INTRODUCTION

Over twenty thousand Canadian students are currently in the United
States; 54% of these are studying at the undergraduate level. Most have
a rewarding academic and personal experience and return home well
prepared to begin or resume a career. Planning and knowing the facts
well in advance help to prepare students for a successful academic
experience.

This guide provides Canadian students with an introduction to the U.S.
higher education system. It also explains the procedures for applying to
U.S. colleges and universities. Please see the appendix at the back of
the booklet for suggested print and Internet resources for further
information. All figures are in U.S. dollars.

Study in the United States may or may not be appropriate for you. Before
you begin, you should think about the following:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  ♠You should begin the application process about one year in advance.

  ♠Study in the United States is expensive. In academic year 1997-1998,
  average costs for U.S. residents living on campus at four-year
  undergraduate colleges varied from about \$10,000 to \$22,000 U.S.
  dollars.

  ♠For undergraduates, financial aid is very rare.
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

The first step in the college admissions process is determining whether
you meet basic admission requirements.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The three basic requirements for admission to educational institutions
in the U.S. are:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  ♠ A strong academic background.

  ♠ Adequate financial resources.

  ♠ A command of the English language.
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True to the tradition of freedom and diversity in the United States,
each institution sets its own admissions standards. Almost all colleges
and universities, however, require the following for academic admission:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ♠ Twelve years of education with the appropriate high school diploma  |
| or secondary school                                                   |
|                                                                       |
| certificate.                                                          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ♠ Academic achievement level sufficiently high to enter a university  |
| in Canada.                                                            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ♠ Any academic entrance examinations required by the institution.     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

To compare U.S. colleges and universities, consider the following:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ♠ Acceptance Ratio : The number of students who apply and how many    |
| are actually accepted                                                 |
|                                                                       |
| into the college or university.                                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ♠ Grade average or achievement ratings of successful applicants.      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ♠ The average scores on standardized admissions tests like SAT or     |
| ACT, if required, of successful applicants.                           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Admission to internationally known institutions is highly competitive.
Students who apply to such institutions will need to have excellent
academic records and high scores on academic entrance examinations and
the TOEFL examination.

ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO UNDERGRADUATE STUDY OR
VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Students complete 12 years of primary and secondary education to begin
higher (post-secondary) education in the United States. Most U.S.
students complete secondary education at about age 18. Canadian students
with fewer than 12 years of preparation cannot expect to be admitted,
unless they have an outstanding academic record and have already
completed a year or two at a university.

Quebec students graduating high school after grade 11 may, for example,
need to complete one year of CEGEP before being admitted to an U.S.
college or university. Ontario students with grade 13 should contact the
admissions office of the colleges they are interested in to inquire
about college credit transfer and equivalency.

U.S. colleges, universities and technical institutions vary in the
requirements they set for previous academic achievement. Some have very
high and exacting standards, while others are more flexible.

UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSION EXAMINATIONS

Many colleges and universities require all applicants to take one or
more academic entrance examinations (SAT I, SAT II, ACT), in addition to
TOEFL (Test of English As A Foreign Language). Two-year colleges usually
require only TOEFL.

These tests are standardized, multiple choice tests that require a high
degree of English proficiency. Some also require mathematical skills or
in---depth knowledge of content related to the field of study. To obtain
information about these examinations, write to the addresses listed in
the appendix at the back of this booklet.

To find out if you need to take one or more of these entrance
examinations, consult reference books at the Information Resource Center
at the U.S. Embassy, or check your public library or local bookstore.
These reference books also give ranges of the score levels of successful
applicants. There are no passing or failing grades on these
examinations, but your score will have an effect on the overall
competitiveness of your application.

**TOEFL**

Canadian students who have completed their education in English are
generally not required to

take the TOEFL examination. Students whose education has been in French
must take the

TOEFL examination.

**SAT l AND SAT II**

Check reference books at the Information Resource Center at the U.S.
Embassy in Ottawa, your public library, bookstore, or the Internet to
see whether or not you need to have the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT I
or SAT II) or the American College Test (ACT) for admission to the
colleges of your choice. If they are required, these tests are only one
of the factors in the evaluation of an international student\'s record.

Start your inquiry at least a year before intended enrollment in order
to be in time for those tests which are given infrequently. The closing,
or deadline date, is often the date by which applications must be
received, not the date by which they must be sent.

About one month after the examination, score results are sent directly
to the institutions requested on the test application form. The test fee
usually includes the cost of sending score reports to three or four
institutions. Additional score reports require payment of an additional

Charge. Receiving a personal record of the score can take up to six or
eight weeks after the test date. Waiting to see a score before sending
it to an institution can cause a significant delay.

FINANCING U.S. STUDY

In making a financial assessment of whether or not study in the United
States will be possible for you, consider the following:

International students currently in the U.S. agree that study in the
United States is usually more expensive than they had expected. You must
plan for the total cost of living and studying over a period of several
years, which, for international students, is usually at least \$6,000
per year higher than the cost of tuition, fees, and room and board
published in the college catalog.

Highly selective and prestigious U.S. colleges, which many Canadians are
interested in attending, can cost as much as \$26,000 U.S. dollars
annually. For example, the [International Student Handbook]{.underline}
lists tuition and fees at Harvard for the 1997-1998 academic year at
\$23,618 U.S. dollars. However, some community colleges can cost as
little as \$2,000 annually.

Always remember to factor in the exchange rate between the U.S. and
Canadian dollar.

Over two-thirds of all international students, including Canadians,
receive most of their funding for U.S. study from personal and family
resources, and over 75 percent are funded by home-country sources. There
is only limited financial or scholarship aid available from U.S.
institutions for undergraduate students from other countries.

**Estimating Expenses for One Academic Year**

Current immigration regulations restrict working to support yourself as
a student Even if you can find work, no job that you could find pays
wages that will cover all your expenses.

When you apply for entry to the U.S. as a student, you will need to show
evidence of support adequate to cover study and living expenses for at
least one academic year. (An academic year usually lasts nine months.)

The cost of study varies widely among institutions, and the cost of
living varies from one location to the next. To compare total costs,
therefore, you will need to do some research. A basic reference is:
[International Student Handbook of U.S. Colleges]{.underline}, published
by the College Board. This book compares tuition and the cost of living
based on estimates from each institution.

**Economic Factors**

If you plan to receive funds from the Canadian federal government or a
provincial government, fluctuations of the exchange rate the Canadian
and the U.S. dollar may make a significant difference in the dollar
value of your funds over the period of your stay in the United States.

In financial planning, you should adjust cost estimates to allow for
inflation. In recent years, the rate of inflation in the United States
has been under five-percent annually. Tuition and fees at U.S. colleges
and universities have being rising 6-7% annually.

**Hidden Costs**

In addition to published costs, which include application fees, tuition,
miscellaneous fees, books, health insurance, and room and board, you
will need to add at least \$6,000 per academic year to cover \"hidden\"
costs. These hidden costs include personal expenses, required health
insurance and medical expenses, which may exceed coverage, and changes
in the value of currency. If you travel or study during the summer, if
you live off campus, if you bring other members of your family, or if
you buy a car, you must add in these extra costs.

**Financial Assistance**

Many Canadian students seem to believe that they can easily get the
money they need for study once they have been admitted to a college or
university in the United States. That is an incorrect assumption and can
lead to hardship and disappointment. Most institutions have committed
all their scholarship and loan funds long before the academic year
begins. Accordingly, the best time to arrange U.S.-based financial
assistance is before you leave home for the United States. Applications
for financial aid must be initiated as early as one-and-a-half years
before departure.

FINANCIAL AID FOR CANADIAN UNDERGRADUATES

**Home-Country Sources**

First, investigate the availability of loans, grants or scholarships
from Canadian sources. Possibilities may include government ministries
that provide support for study abroad in certain specific fields;
non-govern mental sources, such as private individuals, foundations and
trust funds that give to charitable causes; business corporations,
churches and religious groups; or schools and universities (especially
those with U.S. affiliations). Because contacts are easier to make and
the number of applicants may be lower relative to the number of awards,
you may be able to obtain financial aid more easily from home-country
sources than from international organizations or from U.S. sources.

U.S. government aid is seldom available at the undergraduate level.

See \"Financial Aid for Canadian Students\" at
<http://finaid.org/otheraid/canadian.phtml> for a list of suggestions.

**Private U.S. Sources and International Organizations**

A few private U.S. agencies, foundations, business corporations and
professional associations

award financial aid in the interest of furthering international
exchange. International organizations such as the United Nations and the
Organization of American States (OAS) may also offer financial awards.
Competition for these awards, which apply almost exclusively to graduate
students, is very intense. Check the publication [Funding for U.S. Study
: A Guide for International Students]{.underline} published by the
Institute for International Education for information on these types of
awards.

**U.S. Colleges and Universities**

Most of the limited financial aid for undergraduates from U.S. sources
comes from colleges and universities themselves. In some cases, students
from abroad compete with American students for limited financial aid.
Below are some questions that you can ask yourself in order to locate
universities that might be able to give you at least partial financial
support:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ♠Are you an exceptionally good student?                               |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ♠Are you an exceptionally good athlete, or do you excel at another    |
| skill?                                                                |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ♠What institutions have given at least partial aid to first year      |
| foreign students in the past?                                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Y ♠Are you willing to study at a community college for the first two  |
| years in order to establish your                                      |
|                                                                       |
| ap aptitude and reduce your costs, or are you willing to study at a   |
| less expensive university or                                          |
|                                                                       |
| college?                                                              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Can yo ♠Can you reduce the number of courses you need to take by      |
| taking advanced placement examinations or transferring courses from   |
| Canadian institutions?                                                |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Although U.S. universities represent only a possible source of last
resort for financial aid, you should not hesitate to apply for aid.
Application for aid will not prejudice your chances of admission to a
chosen program of study. On the other hand, since almost all
scholarships cover only a part of the tuition, state the amount you do
have available for study rather than asking for a full scholarship. This
will greatly increase your chances of support. Do not, however,
understate the amount of funds needed in the expectation of later
obtaining additional aid. Opportunities for financial aid (including
employment) are severely limited once you are already in the United
States.

Many colleges and universities have unadvertised possibilities for at
least partial funding of students who qualify for academic admission but
need financial support; go ahead and apply for financial aid unless the
institution lists itself in reference books as not offering financial
aid. Make your request for financial assistance on the basis of merit,
stating your need as a secondary factor. Universities get many letters
stating the adverse circumstances and good character of applicants; this
may move the admissions officer personally, but only a superior
application with documented financial need will actually be effective.

**Employment**

Sometimes the International Student Services Office can help
international students find jobs on campus consisting of up to 20 hours
per week. The position must not displace a U.S. citizen or permanent
resident. After the first year, part-time employment off-campus may be
possible. However, neither on- nor off-campus jobs will pay high wages.

CHOOSING U.S. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Many international students miss opportunities for acceptance at
institutions of their choice or chances for financial aid simply because
they do not allow enough time for the application process. The process
of entering higher education in the United States requires at least a
year or a year-and-a-half if you are applying to selective institutions
or requesting financial aid. Selection, application and testing may each
require several months.

There are about 1,350 community and junior colleges, and 2,000 colleges
and universities in the United States that offer some or all of these
degrees listed below.

  -------------------- ------------------ ----------------- -----------------
  **Degree**           **Abbreviation**   **Institution**   **Time Required**

  Associate of Arts    A.A.               Community or      Two years
                                          junior college    

  Associate of         A.S.               Community,        Two years
  Sciences                                technical, or     
                                          junior college    

  Bachelor of Arts     B.A.               Colleges,         Four years
                                          universities      

  Bachelor of Science  B.S.               Colleges,         Four to five
                                          universities      years
  -------------------- ------------------ ----------------- -----------------

**Community, Technical and Junior Colleges**

These schools offer academic programs that are comparable to the first
two years of university work and can be applied toward a four-year
college degree. In addition, community colleges are unique in also
offering general education courses, technical education and vocational
training courses which prepare students for immediate employment.

Since their goal is to offer education to everyone in the local
community, community colleges usually admit most students who meet basic
requirements. They offer a wide variety of options at relatively low
tuition cost Most, though not all, community colleges admit
international students. Private junior colleges offer similar programs,
but may emphasize academic preparation for four-year colleges over
technical studies.

Not all community colleges are authorized to issue Form 1-20
(Certificate of Eligibility). In such cases, international students must
be permanent residents (U.S. immigrants) to attend these schools.

If you are planning to study beyond the associate degree, using the
first two years at a community college or junior college for transfer
credit toward a bachelor\'s degree, you must be sure that your academic
credits will transfer to the four-year college or university you are
considering. Although most community colleges within a particular state
will have articulation (transfer) agreements with the public colleges
and universities within that state, non-public colleges and universities
might not accept all community college credits for transfer. Before you
begin courses at a two-year institution, ask the registrar\'s office at
the four-year institution(s) you are interested in attending if they
will honor credit for the particular courses you plan to take at your
community college. Credit for technical programs directed toward
employment usually do not transfer to academic programs.

**Four-Year Colleges and Universities**

Although not identical, the terms \"college\" and \"university\" are
often used interchangeably in the United States. There is no legal or
official control over the institution\'s option to choose one or the
other as part of its name. Over the years, many institutions change
their names as they add new programs and levels of study. Usually, a
college offers a four-year program of study leading toward the
bachelor\'s degree. Colleges may be independent, offering only
undergraduate programs, or they may be part of a university that offers
both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Universities emphasize research
and often include professional schools, undergraduate colleges of arts
and sciences, and graduate schools. In 1997-1996, nearly 223,276
International students attended four-year programs leading to the
bachelor\'s degree.

There are over 2,000 traditional four-year colleges and universities in
the United States, each with a unique identity. Each college determines
its own goals, emphases and admissions standards. Liberal arts colleges,
for example, emphasize excellence in teaching basic subjects such as
humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and languages.

Besides liberal arts colleges, there are many other types of colleges.
Historically, some colleges have admitted only male, only female or only
black students; however, most now are open to all academically qualified
students who apply. Other colleges have a particular religious emphasis.
Colleges and universities that stress career preparation may have
special cooperative education programs or internships in which students
work part-time as a requirement for the degree.

Both colleges and universities may be public or private. Institutions of
high quality are found equally among public and private universities;
the principal difference is one of funding. Public institutions are
funded partially by the government of the state in which the institution
is located, and partially by student tuition payments and private
donations. Since public institutions are supported by state government,
they give preference in enrollment and tuition charges to

students from that state. The total cost, however, is usually lower at
most state institutions than at private institutions, even for those who
are not residents of the state.

Some state universities offer state resident tuition rates to Canadians.

**Short-Term Study**

In addition to degree programs, many two- and four-year colleges and
universities offer opportunities for short-term study. Summer programs
are often open to non-degree students, and some institutions offer the
option of a single year of study Junior year) abroad.

**Selection Factors**

Selecting a working group of 10 to 15 institutions from the more than
3,000 available in the United States is a challenging task. Although so
much variety can be bewildering, it has a positive side as well: \'With
so many institutions to choose from, it is almost always possible to
find one or more institutions that meet your academic and financial
needs and offer an environment in which you will be comfortable. Do not
leave this important decision to a friend or relative, or choose only
from the most famous institutions. There may be other institutions more
appropriate to your goals and requirements.

Once you have located a suitable group of institutions that offer your
field of study, compare them systematically. Look at the differences
between them with respect to:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  ♠Your chosen field of study,

  ♠Quality,

  ♠Ease of admission,

  ♠Location,

  ♠Size,

  ♠Cost,

  ♠Availability of financial aid,

  ♠Housing,

  ♠Approach to technology,

  ♠Availability of ESL programs, and

  ♠International Student Services
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

The most important factors in selection are availability of your chosen
field of study and high quality of instruction in that field. For
undergraduates and for those seeking technical programs, there are many
institutions offering high quality programs. One good strategy is to
choose a region of the United States that you prefer and then locate
institutions within that region that offer your field of study.

Information on colleges and universities is available at the Information
Resource Center at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, at your public library,
bookstore, or via the Internet (see a list of suggested web sites at the
back of this information)

**Quality and Rankings**

A question that students often ask is, \"How do I find the best
institutions?\" Unfortunately, there are no simple answers.

The first step is to define your academic and career goals, as well as
personal preferences about the campus environment. Then find
institutions whose goals and offerings most closely match your needs.

A second step is to check whether or not institutions are accredited by
organizations/associations recognized by the Council on Postsecondary
Accreditation (COPA). Each year the American Council on Education
publishes for COPA a list of all accredited institutions in the United
States, called [Accredited Institutions of Postsecondarv
Education]{.underline}. while there may be institutions of high

quality that have chosen not to participate in the COPA accrediting
process, questions should be raised about the acceptance of degrees by,
and transfer of credits to and from accredited institutions, and whether
or not unaccredited institutions meet the minimum standards of a COPA
­recognized institution. Caution should be exercised and considerably
more information should be requested from such institutions before
enrolling.

The United States does not have a Ministry of Education responsible for
regulation of educational institutions. Instead, institutions agree to
voluntary self-regulation in the process called accreditation. There are
two types of accreditation: institutional and professional.

Institutional accreditation refers to the institution as a whole. For
conferring institutional accreditation, COPA recognizes six regional
accrediting agencies, as well as accrediting agencies for independent
schools and religious colleges.

Professional accreditation exists only in fields or programs where
professional or occupational competence in the field is a major concern,
such as medicine, engineering, business and law. Professional
accrediting associations usually require that the entire institution be
accredited before they will accredit a particular program. The
importance of professional accreditation varies from field to field.
Often professional accreditation applies only to the first professional
degree.

It is important to distinguish between accreditation and state
authorization. State authorization or \"state approval\" may not involve
regulation of quality at all, but simply indicate that an institution
complies with financial and licensing regulations. Some states do not
regulate educational institutions at all.

A third step in seeking quality is to avoid institutions that seem too
anxious to enroll international students. Unfortunately, there are some
institutions in the United States that are more interested in the
dollars of international students than in providing a good education.
These institutions are not numerous, but there are enough that caution
is necessary.

Published rankings (assessments) of colleges and universities are
available, but their usefulness varies. There is no \"official\" ranking
of colleges and universities in the United States. Rankings according to
competitiveness of admission (that is, the ratio of the number of
students who apply to the number admitted) are useful in giving an idea
of the chances for admission. For other rankings, it is necessary to
define your goals carefully, and to make sure that the criteria on which
a ranking is based match your criteria for choosing institutions.

Some rankings are based on the opinions of one person who has visited or
interviewed people about a number of colleges and universities. Others
may be based on an opinion survey of professionals in the field. Still
others are based on funds allotted by the federal government for
research grants. For undergraduates, a high ranking indicating emphasis
on research may mean a lack of emphasis on undergraduate teaching.

In the final analysis, finding the \"best\" institutions means finding
the institutions that best meet your individual needs and interests.

**Writing for Information**

After selecting a group of 10 to 15 institutions that seem most
appropriate, write to at least 10 of them for information and
application materials.

If you have conducted thorough research, most or all of the institutions
will respond by inviting you to submit a full formal application for
admission. They will send all the necessary forms and instructions.
Sometimes a preliminary application will be necessary.

You may lose valuable time by not including essential information in the
first inquiry. A letter or preliminary application should have the
following:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  ♠Address your inquiry to the Director of Undergraduate Admissions,
  using the address for the college or university given in the reference
  books.

  ♠Your name, printed legibly, or typed in exactly the same form and
  spelling each time.

  ♠Date of birth, printed or typed with month first, then day sand year
  as it corresponds to the calendar used in the U.S. Example : May 6,
  1999 is 5/6/99.

  ♠Your mailing address

  ♠Marital status and number of dependents.

  ♠Citizenship and country issuing passport

  ♠Past and present education, in chronological order, including
  secondary schools, technical programs, colleges and universities
  attended, with examination results, grades and rank in class, if known.

  ♠Program of study, stated as specifically as possible, with the month
  and year in which you hope to begin studying in the U.S.

  ♠Total funds available to meet your educational and living expenses
  during each year of study in the U.S., and sources of these funds.

  ♠Scores of TOEFL and required admissions tests, if available, or dates
  on which you are registered to take these examinations.
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

These items will enable admissions officers to judge whether application
at a particular level is suitable and to indicate chances for admission.

APPLYING TO U.S. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Although U.S. educational institutions vary in their procedures and
requirements for admission of students from other countries, formal
applications usually include most of the following:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Institutional application form.

  Certified copies of original educational documents.

  Certified translations of these documents if not originally in English.

  Evidence of English language proficiency (usually TOEFL).

  Scores for any required academic entrance examinations.

  Financial information, with applications for financial aid if
  requested.

  Letters of recommendation.

  Non-refundable application fee.
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Instructions for each application will differ. Follow them carefully,
paying particular attention to closing dates or deadlines for receipt of
completed applications. Allow enough time for mail delivery. Often the
closing date for international students is earlier than for U.S.
students. Usually applications for scholarships or fellowships must be
submitted earlier than applications for admission.

Try to begin work on applications well before the deadline and submit
completed applications two or three months before the closing date. This
will allow the institutions time to evaluate the application before the
peak of the selection period. If you are applying in a competitive field
or to a selective institution, submit your application as early as
possible. Many U.S. admissions counselors believe that early
applications are apt to be considered more favorably than later ones.

**Educational Documents**

Each institution will specify the types of official records it requires
to document past education.

Usually they will require your entire scholastic record for secondary
school and/or university

sources. U.S. admissions officers prefer that transcripts of previous
educational work be sent

directly from your former schools. The institution may also furnish
special forms on which school authorities are asked to write your grades
and your academic performance relative to other students in your
institution. If such forms are not provided, you or the school will be
expected to submit official documents that provide this kind of
information. if the admissions officer requests explanation of the
grading and class ranking system or descriptions of courses that you
have taken, this information should be furnished by an official of your
school or university if possible.

As requested, send certified copies of the originals of diplomas,
degrees or professional titles, or copies of full records of your
performance in the comprehensive examinations administered in Canada. Do
not send original documents unless there is no alternative; usually they
cannot be returned. Copies should be certified with an official seal
from the school or university or certified by a public official
authorized to certify documents. If English translations are necessary,
you may use the services of a professional translator or translate the
documents yourself. Such translations must also be certified by a notary
public or another acceptable agency. U.S. embassies and consulates no
longer certify documents, copies or translations.

**Credit for Previous Study at the Same Level (Transfer Credit)**

If you have taken courses in the United States, or at an institution in
Canada, and you feel that these courses might apply toward the degree
you are seeking, include certified transcripts for these courses. In
most cases, admissions offices cannot give, in advance of admission, an
estimate of credit that will be accepted. This is because, in most
cases, awarding credit toward a degree at a particular institution
involves making sure that each course is roughly equivalent to a course
at that institution. An estimate of transfer credit usually will not be
made until a student has been enrolled for several months. No credit
will be awarded for courses which have been applied to a previous
degree, nor will academic credit be awarded for courses designed to
fulfill requirements for a technical/vocational program.

**Evidence of English Language Proficiency**

The Test of English As A Foreign Language (TOEFL) is almost always
required of non-native speakers of English for full academic admission.

**Letters of Recommendation**

If institutions request letters of recommendation, the college or
university will specify the number of letters to be submitted. Those you
ask to serve as references should be people who hold respected positions
and who know you and your academic work well.

For recommendation letters to be effective, they should contain insights
into your seriousness of purpose, academic promise, motivation~7~
adaptability, personality and character. Recommendations which give an
honest appraisal of your capabilities - weakpoints as well as strong
points - are much more convincing to U.S. admissions officers (and
therefore more valuable) than general letters of extreme praise or
checklists for rating students. Letters should be in English, or
accompanied by a translation. If the college or university provides a
form with the application, use it for the recommendation.

To guarantee candor and confidentiality, you must arrange for the writer
to mail your recommendation directly to the university without your
reading it

**Evidence of Financial Resources**

Admissions officers will not issue the certificates (1-20 Form) needed
to request entry for study in the United States until they are satisfied
that you have enough money, from whatever sources, to cover all expenses
during the period of your stay in the United States. Most institutions
require that you submit statements of detailed information on the
amounts and sources of funds available to pay your educational and
living expenses while in the United States.

Many institutions ask that you fill out a copy of the College Board
Scholarship Service \"Foreign Student\'s Certification of Finances\" as
part of the application. Others simply ask for a list of

sources and amounts. Usually this information must be confirmed or
witnessed by a responsible individual, such as an officer of the bank
where the listed funds are on deposit If a sponsor or parent is
contributing, they may be asked to attest to the availability of funds.
In some cases, notarization may be required.

For further information about sources of financial aid, consult sources
listed at the end of this booklet.

STUDENT VISAS

Canadian students who have been accepted at an accredited U.S. college
or university will be sent an 1-20 Form (Certificate of Eligibility) by
the institution. Canadian citizens and landed immigrants from the
British Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland may apply for entry into
the United States with the Immigration and Naturalization Service at any
port of entry. Students must have with them the following:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  ♠Proof of citizenship (passport, birth certificate).

  ♠I-20 Form issued by the institution you will be attending.

  ♠Proof of lawful status in Canada.

  ♠Proof of a residence in Canada which you have no intention of
  vacating.

  ♠Evidence of sufficient funds to cover travel, tuition, and living
  expenses.
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

For more information on this, please contact 1-900-451-6330. There is a
cost of \$3.00 per minute for this service.

RESOURCES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

**Resources on the Internet:**

  ------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------
  College Board Online                 [http://www.collegeboard.org](http://www.collegeboard.org/)

  Petersons.com                        [http://www.petersons.com](http://www.petersons.com/)

  Education International Worldwide    [http://www.eiworldwide.com](http://www.eiworldwide.com/)

  SAT Program                          <http://www.sat.org/sat/html/students/indx001.html>

  ACT Information                      [http://www.act.org](http://www.act.org/)

  TOEFL Online                         [http://www.toefl.org](http://www.toefl.org/)

  Canadian Information Center for      <http://www.cicic.ca/indexe.stm>
  International Credentials            

  U.S. Network for Education           <http://www.ed.gov/NLE/USNEI/>
  Information                          

  Educational Testing Service          [http://www.ets.org](http://www.ets.org/)

  Council on International Educational [http://www.ciee.org](http://www.ciee.org/)
  Exchange                             

  Education in the USA                 <http://www.usia.gov/usa/infousa/educ/educate.htm>

  Financial Aid for Canadian Students  <http://finaid.org/otheraid/canadian.phtml>

  EduPass : The Smart Student Guide to [http://www.edupass.org](http://www.edupass.org/)
  Studying in the USA                  

  Institute of International Education [http://www.iie.org](http://www.iie.org/)

  NAFSA : Association of International [http://www.nafsa.org](http://www.nafsa.org/)
  Educators                            

  Canadian Bureau for International    <http://www.cbie.ca/>
  Education                            
  ------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------

**Provincial Ministries of Education:**

  -------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------
  Alberta                    [http://www.aecd.gov.ab.ca](http://www.aecd.gov.ab.ca/)

  British Columbia           [http://www.aett.gov.bc.ca](http://www.aett.gov.bc.ca/)

  Manitoba                   <http://www.gov.mb.ca/educate/index.html>

  New Brunswick              <http://www.gov.nb.ca/education/index.htm>

  Newfoundland               <http://www.gov.nf.ca/edu/>

  Nova Scotia                [http://www.ednet.ns.ca](http://www.ednet.ns.ca/)

  Ontario                    [http://www.edu.gov.on.ca](http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/)

  Quebec                     <http://www.gouv.qc.ca/educ/>

  Prince Edward Island       <http://www.gov.pe.ca/educ/index.htm>

  Saskatchewan               <http://www.gov.sk.ca/govt/educ/>
  -------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------

**Resources in Print:**

[The College Handbook]{.underline}. The College Board, annual.

[The College Handbook - Index of Majors]{.underline}. The College Board,
annual.

[International Student Handbook of U.S. Colleges]{.underline}. The
College Board, annual.

[Peterson\'s Two Year Colleges]{.underline}. Peterson\'s Guides, annual.

[Peterson\'s Four Year Colleges]{.underline}. Peterson\'s Guides,
annual.

[Accredited Institutions of Postsecondarv Education]{.underline}.
American Council on Education, annual.

[Funding for U.S. Study : A Guide for Foreign Nationals]{.underline}.
Institute for International Education,

1996\.

**Addresses:**

U.S. Embassy

Information Resource Center

[http://www.usembassycanada.gov](http://www.usembassycanada.gov/)

[mailto:web@usembassycanada.gov](mailto:web@usembassycanada.gov)

TOEFL

Educational Testing Service

Princeton, NJ 08541-6154

SAT

Education Testing Service

Princeton, NJ 08541-6200

ACT

2201 North Dodge Street

P.O. Box 168

Iowa City, IA 52243-0168