When choosing between a college offer and a university offer for the same type of program (in this case, a 2-year Post-Graduate Certificate in Project Management), group members weighed in on a few factors:
- Institution type and ROI: A university-affiliated program was seen as a stronger proposition for return on investment and standing in the Canadian job market compared to a college program, all else equal.
- Study permit approval odds: There's a commonly held view among applicants that university offers are perceived more favourably by visa officers than college offers, though this isn't an official IRCC policy — it reflects applicant experience rather than a published rule.
- Practical factors to weigh yourself: location (proximity to major job markets), part-time work opportunities near campus, and the specific program's co-op or work-integrated learning options, since these vary a lot between institutions even within the same field.
Treat 'university offers get approved more easily' as anecdotal rather than guaranteed — your SOP, financial documentation, and overall profile strength matter more than the institution type alone.