Life in a Foreign University: Pursuing engineering and podcasting dreams, Indian student talks about Canada life

Studying abroad became my dream when I started pursuing a bachelor’s in CSE and realised that my college in Chennai does not provide the kind of exposure that is needed for an engineering student. I am Bhavadharani K Murugavel, and this is my journey of pursuing a Master of Engineering degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.

Today’s world is all about gaining practical knowledge and I feel most colleges fail to bring out the best in students. It’s always the self-learning path and a good institution guides you to achieve it. My final year exams were stuck due to the Covid-19 wave. It took an extra 4-5 months to finish my studies compared to usual. After working for a year again under Covid, it was stressful staying at home. I started searching for universities in May 2021.

Choosing the right university

First, I started with the PR (permanent residence) process of each country and aligned it with my studies. The best thing I did was network on LinkedIn. I spoke with approximately 100 students located in different countries I chose and sidelined most that did not meet my financial and job requirements. Finally, Canada stood out as the best option.

Then, the debate was about selecting a university or college. Again, I had to network with many alumni to see what would be the best for my future and resume. Then I picked universities which matched my preferences of good faculty, a welcoming environment, and a good curriculum. This is how I finalised Concordia University in Montreal.

Admission prep – ‘YouTube was my best guide’

While a lot of people suggested that I should hire a study abroad counsellor, I decided to trust myself for the admission process. Throughout this process, YouTube tutorials and LinkedIn played the role of my guide.

I looked into YouTube to prepare my resume and asked for help from my LinkedIn network for a Statement of Purpose (SoP) and Letter of Recommendation (LoR). I gave my IELTS with four days of preparation and scored 7.5 overall. Again, I used only online materials and YouTube for my practice. I got my official transcript, degree certificate (if completed), and medium of education (if any) from my college.

After getting an acceptance letter, I paid 200 CAD to reserve my spot and then paid my fee for the first year. Canada has a special visa pathway called Student Data Stream (SDS) for students if they have a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), which is a pre-safety deposit (10,000 CAD) for other student expenses. Once all the documents are submitted, it may take up to a month or more to conclude the visa process.

My advice to all aspirants would be to review all of the course prerequisites listed on the university’s website. If there are any queries, mail them immediately and wait for at least two weeks. Use LinkedIn wisely to get all the information you need, and YouTube is the best go-to place for preparation.

‘Use your savings judiciously’

When it comes to scholarships, our university automatically selects students for scholarships when they enroll. Most scholarships are for research-based students and are offered by the Canadian government.

Needless to say, like almost every other Indian student, I even had to apply for an education loan. To fund my education, I had to take up some basic loans, some on gold and rallied the rest of the funds through the money I and my family had saved for this. I submitted the acceptance letter and the fee structure, then it took me around a month to finalise the loan. As the amount was less, the process took less time than expected.

Podcasting – my true love

It is important to keep growing, and trying things which push you out of your comfort zone. Studying abroad means grabbing all the opportunities that are available to you, and be sure, there are several. it is important to identify, analyse, work for it and utilise that opportunity.

Keeping this in mind, I started a show called ‘Entrebind’—the right podcast for your business on CJLO, Concordia’s radio station. It is my idea, and I did the show from my home, and the team supported me in hosting it. I was brand new to podcasting, but CJLo helped me understand the nitty-gritties of podcasting and helped at every step, especially my programme coordinator. It was not a paid job, but I did it to grow my startup idea and help entrepreneurs around the world.

India vs Canada

The courses are the most noticeable difference in my studies since moving to India. In Canada, students have complete freedom to pick the courses, and every professor has their own procedure for grading. All courses have a project that gives a detailed view of the course in real-time.

More than my bachelor’s, I learnt everything over here in Canada, especially soft skills. You are independent and must take your own decisions and be responsible for all the outcomes.

Canada – warm people, respect, freedom

I have been a year over here in Canada and it’s great being in a different culture, in a completely different world. As said, people in Canada are kind and have sweet gestures. Moreover, the freedom that girls experience, even at midnight, is pretty much what I appreciate.

It is the small gestures that make your day. For example, people always offer seats to those in need like old or pregnant people. It is such a sweet gesture. When people open doors for themselves, they ensure that they hold them open for people behind them too. Sometimes it’s funny, but we always get that smile from other people. Commuting might be a bit tiring but it is very helpful, and the availability of different cuisines makes the experience much better.

Other than that, we also have many fun outdoor activities. In the winter, we have snow skating and some fun rides. As I am in Montreal, it’s known for partying and nightlife. So we have all of these places with different street lights and fun games such as dominoes and light dancing on the street sides. During fall, it’s Halloween, so prepare yourself to be strong and not get scared. During summer, we have concerts, so much natural beauty to visit, and people performing in public places. There is so much of fun element in Canada, especially in Montreal.

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