What are the Top Universities in Canada?

Canada is today the fourth most preferred country for foreign nationals who want to study at any level. That's because many Canadian educational institutions rank steadily among the best in the world, providing top-quality degrees and research opportunities.

If you wonder which university in Canada is the best for you, let’s take a quick look at the higher learning institutions considered the best in the country overall!

Why study in Canada: The 10 best reasons and how to start

Top 10 universities in Canada

The QS World University Rankings evaluate educational institutions based on various significant criteria, like academic reputation, employer reputation, international students enrolled, research activity, etc. The following Canadian universities have made the top 300 out of almost 1500 institutions worldwide.

McGill University

McGill University is a public English-language school based in Montreal, Quebec — one of the world's top 20 QS Best Student Cities. It's one of Canada's most ethnically diverse universities, with over 30% of its student body being foreign nationals from over 150 countries.

McGill offers hundreds of academic programs (bachelor's, master's, and PhDs) in all fields of study across its ten faculties. The average tuition fee for international students is CAD 35,000, but scholarships are available. The university's graduates are highly sought after by employers worldwide — 95% of engineering graduates are employed within two years.

The University of Toronto

The University of Toronto is a public English-language institution located on three different campuses in and around Toronto, Ontario. It's one of the oldest schools of higher education in Canada and one of the world's top research-oriented Universities.

U of T's seven colleges welcome many international students from over 170 countries, who currently comprise almost 1/3 of the school's student body. They are primarily undergraduates studying in one of the university's 700+ programs on a tuition fee between CAD 39,500 and 62,000. UToronto offers guaranteed accommodation to all first-year students.

The University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia is a public English-language school based in Vancouver and Kelowna, British Columbia. It has 19 faculties between its two campuses offering several undergraduate and postgraduate programs to Canadians and foreign nationals, the latter representing almost 20% of all enrollments.

Tuition fees for undergraduates outside Canada range from CAD 34,000 to 41,000. Proud of its inclusive policies, UBC offers international students with inadequate English language credentials the opportunity to acquire them on campus through a unique academic transition program.

The University of Alberta

The University of Alberta is a public English and French-language institution based in Edmonton, Alberta. With five campuses, three colleges, and 17 faculties, the school offers more than 400 educational programs that cover all academic fields.

The average tuition for international students is CAD 30,000 (one of the lowest among top schools). Also, U of A is a leading provider of scholarship and funding opportunities for foreign nationals. As a research-intensive establishment, the U of Alberta is home to Canada's National Institute for Nanotechnology and the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology.

The University of Montreal

The University of Montreal is a public French-language school based in Montreal, Quebec, a city renowned for being multicultural, safe, and affordable. Although French is the primary language, some programs are also available in English.

Spread over multiple campuses across the Montreal urban area, the university's 13 faculties and two affiliated schools (dedicated to engineering and business, respectively) enroll many international students annually in their 650+ programs. The average tuition fee for foreign undergraduates is CAD 25.000, but scholarships are offered through private and public funds.

McMaster University

McMaster University is a public English-language institution based in Hamilton, Ontario. Its academic structure is comprised of six main divisions: engineering, health sciences, humanities, science, social sciences, and the DeGroote School of Business.

There, students from all over the world can reap the benefits of McMaster's ground-breaking approach to higher learning, described as student-centered, problem-based, and interdisciplinary. The tuition fees for international students range from CAD 31,500 to 37,000. McMaster is a pioneering research hub, having its own on-campus nuclear reactor since 1959.

The University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo is a public English-language school based in Waterloo, Ontario. Organized into six faculties containing 13 schools that cover a broad range of academic disciplines, Waterloo hosts a large number of foreign nationals (on tuition fees between CAD 31,500 and 42,500) who wish to benefit from its career-oriented educational approach.

The university offers the world's most extensive cooperative education (co-op) program with over 20,000 undergraduate participants. In addition, Waterloo operates the world's largest free-of-charge startup incubator for student entrepreneurs.

Western University

The University of Western Ontario (or Western University) is a public English-language institution based in London, Ontario. Located next to the Thames River, the Western campus is often referred to as the most beautiful in all of Canada.

Foreign nationals looking to study in one of the school's 11 faculties are welcomed by the vibrant, warm, and safe urban environment that is the city of London. The standard tuition fees for international students are between CAD 32,000 and 36,000. Scholarships are also available, as Western is known to spend CAD 25 million annually for financial assistance to Canadians and non-Canadians.

The University of Ottawa

The University of Ottawa is a bilingual public school based in Ottawa, Ontario — the largest French and English-language educational institution worldwide. At U of O's ten faculties, students from all over the globe can study in any of its 550+ programs in either French or English, according to their proficiency or native tongue (they don't have to be bilingual).

The average tuition fees for international students are CAD 36,000. To provide students with a direct pathway to the job market, the university offers an extensive cooperative (co-op) education program, allowing undergraduates to work in their field while studying.

The University of Calgary

The University of Calgary is a public English-language institution based in Calgary, Alberta — the sunniest and most youthful major city in Canada. Across its four campuses and 14 faculties, domestic and international students can choose their preferred studies from over 250 programs (there is an additional campus in Doha, Qatar, focusing on nursing studies).

Currently, UCalgary offers the most affordable tuition costs for foreign nationals, with an average fee of CAD 22,000. Also, a vibrant research environment and exceptional career prospects with a 94.1% graduate employment rate (80.4% in their discipline).

These outstanding educational institutions have rich historical backgrounds and solid academic foundations, which they strive to honor and preserve in every possible way. Canadian universities, with their state-of-the-art research facilities, are hotbeds of well-funded, cutting-edge research projects.
Hence, Canada is one of the best places to pursue postgraduate studies in all academic fields.

What are the top universities in Canada for master's

Whether you finish your first degree in Canada or not, getting a master's from a Canadian university is an excellent choice. Canada is home to some of the best academic programs globally that lead straight to the job market through internships, co-op programs, etc.

As expected, the top-ranked universities in Canada offer several master's degrees across all fields.

At the University of Toronto, you can choose from over 280 postgraduate programs, most of which are in the areas of Arts and Humanities, Life Sciences and Medicine, and Social Sciences and Management.

Likewise, McGill University, a staple with international candidates and the top medical school in Canada, offers more than 400 postgraduate options in all its ten faculties. Over 250 master's and MBA degrees are available at the University of British Columbia, which funds over 8,000 research projects each year.

Of course, among the top universities in Canada, some outperform others in a particular field of study or discipline. So, let's take a look at the top performers in four popular studies.

The top universities in Canada for computer science studies

Always on the edge of progress, Canadian universities have developed high-quality academic programs for youngsters who want to study computer science. According to the latest QS ratings, the top five Canadian institutions for aspiring computer scientists are:

• The University of Toronto
• The University of British Columbia
• The University of Waterloo
• McGill University
• The University of Montreal

The top universities in Canada for MBA studies

Canadian universities offer some of the best MBA programs for international students to expand their professional scope and career prospects. According to the latest QS ratings, the top five Canadian institutions for future MBA holders are:

• Rotman School of Management, Toronto
• Smith MBA at Queen's University, Kingston
• Ivey Business School, London
• Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University, Montreal
• Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto

The top universities in Canada for engineering studies

Engineering is among the most popular fields of study in Canadian universities, and engineering graduates are steadily among the most employable. According to the latest QS ratings, the top five engineering programs in Canada are offered at:

• The University of Toronto
• The University of British Columbia
• The University of Waterloo
• McGill University
• The University of Montreal

The top universities in Canada for business studies

Canadian schools offer cutting-edge business training at every level for students that want a degree unlocking vast career opportunities across all industries. According to the latest QS ratings, the top five institutions in Canada for business hopefuls are:

• The University of Toronto
• The University of British Columbia
• McGill University
• Western University
• The University of Montreal

So, does Canada look like a great place to study and launch a career or what? Now that you know which universities are the best in the Land of the Maple Leaf, all you have to do is choose your studies and find the best program for your needs.