Pathway Program
Pathway Programs in Canada for studying
Students who aim to study in Canada might
first need to enroll in a prerequisite or preparatory program, known as a
pathway program, to prepare for their main study program.
Overview
Pathway programs often take the form of
language courses. In such a program, students can meet the language
requirements for their main study program by completing a language course
instead of taking a recognized language test. Although pathway programs
typically consist of two stages, the initial stage, such as the language
course, is usually referred to as the ‘pathway program,’ while the subsequent
stage, such as a college diploma course or a bachelor’s degree, is called the
‘main study program.’
Types of Pathway Programs
When prospective international students
receive a Letter of Acceptance from a Canadian Designated Learning
Institution (DLI), the offer might be conditional upon the students proving
their language proficiency in English or French. In such cases, students may
first attend a language course as a pathway program and then transfer to the
main study program after completing the language course. There are two types of
pathway programs for language courses:
- Standard Pathway Program:
Students undertake a language course with the goal of taking a recognized
language test, such as IELTS or TOEFL, at the end. The language course may
include test preparation sessions. This type of program is referred to
simply as a pathway program.
- Seamless Pathway Program: Some
institutions have agreements with language schools to accept students who
have completed the language course without requiring recognized test
results. This type of program is known as a seamless pathway program.
Additionally, the Letter of Acceptance
might be conditional upon the international student completing an academic
upgrading course. This requirement arises if the student has not completed the
prerequisite courses for the main program or if the student's secondary
education is not equivalent to Canadian secondary school standards. In this
scenario, the student must complete an academic upgrading course as a pathway
program before transferring to the main study program.
Many universities and colleges have agreements
with language schools and other institutions to ensure a smooth transition
between the pathway program and the main study program. Usually, a pathway
program is taken at a different institution from the main study program, though
occasionally, both programs occur at the same DLI.
Pathway Programs and Study Permits
If a pathway program is more than six months
long, the student must apply for a Canadian study permit. If the pathway
program is less than six months long, a study permit is not required. In both
cases, a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel
Authorization (eTA) is generally still required.
After successfully completing the pathway
program, the student must apply for a new study permit for the main study
program. This applies to all students, regardless of the length of the initial
pathway program.
Contact
Visa Nexa for Immigration Assistance
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Programs to Canada as a student? Visa Nexa Inc. is here to help. We can assess
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