Algonquin College: one of the best in Ontario and it’s in Ottawa

Once I moved to Ottawa I often heard the name Algonquin. Gradually I understood that people were referring to a college, and apparently a good one because I know of many people who have studied there. But it’s only more recently that I have found out that Algonquin College is one of the best in Ontario.

This college is the one many international students and immigrants living in Ottawa choose in order to start a new career path, or to bring their careers up to date, or to increase their chances of landing a good job in Canada. In the case of the first group, it is also a way to pave their road to get the permanent residence. https://ottawaisnotboring.com/2020/11/10/immigrants-wanted-how-to-emigrate-to-canada/

Algonquin College has 19,957 full-time students and 25,762 more registered for continuing education. Four thousand are international students who come from more than 130 countries.

This institution offers more than 350 programs, among them college certificates, Ontario college certificates, Ontario college diplomas, college graduate certificates, bachelor’s degrees and collaborative degrees (with the University of Ottawa and Carleton University.)

Some programs qualify as highly competitive, which means that they are the most in demand, and that implies that the applicants with the highest assessment scores or subject grades are the ones who are offered priority admission to the program.

Among these 25 highly competitive programs are: Child and Youth Care, Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene, Early Childhood Education, Massage Therapy, Practical Nursing, Paralegal, Paramedic, Social Service Worker, Veterinary Assisting, Veterinary Technician, and others.

The college has three campuses. The main in Ottawa is a 370,340 square metres campus located on Woodroffe Avenue in Nepean. The other campuses are in Perth (50 minutes from Ottawa) and in Pembroke (90 minutes away).

Algonquin College is also recognized for its applied research and innovation in areas like Biotechnology, Business, Health and Community, Information and Communications Technology, Manufacturing, and other sectors.

Student satisfaction after studies is high.

Camila Bousquet said: “I studied in Algonquin in the program of Business Management and Entrepreneurship and I got a promotion to a managerial position in the job I had that time, after finishing my studies”.

Brillinta Leon said: “Excellent college, it’s very practical,” while Linda Ortiz said: “People are very well trained and prepared there”.

One thing that characterizes Algonquin College is its multicultural environment. The number of people from different cultures and backgrounds is high, which contributes to enriching the learning experience.

“In my class we are like 23 students. Some 15 are Arabs, two are from China, two more from Taiwan, and two or three from Russia”, said Idalia Trejo from El Salvador, who’s studying the General Arts and Science/Academic Purposes program.

Another characteristic is that a good number of Algonquin College students are mature people with a strong commitment to their studies, totally focused on making the most of their time there.

“In my program, the majority are adults, mature people who know exactly what they want”, said Trejo, who is a teacher with 20 years experience in her home country.

Another plus is the strong student support the college offers. “There are many academic counsellors that guide you about courses and stuff”, said Trejo.

Programs

If you want to know which are the programs offered by Algonquin College, check out this link: https://www.algonquincollege.com/future-students/programs/

Cost

Algonquin College offers competitive tuition fees compared to other major colleges in Canada. The cost to study in a college, besides, is lower than to study in a university.

The annual tuition fees to study in Algonquin for an international student are, depending on the program, between 16,200 and 22,000 Canadian dollars, which includes health insurance and a bus pass.

In learning resources and school supplies, a student must spend between 200 and 1,000 dollars.

For Canadian citizens and permanent residents the annual tuition fees are much lower. Check this out: https://www.algonquincollege.com/ro/pay/fee-estimator/?campus=ALL&startterm=2021F&residency=canadian&programFees=0398X05FWO#programDetail

I hope this post is useful to you if you’re thinking of starting new studies to broaden your horizons. And if you have studied in Algonquin College, please share your experience! Take care.