Centennial College and Air Canada signed an agreement on Monday to smooth the pathway to Canada for South Korean students who wish to study at Toronto’s Centennial College. The Canadian college is a designated learning institution, meaning it can host international students, with an approved COVID-19 readiness plan. Students can enroll in online or hybrid programs and can travel to Canada with study permit approval and the college’s support.

The partnership with Air Canada -- Canada’s largest domestic and international airline, serving more than 210 airports on six continents -- will significantly help travelers who possess acceptance letters from Centennial College. Many airlines require letters from institutions for students to arrange flights, and the agreement between Centennial College and Air Canada facilitates the flight booking process. Promotional rates will enhance access to affordable flights to Canada.

“We are delighted to have negotiated this agreement that has the interests of our students at heart,” says Craig Stephenson, president and CEO of Centennial College. “Reducing barriers to booking a flight to Canada during a tough time for international travel, while offering promotional rates, are just two of the benefits that this partnership brings to South Korean students beginning their learning journey with us.”

Korea is the No. 3 sending country for international students in Canada. In the past three years, Centennial has welcomed more than 3,767 Korean students to study in postsecondary, postgraduate and English language learning programs at Centennial’s five campuses in Toronto.

Programs such as COVID Safe Canada and headSTART have streamlined the journey to Canada without compromising safety or engagement. The COVID Safe Canada program is an evolution of the Airport Welcome initiative, which Centennial College continues to lead. It provides 24/7 remote assistance to new and returning international students studying in Canada, including sharing expert advice from public health care authorities and making arriving international students aware of their legal obligations under the Quarantine Act.

Centennial College is the oldest public college in Toronto and the province of Ontario. It offers more than 200 flexible online and hybrid program options available to international students. Hybrid programs provide a mix of online courses and lab instruction to practice skills, such as aviation and avionics maintenance. International students can apply for winter 2021, summer 2021 and fall 2021 program starts.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)