Back to School

As Canadians begin to reconnect, the nation’s post-secondary institutions are optimistically planning to welcome students back to in-person and blended learning models, pending vaccination ramp-ups and variant control. Campuses in major markets are reporting increased confidence in the potential of on-campus study while continuing to follow local government guidelines.

If the application pace is any indicator, preliminary figures show applications to Ontario post-secondary institutions for Fall 2021 have risen by tens of thousands over pre-Covid levels, suggesting a trend for the rest of Canada. Reputable schools like The University of Waterloo reported “applications up 17%, compared to the average received in the last three years”. Down the street at Wilfred Laurier, grad school applications have also reached “record levels, more than doubling since 2016”.

The global pandemic is certainly reshaping the course of study for many, as evidenced by application spikes in nursing and medical programs, a nod to the highly cause-driven GenZ demo. Medical schools like the University of Alberta reported an unprecedented 20% surge in applications for the 2021-22 academic year, consistent with rates across North America.

Of the available 1.4MM+ Canadians considering post-secondary education, the vast majority seem to be forging ahead with their academic and career visions, undeterred by the current climate.

To learn how you can reach this uniquely tech-native demo, reach out to your dedicated UB sales specialist today.