Western Ivey vs. UK Unis

So short back story, I got into and am committed to Western Ivey, didn't apply to any other uni in Canada or the US that is anywhere close to consider. This cycle, I did not apply to UK Unis because they did not have a financial aid program I could leverage, and they cost a lot. Recently, joined a fellowship where they are offering 75-100% student aid (including tuition and board) if I go to oxbridge/LSE in September 2025. Based on the online stats alone I am qualified, but I wanted to get a sense of how these places compare to Ivey and if it would make sense to transfer? My ultimate goal is to do some years in MBB (would love NY, but would still be over the moon with Toronto or Montreal, or really most major cities, I am not picky) and pursue post-grad to then entrepreneurship. 

The thing is, Ivey is dirt cheap for me as a Canadian, I think my financial aid actually gives me more money than the cost of tuition + board because I have so many regional scholarships, and its close to family, plus no headache of having to think about visa issues as a student, and I like the idea of getting a dual degree, and the exploration at Western. Loved Western when I visited too. Other than "prestige", is there a tangible benefit to attending a top rated UK uni? Or am I better off in Western? The fellowship also allows me to convert that aid into a grant for a tech project I am working on, which I think would be a much better bet. 

5 Comments
 

If your goal is Canadian finance/consulting long term, go to Western. I don’t exactly know how the consulting landscape is in Canada as I worked in IB and from a diff school.

But if you want to ever work anywhere else in the world, you’d be crazy to not go to Oxbridge/LSE.

Local talent vs global talent. Branding will set you up for life. And sponsorship in the UK isn’t like the US. And from a top 50 uni, you can get your own work permit in the UK nowadays. 
You can go from Oxbridge to MBB in Toronto but can’t go to London MBB from Western.

 

I got in to Ivey and ultimately chose a UK uni (not oxbridge) because I wanted to work in the UK. If your goal is to work in Canada or NY I’d think Ivey is the way to go. Saying that, early in my career I did interview at MBB in the UK and met another Canadian at oxbridge who ended up getting a Canadian MBB offer and moving back to Toronto so if you chose a top tier school in the UK the option should still be there in Canada (just like any other place in the world if you have a top tier degree)

 

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