BC's best place for international students to study might surprise you
According to a study from clevercanadian.ca centred around the “50 Best Canadian Cities For International Students,” BC cities rank pretty poorly compared to the rest of the country when it comes to being student-friendly.
Even more surprising, BC’s top spot is not Vancouver or even Surrey — it’s Abbotsford.
The top 10 places in the country are rounded out as follows:
- Sherbrooke
- St. John’s
- Calgary
- Rimouski
- Edmonton
- Montreal
- Quebec City
- Trois-Rivières
- Winnipeg
- Rouyn-Noranda
The Fraser Valley’s Abbotsford placed 15th as international students “can have a better lifestyle for less. It also has very mild temperatures, favourable housing costs, and outdoor spaces, while still having the appeal of urban living.”
The average rent in Abbotsford is $1,194 per month, according to clevercanadian.ca.
Abbotsford boasts several educational options, including the University of the Fraser Valley.
clevercanadian.ca
- You might also like:
- Montreal ranks among 10 best Canadian cities for international students
- 10 places an international student should visit first in Vancouver (PHOTOS)
- International students can now work off-campus full time in Canada
- "Not your cash cow": Emily Carr students protest international tuition hikes
Other BC cities that made the list: Courtenay on Vancouver Island (16), Victoria (23), Kamloops (28), Kelowna (29), Vancouver (30), Nanaimo (31), Coquitlam (39), Prince George (42).
The rankings were based on the following indicators:
- Diversity
- Annual percentage of graduates
- Monthly rent cost
- Average tuition cost
- Internet speed
- Living expenses
Some might be surprised that Surrey didn’t make the list, considering it has several universities like Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Simon Fraser Surrey Campus, BCIT Surrey Campus, and more. Surrey is also amazingly diverse and known for its amazing culture and food scene.
Plus, Surrey’s rent situation is a bit better than Vancouver’s.
Other head-scratching omissions: Neither Langley nor Burnaby made the top 50 list.
Sherbrooke, though, reigned supreme as the nation’s top spot for international students.
Along with quality education options at very reasonable prices the study praised Sherbrooke’s public transit system and large “variety of courses, programs, and degrees that you can choose from.”
Click here to explore the rest of the list.
Do you think Surrey, Langley, and Burnaby should have made the list? Let us know in the comments below.