Information for Canadian Students
Canadian students bring great diversity to the Houghton campus. Approximately 30 Canadian students currently call Houghton their college home, with the provinces of Ontario, New Brunswick, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Manitoba being represented. Over 200 Houghton alumni currently reside in Canada. Houghton's president and several Houghton faculty members are Canadian, as well.
Any Questions?If you
have questions please feel free to contact Ryan Spear, our Admission Counselor for Canadian
students. |
Why choose Houghton?
In the United States, the term "College" is used synonymously with "University" so at Houghton College, students are able to receive 4-year bachelor degrees as they would at universities in Canada.
The main difference between Houghton College and a Canadian University, then, lies in our commitment to be a Christian Community focused on developing well-rounded, critical thinkers who are equipped to serve Christ in the world.
At Houghton College, we hold that spiritual growth and academic pursuits are not mutually exclusive.
Among our 40 programs and majors, Houghton College may be particularly appealing in the areas of Education, Pre-Med, and Pre-Law and Intercultural Studies. Majoring in Education at Houghton (through Inclusive Childhood Education or Adolescence Education) is analogous to how the "Concurrent Education" system works in Canada. Upon completion of the bachelor's degree at Houghton College, Canadian graduates are able to teach in Canada without needing to take extra course work or "Teachers' College." Provinces vary in their requirements, so it is advisable to stay up to date on what your particular province requires of its teachers.
The medical school placement rate for Houghton applicants is 86%. By comparison, the national average in the US is 50% and most schools consider 75% to be excellent. Canadian graduates through our Pre-Med program have gone on to medical schools throughout North America, including Dalhousie School of Medicine, McGill University, as well as University of Miami. Other medical schools attended by graduates through the Pre-Med program include Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University, Penn State, and many others.
Pre-Law at Houghton College serves as an umbrella under which many disciplines may fall. Those who have had success in law school have majored in such areas at Houghton College as History, Philosophy, Political Science, English, and/or Math. Students are paired with a faculty advisor who will assist them in choosing classes that will best prepare them to write the LSAT (entrance examination for those considering law school). Skills that are essential to do well in law school are the following: critical thinking (the ability to understand and analyze complex problems and issues) and communication (the ability to transfer information coherently by text and by speech). There is hardly a better place to grow in these areas than a liberal arts institution such as Houghton. Graduates have gone on to law school recently at Harvard University and Kent College of Law in Chicago as well as many others.
Intercultural Studies is one of the rapidly growing majors at Houghton College and covers TESOL, Foreign Languages, Missions, Development, Islamic Studies, and others. Students pursuing a major in Intercultural Studies have studied abroad in such locations as Morocco, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Spain, Australia, France, and Thailand. A degree in INCL Studies could lead to a career in a variety of disciples: translation (e.g. Wycliffe), teaching English as a second language, diplomacy, full-time missions, international politics, and working with NGOs. Intercultural Studies is often chosen as a double-major with other areas such as Business, Music, Education, and Biology. For instance, those doubling with Biology often have an interest in medical missions.
Visiting Houghton College
A place like Houghton College is best experienced in person. Visiting is a great way to discern if Houghton will be a good fit for you. Call our visit office toll-free at 800-777-2556, or consult our visit office web site for more details.
Approximate Driving Times to Houghton from Cities in Ontario
| City | Approx. driving time |
| Niagara Falls | 2 hours |
| St Catherine's | 2 1/4 hours |
| Toronto | 3 1/2 hours |
| London | 4 hours |
| Brockville | 4 1/2 hours |
| Ottawa | 6 hours |
Alumni Success
Canadian Graduate Schools attended by Houghton alumni
- Carleton University
- Dalhousie School of Medicine
- Laurentian University
- McGill University - Medical School
- Queen's University in Kingston
- University of British Colombia
- University of New Brunswick
- University of Ottawa
- University of Toronto
- University of Toronto - Law School
- University of Western Ontario
Crossing the Border
The thought of going to a different country for school can be an overwhelming one. Our Admission and Intercultural Programs Offices help dozens of students cross borders to study at Houghton each year.
All international students, including Canadians, are issued an I-20
student visa, as required by U.S. Immigration. Houghton will
handle the necessary paperwork and mail your I-20 the summer prior
to your enrollment. We are happy to address any concerns you
may have with crossing the border.
Canadian students are also able to work in an abundant array of
on-campus jobs while enrolled at Houghton.
Intercultural Student Programs Office (ISPO)
One resource that is available to all Canadian students is the Intercultural Student Programs Office (ISPO). The ISPO exists to help international students, MKs, and TCKs adjust to life at Houghton, as well as to provide cultural, social, educational, and spiritual programs for Houghton's intercultural population. While the differences between U.S. and Canadian culture are much smaller than other international cultural differences, there are still some cultural gaps to bridge. The ISPO aims to help Canadian students make a successful transition to living and studying in the U.S For more information contact Brian Webb at brian.webb@houghton.edu or visit the ISPO webpage.
