Can I Study in Canada with Just a Matric?

 If you are wondering if you can study in Canada with just a Matric, then read on.

The basic answer is yes.  If a Pakistani student who has just finished his or her Matric wants to study in Canada at one of Canada’s quality high schools, then they can, but you must recognise what it takes to get there.

Canadian Equivalencies:

A Matriculation here is Pakistan is equivalent to Grade 10 in Canada.  Canadian secondary schools go up to Grade 12 and in Ontario you can even take Grade 13.  Therefore if you want to study in Canada with just a Matric, then you will need to complete your high school in Canada before being able to study in a college or university.  You will also be required to have 1^st division marks to get into a Canadian high school.

Studying as an International High School Student in Canada:

Although you can get accepted to a Canadian high school if you only have a Matric, there are extra factors to consider when you are a minor.  Will your parents let you study abroad if you are not an adult?  Most parents do not want even their adult children to study abroad.  It is hard to see our children leave home.  Additionally there is the added concern about where you will live with adequate supervision.  Will you live in the school residence or will you have home stay where you live with a responsible adult?

Canadian Immigration Policies:

If you study in Canada and you are under the age of 18, then you are considered a minor by the Canadian government.  It is a great responsibility for anyone, including a country to look after minors and Canada is very careful with how they care for international minor students who come to study.  To study in Canada your parents will have to make legal arrangements with someone in Canada to act as your custodian.  A custodian is someone who acts on the behalf of a child’s parents and takes care of them just as a parent would.  If you do not have relatives living in Canada, this makes it more difficult for your parents.  For further details on Canada’s policies on minors studying in Canada see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/study-minors.asp.

So, yes, if you have only a Matric, it is possible to get accepted at a Canadian high school and it is also possible to get a Study Permit to study in Canada.  But because of your age, it comes with extra considerations and details to work out so your parents will have to seriously consider whether they want to send you to Canada or not.