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How can I get scholarships or financial aid for the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto?
It depends from where you are, as well as your previous background. If you are not a Canadian, you will only be eligible for some scholarships and not financial aid. Even then the competition will be too much and you’ll have to be too good with a unique background so that you become a prospective student with a lot of potential at UBC.
There are different scholarships for different programs. All have varying criteria which you need to go through carefully. Female students in hard sciences have an added benefit in many scholarships specifically aimed to help them.
| Parameters | Funding at University of British Columbia | Funding at University of Toronto |
| Total Funding Budget | 30 Million CAD | 247 Million CAD |
| Average Scholarship Amount | Merit-based: 25-30% Need-based: 65-70% |
7,500 CAD to 20,000 CAD |
| Official Website | UBC scholarships | UToronto’s website |
UBC
- Offers funds based on your academic and extracurriculars. You’d be automatically considered for any merit-based awards once admitted to UBC for up to 25-30% of total offered funding.
- UBC Need-based awards comprise 65-70% of total funding and depends on the student's financial need.
- UBC Hybrid scholarships are awarded based on a combination of merit (academics, leadership skills, etc.) and student’s financial requirements. These make up 10% of the UBC funding.
University of Toronto
- University of Toronto’s budget for funding in 2019-2020 was 247M CAD
- If you're a great student with active extracurricular participation, you can be considered for scholarships ranging from 7,500 CAD to 20,000 CAD
- You can check out UToronto’s website for specifics.
Credible academic references, exceptional marks and great personal achievements and records are a must for availing most of these merit-based scholarships. These merit-based scholarships/awards don't require any application as you’d be automatically considered. Finally, make sure you work hard and apply on time to be considered for these.
Will I get accepted into University of Toronto?
Securing admission at University of Toronto is really difficult. You will find it very competitive which is fair- it’s currently ranked at #29 among world universities by QS. The overall acceptance rate of the University is 43% but things are harder if you are an international student. There will be a lot of extra formalities like English proficiency, LORs, funding abilities that the university will consider. This is around 23.1%
Factors to be considered:
GPA requirements:
For admission in undergraduate programs, an average score of 90 in class 12th can be considered competitive. Expected scores for some courses are mentioned below:
In case of graduate program admission, the minimum GPA requirement is 3.0 while 3.4 out of 4.0 is considered as a competitive score.
English language proficiency:
TOEFL or IELTS scores are accepted and It is mandatory for international students to submit one of these test scores.
- TOEFL score: 93(iBT)
- IELTS score : 7.0 with no band below 6.0
GRE score:
Few courses demand GRE test scores for the admission process whereas Courses like CS , material science have made it optional, however submitting a GRE with a score around 320+ will definitely create an edge to your profile which may enhance your chances of selection.
GMAT:
Minimum GMAT score of 570 is demanded for admission in MBA courses at University of Toronto while the average score of the University is 665.
Other requirements:
Minimum 3 letters of recommendations along with good resume and Participation in Co-Curricular activities are expected.
If you fulfill all the above mentioned criteria including good grades, standard test scores and LORs you will be good to go. Ultimately it depends on the competition in the course which you are inclined towards.
In what ways can McGill University surpass the reputation of the University of Toronto?
Both McGill University and the University of Toronto are widely reputed. If you have to choose between these, make a choice based on the subject and the department you are interested in.
Don’t put too much emphasis on the university rankings. It changes each year. Here is a brief comparison of the two. Currently, McGill University world ranking is #44 (THE World University Ranking). While University of Toronto is ranked #18 by THE World University Ranking.
Here is a brief comparison of these two.
| Parameters | McGill University | University of Toronto |
| Tuition fees (undergraduate) | 29,200 CAD (International students) | 45,690 CAD (International students) |
| Acceptance rate | 48.9% | 43% |
| Popular courses | Medical and Health Science, Computer Science, Social Science & Humanities | Psychology, Medical Technology, Automation and Control, Human and Biological Sciences |
| Average salary | CAD 62k | CAD 68k |
You can’t go wrong with either of these schools.
Does the University of Toronto require a GRE for a MS in computer science?
Short answer, yes. It won’t hurt your case unless the score is too bad but the Computer science department website of University of Toronto states that there is no requirement of GRE test score for the admission process. Submitting IELTS or TOEFL scores will suffice the process of admission for international students. The online application form does provide a field where you can submit your GRE scores, but it is made optional.
However it is recommended to upload a GRE score as it will create an edge over other applicants. Target for a safe score of 320+ in GRE so that you leave no stone unturned to create a good impression.
Tabulation below gives a brief overview on expected test scores of University of Toronto:
When you are applying for such competitive programs, it's always wise to present yourself in the best way possible by keeping your best foot ahead.
Submitting a GRE score along with a good GPA and resume will definitely enhance the chances of your selection.
In what ways can McGill University surpass the reputation of the University of Toronto?
World Rankings are instantaneous; they change annually and are a little vague. McGill is a top Canadian university in global QS rankings, depending on which survey you use, there are many ways McGill tops the ranks among similar universities. Having one of the world's best medical programs, it also has an excellent life sciences program.
Location: Montreal also scores Toronto impressively for affordability and rating employer operation. The above is based on a survey of domestic and foreign graduate employers who look at the cities from which they prefer to hire. Both cities are in the top ten for their desirability, but Toronto is still ahead of the 10th ranking of this metric, which ranks first. Toronto is English while McGill is based in Montréal in the French province of Quebec. Toronto is English speaking. However, most courses at the university are held in English, and documentation of English competence is a prerequisite for the application.
There is a considerably larger population of students at the University of Toronto with 93,081 students registered in the academic year 2018-19. Of these, 20,296 (22%) students were graduate students and 23,019 (25%), foreign students. This is a lot of students, Toronto has one of the largest schools of students among institutions.
What is the acceptance rate at the University of Toronto?
The acceptance rate of UofT is not the most welcoming which is obvious by the fact of it being a top ranked Institute. Once you get into UToronto, the actual struggle is to survive there. It has been ranked 29th by QS World University Ranking, 2020 University of Toronto is quite competitive to get into. Acceptance rate varies from program to program. Average acceptance rate of the University is 43% which comes down to 23.1% for International students.
If you manage to score an average of 87-90 in your 6 major subjects and have a good resume, you will have a pretty high chance of getting here. Better the grade, higher is your chance of getting accepted. Ultimately it depends on the branch to which you seek your admission at, less the competition higher is the acceptance rate.
However it must be mentioned that getting into the University is not a huge deal when compared to surviving after the first year and getting your desired majors.
Statistics of accepted students:
- Engineering is the most desired field at University of Toronto among international students.
- Out of 50,041 UG applications 20,296 students were offered admission among which 4,019 were international students.
- The acceptance rate of graduate courses is around 39%
- Out of 1056 PhD applicants, 305 were given opportunity for enrollment with an overall acceptance rate of 30%
It must be kept in mind that getting into University of Toronto is much easier than surviving there for a second year. The freshman retention rate of the University lies around 85-90%
How is the MS in computer science from Carleton University?
Carleton University enjoys full accreditation from the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities. In the domain of Engineering and Technology, it has been ranked between #201-250 by Times Higher Education. Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Computer Science presents a joint master's degree program awarded by the School of CS and EE of Carleton University. The Computer Science department of Carleton University highly concentrates on Software Architecture and Design and even awards its students with many internship and industrial opportunities.
With an impressive graduate employment rate of over 92.1% Carleton students land up in many top-paying jobs in Canada. Based on Employability, Carleton University would be a better choice to opt for.
The following table details all the Master's Program Highlights at Carleton University.
Job opportunities after the Master of Computer Science are Software Programmer, Database Administrator, etc and the average salary goes up to 62,105 USD.
It also provides a one year in-depth research project in research labs, e.g., National Research Council, Communication Research Centre, in the specialized course program.
MCS at Carleton is a government-designated STEM degree, so international students may be eligible for the 24-month F1 OPT (optional practical training) extension as well.
Which university is better for an undergraduate degree in fine arts with a biology minor, U of T, McGill, or Concordia University?
You should prefer University of Toronto or McGill. If you get accepted at both the university, choose one of these according to your preference.
UofT has one of the best fine arts programs in the world. Their Biology minor program offers an introduction to Cell & Molecular Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, and Physiology. McGill’s Biology program is more research-oriented. You will get a chance to work and collaborate with some of the best and brightest researchers.
UofT and McGill also rank higher than Concordia. UofT was ranked 18th in World University Rankings 2022 by Times Higher Education. McGill was ranked 44th by THE.
Here is a brief comparison of UofT and McGill University.
| Parameters | UofT | McGill University |
| Undergraduate tuition fees(International) | 45,690 CAD | 29,200 CAD |
| Acceptance rate | 43% | 48.9% |
| Average base salary for graduates | CAD 68k | CAD 62K |
The science programs of Concordia University aren’t as refined compared to UofT and McGill.
What is your review of University of Toronto?
If you are planning to join a research based course, there is no better University than UofT. It’s a top ranked Canadaian institute and ranked 21st worldwide by QS World Ranking 2020, thus it is highly competitive with a 43% admit rate.
Quick stats:
Still, harder than getting into is staying there and maintaining your grades. If you ask for reasons enough to attend UofT; they will be:
- Value of their diploma
- Wide network of students, professors and alumni which they offer
- Social prestige, Credibility amongst employers
- Exposure to research
One thing which makes UofT stand out amongst other universities in Canada is hands down their faculty. There are few opinions like " you being just a number", "UofT is a study hell" etc but as long as you are determined and have a good attitude towards your studies, success and exposure comes along your way. Remember that socializing is the key for you to fall in love with the University.
Research exposure:
- Being one of the top research institutes, you will certainly get a high research exposure by working with research faculties and scholars.
- World class research laboratories with high end equipment are worth mentioning.
Campus:
- St. George, Mississauga, and Scarborough are the three campuses of University of Toronto with a vibrant urban setting with a perfect environment to study.
- Campus housing facilities accommodate more than 8,800 students.
- There are 44 libraries across branches. It is third largest in North America.
- There are 1000+ diverse organizations and student clubs in the University.
- University has many Nobel laureates among its faculties and alumni
- Average salary of UofT graduate in MBA is 133,000 USD whereas science graduate is 93,000 USD
University of Toronto is one of the top notch study oriented colleges. However many students struggle due to its high grading standard and endup transferring out or fail to get into their desired majors due to poor grades in 1st year.
Is University of Toronto considered the best at artificial intelligence in the world?
University of Toronto has always been in the list of top 10 institutes for artificial intelligence in the world. Forbes has ranked it 6th best University for AI and data science for 2021.
Major areas of study:
AI department at UofT gives priority to five major sub-areas:
- Computational linguistics and natural language processing
- Knowledge representation
- Cognitive Robotics
- Machine learning
- Computational vision
If your aim is to pursue majors in any of the above areas then you can never go wrong with University of Toronto.
Research aids:
- Being a research oriented Institute, University of Toronto has some popular research centers including CARTE, Vector institute, COHESA, SOSCIP, SAVI, CMTE.
- These centres help students in doing collaborative projects with lead AI companies globally.
- Master students can also work under research scholars which will give them enormous exposure.
Professors and alumni:
- Geoffrey Hinton, popularly known as 'God father of AI' is a professor at University of Toronto who is even the chief scientist at Vector Institute.
- Alex Krizhevsky(Post doc student)- Google scholar
- Hugo Larochelle (post-doc; Lead of Google brain in Montreal)
- Ilya Sutskever (PhD student, working at Google brain)
- Ryan Adams (Post-Doc, working at Harvard)
Artificial intelligence at University of Toronto definitely seems promising. When you can work/study under Geoffrey Hinton and his crew who are Titans in the AI field, it is an absolute win- win situation. But you are seeking the top University then Stanford, MIT and Carnegie Mellon University are definitely ahead of University of Toronto.
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