Uottawa admission

[Muhammad Saad Jawed]

Hey peeps. Please do let me know how much chance do I stand to get in U-Ottawa with IELTS-6.5 least 5.5 in R.
Secondly, I have my finances covered for the 1st term only, will I be able to cover the rest working in there?

 

[k.h.p.]

1. How much chance you stand depends a fairly significant amount on what you've applied for, what your grades were in previous schooling, and the other admissions requirements. It's not just IELTS, though your scores in IELTS are low.

2. Likely not. International tuition is extremely expensive and you'd need to be paid a lot. For example, your second term's tuition is likely to be around $25,000. If you get a job off-campus you can only generally work about 20 hours per week. Assuming that there are 16 weeks in a term, you'd be looking at needing to earn about $80 per hour to cover just your tuition, never mind your living expenses. Assuming that living expenses are about $10k, you need to earn $109 after taxes per hour. Ontario's minimum wage is $14 per hour. At that wage rate, you'd need to work about 160 hours per week to pay tuition and living expenses in a single term. There are only 168 hours in a week.

 

[Muhammad Saad Jawed]

As per there site, IELTS requirement is of 6.5 with 5 least which I've covered up. However, for the fee, 12,000 CAD is of one term and with the summer break of 3 months in between don;t you think it would cope up? And for the living expenses, I think 600 CAD are enough, please correct me if i am wrong.

 

[k.h.p.]

The IELTS score is a minimum admissions level. If there are many students better than you, the actual admittable average may be higher.

As for expenses:

How much is your rent to live? The 12,000 is just tuition.

Even at $12,600 you would need a job that pays $39.75 per hour after taxes.

If you get a job that will allow you to work full time over the three month break, that's an additional 480 hours. So then you're looking at needing a job that will pay you $16 per hour after taxes.

But $600 for living expenses over seven months is a little bit insane. Are you planning on having one piece of toast a day for food? And what about a place to live?

Dorm fees at UOttawa for the term are a minimum of about $10,000. Sometimes you are required to purchase a meal plan, that is about $6,000. That's only for the term, not the summer break where you're on your own.

So taking the tuition - $12,000 - adding dorm fees - $10,000 - and meal plan - $6,000 - your second term will cost a minimum of $28,000. We're not yet counting summer living expenses, textbooks, anciliary fees like athletics fees, student services, fees, etc.

Assuming the 800 working hours over summer and your second term, you need a job that will pay $35 per hour after taxes. And that's assuming you get one that will allow you to work 20 hours during the term and full time over the summer and that you get full time hours.

 

[Muhammad Saad Jawed]

So is it better to reappear for IELTS? and secondly, how much budget should I have before I apply?

 

[k.h.p.]

Also, I haven't been able to find a single program at UOttawa where the international student tuition for a full-time student is $12,000. The lowest is about $18,000, and you'd be eligible for a $1,250 scholarship as an international student - but that's still a $16,500 tuition, plus $10k for dorm fees, plus $6k for meal plan...

 

[k.h.p.]

You still haven't said what program you're applying for, what your previous education is, what your grades are - all things that at least as much, but almost definitely more, than your IELTS score.

 

[Muhammad Saad Jawed]

I am applying for M.Eng in ECE having BE in Electrical and relevant work experience of 2 years of Toyota motors engineering depart.

 

[Muhammad Saad Jawed]

https://www.uottawa.ca/university-fees/tuition-fees-intl-masters-and-diploma
Check here it says, $ 12,455 including tuition and ancillary

 

[k.h.p.]

See? That's the difference, information is key.

You're right about tuition, but note that the ancillary fees does not include dorms, food, and other living expenses. Anticipate $10k+ for living expenses.

I can't speak to your chances of admission - it will depend on your grades, your proposed plan of study, and if there are faculty in the school interested in working with you. Master's degrees are significantly different from undergraduate degrees.

You won't be able to practice as an engineer unless you are registered and certified in Canada. So your work during your degree may need to be unskilled.

 

[Muhammad Saad Jawed]

The only factor regarding which I am bit skeptical is my IELTS score, I do have strong LOM and LORs to back me up.

 

[k.h.p.]

I'm skeptical about your ability to pay for your studies. How much have you budgeted for rent and food?

Since you only have enough money for your first term, you may run into problems in the second.

 

[Muhammad Saad Jawed]

21000 CAD atmost.

 

[k.h.p.]

So you've budgeted about $9,000 more than tuition for your first term. Why do you think it will only cost you $600 in your second?

Where will you live?

Where will you eat?

Textbooks are expensive. How will you pay for them?

 

[canuck78]

Ottawa is a relatively expensive place to live. You are likely looking at minimum $500-600 to rent a room in someone’s home or in shared living. Then there is transportation, food, maybe warm clothing, textbooks or course packages, etc. Finding a job that pays you more than minimum wage and allows you to work exactly 20hours per week will be hard plus a masters degree is very demanding and your success in the course is what is the most important.

Would say that budgeting for $1000/ month for all your expenses other than tuition is a no frills budget. If you can walk everywhere and have all your winter gear you may be able to lower your budget.