collageIf you are interested in retrieving information on masters with a 3rd class degree in Canada, then you will find Collegelearners as a very useful website to familiarize yourself with. From universities that accept third class for masters in Australia and universities that accept third class for masters in UK, you can do no wrong in searching for the information you need on Collegelearners.
The education market in Canada has expanded around the globe due to its affordable cost and world-class education system. It’s not only students from Canada who are looking for the best universities which accept third class for masters program. The demand for such institutions is also increasing among international students from different countries including India, Pakistan, China and many others.
Colleges That Accept Third Class For Masters In Canada
A master’s degree is the first level of graduate study. To apply for a master degree you usually must already hold an undergraduate degree (a bachelor’s degree). It’s been proven over and over again: getting a college degree of any kind pays off. A Master’s degree is a second-cycle academic degree and the first level of graduate study, which means it is after a Bachelor’s degree and before a PhD.
The amount of time required to complete a Master’s program varies by discipline and institution, but most take two years full-time or four years part-time. The classes you take will depend on what area of study you’re interested in pursuing, but there are some general requirements that are common among many programs:
• A thesis or research project
• Take classes or do an internship in your field of interest
• Pass an oral exam or written test
• Do an internship
Can I do masters in Canada with a second class lower or third class degree? This is a very common question graduates who want to further their studies in Canada often ask. Getting into the university, most students set their target to graduate with either a first-class or a second class upper degree.
However, for some reasons, they end up with either a 2.2 or a 3rd class degree. Now, there is the prospect of furthering to obtain a postgraduate degree in Canada. But the common question is whether your class of degree is accepted in Canada.
If you’re an international student, you might be wondering if your class of degree will be accepted in a Canadian university.
Universities That Accept Third Class For Masters In Canada
Why Masters Degree From Canada
Canada is one of the most popular study destinations in the world. Canada offers high quality, research-oriented education which is recognized worldwide. In fact, it is best to say that Canada is safe, secure, healthy, multicultural and welcoming for international students.
Canada is regarded as one of the best countries to live in. Every year thousands of international students apply to study in Canadian University. Many Canadian universities are ranked in the top 100 worldwide.
But the big question is whether you can actually do your masters in a Canadian university with a second class lower degree. However, before we go into addressing your question, you need to understand the Canadian grading system for undergraduate degrees.
Canada Grading System for Undergraduate Degrees
The Canadian university grading system is quite unique in the sense that it is region dependent. The Canadian grading systems are a combination of percentages, GPAs (Grade Point Average) and letter grades. This leaves a very big question as to what grade you fall in.
To get admission into a masters program in Canada, you need to have a minimum grade of 60% or standing of Second Class (Upper Division) in your undergraduate.
But the question is how do you know you’ve made a 60%? You can use to guide below to calculate your CGPA.
| UM Scale | Grading Scale |
| A+ | 85-100% (First Class) |
| A | 70-84% (First Class) |
| B+ | 65-69% (Second Class, Upper Division) |
| B | 60-64% (Second Class, Upper Division) |
| C+ | 55-59% (Second Class, Lower Division) |
| C | 50-54% (Second Class, Lower Division) |
| D | 45-49% (Pass) |
| F | 0-44% (Fail) |
Some institutions may allow 40-44% as a Pass Class. Such a score would be equivalent to a D grade.
As earlier mentioned, some universities in Canada use the 4.0 or 4.5 grading scale. However, we’ll show you how to convert from one grading scale to the other.
To convert from a 4.0 scale to a 4.5 scale, first calculate the GPA on a 4.0 scale, and then convert to a 4.5 scale for the International Graduate Student Entrance Scholarship (IGSES) and International Graduate Student Scholarship (IGSS) using the following calculation:
| Calculated GPA | = | x |
| 4.0 | 4.5 |
Can I Do Masters With A Second Class Lower Degree in Canada
Back to the big question, can one do masters with a 2.2, 3rd class or even pass degree in Canada? Well, the answer is simply NO but.
For a candidate to be eligible to do masters in Canada, you must have obtained a good first degree with at least a second class upper (2.1) in your field of study. However, with your second class lower degree (2.2) most Canadian universities will require you to do a PGD before you start your masters program.
It will be difficult to get admission into a masters program at a Canadian university with an aggregate score lower than 60%. Canadian universities focus a lot of academics than competitive exams like GRE.
Entry Requirements for Masters Degrees in Canada
Before considering to do your masters in Canada, you need to ensure that you meet the entry admission requirements. Postgraduate admissions guidelines vary by course and universities but are very flexible. Below is a typical entry requirement for a Masters in Canada.
- An undergraduate degree in a relevant subject – For a start, you’ll be expected to have a minimum GPA (often a 3.0/4.0 or its international equivalent) for your undergraduate degree. Depending on your subject area, you may be asked to provide a graduate entry test score such as a Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
- Language proficiency – If English isn’t your first language, you’ll need to display a certain ability level, usually through a language test such as TOEFL or IELTS. Similar requirements will apply in French if you apply for a bilingual programme or a course delivered entirely in French.
- Professional experience – Some postgraduate programmes may require you to have some professional experience (this is usually the case for PGCEs and Masters in Social Work)
- Entrance exams – These are only required in certain subject areas and qualifications, including some MBAs
How to Apply for Masters in Canada With a Second Class Degree
The application process is similar to that of other countries. You’ll have to submit the following as part of your application:
- A completed application form, which is often submitted online
- A certified copy of your qualifications and transcripts
- A curriculum vitae
- Proof of English and/or French proficiency, depending on the programme that you are applying for and the province.
- References or recommendation letters
- Letter of motivation or personal statement
For international students who’ve completed post-secondary education outside of Canada, you might have to undergo an evaluation to determine the Canadian equivalent of your qualification and to verify the academic document that you’ve submitted.
You’ll have to pay an international credential evaluation fee unless you already have a third-party international credential evaluation report.
Your application will generally be assessed by a central office to ensure you meet all the minimum entry requirements. It is then sent to the faculty/school, which will assess the academic quality and suitability of your application for your programme of choice.
If you’re successful, you’ll receive a letter of admission, which you’ll need to be able to apply for a visa or scholarship (if relevant) and to complete your enrolment before registration.
list of universities in canada that accept third class for masters
- University Of Waterloo, Ontario
- University Of Toronto, Ontario
- McGill University, Montreal, Quebec
- Simon Fraser University, Burnbay, B.C.
- Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario
- Universite DE Montreal, Quebec
- Queens University, Kingston, Ontario
- University Of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
- Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec
- University Of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
- University Of Victoria, B.C.
- York University
- University Of Calgary, Alberta
- University Of Saskatchewan
- Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal
- University Of Western Ontario
- McMaster University
- Universite DU Quebec
- University Of Windsor
This is not an exclusive list of universities Canada. As earlier mentioned, Canadian universities only accept a 2.1 degree, equivalent to 60% for a masters program. However, if your application is considered, you’ll have to do a PGD before switchings to your MSc program.
Furthermore, your chances of getting admitted depend on so many factors including, your preferred course, the university, the strength of your personal statement, your reference letter and others.
HND top up degree in Canada universities, allows Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates to ‘top-up’ their education and obtain a bachelors degree from a Canadian university or college.
In Canada, HND certificate holders with related Higher National Diploma (HND) can expect to complete the necessary courses within two to three academic years and be granted a bachelor degree upon achieving satisfactory grades.
For example, if you have an HND in Civil Engineering from outside Canada, most Canadian universities will give you admission into the 2nd or 3rd year bachelors programs in an engineering program. The decision as to whether you’ll start in the second or third year depends on the number of transfer credits that is accepted from your previous HND degree.
As you may have noticed, the numbers of years it takes to “top up” degree in Canada is significantly longer when compared to the United Kingdom (UK).
In the UK, a HND graduate can “top up” their degree and gain a bachelors degree from a University in one (1) academic year. This makes Canada not to be a popular destination for international students who want convert their HND to BSc in Canada.
Can an HND holder apply for a master degree in Canada?
An HND holder can certainly apply for a masters degree in Canada. However, it is not likely that the student will be offered an admission directly into a masters program in Canada, if the student has only an HND certificate.
Canada is a popular destination for international students looking to pursue a masters program. Due to the high demand, most Canadian universities reserve spots in their masters program for students with a least a second class upper (2:1) or better, bachelors degree and not HND.
On the other hand, if the student has an HND and also a Post-HND degree, it increases the chances that the student will be offered admission into a masters program in Canada.
Universities in Canada that accept HND for masters
Canadian universities do not generally accept HND nor Third Class undergraduates, directly into their Master’s program. A student with a HND certificate will have to first consider furthering their studies in Canada through any of the below options:
- Post-Graduate Diploma (PGD), or
- Post-degree certificate/diploma, or
- Advanced certificate.
Schools that accept HND for masters in Canada
At the moment, we are not aware of any school that accept HND certificate directly for masters in Canada.
If you have an HND and you intend to pursue a masters program in Canada, below is the approach we recommend:
- Apply for a Post-Graduate Diploma (PGD) course at a Canadian college. The course should be related to your previous HND course of study, which should also be related to the masters program you intend to study later in Canada.
- Commence the PGD course in Canada and make sure you have good grades (usually a minimum of B average).
- Once you are close to completing your PGD studies in Canada, apply for a related masters program in Canada.
At this point, there is a high chance you’ll be accepted into a masters program in Canada, as most Canadian universities and colleges give preference to HND certificate holders that have a PGD degree from within Canada.
Using Carleton University as an example, below is the minimum admission requirements for their master’s program:
- Four-year honours bachelor‘s degree or equivalent.
Students who have only a National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) are not eligible for admission into Carleton’s masters program. Students who present a Post-Higher National Diploma (Post-HND) may be eligible for admission to a master’s program. - Minimum requirement overall: 60-69% or 2nd Class (upper division).
Carleton University’s Qualifying-Year Programs
Students who do not have a 4-year honours degree may be eligible for admittance into a qualifying-year program at Carleton university. Qualifying-year programs are specific to a few number of specific master’s programs. Even after completing a qualifying-year program, the student will need to submit an application to the master’s program and admission into the master’s program is not guaranteed.
If you are a student interested in completing a qualifying-year program at Carleton university, you’ll have to get in touch with the academic department offering the master’s program that you are interested in applying to, to find out if a qualifying-year program is offered. If available, you’ll be provided with further application instructions.
Canada Schools accepting HND degree for international students
There is a long list of Canada schools accepting HND degree for international students for any of the following two routes:
- Conversion of HND to BSc in Canada, or
- for a Post-Higher National Diploma (Post-HND) e.g. Postgraduate diploma (PGD)
As an international student looking to use your HND certificate to study in Canada, there are two fundamental considerations you should look into when deciding on picking a school:
- Apply to a school that has a high acceptance rate for international students: This is important so that you do not waste your time and money in applying to schools that would not offer you admission.
Keep in mind that Canada schools require upfront payment of a non-refundable application fee, which ranges from $90 CAD to $300 CAD (depending on the school). This payment will not be refunded back to you if you are not offered a spot in the program you apply to. - Apply to a school participating in the Post Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP): As an international student looking to study in Canada, we bet that you also want the opportunity to remain in Canada after your studies.
If this is the case, you want to make sure that you apply to only Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) that participate in the PGWPP. This is very important, so that you have the opportunity to remain in Canada after your studies with an open work permit and you subsequently apply to become a Canadian permanent resident (PR) through the Canadian Express Class (CEC) Express Entry Immigration pathway.
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