There are many reasons why Canada has become the destination of choice for international students. Many Canadian universities have a great reputation in international rankings and universities offer the opportunity to study in both French and English. Canada’s reputation as a warm and welcoming country that offers an easy path to permanent residency for international students who graduate here is also a draw. In fact, Canada is now the third-leading destination for international students (behind the U.S. and Australia).
In this article:
Here’s what you need to know about Canada’s best universities and their areas of study:
| Looking for more information on becoming an international student in Canada? Read How to apply for a Canadian student permit and learn more about Canada’s Student Direct Stream and how to fast-track your application for a Canadian student visa. |
Why choose to study in Canada
Many international students come to Canada to continue their education in a multicultural setting. Here are some highlights of what makes a post-secondary education in Canada world-class:
- Over 90 public universities offering 15,000 programs
- Home to 10 of the top 250 universities in the world, according to QS World University Rankings 2023
- Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver rank among the top 20 best student cities in the world, according to QS Best Student Cities 2023
- Leaders in global research and innovation
- Multicultural faculty, with 40 per cent of teaching faculty having at least one international degree
- Lower tuition fee compared to programs in the U.S. and U.K.
- International scholarships available to non-Canadians
- 95 per cent of international students would recommend Canada as a study destination, according to the Canadian Bureau for International Education’s International Student Survey.
Top 10 universities in Canada
Looking for the best Canadian universities for your chosen field? Read our in-depth articles to learn about the top universities in Canada for the following subjects:
|
With over 90 public universities across Canada, which institution do you apply to? Based on the rankings by QS World University Rankings 2023 and the World University Ranking by Times Higher Education, here are 10 of the best universities across Canada and what makes them stand out.
1. University of Toronto, Ontario
Founded in 1827, the University of Toronto (also referred to as UofT) is renowned as one of the world’s best research-intensive universities and renowned for its medicine program and historic buildings.
Overall Canada ranking (2023): #1
World University Ranking by Times Higher Education (2023): #18
University size: Three campuses, including Mississauga, St. George, and Scarborough. Students at the St. George campus are affiliated with one of seven colleges, a similar system to the University of Cambridge. Over 93,000 students were enrolled for the 2019-20 academic year.
Programs: Over 200 post graduate degree programs and more than 700 undergraduate degrees. UofT ranks among the top post secondary institutions in the world for its entrepreneurship.
Notable Alumni: Writers Margaret Attwood and Micheal Ondaatje, director Norman Jewison, and former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson.
2. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
The University of British Columbia (also referred to as UBC) is the province’s oldest university and has a reputation for being a global centre for research and teaching.
Overall Canada ranking (2023): #2
World University Ranking by Times Higher Education (2023): #40
University size: Two campuses, one in downtown Vancouver close to the beach, as well as Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley. UBC also has a Regional Office in Hong Kong and Liaison office in New Delhi, India, to facilitate teaching and research partnerships and support alumni. UBC has over 66,000 students, including more than 18,000 international students from 166 countries.
Programs: Over 40 undergraduate degrees, as well as post-graduate programs.
Notable Alumni: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and environmentalist David Suzuki. The university is also associated with eight Nobel prize winners, 65 Olympic medalists and over 70 Rhodes scholars.
3. McGill University, Montreal, Quebec
McGill University recently celebrated their 200th anniversary and is recognized as the only Canadian institution among the 26 top institutions represented in the World Economic Forum’s Global University Leaders Forum.
Overall Canada ranking (2023): #3
World University Ranking by Times Higher Education (2023): #46
University size: Three campuses, the main one is located on the base of the Mount Royal in downtown Montreal, as well as MacDonald campus and Gault Nature Reserve. Students come to McGill to study from over 150 countries around the world, making it an internationally diverse university and currently there are over 39,000 students enrolled.
Programs: The publicly funded university offers over 400 programs in more than 80 departments. McGill is also known for its excellent medicine program and was Canada’s first faculty of medicine, which was established in 1829.
Notable Alumni: Actor William Shatner, singer Grimes, and poet Leonard Cohen. The school also boasts 145 prestigious Rhodes scholars.
4. McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Founded in 1887, McMaster University is located in Hamilton, Ontario, close to downtown Toronto. The research-intensive university is world-renowned for its medical school, as well as faculties in engineering, humanities, and social science.
Overall Canada ranking (2023): #4
World University Ranking by Times Higher Education (2023): #85
University size: Four campuses, the main one is in Hamilton near the Royal Botanical Gardens, as well as Burlington, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Niagara. There are over 33,000 students enrolled, including international students from 120 countries.
Programs: McMaster offers programs in 25 different disciplines, from arts and science to engineering, medicine, computer science, midwifery, and more.
Notable Alumni: Comedian Eugene Levy, actress Cammy Chiang, and entrepreneur Michael Lee-Chin. McMaster has educated a number of Nobel laureates.
5. University of Montreal, Quebec
The University of Montreal (Université de Montréal) in Quebec is a francophone school known for its sports teams and graduates going on to become renowned leaders in business and scientific research.
Overall Canada ranking (2023): #5
World University Ranking by Times Higher Education (2023): #111
University size: The main campus is based on the north slope of Mount Royal in Montreal. It also has two affiliated schools – the Polytechnique Montreal and HEC Montreal (School of Business). There are over 67,500 students enrolled, including around 10,000 international students, making it the third most international university in Canada.
Programs: The university offers 600 programs, including undergraduate, post-graduate and doctorate. Programs are delivered in French and undergraduate students must meet the French admission requirements.
Notable Alumni: Former Governor General of Canada Michaëlle Jean, filmmaker Denys Arcand, and businessman Pierre Karl Péladeau.
6. University of Alberta
Founded in 1908, the University of Alberta (also known as UAlberta) is located in Edmonton, Alberta. Its original historic campus sits on the edge of the North Saskatchewan River valley and spans 50 blocks. The school is also known for its athletic excellence.
Overall Canada ranking (2023): #6
World University Ranking by Times Higher Education (2023): #118
University size: There are four university campuses in Edmonton, as well as one in Camrose, Alberta, making it the fifth largest university in Canada. There are currently over 38,00 students enrolled.
Programs: UAlberta offers over 200 undergraduate programs and more than 500 graduate programs across 18 faculties. It has over 800 teaching and research agreements with 50 countries.
Notable Alumni: Former Prime Minister Joe Clark, medical researcher Tak Wah Mak, and former Chief Justice of Canada Beverly McLachlin.
7. University of Ottawa, Ontario
The University of Ottawa (also known as UOttawa) is the largest bilingual university in the world and among Canada’s top 10 research universities. It is also known for its cooperative education programs.
Overall Canada ranking (2023): #7
World University Ranking by Times Higher Education (2023): #137
University size: UOttawa has three campuses. The main one is located in the Canadian capital within walking distance of Parliament Hill. There is also a campus in Toronto and another in Windsor, Ontario. There are over 37,000 undergraduate students and more than 7,000 graduate students in 10 areas of discipline.
Programs: The university offers a total of 500 undergraduate and graduate programs. It also offers a French Immersion Stream for students who wish to pursue part of their studies in French.
Notable Alumni: Comedian Samatha Bee, lawyer Louise Arbour, and politician Rahim Jaffer.
8. University of Calgary, Alberta
The University of Calgary (also known as UCalgary) was founded in 1966 and is one of Canada’s top research universities. Located in the province of Alberta, the school’s vision is to be a global intellectual hub and recognized as one of the country’s top five research universities.
Overall Canada ranking (2023): #8
World University Ranking by Times Higher Education (2023): #201-250
University size: There are five campuses: Main, Downtown, Foothills, Spyhill and Qatar. The main campus covers more than 200 hectares and offers views of the Rocky Mountains. There are currently more than 33,000 students, including approximately 26,000 undergraduates and more than 6,000 graduate students.
Programs: University of Calgary offers over 160 degrees and more than 250 programs across 14 faculties.
Notable Alumni: Astronaut Robert Thirsk, politician Naheed Nenshi, and speed skater Kristina Groves.
9. University of Waterloo, Ontario
Established in 1957, University of Waterloo in Ontario is one of Canada’s leading experiential learning schools and ranks first place for computer science, engineering, and mathematics.
Overall Canada ranking (2023): #9
World University Ranking by Times Higher Education (2023): #201-250
University size: In addition to the main campus in Waterloo, the University of Waterloo also has three satellite campuses in Cambridge, Kitchener, and Stratford. In all, the campuses cover an area of over 1,000 acres. More than 42,000 students enrol at the university annually, from more than 120 countries around the world.
Programs: The University of Waterloo offers undergraduate degrees across six faculties and more than 180 graduate degree programs.
Notable Alumni: Businessman and investor Kevin O’Leary, businessman Mike Lazaridis, astronaut Chris Hadfield, Nobel prize winning physicist Donna Strickland, and poet Rupi Kaur.
10. Western University, London, Ontario
Western University in London, Ontario was founded in 1878. It consistently ranks among the top 1% of higher educational institutions worldwide.
Overall Canada ranking (2023): #10
World University Ranking by Times Higher Education (2023): #201-250
University size: The Western University campus spans 1,200 acres, and has been rated as the best university in Canada for residence living for seven years in a row. The school attracts more than 43,000 students each year, including over 4,700 international students from 129 countries.
Programs: Western offers 400 program combinations for undergraduates and 88 graduate programs across 12 faculties.
Notable Alumni: Actor Alan Thicke, actor Simu Liu, politician Jagmeet Singh, Nobel prize winner for literature Alice Munroe, and businessman Galen Weston.
| Planning to study in Canada? Check out the following resources: |
Top Canadian universities by discipline
Whether you’re looking to study medicine, business or Canadian politics, here are the top ranking schools for various disciplines across Canada:
| Discipline | Top 5 Canadian universities |
| Business | Queen’s University University of Alberta University of British Columbia University of Toronto Western University |
| Economics | University of Alberta University of British Columbia University of Montreal University of Toronto York University |
| Engineering | McGill University University of Alberta University of British Columbia University of Toronto Waterloo University |
| Computer Science. | McGill University University of Alberta University of British Columbia University of Toronto Waterloo University |
| Psychology | McGill University of Albera University of British Columiba Western University York University |
| Political Science | Carleton University McGill University of British Columbia University of Montreal University of Toronto |
| Biology | Guelph University McGill University University of Alberta University of British Comumbia University of Toronto |
| History | McGill University McMaster University University of British Columbia University of Montreal University of Toronto |
| Medicine | McGill University McMaster University University of British Columbia University of Montreal University of Toronto |
| Arts | Concordia University McGill University University of Montreal University of Toronto York University |
It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with Canada’s post-secondary institutions before deciding on where to apply as an international student. That way you’ll be aware of your university choices, can apply for your Canadian student visa and set yourself on the path to success!
