Student life in Canada

When you think of Canada, you may think of maple syrup, hockey, and… beavers? There’s so much more to life in Canada, which has one of the highest standards of living in the world. Read on to find out what it’s like spending your university years in Canada.

Progressive and welcoming 

Canada is known across the world for being a friendly, progressive, and welcoming place to live. Their commitment as a country to inclusiveness and diversity means that you’ll encounter students from all over the world who are eager to experience Canada’s open-minded reputation for themselves. 

It’s a philosophy that extends not only to questions of race, religion, gender, and sexuality, but also to questions that are particularly relevant for students, like great support at all levels for students with access needs or different learning requirements. 

The great outdoors

Whichever province you end up in, there’s a good chance you’ll have some stunning scenery in your backyard. Algonquin Park (Ontario), Little Manitou Lake (Saskatchewan), and Cathedral Grove (British Columbia) are some of the best known, but you’ll never be more than a bus ride away from breathtaking lakes, forests, or mountains. In summer, most Canadians soak up the scenery with walking and cycling, whilst the winter climate lends itself perfectly to skiing, snowboarding and ice skating.  

Nightlife

The quality of nightlife will very much depend on where you end up living. If it’s high on your list of priorities, the larger cities such as Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto are known for the best bars and clubs, and there are plenty of them – Union in Toronto, for example, combines a state-of-the-art sound system with vintage chandeliers and taxidermy; whereas Candi Bar in Montreal is entirely dedicated to sugary goodness – candy-topped drinks, candy dispensers... even their menu looks like a giant lollipop wheel!

And that’s to say nothing of the music venues: you’ll find larger venues such as Metropolis in Montreal, which has hosted everyone from David Bowie to Adele, and smaller venues such as Split Crow Pub in Nova Scotia - a cosy venue which serves ‘a welcoming smile, generous mugs of grog and toe-tapping music’ seven nights a week.   

More rural provinces may not have the big city nightlife, but don’t count them out. For example, Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island has a fantastic craft beer scene, while Fredericton, New Brunswick boasts a board game cafe where you can settle in with some mates for hours of play. 

Clubs and societies

Making a new set of friends is probably the most daunting part of starting uni, but clubs and societies are a great place to start. Canadian unis offer pretty much everything from beekeeping to Bollywood dancing, and some of the larger ones offer more than 400 societies, so you’re bound to find something to match your interests. Many, like the University of British Columbia, also have an International Students Association, which will often advertise jobs and host events where you can meet others from your country.

Sport

There’s no escaping the fact that Canadians love their ice hockey, so a great way to embrace the culture is to join a team - or maybe just check out a match, if you can’t quite see yourself scooting around on the ice! There are also professional baseball, football (both kinds! But yes, in Canada they call it ‘soccer’), and basketball teams.