regarding the eligibility criteria for the awards.
Scholarships
There are majorly two types of undergraduate scholarships for bachelor students depending upon the time of application-
- Admission-based Scholarships: Students need to apply for it during the application process in September admissions. The amount ranges from 5,000 CAD to 9,000 CAD.
- Application-based Scholarships: Students need to apply for it early in the month of July as per the eligibility requirements. The amount ranges from 7,500 CAD to 53,000 CAD.
Some of the University of Alberta scholarships for international students are:
Gold Standard Scholarship
The top 5% of students in each faculty could receive up to $6,000, depending on the admission average.
International Student Scholarship
- Eligibility Criteria: It is for first-year undergraduate students on a student visa and with excellent academic records. GPA score of 3.0 and above or 83-85% marks in higher education.
- Amount Given: Upto 9000 CAD
University Of Alberta International Country Scholarship
- Eligibility Criteria: To 1-st year undergraduate students with study permits and merit
- Amount Given: Upto 5000 CAD
International Entrance Leadership Scholarship
- Eligibility Criteria: 80% and above in academics, studying at a study permit, extracurricular achievements.
- Amount Given: Upto 5000 CAD
Bursaries and Emergency Funding
Alberta University offers various types of financial support to students in need during the academic year. It is a non-repayable fund available for students that ranges up to 8,000 CAD. Here are some bursaries and emergency funding options available for the students-
- Supplementary Bursary: It is for both graduate and undergraduate students(Domestic and International).
- GSA Emergency Bursary: It is for graduates(Domestic and International).
- Emergency Loan: All students can take the loan and repay later.
- Indigenous Student’s Support Fund: It is for the short-time financial needs of all students.
Graduate Funding
Students admitted to a program can ask their respective departments regarding assistantship appointments, internships, and fellowships. Also, the students enrolled in Master’s and Doctoral level courses can avail of recruitment scholarships based on academic excellence recommendations by the department.
Work-Study Programme
International students can work-study in Alberta based on registration and location of employment. Students with valid study permits can also work on-campus and off-campus. For off-campus work, students must have a Social Insurance Number(SIN), and they can opt for full-time work at vocational, academic, and professional training programs. Under this, students:
- Work for 20 hours a week during holidays
- Work full-time after they finish their program and apply for master’s course
Also, open studies, special and visiting students are not allowed to work off-campus.
Conclusion
The University of Alberta is a public university with more than 359 undergraduate programs and 500+ graduate programs in 300 research areas. It is among the best Canadian universities. At Alberta University, managing tuition fees, cost of living, and other expenses can be difficult for international students. To help them, the University of Alberta, certain private organisations, and the Canadian government offer university of alberta scholarships, awards, bursaries based on academic excellence and financial needs. It is best to check the official website of the University of Alberta for scholarship eligibility.
FAQs
What are the documents required by the international students to apply to the University of Alberta?
Following documents are required during the application process:Completely fill out the application form
Academic transcript of previous education, including high school and bachelor’s degree and mark sheets
English language proficiency test scores such as IELTS/TOEFL
Letter of Recommendations
Statement of Purpose
Student visa
Work experience documents
How long will it take to submit my application?
Although admission into the Alberta University works on a rolling basis, most students receive an admission offer within a month. The application deadline to accept the offer is 1 May.
How do I apply for a scholarship to the University of Alberta?
For UAlberta Scholarships, you may or may not need a separate application form. If you are applying for admission-based undergraduate scholarships, you don’t need any separate application form. But for application-based scholarships, you need to apply a few months before the admission process. It is best to keep yourself updated with the last date of application.
