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Best universities in Canada 2024

Find the best universities in Canada using Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings data 2024

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September 27 2023
Best universities in Canada 2018

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Top 10 universities in Canada 2024

Scroll down for the full list of best universities in Canada

Canada Rank 2024 ÌýWorld University Rank 2024Ìý ÌýWorld University Rank 2023Ìý University Province City
1 Ìý21Ìý Ìý18Ìý University of Toronto Ontario Toronto
2 Ìý41Ìý Ìý40Ìý University of British Columbia British Columbia Vancouver
3 Ìý49Ìý Ìý46Ìý McGill University Quebec Montreal
4 Ìý=103Ìý Ìý85Ìý McMaster University Ontario Hamilton
5 Ìý=109Ìý Ìý118Ìý University of Alberta Alberta Edmonton
6 Ìý=111Ìý Ìý111Ìý University of Montreal Quebec Montreal
7 Ìý=158Ìý Ìý201–250Ìý University of Waterloo Ontario Waterloo
8 Ìý=177Ìý Ìý=137Ìý University of Ottawa Ontario Ottawa
=9 Ìý201–250Ìý Ìý201–250Ìý University of Calgary Alberta Calgary
=9 Ìý201–250Ìý Ìý201–250Ìý Western University Ontario London

Canada is home to a numberÌýof the world’s top universities. In fact, 31ÌýCanadian institutions are counted among the best in the world, according to Times Higher Education’sÌýWorld University Rankings 2024.

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With eight universities in the top 200, Canada offers plenty of opportunities for a world-class education for international students.

Compared with the US, Canada can also provide cheaper tuition fees, a simpler application process and more opportunities for permanent residency after graduation.

Canada’s top institution – theÌýUniversity of TorontoÌý– scores particularly highly for research impact, which means it produces high-quality academic work that is well respected.

Many of Canada’s universities are renowned for promoting a global outlook by recruiting international students and staff and encouraging international collaborations, so there will be a large community of overseas staff and students at any university in Canada.


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Top 5 universities in Canada

5. University of Alberta

The University of Alberta is located in Edmonton, capital of the province of Alberta. It is a public research university and was established in 1908.Ìý

Alberta has producedÌýone Nobel Laureate, four justices of the supreme court of Canada, including a chief justice, and housed 68 Rhodes Scholars, the highest number in Canada.

The university has five campuses across Edmonton, and 18 faculties across a range of subjects including arts, engineering, law, and nursing.Ìý

The university has two student unions, one for undergraduates and one for graduate students.Ìý

4. McMaster University

McMaster University is located in Hamilton, Ontario.ÌýStudents and faculty come from more than 90 countries.

The university is named after William McMaster, a prominent Canadian senator and banker who donated C$900,000 to found the institution.

McMaster’s medical school is world-renowned, and there are also faculties of engineering, business, humanities, social sciences and science. The university places a strong emphasis on research working to target some of the most urgent needs in society, particularly in the field of health sciences.

The university holds some 70 international exchange agreements withÌýinstitutions around the world.

3. McGill University

Students at McGill University come from more than 150 countries.Ìý

The university was founded in 1821. ItsÌýmain campus is at the base of Mount Royal in downtown Montreal. First-year students have the option to live on the park-like campus.

In 1829, McGill University founded the nation’s first faculty of medicine, and to this day the university scores particularly highly in world rankings for clinical subjects.

The university offers more than 300 degree subjects to 31,000-plus students at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level.

There is a range of services for students including the Career Planning Service, the Office for Students with Disabilities and the Academic Advising Service.

Singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen and the actorÌýWilliam Shatner are graduates of McGill. The university alsoÌýeducates more Rhodes Scholars than any other Canadian institution.

2. University of British Columbia

Some 33 per cent of students at the University of British ColumbiaÌýare international.

Eight Nobelists are associated with the university, as are 71 Rhodes scholars and 65 Olympic medallists.

The University of British ColumbiaÌýhas two campuses: one in Vancouver and one in Okanagan.

The university isÌýorganised into 12 faculties on the Vancouver campus and a further seven on the Okanagan campus. The university offers a special joint undergraduate programme with Sciences Po in Paris.

Faculties at the university include applied science, education, music, nursing, the arts, law, and medicine.

The university offers a number of scholarships for international students, including the Donald A. Wehrung International Student Award for candidates from war-torn countries.

Three Canadian prime ministers have been educated at UBC, including current prime minister Justin Trudeau, who graduated with a Bachelor of Education degree.

1. University of Toronto

Notable alumni of the University of Toronto include five Canadian prime ministers and the writers Michael Ondaatje and Margaret Atwood. In total, 10 Nobel laureates are affiliatedÌýwith the university.

The University of Toronto isÌýstructured as a collegiate system, much like prestigious institutions in the UK such as the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The seven colleges all have distinct histories and traditions.

Some 25 per cent of students at the university are international.

More than 700 undergraduate degrees and 200 postgraduate degrees are on offer, and the university is one of the world’s best for medicine.

There are more than 1,000 associations and clubs available for students to join across the university’s three campuses.


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Best universities in Canada 2024

Click each institution to view its fullÌýWorld University Rankings 2024Ìýprofile

Canada 2024 Rank ÌýWorld University Rank 2024Ìý ÌýWorld University Rank 2023Ìý University Province City
1 Ìý21Ìý Ìý18Ìý University of Toronto Ontario Toronto
2 Ìý41Ìý Ìý40Ìý University of British Columbia British Columbia Vancouver
3 Ìý49Ìý Ìý46Ìý McGill University Quebec Montreal
4 Ìý=103Ìý Ìý85Ìý McMaster University Ontario Hamilton
5 Ìý=109Ìý Ìý118Ìý University of Alberta Alberta Edmonton
6 Ìý=111Ìý Ìý111Ìý University of Montreal Quebec Montreal
7 Ìý=158Ìý Ìý201–250Ìý University of Waterloo Ontario Waterloo
8 Ìý=177Ìý Ìý=137Ìý University of Ottawa Ontario Ottawa
=9 Ìý201–250Ìý Ìý201–250Ìý University of Calgary Alberta Calgary
=9 Ìý201–250Ìý Ìý201–250Ìý Western University Ontario London
=11 Ìý251–300Ìý Ìý251–300Ìý Université Laval Quebec Quebec City
=11 Ìý251–300Ìý Ìý251–300Ìý Queen’s University Ontario Kingston
=11 Ìý251–300Ìý Ìý251–300Ìý Simon Fraser University British Columbia Burnaby
14 Ìý301–350Ìý Ìý301–350Ìý Dalhousie University Nova Scotia Halifax
=15 Ìý351–400Ìý Ìý351–400Ìý University of Manitoba Manitoba Winnipeg
=15 Ìý351–400Ìý Ìý501–600Ìý University of Saskatchewan Sasketchewan Saskatoon
=15 Ìý351–400Ìý Ìý301–350Ìý University of Victoria British Columbia Victoria
=15 Ìý351–400Ìý Ìý401–500Ìý York University Ontario Toronto
=19 Ìý401–500Ìý Ìý501–600Ìý University of Guelph Ontario Guelph
=19 Ìý401–500Ìý Ìý601–800Ìý Université du Québec Quebec Quebec City
=21 Ìý501–600Ìý Ìý601–800Ìý Carleton University Ontario Ottawa
=21 Ìý501–600Ìý Ìý601–800Ìý Concordia University Quebec Montreal
=21 Ìý501–600Ìý Ìý601–800Ìý Memorial University of Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador St John's
=21 Ìý501–600Ìý Ìý601–800Ìý University of Windsor Ontario Windsor
=25 Ìý601–800Ìý Ìý601–800Ìý University of New Brunswick UNB New Brunswick Fredricton
=25 Ìý601–800Ìý Ìý601–800Ìý Ontario Tech University Ontario Oshawa
=25 Ìý601–800Ìý Ìý801–1000Ìý Toronto Metropolitan University Ontario Toronto
=28 Ìý801–1000Ìý Ìý801–1000Ìý Lakehead University Ontario Thunder Bay and Orillia
=28 Ìý801–1000Ìý Ìý801–1000Ìý University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) British Columbia Prince George
=28 Ìý801–1000Ìý Ìý601–800Ìý University of Regina Sasketchewan Regina
31 Ìý1201–1500Ìý Ìý1201–1500Ìý University of Lethbridge Alberta Lethbridge
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