Written by Gabriela Estrada

Usually, the requirement for admission to a Canadian university is to speak English. This is demonstrated by taking an international test, such as the IELTS or TOEFL. Both tests take a lot of effort and preparation for months and it is common for students to fail due to lack of good planning for the test or not taking the test because it is expensive, among other reasons, leaving them in great sadness for not achieving their goal of going to Canada. But in these cases, there is very good news because there is another way to enter a Canadian university without taking the IELTS, I am referring to an educational and migratory route that makes this process faster and more direct, it is the University Pathway Programs, a special program of advanced English to begin higher education in Canada.

This article from Planet Immiland will provide you with valuable information about what a pathway is, your chance of getting into Canadian university and the financial savings it generates by dispensing with the IELTS or TOEFL language tests. 

What is a pathway?

The pathway is a short and expedited academic route for foreign students to enter Canadian universities while improving or learning the required English language skills. In its most specific definition, the pathway is an English course for academic purposes that is taken prior to starting the program at the selected college or university without the need to take an official exam (IELTS, TOEFL), as the student enters directly into the institution. 

How does the college pathway work?

The pathway works once the student has enrolled in the allied language school and has been admitted for the course, he/she can then enroll in the college or university of his/her choice and, instead of the IELTS or TOEFL iBT tests, the letter of admission to the pathway is submitted. This is how you will obtain the conditional letter of admission from the college or university. 

Once you finish your pathway, either online or on-site, you will need to submit your diploma of completion and grades to the college or university to receive a new letter of admission with no conditions and to start your program successfully.

Step by step to apply for the language pathway

The following is a summary of the steps to access a Canadian university through a pathway program:

1. Research well which academic program is of interest to you and select it, according to your objectives.
2. Verify that the universities you are interested in accept pathway programs as an alternative to the language certificate.
3. Apply and wait for admission to the pathway, then apply to the allied university or college of your choice.
4. Upon completion of the pathway, either online (from your home country) or in person, you will need to submit your diploma of completion and grades to the college or university for admission and to begin your program of study.

What is the greatest benefit of the language pathway?

The greatest benefit of the pathway is that it allows you to gain conditional admission to begin the visa process, even without having the language required by the university or college. Students who have high financial resources and travel to Canada without family will certainly have the benefit of coming to the country of their dreams.

Our language school for immigration purposes highly recommends this program and we are pleased to be able to offer agreements with various institutions in many provinces of Canada. Learn more about our partner universities and colleges.

Does the pathway work with all study options?

It should be taken into account that there is a wide variety of programs (especially master's programs with high demand and high competitiveness) that do not allow this route (pathway) in order to be accepted, since they must have the required language level (on average, CLB 7 or 8). In addition, not all pathway agreements are with PGWP colleges. At Planeta Immiland, we recommend you to evaluate your plan and make a decision according to your immigration intentions. Our advisory team can help you create your migration plan through the study pathway..

How to improve or learn English for university entrance

Entering university or college in Canada takes time because you have to learn to speak English well (or French, if required), but with good preparation you can do it. Planeta Immiland has an ideal program to learn and/or improve your English so that you can enter higher education without having to take a language exam, and it takes you to advanced English in a maximum of 6 months. It is called the Accelerated English Program, here are the details.

What is the Accelerated English Program?

This is a program that proposes accelerated language teaching and learning with the objective of achieving the English proficiency necessary for academic purposes and enrollment in a university or college in Canada.

Accelerated English Program consists of 6 fast-paced courses ranging from acquiring basic skills for understanding and communicating in everyday situations (CLB 1 and 2) to preparing you to express complex ideas with excellent control over varied and complex grammatical structures (CLB 11 and 12). Buy the pathway course.

In short, this course will lead you to master English for 100% academic purposes through the pathway route! That is, free of IELTS. You can check the academic calendar 2024 to coordinate your time availability with our schedule. If you are a candidate to study in Canada and want to enter through the pathway, you can contact us through the following email: [email protected].

Remember that once you have been accepted to the university, you must apply for a study permit (and student visa) for Canada. At Immiland, we prepare you for your trip, help you find accommodation and familiarize you with the city or province where you will be studying, among many other immigration services. Click here.

With love,

Planet Immiland