American applying to Canadian schools

[hamsterpants]

Ok, I have seen various threads/ posts on Canadian schools but none have answered all my questions.

I am beginning to look at schools for the next application cycle and quite a few Canadian schools have POIs who study my area of interest. Plus I would be really interested in living in Canada for a while.

Is there anyone on SDN who has done this? I see quite a few Canadians here who study at American universities but rarely the reverse. My main questions are financial- how does it work? I am only interested in research based Clinical PhD programs that offer a tuition waiver and livable stipend. Is it possible for an American to receive this in Canada or is the only option to take out loans? Is any funding for this available from the US government besides loans? Also it appears, at least for most Canadian schools I have looked into, that someone with only a B.A. would apply to the Master's program first but may then proceed to the PhD program after completing the M.A. Is this correct? and does it have an impact on funding (since I know there is usually more money for PhD rather than MA programs)?


Please forgive my ignorance, Canadians. Thanks.

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[ILGirl]

I don't have the answers you're seeking.

But, I seem to recall that back when I looked into Canadian schools for my undergrad. (a very long time ago), I was not eligible for federal student loans since I wouldn't have been attending a US university.

Maybe that has since changed.

 

[PsychApps2009]

Ok, I have seen various threads/ posts on Canadian schools but none have answered all my questions.

I am beginning to look at schools for the next application cycle and quite a few Canadian schools have POIs who study my area of interest. Plus I would be really interested in living in Canada for a while.

Is there anyone on SDN who has done this? I see quite a few Canadians here who study at American universities but rarely the reverse. My main questions are financial- how does it work? I am only interested in research based Clinical PhD programs that offer a tuition waiver and livable stipend. Is it possible for an American to receive this in Canada or is the only option to take out loans? Is any funding for this available from the US government besides loans? Also it appears, at least for most Canadian schools I have looked into, that someone with only a B.A. would apply to the Master's program first but may then proceed to the PhD program after completing the M.A. Is this correct? and does it have an impact on funding (since I know there is usually more money for PhD rather than MA programs)?


Please forgive my ignorance, Canadians. Thanks.

My co-worker is an American who was accepted to and will be attending a school in Canada. Her POI put her up for two fellowships, one which will significantly reduce her tuition (to domestic rates) and one which will provide her her stipend. At the end of the fellowship period (which is for two years/masters) she mentioned something about qualifying as a resident and being competitive for further fellowship funding. She only has a B.A. and applied to the clinical phd program, so (unless I got some information here wrong) it should be doable.

I think her biggest concern was that APA accreditation stops for Canadian schools in 2015.

 

[deadmau5]

Almost all of our programs are M.A.-Ph.D combined. You are taken in at M.A. level and expected to complete the PHD 6 years later. You earn the M.A. in the process.

I believe you could be offered tuition waivers for sure (as is very common for us). You'd work as a T.A. for that. I'm not sure about stipends... or research-specific funding - it may have to come from the professor.

 

[hamsterpants]

Thanks guys! This helps.

 

[futureapppsy2]

APA accreditation stops for Canadian schools in 2015.

This is very important to consider if you think you might want to work in the US post-grad.

 

[henri107]

Hi! I'm actually in a MA/Hi! I'm actually in a MA/PhD program in Canada right now and I'm American, so I know a lot about how this works. The majority of schools offer full-funding in the form of a fellowship or assisstantship to the majority of students who are accepted to the program (however, not at my university). You may have to pay international student tuition rates, however these are much, much cheaper than in the US. Also, at my University they offer students an international student scholarship that reduces tuition to regular resident rates. I would imagine that the majority of universities have something like this as well. The one thing to keep in mind is that most Canadian students apply to national funding awards and use that as their funding throughout school as opposed to being funded directly from their university. You would have to double check this, but I do not think you can apply to these awards until you are enrolled in a Canadian graduate program. If you are accepted though, you will be encouraged to apply to any awards you are eligible for. In my case (and this would be yours too) I am not eligible for most national funding awards because you have to be a Canadian resident, which you cannot be as long as you are a student. You would be studying on a visa the whole time you are taking classes. I have to say I've found studying in Canada very affordable, and I go to a pretty stingy instistution. I haven't had to take out any loans, but I have borrowed from my parents a tiny bit. If you have any other questions about all these feel free to PM me.

 

[hamsterpants]

Hi! I'm actually in a MA/Hi! I'm actually in a MA/PhD program in Canada right now and I'm American, so I know a lot about how this works. The majority of schools offer full-funding in the form of a fellowship or assisstantship to the majority of students who are accepted to the program (however, not at my university). You may have to pay international student tuition rates, however these are much, much cheaper than in the US. Also, at my University they offer students an international student scholarship that reduces tuition to regular resident rates. I would imagine that the majority of universities have something like this as well. The one thing to keep in mind is that most Canadian students apply to national funding awards and use that as their funding throughout school as opposed to being funded directly from their university. You would have to double check this, but I do not think you can apply to these awards until you are enrolled in a Canadian graduate program. If you are accepted though, you will be encouraged to apply to any awards you are eligible for. In my case (and this would be yours too) I am not eligible for most national funding awards because you have to be a Canadian resident, which you cannot be as long as you are a student. You would be studying on a visa the whole time you are taking classes. I have to say I've found studying in Canada very affordable, and I go to a pretty stingy instistution. I haven't had to take out any loans, but I have borrowed from my parents a tiny bit. If you have any other questions about all these feel free to PM me.

Thanks henri! What made you decide to go north? Are you worried about the APA accreditation issue?

Also, it sounds like (for most schools) if a POI/ lab has funding they can apply it to international grad students? Is that correct?

Unfortunately, there is no way I can borrow $ from family but I would not mind taking out a very small loan for expenses.