International Student STORIES: Global Flows of Education, Labour & Dreams
STORY 2 (Thriving Beyond Borders by Bolu) – Moving from home countries to host countries, settling down from coast to coast; here, we offer Stories from International Students in Canada. These are students’ voices and may echo your own experience. Even though they may not be known personally (names are protected for privacy), we invite you to hear: why they chose Canada to study, how they have worked to build new lives here, the ways in which they contribute and make a difference both at home and here, and significantly, how their lives cross paths with Jesus Christ.
Bolu is from Nigeria. She completed a dual master’s degree in forestry in Bangor University, United Kingdom and Vancouver, Canada. Despite the financial burden and adjustments to a new city and graduate studies program, Bolu has grown patience and confidence in God, and made meaningful connections in her faith and research communities, as a graduate student in Forestry at UBC now. We invite you to hear her story of thriving in Canada instead of just surviving.
STORY 2 – Thriving Beyond Borders: Lessons from My Journey as an International Student in Canada by Bolu
Leaving home and living afar from family & friends
Have you ever made a life-changing decision without knowing exactly what lay ahead but you still chose to move forward because, deep within, you knew it was the right step? Coming to Canada was that moment for me. Guided by faith and a deep sense of purpose, I followed God’s lead to study at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver. Since I was pursuing a dual forestry master’s degree, my journey first began when I left my home country, Nigeria, to start a master’s degree in Environmental Forestry at Bangor University in the United Kingdom. Later, I had to complete this degree at UBC in Canada. In retrospect, each step in this journey felt both daunting and necessary, due to my desire of learning to become a well-equipped academic who could make a meaningful impact in the lives of young people.
Leaving home was not easy—though that was not the hardest part. I remember sitting on the plane, tears streaming down my cheeks, realizing I was stepping into the unknown without the physical presence of my family, close friends, or the familiar landscapes I had always known. It was a time I truly understood what it meant to trust God completely and to move forward in faith. Even from afar, I felt the massive support of my family despite the challenge of working around the huge nine-hour gap in time zones. To be honest, leaving home has strained some existing friendships but also opened up opportunities for new ones.
Burden on the shoulders: Finance, Permanent Stay, Intensive Studies, Colder Climate
One of the greatest challenges of studying in Canada is the financial burden. For international students, tuition fees are nearly double those paid by domestic students for the same program. This amounts to approximately CAD $10,000 per year for an international graduate student in Forestry. In my case, I was grateful to have received a scholarship to study at UBC but was not exempted from compulsory student fees or the high costs of living in Vancouver such as rent, health insurance, and other essential expenses. Vancouver’s rental market is particularly expensive, and I was required to budget $1,200 per month for housing alone, as I lived in a shared 4-bedroom apartment on campus. I relied mostly on family support and on my part-time work as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and Exam Invigilator to pay bills. My parents’ professional incomes in Nigeria, my father as a pastor and my mother as a director of financial accounting, enabled them to support me, while I also worked to cover expenses. There had been moments when finances felt overwhelming, but I had to trust that provision would come.
Moving to Canada also stirred the question of permanency. I began to explore several government permanent residency pathways relevant to my field of study and work experience, especially since being an ‘A student’ with domestic status can widen opportunities to additional bursaries and scholarships. However, frequent changes in government immigration policies – particularly the reduced yearly targets for permanent residency -added layers of uncertainty. Despite my Canadian education and work experience, I faced longer waiting times than expected that made the process more challenging than I had anticipated. Balancing these concerns with my studies was difficult, but I learnt patience and resilience.
At the same time, I feel a strong calling to settle down and build a life in Canada, which motivates me to keep persevering. Yet, I would love to travel for leisure , to explore different cultures, to connect with diverse communities, and to meet new people. I am learning to embrace Canada as my home, and this has guided me in seeking opportunities that will help me gain stability. Most recently, I am taking the next step in my academic journey by continuing graduate studies in Forestry at UBC through a PhD program.
The academic environment in Canada is very rigorous and demanding. Pursuing a degree in a Canadian university is different from my previous undergraduate and ‘abroad education’ experiences. Research is more in-depth, coursework is more intensive, teaching methods are more reflective, and then all the required assignments and essays! While my prior studies in the UK helped me adjust more quickly, there were still moments of self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy. Over time, I have learned to navigate these pressures and grow in confidence as a scholar.
Beyond academics, mental stress, housing insecurity, coping with the food and weather were major hurdles I had to overcome since arriving here. Coming from a country where warmth and sunshine are the norm, adjusting to Vancouver’s colder climate was both a physical and mental shift. While I had not fully learned Canadian ways, I was not isolated for long. Early in my studies, I made meaningful connections on campus that made Canada feel less like a strange place I had to survive, and more like a place where I could truly live and thrive.
Growing and making meaningful connections through Christ and on campus
One of these connections grew into a lifelong friendship that introduced me to the graduate student arm of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF). From the moment I joined this group, I felt genuinely welcomed and supported. Being a part of a faith-based community made up of both International and Canadian graduate students – people who were pursuing graduate studies while also seeking the Lord on campus was deeply grounding for me. InterVarsity hosted weekly events like bible studies + shared meals, guest speaker events, retreats, and socials which created space for me to build meaningful relationships across cultures and experiences. This community also gave me opportunities to serve, using my gifts and abilities, and to grow in responsibility towards God and others. I found not only belonging, but also alignment of purpose.
I’ve also been incredibly blessed to work with a remarkable professor and supportive colleagues at the RISE (Resilient & Innovative Societies & Ecosystems) Lab in the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship at UBC. Each and everyone of them has enriched my academic journey in Canada. Beyond the academic space, my partner and family have been constant sources of love, prayer, and reassurance, supporting me in every way they could. Maintaining a long-distance relationship with my partner, now my husband, while studying in Canada added an extra layer of responsibility and commitment but I also had a sense of home even though we were living on separate continents.
Thriving and moving forward by Faith
My faith has been my anchor throughout this journey. Indeed, it was the beginning of the journey itself. I have learned to trust time and again that God’s plans are greater than the most difficult seasons, and that He can lead me toward the place He has prepared for me, no matter how uncertain the path may seem. In moments of doubt and exhaustion, God’s words in the Bible and my time in prayers have grounded me and renewed my courage. My church community at the University Chapel, along with my online church family from Nigeria, have also played a vital role in sustaining my faith during this transition, through worship, prayers, teachings, and constant support.
Looking ahead, I hope to continue working at the intersection of urban forestry, research, and human wellbeing while using evidence, community knowledge, and lived experience to help shape healthier, more inclusive cities. I aspire to work as a lecturer, guiding future urban forestry professionals, whether my work unfolds in Canada or beyond its borders.
My journey as an international student in Canada has shaped not only my academic goals but also the person I’m becoming in terms of resilience, excellence, relationships, and being more intentional about impact-making. I share my story in the hope that it helps others understand the realities of international students in Canada and opportunities available in both academic and non-academic circles to live and thrive, not just survive.
Ready to learn & talk more about it?
Join GSC’s Webinar – ‘International Student STORIES’
Tuesday, March 24, 2026 @ 7 – 8 pm EDT
We’re looking to discuss biographical patterns, the industry of international student education, and focus attention on ways to make these global exchanges better. JOIN THE CONVERSATION.