Fanshawe College embraces surging international student count
International enrolment at Fanshawe College for this fall has surged by 26 per cent even as total Ontario applications fall off, with the London-based school having students from almost half the countries on the planet.
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International enrolment at Fanshawe College for this fall has surged by 26 per cent even as total Ontario applications fall off, with the London-based school having students from almost half the countries on the planet.
This year the college is experiencing a significant increase in international students – about 4,200 students from places such as India, Nepal, Nigeria, China, Colombia, South Korea and Vietnam.
The new numbers underscore a chance “for the college to be as proactive as we can be to support the labour market,” said Wendy Curtis, dean of international students.
“Right now there is a significant labour shortage,” she said. “That is the essence of what a college is all about.
“Our domestic students’ population has shrunk. Based on demographics it’s expected to return to higher levels in a couple of years. That’s a key reason why we’re accepting more international students than historically. We have capacity to do that.”
Under a study permit, international students can come to Canada to study and apply for a work permit that may lead to permanent residency.
“They make great future citizens and employees,” Curtis said. “We really work hand in hand with the federal government in terms of a national immigration strategy, of which education and training is a huge component.”
International students pay far more for tuition than Canadian students, but it doesn’t necessarily mean post-secondary schools make more money from them. It depends on how the program is subsidized by the Ontario government.
At Fanshawe, an average tuition for an international student is around $16,000 a year, Curtis said.
“The reason it’s more expensive is because it’s not subsidized by the provincial government because they haven’t paid taxes,” she said.
And, for those who believe international students are taking the spots of Canadian scholars, that’s “not factually the case,” Curtis said.
“The priority is always for our local population, Ontarians,” she said. “That will continue to be the case, but that demographic has shrunk so there is an opportunity to offset some of that and graduate pretty exceptionally well-qualified individuals.”
The most popular programs at the college for international students include health-care administration, construction management, mechanical engineering, hospitality and tourism, as well as business, supply chain and operations management.
Support is provided for the new students before and after their arrival, with ongoing workshops and assistance with finding housing and jobs.
Western University is looking to increase its undergraduate international student population to 20 per cent, according to a recent report. Florentine Strzelczyk, Western provost and vice-president academic, said via email that increasing the number of international students “brings diverse research strengths and multicultural perspectives” and also increases global awareness.
“Great educational experiences require a mix of domestic and international students,” she wrote.
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