Canadian universities are reporting a noticeable boost in interest from US applicants following Donald Trump’s surprise win in the US election, ICEF Monitor reports.

The night of the US election results famously saw the Canadian government’s immigration website crash due to large volumes of traffic, and similar surges have been reported by many Canadian universities.

“Colleges from Quebec to British Columbia say applications and website traffic from the United States have been surging since Trump’s victory,” says the Associated Press (AP). “Although many Canadian schools had also ramped up recruiting in the US recently, some say dismay over the presidential election has fueled a spike in interest beyond their expectations.”

The University of Toronto reported a 10-fold increase in US visitors to its website, from 1,000 on 8 November (pre-results) to 10,000 the following day. The University of British Columbia noted that a website for just one of its graduate programs had received more than 30,000 visits on election night alone.

Google search terms for queries such as ‘university Canada’ also spiked in the immediate aftermath of the US election.

And here on TopUniversities.com, Canada (our most popular country guide in 2016) also received a significant spike in traffic from US users, with views almost 20 times higher on 9 November compared to the previous day.

Is this really about Donald Trump?

Some Canadian recruiters caution that Trump’s victory is only one factor affecting the increased interest from US students. The strengths of the universities themselves, and the appeal of Canada as a study destination, should not be overlooked.

In addition, the Canadian dollar has been weakening slightly against the US dollar in recent years, which makes studying in Canada somewhat more affordable for US students. However, these changes have remained relatively stable, suggesting that improved affordability plays a fairly minor role in the surge in US students interested in studying in Canada.

Aside from this, a number of Canadian institutions have stepped up their focus on student recruitment in the US, which again could play a part in the exceptional growth in US interest this year.

With the number of US students enrolled in Canadian institutions remaining steady in 2014 and 2015 at around 12,200, it remains to be seen whether this increased interest will be reflected in a dramatic growth in actual student numbers.

In the meantime, this spike in interest is likely to further encourage Canadian universities seeking to attract more students from the US. Elsewhere, interest in Canada continues to grow from other nations, with universities also reporting a growing interest among students in China, India and Pakistan.

Has the US election result influenced your choice of study destination? Share your experience in the comments below. 

The QS Global 250 Business Schools Report 2017, published today, ranks the world’s 250 top business schools, in four categories. Drawing on the largest ever surveys of both MBA employers and academics, the report is compiled by the team behind the annual QS World University Rankings®.

Each of the 250 top business schools is classified in one of four groups. The Global Elite category identifies 45 schools which are at the top of the scale for both research and employability. The Top-Tier Employability and Top-Tier Research categories celebrate business schools excelling in each of these areas, while the Superior category is for schools that show a strong performance but have yet to pass the high threshold required for inclusion in the other groups.

The Global Elite is dominated by top business schools in North America and Europe, which collectively comprise 85% of this category. A similar pattern is seen in the Top-Tier Employability quadrant, in which almost two-thirds of institutions are based in the US or Canada, and most of the rest in Europe. However, top business schools in the Asia-Pacific region dominate the Top-Tier Research quadrant, accounting for 80% of institutions in this category.

Top business schools in North America

Based on two global surveys – of MBA employers and academics – the report publishes rankings of the top business schools in each world region, for both employability and research.

In North America, the head of the table is dominated by US schools, with Harvard Business School claiming the top scores for both employability and research. Canada’s leading representative is the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, which comes 18^th in North America for employability and 15^th for research excellence.

Top business schools in Europe

The UK’s London Business School leads both categories in Europe, with the French branch of INSEAD close behind. The region’s top-10 lists also feature entries from Denmark, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.

As well as North America and Europe, the QS Global 250 Business Schools Report 2017 provides a breakdown of the top business schools in the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. The full report is available here.

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.

Following concerns that European students would be less likely to study at UK universities in the wake of last year’s “Brexit” vote, statistics released today suggest the picture may not so bleak – particularly for Scottish institutions.

The latest data from student accommodation platform Student.com shows the UK continuing to attract large numbers of European applicants, seven months on from the referendum. Although London remains the most popular UK city for the platform’s European users, Glasgow is now in second place, and Edinburgh third.

With early application figures at the end of last year showing a significant decline in EU applications to the UK, today’s brighter headline from Student.com is likely to be viewed with both scepticism and hope. But it won’t be long until the final UCAS figures reveal the extent to which the accommodation hub’s usage reflects actual applications.

Keep calm and move to Glasgow…

According to Student.com, enquiries from European students seeking accommodation in the UK almost tripled from 18 September to the end of December 2016, compared to the same period the previous year.

This is roughly in line with the accommodation hub’s growth among students in other parts of the world, suggesting that Brexit may not have had such a dramatic cooling-off effect as previously believed.

Enquiries came from 30 different European countries, with highest demand from students in France (28%), Italy (15%), Spain (15%) and Germany (12%). 

While London unsurprisingly remains the most enquired-about UK destination, Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, has risen in popularity from fifth to second, while Scottish capital Edinburgh is third.

Scotland’s popularity among EU students may be partly due the fact that they face no tuition fees at Scottish universities. The Scottish government recently confirmed that EU students starting an undergraduate degree in the 2017/2018 academic year will be charged no tuition fees throughout their course. Scotland’s population also voted in favour of remaining in the EU, another factor that could appeal to European applicants.

What do the stats really mean?

While today’s news provides a welcome change from more depressing figures, the Student.com statistics are likely to be approached with caution by many UK universities – who will be looking to see whether their own application numbers match up.

Several months ago, admissions body UCAS reported a 9% drop in EU applications for the 15 October application deadline (for medicine, dentistry, veterinary science courses and all courses at Oxford and Cambridge), ending the previous trend of annual increases.

The government’s pledge on continued funding eligibility had come only four days earlier, on 11 October, leading to criticism that it was too late to provide the necessary reassurance.

Doubters will not have long to wait for the full picture. The main application deadline is just four days from now (15 January), and this usually accounts for 90% of total applications. Watch this space!

Are you an EU student considering studying in the UK? Has Brexit changed your decision? Share your experience in the comments below.

Just because you’re not keen on building bridges, firing up airplanes or digging oil wells doesn’t mean engineering isn’t for you! Along with leaps in tech and evolving planetary needs, there are many sub-branches of engineering to specialize in. So, if you’re looking for something a little different to the conventional civil/electrical/mechanical engineering degree, but still want a promising career trajectory, here are eight engineering courses to consider…

1. Environmental engineering

Interested in product and process design, management or consultancy, and solving key environmental concerns? Fancy working as a water resource engineer, air quality specialist or director of waste management? Then you might want to consider doing a BSc in environmental engineering. Topics covered in most environmental engineering degrees include thermodynamics, environmental safety, civil engineering, and water resources.

2. Robotics engineering

Do you know your C2P0 from your BB-8? Studying and working in robotics, you would be designing robots and robotic systems to help humans perform duties they are unable or reluctant to complete. One of the most exciting areas of engineering today, robotics has experienced a massive investment boom over the past couple of years, with The Financial Times forecasting that robots are just about to “roll or walk out of the labs”.

3. Energy engineering

The branch of engineering concerned with the management and usage of sustainable sources like biofuel, wind and solar power, energy engineering is booming! As the world increasingly prioritizes sustainable energy supply, there’s growing demand for energy engineers, with roles in environmental and energy consultancies, the motor industry, charities and the manufacturing sector. This really is a chance to be part of the solution.

4. Biomedical engineering

Would you like to contribute to medical breakthroughs like biocompatible prostheses or regenerative tissue growth? Are you interested in how technology can transform healthcare? Keen to use your expertise to help facilitate diagnosis, monitoring and treatment? If you answered yes to all three questions, then you might want to check out degrees and careers in biomedical engineering…

5. Nanotechnology engineering

For those motivated to find solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues, such as energy supply or climate change, another great option is an engineering degree specialized in nanotechnology. Learning how to manipulate atoms and molecules to build extremely small devices (on the scale of a nanometer), your work could have a huge range of applications – from cosmetics to solar power, and sportswear to healthcare.

6. Information systems engineering

Are you known for your data-crunching prowess? Fascinated by news stories involving hacking and leaks? Taught yourself several coding languages, and got a spreadsheet-based solution for everything? Sounds like your ideal engineering degree would be in information systems. Giving you in-depth expertise in the design and management of information systems, this degree could lead to career paths ranging from nationwide cybersecurity to corporate software.

7. Sports engineering

Want to combine your passion for sport with high tech? As a sports engineer, you could help design the next generation of innovative sports clothing, equipment and tracking devices. With competition ramping up, both national and private organizations are investing huge amounts in ensuring their athletes have the fastest, lightest, most streamlined equipment possible. With a sports engineering degree, your expertise could make all the difference between gold and second best…

8. Agricultural engineering 

Believe it or not, agricultural degrees are really in right now. There’s a lot of technological innovation transforming the farming industry, as the sector adapts to meet challenges in supply, climate change and population growth. Helping to solve practical problems and develop new technologies, you could help farm and fishery managers implement more sustainable, effective, eco-friendly and compassionate practices.

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.

Thinking of studying in Canada, and interested in finding work during or after your studies? Read on for advice on applying for Canadian work visas and the eligibility requirements for international students.

Working in Canada during your studies

As an international student, you can work in Canada on- or off-campus for up to 20 hours per week during term time (and full-time during semester breaks) without the need for a work permit, as long as you meet the following criteria:

• You have a valid study permit.
• You’re a full-time student.
• You’re enrolled at a designated learning institution at the post-secondary level or, in Quebec, a vocational program at the secondary level.
• You’re studying in an academic, vocational or professional training program which is at least six months in duration and leads to a degree, diploma or certificate.
• You have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN) (read more on this below).

You must stop working as soon as you no longer meet any of these requirements, for example if you stop being a full-time student.

Working as a co-op student or intern

You’ll need a work permit as well as a study permit if you’re studying an academic, professional or vocational training program at a designated learning institution that involves work experience such as a co-op program or internship. To apply for this work permit, you’ll need to prove that your work experience is crucial for completing your program (this proof could be in the form of a letter from your university or a copy of the curriculum). The work experience cannot take up more than 50% of your total study program. You’re not eligible to apply for the co-op work permit if you’re studying English or French as a second language (ESL/FSL), or taking part in general interest or preparatory courses.

Working in Canada after graduating

Your Canadian study permit will expire 90 days after graduation, so if you’d like to stay and seek work in Canada after graduating, you’ll need to apply for a work permit under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) within this time. This allows you to gain post-graduation work experience that can help you qualify for permanent residence through Express Entry. You can apply for this if you studied continuously full-time for at least eight months.

If you’ve studied in Canada for more than eight months but less than two years, your work permit will be valid for the same length of time as your studies. If you studied for two years or more, your work permit will be valid for three years.

The other eligibility requirements of the PGWPP are:

• You must be 18 or over.
• You must have a valid study permit before applying.
• You must have completed and passed your study program and have a written confirmation, such as a transcript, that proves you’re eligible to be awarded your degree, diploma or certificate.
• You graduated from a public or private post-secondary institution.

To apply for the post-graduation work permit, you should first read the guide and documents checklist. You can apply online or via mail, answering all the questions carefully and truthfully and paying the application fees. Your passport must be valid for longer than the duration of the work permit you are applying for.

Becoming a Canadian permanent resident with Express Entry

If you’d like to stay to work in Canada as a permanent resident, you may be able to immigrate as a skilled worker through the Express Entry program. International students who have graduated in Canada are likely to already have many of the qualities needed for permanent residency – including English and/or French proficiency, familiarity with Canadian society, and qualifying work experience. You can check your eligibility for the Express Entry program here.

To apply, you’ll need to complete an Express Entry profile, providing information about your identity, employment skill level, language test results, work experience and any family members who would join you in Canada. If you don’t already have a job offer or a nomination from a province or territory at this stage, you must apply for the Government of Canada’s Job Bank, an online job search tool which connects eligible skilled candidates with Canadian employers and jobs.

You should update your Express Entry profile if your situation changes, for example if you get a different language test result or there are changes to your work experience/education.

After you’ve applied for Express Entry, your profile will be ranked against others, using the points-based Comprehensive Ranking System. Points are given for factors such as a valid job offer, previous study in Canada, French/English language skills and nominations by a province or territory. You can view more details here.

The highest-ranking candidates receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence within 90 days. If you do not receive this invitation, you can stay in the pool of applicants for up to 12 months, and can re-enter the pool with a new profile after this time.

Your job offer may require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This is acquired by Canadian employers to support your job offer by showing that no Canadian worker is available for the role. However, some job offers are exempt from this.

Social Insurance Number (SIN)

The Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a nine-digit number you’ll need in order to work in Canada or receive benefits and services from government programs. To apply, international students need to provide their original study permit, which must state that they “may accept employment” or “may work” in Canada. If your study permit doesn’t have any of these conditions or remarks, you must contact Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to find out if you are eligible to apply for an amended study permit.

If your study permit clearly states that you are not permitted to work in Canada, this may change if you change your program of study. In this case, you must apply to change the conditions of your study permit and pay the appropriate fee.

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.

As twinkly-eyed final year undergraduates continue to apply to oversubscribed grad school programs, hoping to specialize or “become an academic”, master’s bashers will scoff that the costs outweigh the benefits of even the best master’s degrees. Of course, it’s not quite so black and white. Some careers actually require a master’s.

So, read on to discover 10 amazing jobs you’ll need a master’s to get into, all promising great job satisfaction, earnings and employment prospects.

1. Occupational therapist

Working with disabled, injured and ill people, occupational therapists coach their patients to rebuild skills and the confidence to return to work, as well as advising them on the best ways to alter their home and workplace to fit new health requirements. Salaries vary based on location, skills and experience, typically between $49,500 and $84,970 in the US.

To practice, you first need to complete a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy or a related field such as biology, psychology, sociology or health science. Then you’ll need a master’s degree in occupational therapy approved by the relevant professional body in your country. Your course should include work experience in hospitals or rehabilitation centers.

2. Nurse practitioner

The US has seen a surge in demand for nurse practitioners (nurses who are qualified to treat a wide range of medical conditions without a doctor’s supervision). Salaries vary depending on city, experience and skillset, ranging between $71,700 and $113,000 in the US. To work as a nurse practitioner, you would need to start with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and then enroll on an MSc in advanced practice to learn new skills such as diagnosis and consultation.

3. Family/marriage therapist

Marriage and family therapists in the US typically earn between $33,700 and $64,000, providing individual and group therapy for couples and families on a range of psychological issues related to their relationships. To become a marriage counselor, you would need to be a licensed mental health practitioner, with a master’s degree in counseling or marriage and family therapy, a license and a couple of years’ clinical experience.

4. Statistician

Statisticians collect, analyze and interpret data to inform strategy, often in sectors like education, the environment, government or transportation. In the US they generally earn between $48,300 and $104,400. To work as a statistician, you would usually need a master’s in mathematics of theoretical statistics, with a skillset that includes data modelling, machine learning and Python.

5. Physician assistant

According to the World Health Organization, the world will need 12.9 million new healthcare professionals by 2035. To meet that demand in the US, enrolment of physician assistants is expected to grow by 30% over the next 20 years. Salaries match the short supply, with physician assistants earning on average between $72,000 and $115,600 in the US. Physician assistants are licensed medical professionals who work in clinics, doctor’s offices or hospitals, carrying out many of the duties doctors perform. To work as a physician assistant, you would need a relevant bachelor’s degree, followed by a master’s in physician assistant studies.

6. Industrial organizational psychologist

Industrial organizational psychologists apply psychological theories and principles to help businesses improve efficiency and job satisfaction. Employed in-house or via an agency, they work with HR staff and employees, to improve workplace satisfaction and productivity. Salaries range between $39,800 and $115,500 in the US, depending on experience and employer. To work as an occupational psychologist or an industrial organizational psychologist, you would need a master’s degree and in some cases even a PhD!

7. Art therapist

Art therapists are employed by schools, hospitals, senior living facilities and agencies to help improve the wellbeing of those suffering from mental illness or personal challenges, through creative process and art. Salaries range between $30,400 and $58,500 in the US, depending location and experience. A master’s degree in art therapy, psychology, counseling or social work is required, as well as work experience or internships.

8. Economist

Earning high salaries, ranging between $41,600 and $127,200 in the US, economists advise businesses, banks and governmental bodies on different aspects of economics, including tax rates, health stats, energy and trade. Most economists need an MSc or PhD, as very few entry-level jobs are available for applicants with only an undergraduate qualification.

9. Epidemiologist

Epidemiologists study diseases within certain populations for governmental bodies, international organizations and private companies, analyzing causes of outbreaks and outlining preventative measures. Earning on average between $42,800 and $99,100 in the US, epidemiologists are generally office-based, though international travel is sometimes expected. To work in this field, you’ll need master’s degree in epidemiology or a related subject such as biological sciences, biomedical sciences or mathematics.

10. Archivist

Acquiring, digitizing, managing and maintaining materials with strong historical value, archivists liaise with donors, evaluate records for preservation, and catalogue collections. At a senior level, they manage staff and budgets and devise strategy. Salaries average between $30,300 and $65,700 in the US, with excellent job satisfaction for those with a passion for preserving and exploring the past. To work in this field, you would need a postgraduate qualification in archiving. You can transfer to the field from most undergraduate degrees, provided you earn a good classification.

Ready to enroll in grad school? Meet leading universities from around the world at the QS World Grad School Tour – coming soon to a city near you. This is a chance to discuss your options in person, attend free seminars, and find out about exclusive funding opportunities.

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.

There has been a major crackdown on the sale of fake degrees in the UK, the BBC reports. More than 40 fraudulent websites have been shut down for selling authentic-looking degree certificates supposedly from real UK universities, along with some providers of distance learning courses lacking UK accreditation.

The UK government announced its intention to prosecute and take down fake degree websites back in June 2015, while in 2014 a BBC Radio Kent investigation discovered that fake University of Kent degree certificates were being sold online in China for £500 apiece.

The fake degree websites in question may use the name of a real UK university, or a similar-sounding version – for example, ‘Stafford University’, based on the real Staffordshire University. Other fake degree providers have included ‘Cambridgeshire University’ and ‘Wolverhamton University’ (missing the ‘p’ in the real provider’s name). Fake degree certificates using the University of Manchester brand have also been spotted on auction website eBay.

The UK agency set up to investigate the issue, the Higher Education Degree Datacheck (Hedd) has had reports of over 90 bogus websites. Higher education services director Jayne Rowley commented that September 2016 was their busiest month so far in the shutdown of fraudulent websites both in the UK and overseas.

In the UK, institutions cannot legally call themselves a university unless they’re entitled to do so with an order from the Secretary of State, and it is a breach of trademark laws to trade on a real university’s good name. Potentially illegal activity in the UK, which tends to be in the form of individuals running operations from home, is reported to trading standards or the police. Overseas operations – including some which are highly sophisticated – are reported to the relevant authority in that country.

Ms Rowley has also expressed concerns about recent graduates sharing images of themselves with their genuine degree certificates on social media. She called for graduates to avoid doing so, telling The Telegraph: “This plays into the hands of fraudsters. If someone wants to copy the certificate, they will be able to tell what color the certificate is, what it looks like, the Vice Chancellor’s signature and so on.”

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.