Any student who wants to move to Canada, find a friendly community and have an amazing university experience should consider the University of Guelph. Established in 1964, this public research university has a reputation for quality teaching and a welcoming, supportive attitude to its students.
The University of Guelph, often called U of G, is known as Canada’s food university, and there are lots of well-known and highly rated food and agriculture courses on offer (alongside many others). The founding colleges (Ontario Veterinary College, Ontario Agricultural College, and the Macdonald Institute) helped shape U of G into what it has become today, a hub of activity, opportunity and important research.
With over 29,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students currently enrolled on the university’s range of programmes, U of G’s beautiful campus sites are the perfect learning environment for anybody wanting to start their educational journey somewhere safe and welcoming.
More than 1,700 students at U of G are international, representing over 130 different countries in total. Student services and financial aid options like scholarships are available to domestic and international students, helping every person of every background to get the most out of their studies and enjoy their time at the university.
Plus, the city of Guelph is one that any overseas student would be lucky to live and learn in. Guelph is in the middle of southern Ontario, well-known for its exciting history, varied climate, and low rates of unemployment (one of the many reasons that graduate outcomes from U of G are so strong).
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At U of G, students can expect to be taught by lecturers and tutors who are passionate about their field and talented at what they do, blessed with years of experience in teaching and guiding the next generation, creating future leaders.
The professors at U of G put everything into guiding their students toward success. They always get to know the people in their classes, and their approach to quality teaching is based on dedication and genuine care.
The incredible teaching quality at U of G is also thanks to the high level of attention and focus that each member of the academic staff can give. There are approximately 11 students to every faculty member, so it’s easy for teachers to deliver personal, high-quality teaching to each person enrolled.
U of G was ranked number one in Canada for overall student satisfaction according to Macleans in 2020. This status shows how U of G students feel. They know they are valued, understood, and offered a great standard of education. According to US News, the university was ranked in the top 18 universities in Canada, number one in the country for agricultural science. In worldwide rankings, the university consistently rates in the top 600.
All these rankings add to U of G’s great reputation. It’s a place where tutors care about educating students and preparing them for professional success after graduation. It’s also a place where a lot of important research efforts are happening with the help of students. Key research areas include:
To enrol in a programme at U of G, there are certain minimum university entry requirements that an applicant must meet. For one, an applicant must be able to prove they have a certain level of English understanding. For two, an applicant will need to have completed their education to the right level.
Generally, the secondary school graduation certificate which would be sufficient to admit an international undergraduate student to a university in their home country will normally be acceptable for entry into U of G, too. For postgraduates, the process is similar but the qualification level is higher, usually at least a bachelor’s degree.
On the university’s website, students can find the exact entry requirements and university qualifications needed for admission based on their home country/previous curriculum. Students can also check the university requirements for the programmes they’re interested in, as standards and needs might vary from course to course.
To give an example, an international student from the United States of America wouldn’t need to prove their English proficiency as they come from an English-speaking country and were educated in this language. They would, however, need a minimum cumulative unweighted GPA of 3 to 3.9/4 from a regionally accredited high school.
For international students who don’t speak English as a first language/haven’t passed four consecutive years of schooling at an English-speaking institution, a certain level of proficiency will need to be proven to enrol at U of G.
There are multiple ways to demonstrate English language understanding, from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) to the Duolingo English Test. A full list of accepted test methods is available on the U of G website, and minimum scores for each method are listed. The minimum scores for the examples given are:
U of G’s acceptance rate each academic year is usually between 70 and 80 per cent. The university admission process is quick and easy, and ideally for international students, it can all be done online. As their first step, a potential applicant should explore the university’s available programmes of study to decide what they want to apply for.
They should then make sure that they meet the minimum admission requirements of that course (and the university) before applying. A student’s chosen programme may be an Associate Diploma offered at the Ridgetown campus, and it’s important to check this before applying, too.
The student admission process will continue with filling out the right application form and paying an application fee of CAD 40. An applicant will get a U of G account, login details and instructions on how to submit the required documents (high school transcripts, a copy of their passport, proof of English proficiency) for their application.
Applicants are also encouraged to submit a Student Profile Form at this point. The form is an extra chance for them to explain things about their academic/personal life that might be interesting to the admission team. Finally, the applicant should check the admission portal regularly for any outstanding document requests, and for updates on their application.
Possible future international students should note that full-time overseas tuition fees at U of G can be anywhere from CAD 46,000 to CAD 66,000. For an approximation based on each programme of study, students can view the university website’s ‘how much will it cost?’ section.
U of G strongly believes that every person who is qualified enough should be able to attend university, so there are lots of financial aid options for students who may struggle with their funding and fees.
For example, to reward students who have shown academic excellence and help with their funding, there are university scholarships offered to hard-working, high-achieving students. For international students specifically, these options include the International Entrance Scholarship.
As suggested by the name, this scholarship is awarded when a student starts their journey at U of G and enters the university for their first semester. It’s awarded to international students who are starting their post-secondary studies for the first time at U of G. It doesn’t need to be applied for (any eligible enrolled student will automatically be considered) and it has a value of between CAD 17,500 and CAD 20,500.
Other scholarships on offer include the Academic Leadership Entrance Scholarships, with values of CAD 20,000. An Academic Leadership Entrance Scholarship is awarded to a student who has shown their leadership skills, contributing to their school and/or their community in a positive way. There’s also the Dr. Franco J. Vaccarino President’s Scholarship, an award with the same goal and eligibility worth a huge CAD 42,500.
U of G scholarships are offered to help support the university’s values (values like equal opportunities, fairness and compassion). Other funding support options are also on offer to students, including chances to make money while studying through on-campus part-time jobs, co-operative education, and the work-study programme.
The programmes available at U of G offer students a huge range of subjects and disciplines. There are plenty of options, including over 90 undergraduate degrees and over 40 postgraduate degrees. The educational structure at Guelph organises everything into seven core faculties, known as colleges or schools at U of G. These are:
Each college contains a number of programmes, and each student has a lot of choices at U of G. They can shape their education to suit their professional goals and ambitions. Student majors usually include/cover one of the following themes:
U of G is an institution that’s always leading the way in terms of research, discovering new things and looking for new knowledge. U of G has lots of research groups, centres and institutes, 34 in total:
There are facilities across all of U of G’s sites where students can relax, dine, and learn. From cafés and restaurants to study areas and student recreation centres for sports and fitness, there’s nothing a Guelph student can’t access when they need to.
There are over 20 dining options on U of G’s main campus, including a couple of mobile roaming food establishments. University Centre Chef’s Hall is a perfect place to enjoy sushi, pizza, burritos and more. There are lots of great on-campus accommodation options.
For students who want to get active, there’s always a new option to enjoy, including ice rinks, pools, gymnasiums, softball diamonds and volleyball courts. Student activity centres of all shapes and sizes cover the campuses at U of G, including the Fitness Centre Gym complete with strength and cardio equipment.
The retail facilities on campus, including Gryphs Sports Shop and Eastside Café and Grocery, give students easy access to whatever they might want without the need to leave campus and head into the city. Although heading into the city is also made easy and convenient when students do want to explore.
The McLaughlin library, a beautiful and welcoming student life centre with heaps of information and learning materials, is open to all students. They can even book study spaces or appointments with library staff to receive extra academic guidance. Every lecture theatre is modern and comfortable, perfect for listening and learning. Classrooms come in a range of sizes to suit all needs, too. In Rozanski Hall alone, they range from 30 to 600 seats.
U of G was ranked by Macleans as number one in Canada for residence living, clear evidence of how amazing the student accommodation choices are. The university’s main campus has nine university accommodation options, all explained in detail on the U of G website:
Students can also choose to live off-campus in Guelph, finding a shared student house or a private studio to rent and fully connecting with Canadian life in Ontario’s Royal City. If a student is searching for a true North American experience, this might be a good choice.
At U of G, every person is properly looked after and given the help they need. The student services at the university give student support whether a person is part-time or full-time, postgraduate or undergraduate, international or domestic.
The Health Services at U of G give students proper medical care, disease prevention advice and more, and services are available not just to students but to their families, too. Appointments can be made with physicians, dieticians, or nurses.
Other student support services available to protect student health include counselling services (individual and group therapy) and online mental health resources. The university understands that mental wellbeing is essential to student success and aims to support that wellbeing wherever it can.
Academic support is also available depending on a student’s situation. If a student is facing emotional/psychological difficulties that are hurting their ability to study as well as they could be, support can be sought through the university. If a student is struggling with the work difficulty or the workload, they can speak with a student guide connected to their specific programme of study.
Graduates from U of G have excellent job prospects. With an employment rate of around 92 per cent just six months after graduation, it’s clear that students at this institution are set up for success throughout their studies.
There are lots of employment services at U of G, partly to thank for such a great graduate track record. One example of these career services is that students can book appointments with a career advisor, either in-person or online, to talk things through and get expert advice. Advisors can help students gain a better understanding of their career options and career aspirations (and the steps they’ll need to take to achieve them).
The online Experiential Learning Hub is an easy-to-access career guide with a lot of information for students, from how to build a resume to interview tips. There’s even a section dedicated to international students and their specific career needs/concerns. U of G also hosts job fairs, career nights, meet and greets and Q&As. For a list of events like these taking place in 2022 and 2023, students can visit the U of G website and check the calendar.
Students who use the services offered by U of G have a strong chance of being able to enjoy the career they dream of when they graduate. A potential future student only needs to check student satisfaction rates to see what an education at U of G can do for them.
CAD$11,000
CAD$5,250
UNDERGRADUATE
CAD$35,510
POSTGRADUATE
CAD$20,570
VOCATIONAL
CAD$17,540
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