Is Oshawa A Good Place To Live For International Students?

Canada is a top-tier country when it comes to quality of life and education. Oshawa, a city in Canada, takes credit for some of the best education provided in the country. There is no doubt that the city is rich in education along with that it is a salient spot for sports and entertainment events. We could say it is a great place to live but then again everything has its drawbacks. Let’s see-> Is Oshawa a good place to live for international students?

Is Oshawa A Good Place To Live For International Students?

Oshawa and International students

Ontario, the state where Oshawa resides, is known to come among the most prominent Canadian provinces for international students. In 2016, it was reported that the state consisted of 44% of Canada’s international student population.

What are some of the best options for a college education in Oshawa?

Durham College

Durham currently has 180 Indian students, and 467 black students, and has a strength of 20,268.

It is one of the top-ranked colleges in Canada and is responsible for the production of numerous professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. The University has 17 colleges with some of the important majors being Accounting and Finance, Accounting and management with business placement. The University requires a minimum GPA of 3.2 in the evaluation of admissions.

The University, as of 2022, offers several scholarships as financial aid for full-time international students attending their first program at Durham College. Let’s take a look at some of them.

  • English Proficiency Entrance Scholarship
  • Academic Excellence Scholarships 
  • Bachelor’s Degree Entrance Scholarships

Ontario Tech University

Ontario Tech is a publicly funded research university famous for its prestigious education and high-intensity research. The University currently has a total of 540  international students and it requires a minimum GPA of 3.3. Some scholarships by the University-

  • Global Leadership Award
  • International Leaders Award 
  • International Merit Awards
  • English Language Centre Scholarship

Student accommodations in prestigious colleges

Off-campus housing in Durham College, Oshawa

Durhan offers a great facility of guaranteed residence to all first-year students and provides a large variety of off-campus housing options as well that you can find on Places4students.com. 

On-campus housing in Ontario Tech University, Oshawa

Ontario Tech provides On-campus student accommodations to over 1300 students if the student fits the criteria of eligibility.  

Pros and cons of living in Oshawa

Pros: 

  • High-Quality Education: The city is one of the smartest ever been, Oshawa provides many postsecondary institutions within reach. It is home to some of Canada’s best universities like Ontario Tech University, Durham College, and Trent University.
  • Vacation-Worthy: Parts of Oshawa are the poster-child for picture-worthy like Lakeview park on Lake Ontario. So it might make for a refreshing walk when it’s time for a break. 
  • Safety: Most Oshawa neighborhoods are one of the safest places you can be however it can’t be said for all of them. Read ahead in the cons section.

Cons:

  • Expensive real estate: Oshawa is the most expensive city in Canada for renting, as of reports lately. Earlier it was famous for its affordability of real estate but that ship has sailed.
  • High Crime Rate: Oshawa, also known as Dirty’shawa, was formerly famous for its safety as well. The crime rate in Oshawa is rapidly increasing, from drug dealing to theft and vandalism, the stakes are high.
  • Racism and Homophobia: For a city with such promising education quality, these barbaric concepts can be a real threat to the student’s mental health and overall performance.

How is the health care in Oshawa for international students?

If you haven’t caught up with the drill yet, Ontario also ranks high on providing some of the best health facilities in the world. Post-registration all international full-time students are eligible for free basic healthcare provided by Canada to its citizens.

Toronto and Oshawa: The distance.

Downtown Toronto is at an accessible distance of 60km from Oshawa. Toronto, like Oshawa, is one of the best cities for international students because of its affordability and high quality of education. The public transport from Oshawa to Toronto is sturdy and safe. Go Train and Rail are some recommended transport options.

Extracurricular activities in Oshawa for Students

Oshawa provides a good variety of programming options, like volunteering opportunities, and weight training for teenagers and it also has several skateboarding parks scattered over the city.

Conclusion

Oshawa, like any other city, has its advantages and disadvantages but it has a market of opportunities waiting for its increasing number of international students with great facilities and a fair healthcare system.

Frequently asked questions

Does Durham College facilitate on-campus employment?

Yes, Durham college funds programs for both its domestic and international students in need of aid if they possess a career-oriented skill.

What is the acceptance rate of Ontario Tech University?

Ontario Tech University has an acceptance rate of 70%.