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Why Choose Centennial College
Why Choose Centennial College
As an international student, choosing Canada and Centennial College can become one of the most exciting, important and life-changing decisions you and your family will ever make.
To help you make an informed decision, this page explores five topics that are important to your international education experience and future career. Discover the benefits of choosing Centennial!
Centennial College works with your future employers to help pave your way through professional development, skills development and networking. Centennial has almost 800 Program Advisory Committee (PAC) member organizations, including Air Canada, IBM, Microsoft, Samsung, Facebook, Salesforce, Hospitals, Canadian Press, Globe and Mail, Mazda, Harley Davidson, Sun Life Financial Inc.
Canadian Colleges work very closely with business and industry to ensure programs are relevant to the changing workplace and to the needs of employers. Graduates of Centennial are job ready. More than 94 percent of employers hiring Centennial grads are satisfied or very satisfied with their hires. Centennial College has the best student and employer satisfaction rating in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), in 2016 and again in 2017! (According to the provincial Key Performance Indicator (KPI) surveys conducted with college students, graduates and their employers).
As a recognized Public College in Ontario, all programs meet strict educational standards set by The Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development in Ontario. Canada’s high academic standards and rigorous quality controls ensure high-quality education that is globally recognized and will benefit your career over the long term.
The value for High-Quality Education at Centennial is strong around the world. Our programs are cost-effective, shorter in duration, and most importantly are employment focused, compared to traditional research, theory and lecture focused programs offered in University. A two-year Ontario College Diploma, Advanced Diploma (Fast-Track), or Graduate Certificate program offers successful graduates the opportunity apply for a three-year Post-Graduation Work Permit, which is the maximum length available through Canada’s excellent work permit program for international students.
Our International students report high satisfaction, with Expertise of Faculty: 90.9%, Safety: 95.9%, and Campus Environment: 93.2%. (International Student Barometer Survey, Centennial College 2016).
Applied Work Experiences
Many Centennial programs offer Canadian work experience and provide eligibility for designations from Canadian professional associations. We offer internships and co-op work placements to help you gain essential skills and make connections needed to find a job. Internships are opportunities to learn by doing, consisting of on-the-job training with an employer and related class studies in college.
Applied Research and Innovation
Of the over 125 community colleges in Canada, Centennial ranked eighth in Canada for applied research activity in 2017. Centennial is third in Canada for the number of college students employed and paid for conducting applied research activities. In 2015, Centennial received first prize for Innovation in Applied Research in Canada from Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan).
Our Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Services (ARIES) department creates world-class opportunities for students to work on applied research projects funded through federal and provincial research grants, investment by industry partners and Centennial College. Paid research positions for students are available in fields such as sustainable energy, environmental sciences, wireless networking, animation and gaming, aviation and automation, health, digital media, hospitality and global citizenship and equity. Watch Video: Get involved with Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Services.
Applied Knowledge
Centennial students gain applied knowledge and learn to develop innovative solutions to the real world problems business face every day. For example, two Centennial teams from Computer Systems Technology – Networking and Bachelor of Information Technology - Computer and Communication Networks program won 1st and 2nd place in the Thales Innovation Championship at Ryerson University in November 2017. Centennial students won the Internet of Things (IoT) Cybersecurity challenge, earning a total of $30,000 in prize money!
An award winning Canadian Institution
For five consecutive years, Centennial College is the number one college choice for international students in Canada. Centennial received the 2016 Gold Medal for Internationalization Excellence from Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), and Centennial College President Ann Buller received the 2015 Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) President’s Award for Distinguished Leadership in International Education.
International Student Success
Centennial offers extensive services, programs, activities and opportunities to support the Personal, Academic and Professional Success of our international students. International students are achieving their goals at Centennial College, and leading the province in rates of successful graduation! An impressive 90.1% of our international students studying Graduate Certificate programs complete their program at Centennial College and graduate successfully. Watch Video: Inspirational Messages from Convocation 2017.
International Student Services and Support
Centennial offers dedicated International Student Services. International Student Advisors and Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCIC’s) on campus make it easy to get expert advice on all the topics that are important to international students. Centennial’s popular International Student Ambassador Program also helps support new international students. More than 300 International Student Ambassadors have volunteered to host events, information sessions, tours, trips and social activities that help welcome and engage new international and exchange students at Centennial. An enthusiastic team representing 20 countries connects newcomers with strong peer and community support.
Internationalization and Pathways
Internationalization is the key to our differentiated position within the post-secondary landscape in Canada. Through extensive partnership building, Centennial offers a global network of incoming and outgoing Pathways and credit transfer agreements with partner institutions: 398 international pathways and more than 600 Canadian pathways are established! Centennial’s academic programs and credentials are globally recognized, securing 367 Degree Pathways and 40 Master's Degree Pathways to pursue further study in University after graduation.
Global Experience Opportunities
Centennial College’s Global Experience Opportunities (GEO) offer funding and support for experiences abroad, including international internships, semester exchanges, faculty lead international programs, short-term service learning projects, language and culture learning, and international conferences and competitions. Follow Centennial students abroad: www.centennialglobalexperience.com
Global Citizenship and Equity Skills prepare you for career success!
Centennial’s Signature Learning Experience (SLE) integrates the principles of global citizenship, social justice and equity into a distinctive educational experience. The Centre for Global Citizenship, Education and Inclusion has worked with faculty to integrate Global Citizenship and Equity learning outcomes into the curriculum, specific to your program and industry. Through this unique academic experience, Centennial students learn to recognize diverse perspectives, gain a global mindset and greater self-awareness. Students develop highly valuable leadership skills like global citizenship, intercultural intelligence, personal and social responsibility, and strategic communication. In addition, the Leadership Passport program allows Centennial students to earn a Distinction in Leadership Credential that further enhances your employability
Has Global Citizenship and Equity learning helped prepare you for professional success? 77% of Centennial College students say YES! (GCEI Student Survey, 2016)