International student funding not keeping pace with growth in enrolments

The number of awards and financial supports available to international students studying in Canada is not keeping pace with growing enrolments, writes Simona Chiose for the Globe and Mail. As many Canadian schools report record numbers of international students for the coming year, Chiose notes that a “vast majority" of Canadian research-intensive universities do not receive any public funding for international students, be they graduate or undergraduate. While some attempts have been made to provide more money to these students, such attempts are reportedly not keeping pace with a significant growth in international student numbers in recent years. “Much as it is exhilarating to see the growth in demand, it is disconcerting, because if it does not come with additional money, we are going to frustrate a larger number of students,” says Britta Baron, the associate vice-president, international, at the University of Alberta. Globe and Mail