Student Profiles
Rahul Agarwal, India
Computer engineering major
Waterloo is definitely the best undergraduate engineering program in all of North America. It compares to all the Ivy League universities in the U.S. and is much cheaper compared to any of them. Also, the co-op program was a very big positive factor in my decision to choose Waterloo.
It can be pretty overwhelming in the beginning to come to a new country and a new university and meet so many people at once. You just need to give it some time for everything to settle in. Definitely visit the International Students Office with any questions if you ever feel lost. I found them really helpful.
New students should be ready for winter! I thought I was ready for it all fall season, but I realized I really wasn’t, once it hit in December. I would definitely suggest doing some shopping for winter clothes once in Canada. Also, university can be a lot of work, especially in engineering, and it might be difficult to cope with all the work in the beginning. The midterm season starts in no time at all and some big projects might be assigned in the first month itself.
The University of Waterloo is known for its multicultural campus. Although I was the only international student in my residence in first year, everyone was really friendly and supporting. I made some great friends and had an awesome time in first year enjoying dorm life. UW has been a pretty amazing experience for me so far and I would definitely recommend it for international students from all across the globe
Theodore Tjahjadi Surjo, Indonesia
I chose Waterloo because it is the top university for computer science and math, and also for the opportunity of co-op. Students who come to Waterloo will find out that they're not alone: there are lots of international students at Waterloo and there will be quite a few who come from the same country who will be willing to help new students to adjust.
New students should be ready for the change in environment and community in university compared to being in high school: you get more freedom, but also more responsibilities.
Students should also be ready for the extreme weather; it’s very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer.
My best experience was transferring from the regular program to the co-op program. Getting involved with activities around campus will help you to adjust, fill free time and make new friends.
Ishari Waduwra, Sri Lanka
I chose University of Waterloo because it has been one of the schools in Canada wanting to ‘globalize’ their campuses, with the belief that international students are ‘frequently the cream of the crop’.
UW also assists undergraduate and graduate students with scholarships that help with international students’ tuition fees. So I decided that this would be the university for me.
Unlike in Sri Lanka, full-time graduate students in Canada are given the opportunity to work as teaching and research assistants, which is advantageous in terms of getting experience and a reasonable income. In addition to the regular academic courses there are other professional courses also available. For instance, I’m currently enrolled in the Certificate of Undergraduate Teaching.
I am amazed at the level of high-quality research going on at my university. For research work here, there are plenty of funds available. The technology and availability of equipment is also very strong. The library, too, has an enormous amount of facilities for researchers. Studying in Canada is so much fun as all it needs is your interest and enthusiasm.
Siqi Zhu, China
“I chose Waterloo primarily because of the Maclean’s magazine ranking and also the co-op program. Also, I know a guy from my high school who is about to graduate this year from computer science at Waterloo. His recommendation led to my final decision to come here.
New students should expect a very neat study environment and a friendly and multicultural environment where you don't feel left out at all. Waterloo is by no means boring. People can still have fun. But the good thing is people don’t get judged on what brand of clothes they are wearing, which is the case, I think, at some other universities.
I really am enjoying my time at Waterloo. I have learned so much from the past two years in Canada as an international student. I’ve learned to live on my own and to make decisions on my own. I made great friends with people I met in residence first year, as well as with many people in my program.”
