A Message from the Parents of a U.S. Student
Posted on | March 10, 2010 | Comment Here
Our daughter, Michelle, is in her second year of study at STU and has enjoyed her courses, the school atmosphere and the Fredericton community. We are very satisfied with the University’s educational program and the way that the school community has welcomed Michelle. In addition to the strong academic program, she is exposed to a different culture, currency and political system that provide experiences she would not see in a New England school.
Michelle Twomey Class of 2012 Limington, Maine
The overall college application and acceptance process can be stressful enough without the extra unknowns of what is required to actually prepare your son or daughter to attend a school in Canada. Having been through the process ourselves, we would like to offer our experiences about topics that you may have questions or concerns that don’t come with applying to schools in the U.S.
Finally, don’t hesitate to contact St. Thomas University, we have found that they are always willing to help with any questions you might have, from passports to heath insurance. We hope the information below is helpful in answering some of the questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Dennis and Kim Twomey
Student Visa: A student visa is required for US citizens attending school in Canada. The Canadian customs and immigration web site provides information about the forms and fees on obtaining a student Visa. We found the forms to be a bit daunting with questions about financial support requirements. However, when we visited the customs office at the border between Maine and New Brunswick to get the visa, we found that the financial requirements were not necessary for US students when we applied. Knowing this ahead of time would have simplified our application preparation process. We recommend contacting the customs office nearest you to find out exactly what information you need to bring to get your son or daughter’s student visa.
Canadian currency: We found that for us, it was not necessary to open a Canadian checking account, although that is an option to assure the student has access to Canadian currency. With online banking and debit checking cards, this concern was easily resolved without that. Our daughter simply goes to a local ATM machine to withdraw money. The ATM machine automatically dispenses her withdrawal in Canadian currency; behind the scenes, the bank performs the conversion from US funds. Check with your bank to understand what they charge on conversion and transaction fees. You should also consider having access to the student’s account to be able to deposit funds or transfer between savings and checking if needed. But, if your son or daughter is planning on having a job, or living off campus it might be easier to open a Canadian bank account.
Cell phone: We did not find any calling plans from our US wireless provider that would enable reasonable calling, text or data plans between the US and Canada. International roaming rates, even with an international plan, can break the bank with a student’s typical appetite for phone calls and text messaging. There are several Canadian wireless providers (Rogers Wireless, Bell Alliant, Virgin Mobile, and others) that offer pay as you go plans that will offer your student with much more reasonable calling and text plans within New Brunswick.
Calls to the US: Regarding the routine (hopefully) phone calls from Canada to home or to friends, we found a VoIP provider Skype that offers a very reasonable service. We selected the plan that allows Michelle to call from her computer (requires a headset) to either other computers (free) or to land line or cell phone numbers (very inexpensive). This service also allows for chatting and for video calls, both of which have come in handy.
Transporting dorm supplies to and from school: While going through customs with a car load of your student’s belongings can be an issue, we have not had any problems in bringing supplies to school or back home again. We organize the supplies and place them in unsealed boxes or totes (just in case inspection is necessary). We’d recommend that you check the Canadian Border Services Agency and the U.S. Homeland Security web sites to know what can and cannot be transported across the border.
For more information, visit the Travel and Customs page of this site or contact the Admissions Office.
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Director of Recruitment
U.S. Recruitment Counselor
