PATHWAY PROGRAMS
A Pathway Program is a preparatory program for students wishing to study in Canada. This program prepares the students for the main study program. This is also called a prerequisite or accelerated program. The Pathway Program offers both English and French language options to assist students to enhance their English or French skills.
A Pathway Program is usually a language course. If a student is unable to qualify for the main program because they were not able to meet the language requirement, they can apply for a pathway program as a first step towards applying for the main study program. The program is usually for 4-12 months. The basic requirement that needs to be met is that the student must have an intermediate level skill in English or French in order to be able to cope with the course. The Pathway Program then helps the students achieve the academic level requirements for the main program.
TYPES OF PATHWAY PROGRAMS
After completing the admission procedure, the Designated Learning Institute will issue a Letter of Acceptance. In some cases, the offer may be conditional upon the student proving his or her language ability in English or French. In this situation, the student would attend a language course as a pathway program and then transfer to the main program once they have cleared the language course.
1. Standard: A student opts for a language course with the objective of taking the language test i.e.IELTS, TOEFL etc. The language course may include preparatory sessions for these tests.
2. Seamless: Some institutes partner with langauge schools to accept students who have completed the language course without the need for taking the test. This is called a Seamless Pathway Program.
The institute may make the Letter of Acceptance conditional upon completing an upgrading course. This can happen if the student has not completed the prerequisite courses for main program or the secondary school in the home country is not recognized as being equivalent to a Canadian secondary school.
Many institutes have agreements with language schools to ensure a smooth transition between the pathway program and the main program. At times, both programs can take place in the same institute.
Once the student completes the Pathway Program, they can either apply to other Canadian colleges or transfer to a degree-granting program in the same institution from where they completed the Pathway Program.
For students applying for Masters and PHD programs, there is a Graduate Pathway Program which is similar to the Undergraduate program. These programs also offer virtual and distance learnging options as well.
PATHWAY PROGRAMS AND STUDY PERMITS
If the pathway program is more than six months long, a student would be required to apply for a study permit. If the program is less than six months long, a study permit is not required. The student would need a temporary resident visa (TRV) or an electronic travel authorization (eTV).
Once the Pathway Program has been successfully completed, the student can then apply for a study permit for the main program.
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