Chaitaniy Interview – Student at University of Alberta, Canada
Chaitaniy Razdan is doing his masters program at the University of Alberta, Canada. He is also the Chairman of Indian Students Association at UofA.
He was kind enough to share some of his precious time to answer some important questions about life in Canada, job opportunities there, and access to financial aid at UofA.
1)Please give a brief intro about yourself, what are you studying, and where?
Hello, I am Chaitaniy Razdan, currently doing my master’s in engineering management at the University of Alberta, Edmonton.
I did my undergrad at NIT Jalandhar in industrial engineering and after that, I worked for a couple of years in a software company at Pune.
2) Why did you select Canada instead of US universities?
The tuition fees in Canada are much lower if we compare them to what US universities charge and getting a permanent residency is way easier.
If we see job prospects, they are almost equal, so I thought, here I would get a better value for my money.
3) How many students are currently studying at UofA (approximate)?
Approximately there are about 200 Indian students here at UofA. This is a rough figure and it includes bachelor’s, master’s and PhD students.
4) When people think of Canada, they think it’s a very cold place. How do you manage the winter and how cold does it get there?
Well, yeah, it gets really cold here. The temperature dips to about -35C to -40C during winter and that restricts your movement outside.
But people here enjoy winter and there are lots of things to keep yourself busy during this cold season. All the basic amenities are easily available and transportation facility is also good here (free for students).
5) Cost of living for a typical student from India?
Well, an Indian student can manage a decent standard of living here for about $800. I have seen Indian students here living on a $600 dollar budget, too, while some spend as much as $2,200 every month.
So, in my opinion it depends on you how much you want to spend.
6) What kind of funding options are available for graduate students? Does every student get funded?
Funding options here are quite better than at U.S. universities. Almost all graduate students here get funding from the university especially the ones in engineering streams (chemical, mechanical, Civil, and petroleum, to be more specific).
Pharmacy students also get a good share of funding from their department, plus there is always a good chance to get TA.
8) How long does it usually take a graduate student to find a job in his or her field after graduation?
It depends on the field of study. Alberta is known as an oil region as it has the second largest oil deposits after Saudi Arabia.
Students with chemical, mechanical, civil and petroleum backgrounds are almost always in demand and sell like hotcake here. People from other streams also are able to find good jobs quite easily.
9) Can they work anywhere in Canada or just in the Alberta Province?
You can work anywhere in Canada. After graduation, you are eligible to get a 3 year open work permit which is valid throughout Canada, no matter in which province you are in.
10) It takes many years to get a green card in the U.S. What are the scenarios in Canada? How long would it take for a student to get permanent residency in Canada?
After filing for the PR, it usually takes around 14-18 months.
11) What advice would you give to a student considering to apply at US schools?
Well, the only advice I would like give to students who apply for US school admission is that they must consider all the options available, evaluate using multiple parameters, and then do what they feel is right for them.
*All the statements above are as per my knowledge about the subject and might differ from one person to another. It is recommended to seek multiple opinions before taking any further steps. For accurate data and information about PR, visa or immigration laws, I would recommend everyone to visit the Canadian government website.
If you have more questions about Canada and about admission to universities and colleges in Canada, leave a comment to this article.
Also, please check out the ISA website at UofA for more detailed information about the various aspects of life in Canada.
Hello Sir,
I’m from India and I wish to apply for engineering management in University of Alberta. I have done my engineering in Civil from Uttar Pradesh Technical university with overall 65.88%, I have been working with a structural design consultancy for past 2 years in New Delhi. My TOEFL score is 96. I want to know my chances of getting admission there.
Hello Sir,
I’m from India and I wish to apply for engineering management in University of Alberta. I have done my engineering from Uttar Pradesh Technical university with overall 65.88%, I have been working with a structural design consultancy for past 2 years in New Delhi. My TOEFL score is 96. I want to know my chances of getting admission there.
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is Pankaj,
My profile is given below for your prolific advise.
SSC : 84%
Diploma (Petrochemical Engg.) : 69 % (University second topper)
BE (Petrochemical Engg.) : 74 % (University third topper)
Total Experience : 4 years (German based MNC)
IELTS Score : Pending (Expecting 7+)
My question is in context of scholarship provided by universities in Chemical Engineering. Will you please guide me about the scholarship distribution ( I know their is no as such fix set of information, but your based on your vast experience)
Your advises would be highly appreciated.
Thanks
Refer to Dollars and Dreams Course.
I would like to do masters in science in biomedical engineering in canada. What is the scope of biomedical engineering in canada? Will I get a gud job? I did Btech in Instrumentation Engineering. How much will it cost me?
I got 72% and 6.7 CGPA. Is that enough and when can i apply for that course. please do reply about the job opportunities for biomedical engineering in canada…
hey I am actually considering canada for my masters in biology. Can you tell me the job prospects for life science students after their Master’s/ Ph.D in canada?
How does uofA stand in terms of commerce fields? Are there commerce degrees like masters in accounting or banking and finance and are they recognised when applying for job?
hi Chaityana,
I HAVE DONE MY BE IN ELECTRONICS…I WANT TO DO MASTERS IN CANADA….PLS TELL ME BEST UNIVERSITY & WHAT KIND OF RESEARCH SHOULD BE DONE AT UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL SO WE CAN EASILY GET ADMISSION…..ALSO WAT IS PROBABILITY OF GETTING JOB AFTER DOING MASTERS IN CANADA …….
hi frnds.. i am happy with the comments replied for the previous post..
i would be very happy if someone give a valuable suggestion for my query..
i have 2 plus years of experience in an software firm.. i would like to pursue masters in canada.. my idea is to pursue any networking course..
i need to know whether, we should select an program same as present in our work experience profile or we can select of our choice in different domain like networking
Because having an software experience then pursuing an networking course, then will be helpful in getting an job in canada? will they consider my previous experience into account??
for masters,
please guide me.. i would be very thankful to you..
completed btech in chemical engg and after that having exp in oil gas manufacturing unit of 3 years
if i am not able to get admission in univ of alberta than which other univ should i happy as job aspects point of view and…
i am interested in chemical or petroleum engineering only
plz guuide….
thanking you
Hello Chaitaniy,
First of all i am thank ful to for your efforts to share your information. I would be gratified if you can guide me . I have completed my Bachelors in Electronics and communication (in Bangalore, Karanataka ) and then working in IBM from past 3 years. Now planning to pursue Meng Software engineering in University of Alberta . As Meng do not have any funding, how much it usually costs for 2 years of expense in Canada (College fee would come to 10 lakh nearly for 2 years) what would be the living n other costs ..I just need approximate. …If you can give me info regarding the Software Jobs in Alberta, Edmonton it would be of great help…..Looking forward for your help.
Thanks and regards
Ganesh
Hello HSB and thanks a lot Mr. Chaitanya for your valuable sharing of personal experience.
I have been following HSB since 2 years and have moved on to my application procedure where i plan to apply this year for MSc in Pharmacy, and HSB’s guidance and instructions have really made things handy for me.
But recently a horrible counseling experience has shook my base.
I will finish my B.Pharma this year from UP technical university in May. I have an aggregate of 65% and expect to maintain the same. I have also worked on following projects:-
a. One month project on in-silico drug design on Jaundice disease.
b. One month project on Phylogenetic analysis of Brain Disorders.
c. Two months hands on training on different life science fields like Microbiology, Plant Biotechnology, Biochemistry & chromatography and Molecular biology .
I also pant to do a 3-4 months project on Molecular biology and a hands on training on extremely sophisticated pharmaceutical analysis equipment like HPLC, Spectroscopy etc.
The counselor without listening to my profile simply decided on the basis of my percentage and said that it would be impossible to get admission with this percentage.
KIndly guide me HSB. This incident has really discouraged me.
hi
can anyone guide me ?? i have done my Bsc IT in mumbai & worked in Patni for 1 year &plan to study in Canada .do they accept
15 years of study ?? Which university should i apply to for an MS degree?
hi.
i am doing my b.tech in electronics and communication stream and is in final year of it…i just want to know that what are the courses that i can do in canada so that i can get a job… and also how much that course will cost..
plz do reply
thanks for the details
but i need the details that masters in computers in Canada is equal to post graduation diploma in computers in Canada or not please let me know the exact difference between those two,
Hi chaitany/HSB.
I have 1020 in GRE , toefl 90..3 yrs industry exp..academic-75%..i am applying to simon fraser, concordia univ, calgary univ.. and univ of ottawa for MS in comp sc…what do you think are my chances…???
I have done MBA (Finance) Now planning to apply for M-Phil. Please suggest me to admit any university around Ottawa.
Hi, I have done B.Sc in zoology and now Im planning to apply for canada but I have 15 years of education and many universities require 16 years of education. Pls suggest me names of some universities matching my profile.
Gre scores: Verbal 460-560 and Quant 660-760.
B.Sc : 62% no backlogs
10+2- 82%
I am planning to apply for MS in Microbiology and Immunology
Pls reply soon. really need ur help!!!
Hi,
I just want to know that I am planning to do MS in Computer Science, so is it good option to do that in CANADA?
How is job opportunity in CANADA after completing this course?
Your response will encourage me a lot sir.
Thanks & Regards,
Hardik
Hey .. im really looking at alberta seriously , and would like to join the University.
I”m planning to do my MS in chemical engg … probably in Petrochemical engg,
I’d really like to know the credentials required to get in like GRE score , CGPA required .. and also the Funding .. i’ve heard that Alberta, funds the entire masters program, for an international student. Is that true ? could you please answer some of these questions to make it a little more lucid … thank you 🙂
hi, I have completed my B.pharmacy and I got 78% in my bachelor degree. I wrote IELTS, but I have gotten 6.0 band score only. I want to study my masters degree in pharmacology in top Canadian universities. could you please give information regarding universities which offer pharmacology course to my academic profile with please particulars
Thank you.
I just wanted to know the prospects after finishing Phd in petroleum engg.
Hiii
I hv done my B.tech. in electronics n communication engineering from India in 2009 & right now doing as a lecturer.hv 1yr of experience as a lecturer here.Now want to persue my master's in Canada.I got some info like I can't apply to canada directly for my Mastre's degree but I'll hv to enrolled in PG diploma course first…is it right???or I can get admission in direct Master's course in my field??
thankx….
hi,i am a dentist.i got my degree in nov 2009.as getting dental licensure in west is quite expensive,i m thinking of joining clinical research program in canada.my GRE score is 1240 (quants:760 and verbal :480) and toefl score is 106/120. can anyone tell me a good university to apply and the job prospects there in this particular field?i am also open to options other than this for a dental graduate.thanks
Hello,
I am currently pursuing my B.tech in chemical engineering from Thapar Unviversity. I am a final year student, my current C.G.P.A is 7.8 and i will be completing my degree in June 2011.
I want to take admission in MEngg. in Chemical or Petroleum Engineering for september 2011 in Canada
Please tell me that can i apply for admission in the September 2011 as for that i will have to apply in December 2010 and at that time i will not be having my degree.
Thanks.
Hello
I am pursuing my B.tech from Thapar University in Chemical Engineering. I am final year student, my current C.G.P.A is 7.8 (6 semesters) and i will complete my B.tech in June 2011.
I wanted to ask if can apply for admissions for MEngg. in Sept 2011 as for that i will have to apply in December 2011 and at that time i will not be having my degree.
Please tell me that will i be eligible to apply in December 2010 without degree.
Thanks
Hiii…Mr.Chaitanfirst
I hv done my B.E. in Computer engineering from India in 2008 & right now doing as a lecturer.hv 1yr & 11 months of experience as a lecturer here.Now want to persue my master's in USA or Canada.I got some info like I can't apply to canada directly for my Mastre's degree but I'll hv to enrolled in PG diploma course first…is it right???or I can get admission in direct Master's course in my field??
& second thing is I get steps back about canada coz heared that there is so cold in canada.& I can't tolerate so much cold so suggest me something about admissions plz…
thankx….
hello HSB,
i want to pursue engineering management my gre and toefl scores are 1440 & 116. Should I apply to US or Canada(UBC/univ of Alberta)
hello..
I am Nikhil..
I am done with my B.Tech (ECE) in 2010.
I would like to pursue MASTERS in Electrical Engineering.
I thought to apply for USA univ (Spring 2011) and now trying for Canada.
This is my profile :
GRE : Q-780 , V-270, AWA -2.0
TOEFL : did not write
B.Tech : 63.3% (No backlogs)
Inter (10+2) : 92%
SSC : 90%
When can I apply for universities to get admission as fast as possible.
How is my chance to get good universities, scholarships, part time jobs.
Could you suggest me some good univ, which can be applicable to my profile !
please reply me…
Hi guys,
I would like to know if there would be any problem getting study visa or PR as i have already applied for my PR(canada) 6 months ago and very recently I got an admission in U of A in canada.
How can i get scholarship for doing M.S ( control engineering) in canada?
HI , i m final year b.tech (i.t) student and i want to study in canada for higher studies, i want to know how much credit they will give to b.tech(i.t) ??which university will be best ?? what is the main eligibility criteria for admission ??
HOPE YOU REPLY SOON
THANX
i got 50% in my graduation and 6.5 band in ielts
i want to confirm i m eligible to study abroad specifically canada or not
hi
i will be completing my b.tech final year in june 2010 can you please tell me the places in canada where electrical engineers are in demand like you said that civil petroleum etc…. are in demand in alberta can you please tell me a place in canada where electrical engineers are in great demand.
hi…
i have applied to univ of alberta for fall 2010….chem engg ,masters,thesis based….
I wanted to know wen the admission results will be announced.
I have also applied to queens university in canada….any idea wen the admits at queens will be announced??
hi .. i wanted to know some detalis about getting into these canadian Universities. Since you've applied to them, could you help me and let me know , since i'm planning to apply to Alberta too .Wanted to know the admission criteria .. and the scholarship criteria ! thank you
Hi Chaitaniy Razdan,
First of all, my thanks for ur valuable information. I've been contemplating over higher studies in Canada. I've done quite a bit of research on this. Of late esp, after HSB's insights on education in Canada, I seem to be more inclined towards the same. I have a pretty similar profile as yours. A Production/ Industrial Engineer from NIT Trichy with a CGPA of 8.2 and work experience of close to a year now with a very reputed Indian MNC in the FMCG sector. I would like to take up MS in Industrial engineering. I will be much obliged to u if u could let me know the best univs for the same and also about the demand for Industrial engineers there (considering the situation in US where IE s quite popular, is it the same in Canada too?). Kindly throw some light on this.
Thank you.
Hi Chaitaniy, thank you for your valuable information. I have completed the B.Sc in chemical engineering in Venezuela, now I’m looking forward to pursue a MSc in chemical engineer field. I just checked the requirements to apply at the University of Alberta, but I haven´t take the IELTS test yet. Can I apply at the University before I get the IELTS score?.
Thanks and regards
Adriana
hi..
thank you for ur valuable info..
i have completed B.pharmacy(from Rajiv Gandhi Univ) in India and i’m looking forward to pursue MS/PhD in Pharmacology.
my preference is for PhD, but i’m not sure whether i can join directly to PhD without masters..so plz help me regarding this and also i would be thankful if u provide some university list for my program..
my acads are 67% aggregate with 72% in final yr..and i’m waitin for my TOEFL results..
hi. my name is kaustubh. I have a 3.0 GPA, 1120 gre and 108 TOEFL. what are my chances of getting into Canadian universities. Specifically university of Windsor.
hi Chaitaniy.I liked your replies & i appreciate those.I have doubt on
the average salary that we can get after doing MS from Canada from a reputed university.I also want to know that, for taking admission in Canadian universities GRE is important or TOEFL?
By the i am a b.tech final year student planning go to Canada for my MS.
Hi,
As per my knowledge, both TOEFL and IELTS are accepted by Canadian Universities. But Could you please tell me if the Universities give preference to any one exam compared to other, as in do both carry equal weightage or preference is given to students who have appeared for TOEFL instead of IELTS.
Thanks and Regards.
hi chaitanya.. I m doing BE in Information Technology. I m in 4th yr now.. Could u plz tell me wht r d requirements for getting admission in masters in computer science field in ur university.. actually i will be giving GRE in first week of Nov.. I am more interested in doing masters from canada then from US but i m not much sure about the requirements of universities of canada.. Plz tell me whether GRE marks are taken into consideration or not?? and on wht factors the universities focus regarding students' admissions??
Hi, The canadian universities which i wish to apply for Masters in pharmaceutical science accept both IELTS and TOEFL. I am yet to sit for either of them and thinking of taking TOEFL. My question is whether IELTS is mandatory to get canadian visa ? If it is so, then i shall go for IELTS.
Please reply as soon as poosible.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Hi, i would appreciate if you could let me know about universities in Newfoundland? I desire to pursue my PhD in mechanical engineering. My GRE score is 1310 and toefl results are awaited. I am currently doing my M.Tech in Thermal Engineering at IIT madras.
Hi,
If possible, could you please give me more insight into Pharmacy field since I am a masters in Pharmacy and want to either continue with PhD or a certificate course (2/3 semesters)in Clinical Research. What is the scope of Clinical Research and Pharmacology in Canada.
Thanks,
Monika
I have chosen University of Victoria & University of British Columbia from British Columbia because of its low fees structure. I am from computer science background. Do you have any information from that state regarding oppurtunites..? I want information from any of your friends over there, not from some web site.
@MS Prakash – I really doubt if someone is going to respond to query when you demand "I want information from any of your friends over there, not from some web site." there is really no need for anyone to respond to you and if you are going to be demanding, trust me you will not get help from anyone here.
I don't intend to demand. But I want to say that you need not take time investigating on the web or some thing, if you don't know people from there or if you are not from that place.
I understand your concerns, then your choice of words should have been different. When we communicate through email/blog expressions and emotions are not visible. Only the words in front of you counts. In that case choice of words you had used looked demanding. Chaitaniy is Chai for Indian Student Association in UofA, you can look at his pic and more details from the website listed in the article.
Hi Chaitaniy,
Thanks a lot for the useful info. I am planning to apply to Canada for my PhD. I have completed my masters in pharmacy from India. What is the scenario in Canada with respect to Pharmacology or Clinical Research? Is it possible to get a job in USA on the basis of a Canadian Degree.
Thanks and Regards,
Monika
Finding job in US with degree from outside USA will be a challenge. First you need to find a job, then they have to sponsor your H1B.
to get job, you will have to travel to US for Job interview and you need visa to enter US just to attend job interview. I dong you will find any consulting company who will sponsor H1B for Pharmacy and PhD. If you want to come to US, consider applying for PhD in US Universities.
Beloved Chaitaniy Razdan
with great love and great respect i welcome you
it is indeed very kind of you to share your exposed experience about Canadian education and the opportunity for residence ship and also career prospects.
yes i have been listening to one internet radio which is from Toronto, Canada, kalasamdotcom a very lively radio program
in fact i attended one Canadian education fare here in Bangalore,
there i came to know glimpse of Canadian education system.
barring the cold which prevails in this great country i am told my friends life is really wonderful and comfortable
when compared to US life style , many of my friends are of the view that Canada is much simple and beautiful
that is about Canadian exposure i had from my friends
dear friend
i am a farmer from south India, Tamilnadu.
our source of income is only from agriculture, some how my brother son is now on the verge of finishing his B.E-Mechanical Engineering and he has a burning desire to pursue his M.S and perhaps later his PhD in Mechanical engineering
can you take a moment of your precious time and feed me what are the option and which are the colleges that are offering M.S Mechanical,perhaps with financial assistance
what are the basic requirement for an Indian student to apply
i am told if some one lives in Canada for 3yrs with out break
he is eligible for residence status.
but my query is about education and career opportunity
which you have already said
please respond as you please
in case my son gets admission in Canadian or USA university
he will be the first one from my village, and our village people are hoping that our boy will be able to meet the demand of higher education at Canada.
i once again thank you for your time in sharing with us via this blog. please do convey our greetings to all indian students.
wishing you all a happy Deepavali
thanks
easwaran
India
hi,
Chaityana,
I am done my bachelor in Electronics and Communiction Enginnering, and would like to pursue my masters in communication field. I have given IELTS, so would IELTS be sufficent?
Ielts is accepted by many schools. So you have to check before selecting one if they accept IELTS.