I was researching how to study in Canada from Nigeria when a Durham College ad appeared on Instagram. I clicked it, researched the school and started a journey that eventually brought me to Canada.
I Found Durham College Through an Instagram Ad — Here’s What Happened Next
I did not find Durham College through an education agent.
Nobody sat me down and said, “Sandra, this is the school you should apply to.”
I found it on Instagram.
It sounds like such a small thing now, but when I look back at my journey from Nigeria to Canada, that ordinary Instagram advertisement became one of the moments that moved everything forward.
At the time, I was already thinking seriously about going back to school and relocating abroad. I had finished my degree, I was married, had a child and was running businesses in Nigeria.
I knew I wanted something different for the next stage of my life, but I was still researching.
Then Durham College appeared on my screen.
And I clicked.
I Was Already Looking for a Way to Further My Education
The Instagram advertisement did not suddenly create the idea of studying abroad.
That idea was already in my mind.
I wanted to further my education, and part of that desire came from my own life experience.
I had experienced anxiety and had received professional support in Nigeria. That experience made me interested in understanding more about mental health, stress, anxiety and the things people sometimes go through without even knowing how to explain them.
I wanted more knowledge.
I also wanted proper education and qualifications behind that knowledge.
At the same time, I was considering relocation more broadly. Canada was one of the countries I was looking at, but I had also thought about places such as Australia, Finland, Luxembourg, Mexico and China.
So when the Durham College advert appeared, I was already in that stage where I was paying attention to anything connected to studying abroad.
What Made Me Click the Durham College Ad?
There was no dramatic reason.
I saw the advertisement and became curious.
Sometimes when you are already thinking deeply about something, you notice information that you may have ignored six months earlier.
That was how it felt for me.
I clicked on the advertisement and started looking through Durham College’s website.
This was when the idea of studying in Canada started becoming less abstract.
Before that, Canada was a country I was considering.
Now I had an actual school in front of me.
I could see programs.
I could read information.
I could see an application process.
There was finally something practical I could do.
The Website Made the Process Feel Possible
One thing I remember very clearly about my experience with Durham College was how straightforward I found the information.
I could go to the website and look for what I needed.
That was important to me because international education can sound very complicated when you are sitting in Nigeria and trying to figure everything out for the first time.
You hear about admission agents.
You hear about visa agents.
You hear about documents.
IELTS.
Tuition.
Study permits.
Proof of funds.
Everything can start sounding like something only an expert can understand.
But when I started reading the school information myself, I thought, “Okay, I can actually do this.”
That feeling mattered.
I Did Not Immediately Run to an Education Agent
Because the school information made sense to me, I worked through the college application myself.
I also used ChatGPT to help me when I needed assistance understanding or working through parts of the process.
That is different from saying nobody should ever use an education consultant.
Some people genuinely need help.
Some applications are more complicated than others.
But one thing my own experience taught me is that you should not automatically assume you cannot understand an application simply because you are applying to a school abroad.
Read first.
Go to the official school website.
See what information is available.
Understand what you are applying for.
Then decide where you actually need help.
Later in my journey, a relative helped me with the visa side of my Canada process.
But the school application itself was something I was comfortable working through on my own.
Researching for Yourself Changes the Way You Approach Relocation
I think this was one of the useful habits I developed early in my relocation journey.
I researched.
Before applying, I had already discovered through my research that English-language requirements were something I needed to look into, and IELTS became part of my own journey.
I eventually travelled to Port Harcourt to write IELTS.
It was my first time visiting Port Harcourt.
So even before I ever got on an international flight, the relocation process was already pushing me to do things I had never done before.
Researching.
Travelling somewhere unfamiliar.
Booking accommodation.
Finding my way around a new city.
Taking an important examination.
Applying to a foreign school.
When people see the final picture of someone living abroad, they often do not see all those small steps that happened first.
Finding a School Is Different From Choosing a School
This is something I understand better now.
An Instagram advertisement can introduce you to a school.
That does not mean you should immediately pay money.
Finding a school should be the beginning of your research.
You still need to ask whether the program actually fits what you want to do.
You need to look at admission requirements.
You need to understand tuition.
You need to consider the city and location.
You need to understand what your life may look like while studying.
And if you are an international student, you also have to separate school admission from immigration approval.
Getting admitted to a Canadian college does not automatically mean Canada will issue you a study permit.
Those are separate processes.
That distinction later became very real for me because I received school admission but still had to wait for my visa, eventually missing my original September intake.
One Instagram Ad Became a Real Plan
What I like about this part of my story is how ordinary it started.
I was not attending an international education fair.
I did not have some big relocation meeting.
I was simply online.
I saw Durham College.
I clicked.
I researched.
Then I started taking action.
That action eventually led to IELTS, a school application, admission, the visa process, a delayed intake, a deferral and finally travelling to Canada.
Looking back, I can see how one small decision connected to another.
But at the time, I was simply trying to figure out the next step.
If You Find a Canadian College on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok, Do This First
Social media is useful for discovering opportunities.
I know that personally because Instagram introduced me to the school I eventually attended.
But social media should not be where your research ends.
If you see a Canadian college, university, immigration program or scholarship on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or YouTube, go to the institution’s official website yourself.
Make sure the school actually exists.
Check the exact program.
Read the admission requirements.
Look for international student information.
Check the fees.
And make sure you understand who you are actually paying.
Today, Durham College has a dedicated international admissions section explaining its application process, required documents and applicant portal. Anyone applying now should use the college’s current information because procedures can change over time.
That is the difference between discovering something online and verifying it properly.
Would I Still Click That Advertisement Today?
Yes.
Not because every Instagram advertisement deserves your trust.
Definitely not.
I would click because clicking costs nothing.
Then I would research.
That is exactly what I did.
The lesson I took from the experience is not “apply to every school that appears on Instagram.”
It is this:
Sometimes an opportunity will appear somewhere you were not expecting it.
Be curious enough to investigate it, but careful enough to verify it.
Questions People May Ask About How I Found Durham College
How did I find Durham College from Nigeria?
I first discovered Durham College through an Instagram advertisement while I was already researching further education and relocation.
Did an agent recommend Durham College to me?
No. I discovered the school myself online.
Did I apply to Durham College myself?
Yes. I found the school application process straightforward enough to work through myself, with ChatGPT helping me when I needed assistance.
Did I use an agent at any point?
A relative later helped me with the Canadian visa side of my journey. That was separate from applying to the school.
Did finding Durham College mean I was automatically able to move to Canada?
No. School admission and Canadian immigration approval are separate. My visa process came later, and the timing eventually caused me to miss my intended September intake.
What I Want You to Remember
If you are searching online for how to find a college in Canada from Nigeria, do not feel that every opportunity has to come through an agent.
Sometimes you may discover a school through Instagram.
Sometimes Google may take you there.
Sometimes a friend may mention it.
Sometimes you may ask ChatGPT for schools to research.
What matters is what you do after discovering it.
Go to the official website.
Read for yourself.
Ask questions.
Verify the information.
Understand the program.
Then make your decision.
For me, clicking one Instagram advertisement did not move me to Canada.
But it gave me the next step.
And sometimes, when you are planning something as big as relocation, the next step is exactly what you need.
