Can HSSC Intermediate Students Study in Canada?

Consultants and recruiters for international universities and colleges often overlook an Intermediate student and chase after IB or Cambridge system high schoolers. It gives the impression that Intermediate (HSSC) students are not eligible for admission to Canadian universities and colleges. This is just not true. Intermediate student can study in Canada after their Part II results are in. What is important to note is that every Higher Secondary High School student who applies to a Canadian college or university must write Academic IELTS and obtain a 6.5 band overall with no band less than 6. Even though an institution may ask for less, this is the band the Canadian government requires when you apply for a student visa. Therefore, write the exam once, get 6.5 overall to satisfy both the college or university and the Canadian government.

What Programs can FSc Students Study in Canada?

Pre-Engineering:

A Pre-Engineering student can apply to almost any program he or she chooses if they have sufficient marks. Because Pre-Engineering students have Mathematics, they are eligible for business, engineering and science programs. If this student wants to study social sciences or humanities at a Canadian university or college, they qualify for that as well.

Pre-Medical:

If the Pre-Med student wants to study MBBS at a Canadian university, that is not possible. Canadian medical colleges do not admit international students into their Medical Doctor programs. An MBBS in Pakistan takes 5 years whereas in Canada, students study for 8 years before they become a doctor. A student who has dual citizenship, both Pakistani and Canadian could study medicine in Canada.

But Pre-Medical students may be eligible for other programs. They can study Psychology in Arts faculties and some colleges and universities will accept Pre-Medical students into their programs without Math. However the majority of biological, medical and life sciences programs require high school Math. You may need to make up the missing Math subject either at the university or by taking a Canadian high school Maths course online. Note that you will need both Grade 11 & 12 Mathematics for most institutions.

What Programs can FA Students Study in Canada?

FA students are a little harder to place because often 5 core subjects are missing. While most FA students will have English and Urdu, it is the last 3 subjects that might not be accepted. Canadian institutions accept high school subjects that are equivalent to their own high school courses. A recommended list of subjects a FA Intermediate student could take is English, Urdu, Psychology, Economics and a fifth subject. Some colleges and universities may accept Philosophy, World History or Fine Arts. Note that Islamyat and Pakistan Studies cannot be used for admission into a Canadian institution. If you can borrow from other streams go for Biology, Mathematics or Statistics as your 5th subject.

What Programs Can Intermediate in Commerce Students Study in Canada?

College will be the logical institution for an I Com student. The biggest drawback when applying to a university will be their Business Math which doesn’t compare to Math that Canadian students take in high school. It is recommended that an I Com student take an online Math course from a Canadian high school. Courses that may be accepted are Accounting, English, Urdu and Economics. Other Commerce courses could be considered on an individual basis and institution to institution. Some colleges like North Island College will also accept students with only Grade 11 Math which can be taken online.

What Programs Can ICS students Study in Canada?

Intermediate of Computing Science students also should not have difficulties getting into a Canadian college or university. Why do I say that? Because they have Math and Physics, two essential courses for Computer Science programs. These students have English, Urdu, Mathematics, Physics and Computing Science, all a student needs for admission.

What About Scholarships?

While admission may be considered with 65% to 75% at a college or smaller university, to get into higher ranked universities a student should have 80%. And if you want scholarships, 80% would be the minimum grade a university would use for scholarship eligibility. A student who has 90% will do well in getting scholarships at Canadian universities.

HSSC Intermediate students who do well at school in Pakistan will do equally well at a college or university in Canada, especially if they go to one that has smaller class sizes so they get one-on-one mentorship from their professors.

As Canadian consultants we can help you actualise your dreams to study in Canada.