I want to study in Canada after Plus Two. Do I have to sit for any other exam along with the board exam? What kind of marks will get me admission and a visa? What about fees, accommodation, scholarships, admission requirements and campus jobs?

SANGHAMITRA

Canadian colleges do not have a single standardised test. Each institution has separate entrance requirements. You should visit various university websites to see what these are. Admission is generally based on academic records. Each school has a language proficiency requirement for students whose first language is not English. For Canadian undergraduate and diploma programmes, application deadlines are between early December and mid-March for sessions beginning in September.

To receive an authorisation to study in Canada you must prove to the authorities that you can meet their estimates for living expenses. As an international student you will be required to pay a higher tuition fee than a Canadian student. Also, your visa or student authorisation restricts you from working in Canada while studying. However, you can seek employment on campus. On most campuses a large part of the student population lives off-campus, in private houses and apartments. Students generally live together and share the cost of rent. Unfortunately, Canada does not offer much financial aid to international students.

I am a political science (honours) student of Calcutta University. I want to do postgraduation from an American university. How do I go about it? Is it possible to get scholarships to these universities?

ANIRBAN

First, you will have to take the GRE and TOEFL and submit your scores along with your application. All applications to US universities will also require an essay and two recommendations. It is possible to get a scholarship depending on your academic performance and financial need. Otherwise, you can take a bank loan. Some top-ranked graduate schools for political science are Yale, University of Michigan, University of California (Berkeley), Harvard, and the University of Chicago.