Best Canadian universities for engineering and technology programs

As an international student, getting a Canadian degree in engineering or technology can help open avenues to both professional and research fields. Canadian universities are well known for their academic excellence and focus on research, and consequently, Canada boasts of some of the world’s best institutions for engineering and technology programs.

Many Canadian universities accept international students into their undergraduate or graduate-level engineering and technology programs. If you’re in the process of identifying universities you might like to attend, this resource showcases some of the best Canadian universities for engineering and technology, provides an overview of the programs they offer, their international student tuition fees, and their general admission requirements.

In this article:

• Eligibility criteria for admission into engineering and technology programs
• Top Canadian Universities for engineering and technology

Eligibility criteria for admission into engineering and technology programs

Undergraduate programs in engineering and technology

In Canada, undergraduate programs in engineering are typically four years long. In some cases, if the program involves co-op terms, the program may be a year longer. Upon successful completion of the program, you typically receive a Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) or Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) degree, although some universities award different degrees for specialized programs like software engineering.

As an international student, you may be eligible to apply for an undergraduate engineering program in Canada immediately after completing high school. As part of your admission application, you’ll need to submit your high school diploma (or Canadian equivalent) and transcripts. 

Typically, admission to engineering programs in Canadian universities is competitive and you’ll need good high school grades to qualify. Many of the top universities require at least an average score of 75 to 85 per cent. In addition, universities may require you to have studied high school-level mathematics (including calculus), physics, chemistry, and English. Some universities may also ask for your SAT scores.

English language proficiency is usually another requirement for admission to undergraduate engineering programs and, if English isn’t your first language, you’ll need to take an English language test, such as IELTS or TOEFL.

Many Canadian universities will also assess your achievements beyond academics, such as participation in extracurricular activities or demonstration of leadership qualities.

Graduate programs in engineering and technology

To apply for a master’s degree in engineering or technology, you’ll need a relevant undergraduate degree that’s equivalent to a four-year Canadian bachelor’s degree with at least a mid-B average grade or a 75 to 80 per cent score. Alternatively, you can qualify to apply if you’ve completed a three-year bachelor’s program as well as a master’s program in your home country.

For admission to doctoral programs, you’ll need a master’s degree in science (physical/chemical/biological sciences), technology, or engineering with at least a B+ equivalent grade.

Most universities also require a statement of intent, including a description of your academic and research interests, as well as academic or professional references. Universities may also conduct interviews to shortlist prospective students.

If English isn’t your first language, or if your undergraduate program was delivered in another language, you’ll need to demonstrate proficiency in English by getting a good score in IELTS, TOEFL, Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL), or another approved language benchmark test.

Top Canadian universities for engineering and technology

Canada is home to several of the world’s best universities for engineering and technology programs. Here are some of the Canadian universities that appear in the top 150 of the QS World Rankings 2022 list for engineering and technology:

University of Toronto, Ontario

Undergraduate programs:

Eight core tracks for Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) programs: Engineering Science (EngSci), Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Material Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Mineral Engineering. The university also offers a TrackOne, Undeclared program for students who want to explore different areas of engineering before choosing a specialization at the end of their first year.

Graduate programs:

The University of Toronto offers two types of graduate programs in engineering:

• Research degrees: A two-year Master of Applied Science (MASc) as a stepping stone to the four-year Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Engineering.
• Professional degrees: Two-year Master of Engineering (MEng) in one of the following academic units:
  • U of T Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS)
  • Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering (BME)
  • Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry
  • Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering
  • The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Department of Materials Science & Engineering
  • Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering

Tuition fees for international students:

• For undergraduate engineering programs, the first-year tuition fee for international students is $65,410 CAD. The fees for subsequent years are subject to change and, starting in the second year, students must also pay a co-op fee.
• The MEng program has an annual tuition fee of $66,670 CAD. 
• The MASc and Ph.D. programs have a comparatively lower annual tuition fee of $28,900 CAD and $6,210 CAD. Registered students in these programs also receive funding to cover their tuition and incidental fees.

University of British Columbia, Vancouver

Undergraduate programs:

All UBC Engineering Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) programs start with a foundation year. After that, students can choose to specialize in one of the following 14 areas: Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Geological Engineering, Integrated Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Mining Engineering.

Graduate programs:

The University offers two types of graduate programs in engineering (course duration does not include co-op terms):

• Thesis-based research programs: A one-year Master of Engineering (MEng), a two-year Master of Applied Science (MASc), and a four-year Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in eight core areas: Biomedical, Chemical and Biological, Civil, Electrical and Computer, Electrical, Materials, Mechanical, and Mining Engineering.
• Professional degrees: 12-month Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) with eight specialization options (Advanced Materials Manufacturing, Clean Energy Engineering, Dependable Software Systems, High Performance Buildings, Integrated Water Management, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Sustainable Process Engineering, and Urban Systems) and a 12 to 16 month Master of Engineering (MEng) in one of eleven subject areas (Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Geological Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Design, Mining Engineering, and Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering).

Tuition fees for international students:

• The annual tuition fee for international students entering BASc programs in 2022 is $54,986.81 CAD.
• The total tuition fee for the MEng program is 22,774.89 CAD. The MEL program has a total tuition fee of $58,803.42 CAD. For other graduate programs, the annual tuition fee is around $9,313.92 CAD.

University of Waterloo, Ontario

Undergraduate programs: 

The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo offers 15 undergraduate programs, including 14 professional engineering degrees and one Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) degree. The engineering undergraduate programs include Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Geological Engineering, Management Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Nanotechnology Engineering, Software Engineering (BSE), and Systems Design Engineering.

Graduate programs:

• Research programs: Two-year MASc and Master of Architecture (MArch) programs and four-year Ph.D. programs.
• Professional programs: 16-month MEng programs, one-year Master of Management Sciences (MMSc), and one-year Master of Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology (MBET).

Tuition fees for international students:

• The first-year international student tuition fees for the BAS and BASc in Architectural Engineering program are $ 65,000 CAD and $66,000 CAD respectively. For all other undergraduate engineering programs, the first-year tuition fee is $61,300 CAD.
• The MASc and MArch programs have an annual tuition fee of $23,088 CAD and $35,796 CAD, respectively.
• For the MBET program, the annual tuition fee is $64,701 CAD. The 16-month MEng costs $58,368 CAD and MMSc has a total program tuition fee of $43,776 CAD.

McGill University, Montreal

Undergraduate programs: The Faculty of Engineering at McGill University offers Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) degrees in Bioengineering, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Mechanical, Materials Co-op, and Mining Co-op. Students can also opt for a Bachelor of Software Engineering or a Bachelor of Science (Architecture) degree.

Graduate programs: 

• MEng and Ph.D. programs in Biological and Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering.
• MEng, MSc, and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Mining and Material Engineering.
• MArch and Ph.D. in Architecture.
• MEng in Aerospace Engineering.

Tuition fees for international students:

• For BEng and Bachelor of Software Engineering programs, the annual international student tuition fee as of 2022-23 is $55,381.30 CAD.
• The tuition fee for the BSc (Architecture) program is $26,430.90 CAD per year.
• For thesis-based masters’ programs, the annual fee (Winter 2022) is $9,577.35 CAD, while the annual tuition for non-thesis programs is $13,505.70 CAD.
• The annual tuition fee for Ph.D. students starting the program in Winter 2022 is $8,596.35 CAD.

University of Alberta, Edmonton

Undergraduate programs: The University of Alberta offers undergraduate students the option of choosing a four-year traditional Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree or a five-year degree with a co-op program. After the first year, students can choose to specialize in Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Nanoengineering, Nanoscale System Design, Petroleum Engineering, or Software Engineering.

Graduate programs: 

• Master of Engineering (MEng) or combined MBA/MEng (in Chemical & Materials Engineering, Civil, Environmental, Mining & Petroleum Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Engineering Physics, and Mechanical Engineering).
• MSc and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Materials Engineering, Civil, Environmental, Mining, and Petroleum Engineering, Computer and Electrical Engineering, and Engineering Physics, Engineering Management, and Mechanical Engineering.
• Master of Science in Internetworking (MINT).

Tuition fees for international students:

• The annual fee for the BSc programs in Engineering is $42,707.40 CAD.
• For the MEng programs, international students pay a tuition fee of $40,290 CAD per year. MBA/MEng programs have an annual tuition fee of $41,780.42 CAD.
• The MINT program costs around $11,220 CAD per year.
• Thesis-based masters and doctoral programs have an annual tuition fee of $8,874 CAD per year.

Queen’s University, Kingston

Undergraduate programs: Undergraduate students can either opt for a Direct Entry program in the Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) Innovation Stream or Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering streams or choose one of ten programs of specialization: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mining Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Chemistry, Engineering Physics, Geological Engineering, Mathematics and Engineering, and Mechanical and Materials Engineering.

Graduate programs:

• Research-based programs: Two-year MASc and four-year Ph.D. programs in Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering and Applied Physics, GeoEngineering, Geological Engineering, Mathematics and Engineering, Minerals and Materials Engineering, and Mining Engineering. An MSc program in Applied Sustainability is also offered by the University.
• Professional programs: One-year, course-work based, MEng programs in Advanced Design & Manufacturing (ADMI), Applied Sustainability, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Minerals and Materials Engineering, Mining Engineering, and UNENE – Nuclear Engineering (University Network of Excellence).

Tuition fees for international students:

• The fee for undergraduate Engineering programs ranges between $33,198 CAD and $59,385 CAD, depending on the specialization you pick.
• For the MEng programs, the annual tuition fee is $20,466.78 CAD.
• For the MASc and Ph.D. programs in engineering, the annual tuition fee is $12,927.45 CAD and $5,772.99 CAD, respectively. 

As a leading study destination, Canada is recognized globally for its programs in engineering. Whether you’re exploring undergraduate or graduate programs, a degree in technology or engineering from a Canadian university will help you set the foundation for your future career and put you firmly on a path to success.