Can Intermediate FA Students Study in Canada?

Every Pakistani HSSC Intermediate student can study in Canada if they have sufficient marks and the financial resources. But there could be some limitations based on what Intermediate group you have studied. For FA students, studying in Canada is possible if you have the right subject combination. There are certain FA subjects that are not recognised by Canadian universities, but there are also many that are. So how do you know what subjects to take as an FA student so you can apply successfully to a Canadian university or college and get an admission offer?

How is Subject Eligibility Determined?

I got a call from a Canadian university the other day asking about a Pakistani Humanities student’s transcript where the student had applied to their university. Were her courses admissible? So how do Canadian universities determine if a subject can be considered for admission?

First, the university will compare the subjects to grade 12 subjects that are taught in that Canadian province or even in Canada. Is the FA subject equivalent to a Canadian high school subject? If it is, then it will be considered. But as a Pakistani student, you probably don’t know what subjects are taught at a Canadian high school, nor would you necessarily be expected to know. So how do you find out what subjects you should take in your Intermediate FA?

That’s where I come in. As a Canadian who went through a Canadian high school, I know what subjects are accepted for admission purposes at a Canadian university or college.

What FA Humanities Subjects Do Canadian Universities Accept?

If you are keen to study in Canada, then even at the Matric level, you will have to determine where you want to go for your Intermediate studies. This is important because not every Pakistani high school, whether public or private, gives students the full options of available FA Humanities subjects.

English & Urdu are compulsory and will be accepted by every university in Canada. Urdu can be used as a Second Language in Canada even though it is your first language in Pakistan. So now you only need to have three other core subjects.

Possible subjects you can select are World History, Philosophy, Fine Arts, Economics, Psychology, Music, Geography and English Literature (in addition to English). Other options could be Sociology, Computer Science and even Mathematics or Biology if it is offered to Humanities students. Please note the Math subject must be the kind of Math Pre-Engineering students take.

What FA Humanities Subjects Are Not Accepted at Canadian Universities?

Subjects that will not be considered are Ethics, Civics, Education, Law, Library Science, Home Economics, and Physical Education. Also, Pakistani students who want to study in Canada should not take Statistics. Although some universities might consider it, it isn’t universally accepted. And while Islamyat and Pakistan Studies are compulsory subjects, they too cannot be used to meet admission requirements at a Canadian university or college.

But when you look at the possible subjects that would meet admission requirement at a Canadian university or college, you, as a Pakistani Humanities student, have a wide range of subjects to choose from. Remember because English and Urdu are compulsory in Pakistan, you only need another 3 subjects to meet the required 5 subjects needed for admission to a Canadian university.

So, there it is, it is possible for an Intermediate FA student who wants to take Humanities to get admission to a Canadian university. The next thing to remember is to get an average of 70% for admission (85% for scholarships) and remember to write your IELTS exam. Academic IELTS results are necessary with an overall band of 6.5 with no band less than 6 in any one section.

If you still need academic advising on what subjects will be accepted to a Canadian university, please make sure to contact us for further career and academic counselling.