Questions about degree and commitment (British/Canadian citizen)

[I dont know]

Hey guys,

This is my first post, so here I go....

I am from the UK (as well as my mother) so I am obviously a citizen of the UK and live here. I also have Canadian citizenship from my Quebecois father

I am currently doing my A-levels (which is equivalent to CEGEP). It has always been my dream to become a pilot as I love flying, travelling and come from an aviation-blooded family. It has also been my dream to serve in the Canadian Forces as a pilot.

I would like to get a degree in possibly Pharmacy or Law (I would prefer to do the Law degree here in the UK). I would like to join the Canadian Forces as soon as possible as well become a pilot as soon as possible for the Canadian Forces. However, I am stuck on which route to take..... I therefore hope you lot can give me some opionions, ideas and suggestions (without the cheekiness)

Should I do a Law degree or Pharmacy degree? Also, which country should I do it in?

If I decide to go through the ROTP programme, I will need to do 2 years of CEGEP and a 4 year Pharmacy degree. Will the CF fund this?

How long is the commitment time for pilots when enrolled in the ROTP route? I heard its 12 years from the date of enrolment; So does that mean if I join the CF through the rotp route at the age of 20, I am eligible to leave at the age of 32 should I decide to? I also hope you can tell me the commitment time through the DEO route.

Should I decide to leave the CF and get a job with British Airways; will my flying experience count from the CF?

How difficult is it to be based on aircraft (preferably transport like the A310) after all, it has been my dream to serve the CF as a pilot flying multi-engine aircraft

How difficult are the sciences in CEGEP?

Also, do you recommend I go through the ROTP or DEO programme?

Thanks!

 

[Pusser]

Im not a recruiter or a pilot, but based on my recent discussions with friends who are recruiters, specifically in reference to my son's aspirations to also get into pharmacy, I can offer the following:

1)  You need to confirm your citizenship.  Don't simply assume that because your father is from Quebec, that you automatically have Canadian citizenship.  Contact the High Commission in London.

2)  CEGEP is not university.  It is a junior college type of program that bridges the gap between the Quebec school system (which is shorter than those of other provinces) and university.

3)  I'm not sure if ROTP covers CEGEP.  Military college candidates from Quebec will do an extra (i.e. "Prep") year at the college (often at CMR St-Jean), but I 've never heard of someone being subsidized for civilian CEGEP.

4)  ROTP will not fund you to go to school in the UK (must be at an accredited Canadian institution).

5)  ROTP will not fund you in a Pharmacy program, unless you are enrolled as a Pharmacy Officer (i.e. you can't become a pilot if the CF pays for your pharmacy degree). 

6)  Same as above for a law degree.  Keep also in mind that Law is a post-graduate program and ROTP only covers undergraduate degrees.  The CF has offered the Legal Officer Training Program in the past (i.e. funds a law school student and then commissions him/her as a Legal Officer), but historically this has not been offered every year and I don't know whether it's being offered now.  Again, you would have to be accepted to an accredited Canadian Law school to even be considered for this one.

7)  Talk to a recruiter ASAP

 

[The_Falcon]

Not to mention the whole background security checks that would take possible up to a year to compete.

Your first step is to confirm citizenship status. 

 

[I dont know]

Im not a recruiter or a pilot, but based on my recent discussions with friends who are recruiters, specifically in reference to my son's aspirations to also get into pharmacy, I can offer the following:

1)  You need to confirm your citizenship.  Don't simply assume that because your father is from Quebec, that you automatically have Canadian citizenship.  Contact the High Commission in London.

2)  CEGEP is not university.  It is a junior college type of program that bridges the gap between the Quebec school system (which is shorter than those of other provinces) and university.

3)  I'm not sure if ROTP covers CEGEP.  Military college candidates from Quebec will do an extra (i.e. "Prep") year at the college (often at CMR St-Jean), but I 've never heard of someone being subsidized for civilian CEGEP.

4)  ROTP will not fund you to go to school in the UK (must be at an accredited Canadian institution).

5)  ROTP will not fund you in a Pharmacy program, unless you are enrolled as a Pharmacy Officer (i.e. you can't become a pilot if the CF pays for your pharmacy degree). 

6)  Same as above for a law degree.  Keep also in mind that Law is a post-graduate program and ROTP only covers undergraduate degrees.  The CF has offered the Legal Officer Training Program in the past (i.e. funds a law school student and then commissions him/her as a Legal Officer), but historically this has not been offered every year and I don't know whether it's being offered now.  Again, you would have to be accepted to an accredited Canadian Law school to even be considered for this one.

7)  Talk to a recruiter ASAP

Thanks for your detailed response mate.

As mentioned in the post, I HAVE Canadian citizenship as I said, my dad is from Quebec and I lived there for some time.

I know CEGEP is not University and is a college programme. But should I want to undertake a Science course at uni (which I was hoping to do pharmacy) I would have to study the Science subjects in CEGEP as my A levels (UK equivalent of CEGEP) are in English, Law and Psychology. I was also told my admissions at the RMC college of ST Jean, that I would have to do the Science based CEGEP subjects as I have no Science A-levels. I also know that the CF will not sponsor me for a UK degree

Why would they not sponsor someone who wants to be a pilot to get a degree of their choice? I was told they could... Plus, that kinda sucks if one cannot get a degree of their choice and get it sponsored. What degrees are they suppose to get?

I guess if that’s the case, I will just do my pharmacy degree here in the UK and then apply to the CF as a pilot.

In addition, here is an email I received from RMC: 

Good day,



You should familiarize yourself with this webpage:  http://www.rmc.ca/adm/nces-senc-eng.asp



You might also consult www.forces.ca and http://www.cmrsj-rmcsj.forces.gc.ca/index-eng.asp

and consider applying for the Prep Year which is conducted at the College militaire royal de St Jean and serves a preparatory year for university admission.  Given that you say you won’t have the GCE-A levels in Science and you want to complete a Science degree, then this may be a viable solution. 



Good luck.



RMCC Admissions

Anyways, I will deffo speak to a recruiter. Also, I will hopefully be in Montreal this summer (after 14 years!) so will visit a recruiting office. By the way, should I want a physical to see if I’m fit to join the CF, will I be able to have this done? is it done at the office?

(Responses from others will be greatly appreciated!)

 

[Loachman]

The medical will be done as part of the recruiting process.

Thank-you for doing your homework.

 

[KanD]

1. As  everyone else previously mentioned, contact a CFRC as they can answer all your specifics pertaining to your situation. Here are a few points from my side:

1. The CEGEP system is publicly funded (apart from your administrative and textbook fees). The normal two-year science program (and all other pre-university CEGEP programs; career programs are three years in length) are the equivalent to Canadian grade 12. Thus, within Quebec universities, anyone having gone through a CEGEP system (under normal circumstances) takes three years to complete a university program. For students that have not gone through the CEGEP system (again, under normal circumstances), university programs take four years to complete (as 'U-0' is considered your prep year;

2. If you decide to pursue your LLB (law degree) in QC, the following universities offer them: McGill University, Université de Montréal, Université du Québec à Montréal, Université Laval and Université de Sherbrooke. Entry into an LLB program is VERY competitive. You also need to have a MASTERY of the french language as you will have EXTENSIVE readings of legal documents in both english and french to do throughout your program. You may write your exams in either language (of preference);

3. If you decide to pursue your pharmacology degree in Quebec, the universities that offer those programs are McGill university, Université de Montréal, Université Laval and Université de Sherbrooke. McGill offers the program in english, the others you need to have a MASTERY of the french language. The entry into this program is again VERY competitive. You will need to have your three science subjects completed (at the CEGEP level) with high marks. Those units include three chemistry courses (general, solutions, organic), physics (waves, optics, mechanics), biology (general). Math is a must have (Calculus, 1, 2, and linear algebra);

4. If you decide to pursue your university degree outside of Canada (as I did), the CFRC will not even allow you to apply unless you can provide them proof of Canadian degree equivalency. Within Quebec, the only authorized body to do so is Immigration Quebec, through an 'Évaluation comparative des études effectuées hors du Québec'. My assessment took six months to complete and I completed my degree in Australia. Furthermore, if you decide to apply to the CF, an ERC (Enhanced Reliability Check) might be performed as you have been living outside of the country for more than six months. I am in that process right now and they have estimated anywhere between six weeks to 18 months until it's completion.

Don't take any of this as a given, I'm just sharing my experience as both the programs you listed were on my prospective study list and I went through the application process a while back.

You should really be talking to: Canadian High Commission, CFRC, your prospective CEGEPs/universities.
All the best mate!

Edit: clarification

 

[The_Falcon]

Furthermore, if you decide to apply to the CF, an ERC (Enhanced Reliability Check) might be performed as you have been living outside of the country for more than six months. I am in that process right now and they have estimated anywhere between six weeks to 18 months until it's completion.

Everyone is subject to an ERC, what you are thinking of is the Pre-Security Assessment.

 

[Disenchantedsailor]

My suggestion is to contact not just some random person at the high commission but to make an appointment with Canadian Defense Attache Staff, they can provide you with a rather solid answer to your questions, the current staff have seen quite a few foreign applications from commonwealth subjects as of late and have this process down fairly solid.

 

[KanD]

Everyone is subject to an ERC, what you are thinking of is the Pre-Security Assessment.

Thanks for the clarification 
Cheers,
Kan

 

[Pusser]

Why would they not sponsor someone who wants to be a pilot to get a degree of their choice? I was told they could... Plus, that kinda sucks if one cannot get a degree of their choice and get it sponsored. What degrees are they suppose to get?

For the most part that is true as pilot is one of those occupations where "any" degree will do.  Even getting an engineering degree under ROTP will not force you to become an engineer.  However, pharmacy may be a little different.  Keep in mind that tuition in a pharmacy program will cost more than regular arts or science degree.  Perhaps the CF wants a higher return on the higher cost?  Keep in mind that ROTP is not a social program designed to help people get an education.  It's an officer development program, which is used to create officers for the CF.