Canadian universities are known worldwide for their high quality of education and research. Canadian universities offer a top-notch education that will prepare you for your future career.
These universities are not only known for their excellent academic programs but also for their beautiful campus and fantastic student life. Moreover, these top universities in Canada have great employment prospects for graduates. Moreover, Canada is home to 3 of the top 20 best student cities in the world: Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver and the country was ranked by students from around the world as 2nd most welcoming country for international students.
According to the Canadian Government, the three major reasons why international students opt for Canada to pursue higher education are:
- A world-class education at the top universities of Canada
- The reputation of the country as tolerant and non-discriminatory
- The relatively easier PR process
The above statement is supported by the ratio of the total student population that apply for a Canadian PR which is 66%.
If you want to study in Canada, read on to know more about these universities:
Top Universities in Canada
| Universities | QS World University 2023 | THE Ranking 2022 |
| McGill University | 31 | 44 |
| University of Toronto | 34 | 18 |
| University of British Columbia | 47 | 37 |
| University Alberta | 110 | 125 |
| University of Montreal | 116 | 88 |
| McMaster University | 152 | 80 |
| University of Waterloo | 154 | 201-250 |
| Western University | 172 | 201-250 |
| University of Ottawa | 237 | 162 |
| Queen’s University | 246 | 251-300 |
McGill University
The University is home to over 10,000 international students that make up 30% of the total student in the university. This speaks volumes about the popularity of McGill University among students worldwide. McGill is one of the most prominent institutions in Canada in terms of higher learning and one of the leading research-intensive universities in the world. With state-of-the-art facilities and an exceptional staff, the university works hard to provide students with a memorable experience. From an academic point of view, the
The university consists of eleven faculties and eleven schools:
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
- Faculty of Arts
- School of Continuing Studies
- Faculty of Dentistry
- Faculty of Education
- Schulich School of Music
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Science
From an academic point of view, the best-known faculties at McGill are Medicine, Science and Engineering. The university is ranked as Canada’s top Medical Doctoral for the 18th straight year by Maclean’s Magazine. So if these are the fields you want to pursue your career in then be sure to put McGill at the top of your list.
Popular Programs
- Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery (MDCM)
- Bachelor of Engineering (BEng)
- Bachelor of Science (BSc)
- Master of Science (MSc) Computer Science
- Master of Science (MSc) Civil Engineering
- Master of Business Administration
Tuition Fees
| Undergraduate Program | CA$22,455 – CA$59,059 |
| Self-funded Master’s Program (MBA, MM-Finance, MM-Analytics) | CA$36,836 – CA$69,124 |
| Non-Thesis Graduate Programs | CA$27,291 – CA$45,728 |
| Masters (Thesis) Program | CA$20,752 |
Admission Requirement
| Undergraduate | Graduate |
Academic Requirements
English Language Proficiency
|
Academic Requirements
English Language Proficiency
|
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is one of Canada’s top universities with an extended history of challenging the impossible and transforming society through the resourcefulness and determination of its faculty, students, alumni and supporters.
Today, the university is considered to be one of the top research universities in the world. It is home to over 90,000 students, including more than 10,000 international students from over 150 countries. The University of Toronto is also a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. It is consistently ranked as one of the top universities in the world and is a popular choice for international students looking to study abroad. The University of Toronto offers a world-class education in a research-intensive environment. It is home to some of the world’s top scholars and has a strong reputation for excellence in teaching and research.
If you are looking for a top-quality education at a leading research institution, the University of Toronto is the perfect choice for you.
Popular Programs
The university is especially good at life science and medicine courses as well as arts and humanities courses so if these courses are your chosen study fields then UofT is the university for you in Canada.
- Bachelor in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
- Master of Nursing
- Master of Engineering (M.Eng) Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Bachelor of Science (BSc), Data Science
- Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
Tuition Fees
| Undergraduate | CA$43,620 – CA$127,480 |
| Graduate | CA$13,861 – CA$91,760 |
Admission Requirement
| Undergraduate | Graduate |
Academic Requirements:
English Language Proficiency
|
Academic Requirements
English Language Proficiency
|
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a global centre for teaching, learning and research, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world. UBC embraces innovation and transforms ideas into action. Since 1915, UBC has been opening doors of opportunities for students from all over the world.
UBC was named one of Canada’s “most innovative universities” by Reuters in 2019. The university is recognized for its contribution to research and is a member of other international research associations and institutions. It is the only Canadian university that is a member of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities.
Some of the top programs of UBC according to QS Subject Ranking 2022 are mentioned below:
- Geography
- Psychology
- Computer Science and Information System
- Economic and Econometrics
- Civil and Structural Engineering
- Medicine
- Electrician and Electronic Engineering
Popular Program
- Bachelor of Science (BS), Data Science
- Master of Science (MS), Data Science
- Bachelors of Commerce (B.Com), Business Technology Management
- Master of Engineering (M.Eng), Mechanical Engineering
- Master of Law (LLM)
- Master of Architecture (M.Arch)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Tuition Fee
| Undergraduate | CA$40,517 – CA$55,848 |
| Graduate | CA$22,774 – CA$53,993 |
Admission Requirements
| Undergraduate | Graduate |
Academic Requirement
English Language Proficiency |
Academic Requirement
English Language Requirement
|
Top Universities by International Students
We can determine ht popularity of a university from the number of international students enrolled. The top universities in Canada according to the percentage of international students are shown below, along with the provinces where each of them is situated:
| University | % of International Students | Province |
| University of Toronto | 25% | Ontario |
| UBC | 33% | British Columbia |
| Simon Fraser University | 31% | British Columbia |
| McGill University | 32% | Quebec |
| Concordia University | 33% | Quebec |
| UAlberta | 28% | Alberta |
| York University | 27% | Ontario |
| Dalhousie University | 28% | Nova Scotia |
| University of Windsor | 28% | Ontario |
| University of Montreal | 23% | Quebec |
| University of Regina | 24% | Saskatchewan |
Top Universities in Canada by Employability
Graduates from Canadian universities are known for being one of the most employable graduates. There are over 15 universities in Canada that rank in the university employability ranking 2023. Given below are the top ten universities on the list of graduate employability rankings:
| University | Employability Rank (QS – 2022) |
| U of T | 21 |
| University of Waterloo | 24 |
| Western University | 43 |
| University of Montreal | 191-120 |
| McMaster University | 81 |
| University of Alberta | 99 |
| Queen’s University at Kingston | 101-110 |
| University of Calgary | 131-140 |
| University of Montreal | 191-200 |
| Universite Laval | 201-250 |
| Carleton University | 301-500 |
Top Universities in Canada for MBA
In the rankings by Financial Times 2021, there are four universities in the top 100 while QS Global MBA Rankings 2023 recognised 6 universities in Canada among the top 100. Given below are the top universities in Canada for their MBA program:
| University | MBA Rankings (Financial Time 2021) | QS Global MBA Rankings 2023 |
| U of T: Rotman | 79 | 41 |
| McGill University: Desautels | 90 | 73 |
| Western University: Ivey | 92 | 69 |
| Queen’s University: Smith | 99 | 76 |
| UBC: Sauder | – | 92 |
| York University | – | 98 |
| Alberta School of Business | – | 111-120 |
| Concordia University: John Molson | – | 121-130 |
| Dalhouse University | – | 151-200 |
| University of Montreal: HEC Montreal | – | 151-200 |
Top Universities of Canada by Subject
The subject ranking by QS tells which university is best in which broad subject area. A number of Canadian universities are known for providing exceptional education in the following subjects:
| Arts & Humanities | Engineering & Technology | Life Science & Medicine | Social Science & Management |
| U of T (16) | U of T (34) | U of T (12) | U of T (21) |
| UBC (30) | UBC (36) | UBC (24) | UBC (31) |
| McGill University (37) | University of Waterloo (49) | McGill University (28) | McGill University (43) |
| University of Montreal (120) | McGill University (53) | McMaster University (49) | University of Montreal (129) |
| York University (159) | University of Montreal (104) | University of Alberta | Western University (185) |
| University of Alberta (180) | University of Alberta (126) | University of Montreal (87) | University of Alberta (189) |
| University of Calgary (210) | University of Calgary (177) | University of Calgary (108) | Queen’s University (199) |
| Queen’s University (234) | Queen’s University (208) | University of Ottawa (152) | University of Waterloo (234) |
| Simon Fraser University (242) | McMaster University (236) | Western University (162) | York University (234) |
| University of Ottawa (242) | Western University (273) | Université Laval (166) | University of Calgary (238) |
You can find out more about studying in Canada with our Canada guide, which includes information about applications, admission requirements, visas, living costs, fees and more.
