Best Universities in Canada 2025

Embarking on a study abroad adventure in Canada is often a delightful experience, combining the country’s stunning sights and sounds — from the icy tundra of the Yukon to the rolling mountains of Calgary — with world-class higher education offerings and abundant job opportunities. It's no wonder Canada is a top destination for international students seeking a transformative journey. 

Canada's universities are renowned globally for their academic excellence, attracting students and scholars from all corners of the world. These institutions offer a wide range of programmes, cutting-edge research facilities, and a commitment to fostering innovation and critical thinking. Beyond academics, Canada’s vibrant culture, rich history, and dedication to diversity create a welcoming and inclusive environment for students from all walks of life. 

Globally recognised as an open, accepting and diverse country, Canada is a welcoming country that commits to diversity and inclusion for different ethnicities. Whether you're drawn to the bustling energy of Toronto, the thriving art scene of Edmonton, or the historical charm of Ottawa, you'll find a city that resonates with your interests and aspirations. Plus, with a strong economy and a growing job market – projected to add a 1.46% increase between 2024 and 2025, reaching a peak of 20.85 million employed individuals – Canada offers excellent prospects for graduates seeking to launch their careers after completing their studies. 

If you're considering living and studying in Canada, exploring the country’s top 10 universities and researching available scholarships is an excellent starting point. These rankings and funding opportunities can help you make informed decisions about your academic future and pave the way for a successful and rewarding experience in Canada. 

Starting an academic journey in Canada 

Starting your academic journey in Canada means joining a thriving and supportive higher education system. Canadian undergraduate programs boast impressive student retention rates, consistently exceeding 80%, and graduation rates that reach over 70% at the six-year mark. This reflects the commitment of Canadian universities to provide a comprehensive support system for international students, ensuring you have the resources and guidance needed to succeed in your studies. 

Globally recognised ranking system 

For those who are seeking to pursue their foundation, undergraduate, or postgraduate pathways in Canada, choosing the right university is a crucial step. Whether you're drawn to the stunning landscapes of Vancouver, the vibrant energy of Calgary, or the multicultural charm of Montreal, finding an institution that aligns with your academic goals and aspirations is essential. To help you identify the best universities to suit your needs, university rankings—often presented as league tables—can be a valuable tool in this process. They can offer you insights into the academic reputation, research output, networking opportunities, and overall quality of different institutions across Canada. 

Ranking providers like the QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education World (THE) University Rankings are globally recognized ranking systems, often used by students as part of their research before applying to study abroad. 

To help you make an informed decision about your academic future, we’ve compiled the top universities in Canada for 2024 below, with data from the latest QS World University Rankings and THE World University Rankings. 

Learn how to use these rankings to your advantage—let an education advisor guide you on your study abroad journey for free. 

QS top universities in Canada 2025 

The QS World University Rankings is one of the most widely referenced and influential university ranking systems globally. It assesses universities based on a variety of factors, including academic reputation, employer reputation, and research impact. Take a look at the leading universities in Canada according to the QS World University Rankings for 2025: 

 THE top universities in Canada in 2025  

The Times Higher Education (THE] World University Rankings is another prominent global ranking system that provides a comprehensive assessment of universities across their core missions, including teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook. 
Take a look at the top universities in Canada according to THE World University Rankings for 2025: 

1. University of Toronto

Overview:

• Address: 27 King's College Cir, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

• Website:

  https://www.utoronto.ca/

• Year of establishment: 1827.

• Ranking: Ranked 25th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Academic Programs: The University of Toronto is a university in Canada that offers 700 undergraduate programs and more than 200 graduate programs, ranging from architecture to medicine, music to urban studies. Here are 5 outstanding majors chosen by many international students:

• Applied Science and Engineering.

• Architecture, Landscape and Design: Architecture, Landscape and Design.

• Arts and Science.

• Pharmacy: Pharmacy.

• Dentistry: Dentistry.

Tuition fees: Depending on the level and program, the cost of each international student is different, ranging from 60,000 to 68,000 CAD/year (about 730 million - 830 million VND).

Highlights of the university: Among the top universities in Canada, the University of Toronto is a desirable destination for many international students because of its proud achievements such as:

• Prestigious teaching quality: The University of Toronto is Canada's largest university, ranked 1st according to QS Rankings 2025

• Modern facilities: The University of Toronto is famous for its 3rd largest library in North America, containing 10 million books, 5.4 million films and more than 1 million materials for learning such as audio recordings, maps, graphics, etc.

Alumni: The University of Toronto is home to many influential figures including: 2 Governors-General, 4 Prime Ministers of Canada, 14 Supreme Court judges, many foreign leaders and many Nobel Prize winners.

2. McGill University

Overview:

• Address: Montreal City, Quebec Province, Canada.

• Website:

  https://www.mcgill.ca/

• Year of establishment: 1821.

• Ranking: Ranked 29th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Academic program: One of the universities in Canada, McGill University trains more than 300 fields with 5 outstanding majors that are most registered by international students to choose: Arts, Science, Pharmacy, Engineering, Management.

Tuition fee: The training cost of each level and major is different and varies from year to year:

Highlights: McGill University is known as the "Harvard University of Canada" or "Harvard of the North", with more than 40,000 students enrolled and 24% international students thanks to its proud achievements such as:

• Quality of teaching: McGill University ranks first in the field of doctorate in medicine, sciences and humanities, and is in the top 5 best universities in Canada.

• State-of-the-art facilities: a vast library with 13 small branches and more than 6 million publications, the Bellairs McGill Research Institute used by the Canadian Space Agency, the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, the nature reserve is the largest primary forest in the St. Lawrence Valley, The Medical Center cooperates with many famous hospitals...

Alumni: McGill University has trained 1 Governor-General, 3 Prime Ministers of Canada, 14 Supreme Court Judges, 12 Nobel Prize winners, 144 Rhodes scholars, 8 foreign leaders, 28 foreign embassies, etc.

Learn more:

• How much does it cost to study in Canada?

3. University of British Columbia

Overview:

• Address: Vancouver City, British Columbia, Canada.

• Website:

  https://www.ubc.ca/

• Year of establishment: 1908.

• Ranking: Ranked 38th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Academic Programs: The University of British Columbia offers more than 200 undergraduate programs and 297 graduate programs with the most prominent majors being:

• Science and technology.

• Science and technology.

• Social Sciences, Politics and Humanities.

• Commerce and management.

• Earth, environmental science, agriculture, sustainability.

Tuition fee: The cost of studying at the University of British Columbia varies depending on the program and academic year, usually ranging from 44,000 - 58,000 CAD/year (about 810 million - 1 billion VND)

Highlights of the school: Among the top universities in Canada, the University of British Columbia is a dream destination for many domestic and foreign students thanks to its proud achievements:

• Facilities: The University of British Columbia has Canada's 2nd largest library with over 6.5 million titles, over 875,000 e-books, 846,000 maps, videos, and over 4 million entries each year. In addition, the university also owns the Canadian National Laboratory (TRIUMF) - Canada's leading physics laboratory, the leading international nuclear research center; botanical gardens and botanical research centers with more than 8000 species...

Alumni: The University of British Columbia is a university that has trained 3 Canadian prime ministers, 289 Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada, 65 Olympic medals with 19 gold medals won by Varsity athletes, 74 Rhodes scholars with 4 scholars in the last 5 years.

4. University of Alberta

Overview:

• Address: City of Edmonton, Province of Alberta, Canada.

• Website:

  https://www.ualberta.ca/index.html

• Year of establishment: 1906.

• Ranking: Ranked 96th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Academic Programs: The University of Alberta offers more than 200 bachelor's programs, 18 affiliated faculties, with the most prominent fields being the humanities, sciences, engineering and health sciences.

Tuition fee: The school's tuition fee also depends on each major and varies from year to year, usually ranging from 21,668 - 32,000 CAD/year (about 400 million - 550 million VND)

University Highlights: Currently, the University of Alberta is training more than 36,000 students with about 7000 international students from 130 different countries worldwide. During 116 years of continuous development, innovation to enhance the student experience, the University of Alberta has achieved many proud achievements such as:

• Teaching quality: The university is always in the top 10 sports training majors, ranked 12th in the category of minerals and mining (in 2018), top 25 in the field of nursing.

• Alumni: The University of Alberta is the school of many influential figures such as: Governor Roland Michener; Prime Minister Joe Clark; Canadian Prime Ministers Peter Lougheed, Jim Prentice, Dave Hancock and Rachel Notley, Canadian Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson and 1990 Nobel Prize winner in Physics Richard E. Taylor...

The University of Alberta is considered a "comprehensive academic and research university" (CARU).

5. University of Waterloo

Apostolic Information:

• Address: City of Waterloo, Ontario Province, Canada.

• Website:

  https://uwaterloo.ca/

• Year founded: 1956

• Ranking: Ranked 115th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Academic Programs: As one of the top quality universities in Canada, the University of Waterloo offers 100 undergraduate programs and 200 graduate programs with the most prominent major being Computer Science – ranking first in Canada according to the 2021 MacLean rankings. In addition, the University of Waterloo is famous for its postgraduate courses in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, robotics, biotechnology.

Tuition fees: The cost of studying and researching at the university ranges from 45,000 - 66,000 CAD/year (about 800 million - 1.15 billion VND).

Highlights of the university: The university's attraction is the world's largest system of co-educational programs, allowing more than 70% of students to apply their professional knowledge to the real work environment.

The University of Waterloo is a Canada's UC15 intensive research group.

6. Western University

Overview:

• Address: City of London, Ontario, Canada

• Website:

  https://www.uwo.ca/

• Year of establishment: 1878.

• Ranking: Ranked 120th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Academic program: Western University is a university in Canada that offers more than 400 undergraduate programs, owning dual degree programs with a total study time of only 5 years. In addition, the university's Ivey Business School is ranked second in the world, second only to Harvard University in terms of practicality in lectures and case studies.

Tuition fee: Western University's tuition fee ranges from 36,780 - 49,971 CAD/year (about 672 million - 913 million VND).

School Highlights: Western University stands out for its large campus and picturesque campus in North America. The university also owns a library system including:

• Allyn and Betty Taylor is for the sciences, engineering, health sciences, medicine, and dentistry.

• C. B. Johnston is dedicated to the Ivey Business School major.

• D. B. Weldon serves the following fields: Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities, Information & Communication Studies.

• The Education Library.

• The John & Dotsa Bitove Family Law Library.

• The Music Library: a library dedicated to the music sector.

7. Université de Montréal

Overview:

• Address: Montreal City, Quebec, Canada.

• Website:

  https://www.umontreal.ca/

• Year of establishment: 1878.

• Ranking: Ranked 159th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Academic Programs: As a university in Canada, Université de Montréal offers more than 600 different programs, with its main strengths being medicine, aviation, telecom, energy, and finance.

Tuition: The school's tuition fee also depends on the major you choose, averaging about $7,304/year (about 170 million VND).

Highlights of the university: Université de Montréal attracts more than 38,000 students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate training programs. Of which, 24% are international students (about more than 9000 people). The attractiveness of Université de Montréal can be traced back to its proud achievements at the top universities in Canada such as:

• Quality of education: Université de Montréal is Canada's 3rd largest research university and a world leader in the use of comprehensive French throughout teaching, learning, and research.

• Modern facilities: The university consists of 18 libraries, serving all fields with thousands of precious books, 3 research institutions including: International Center for Criminology, Immunology and Cancer Research Facility, Cyberjustice Research Laboratory.

Alumni: Université de Montréal is the place of study of many influential figures such as: Louise Arbour - former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights, Michaëlle Jean - President of Canada and Secretary General of the International de la Francophonie, Ahmed Benbitour - former prime minister of Algeria...

8. University of Calgary

Overview:

• Address: Calgary City, Alberta Province, Canada

• Website:

  https://www.ucalgary.ca/

• Year of establishment: 1966.

• Ranking: Ranked 198th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Academic Programs: One of the top universities in Canada, the University of Calgary is a member of the UC15 Canadian research group. The university has 14 faculties with 250 curricula for about 33,000 students from all over the world and welcomes more than 1000 international students each year. Prominent areas of training at the school include: health, energy, technology, health engineering.

Highlights of the university: Since 2017, the University of Calgary has owned 360 new inventions and 169 scientists. This is also the school attended by Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper and astronaut Robert Thirsk.

Tuition fees: Tuition fees at the University of Calgary range from around 18,000 CAD/year (about 330 million VND).

9. McMaster University

Overview:

• Address: Hamilton City, Ontario Province, Canada.

• Website:

  https://www.mcmaster.ca/

• Year of establishment: 1887.

• Ranking: Ranked 176th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Academic Programs: McMaster University offers a variety of academic programs for international students, the most prominent of which are:

• Arts and Sciences.

• Faculty of Engineering.

• Faculty of Health Sciences.

• Faculty of Social Sciences.

• Faculty of Humanities.

• Faculty of Science.

Tuition fee: The tuition fee at McMaster University ranges from 26,980 - 40,493 CAD/year (about 500 million - 740 million VND).

School Highlights: McMaster University is a proud school of more than 31,000 enrolled students, with about 24% being international students from 113 different countries. As a university in Canada, McMaster University is constantly changing and developing, investing in modern facilities for the learning and research process such as:

• Libraries: Many libraries are dedicated to different fields such as: Innis in Kenneth Taylor Hall for Business, Memorial for Social Sciences and Humanities, H.G. Thode for Science and Engineering...

• Many world-class sports centers such as: Ronald Joyce Stadium, David Bradley Treatment and Rehabilitation Center - Canada's largest fitness center, David Bradley Sports Center...

• In addition, McMaster University also has the McMaster Art Museum located on the campus of the school, a reactor for research...

10. University of Ottawa

Overview:

• Address: 550, St. Cumberland, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

• Website:

  https://www.uottawa.ca/

• Year of establishment: 1865.

• Ranking: Ranked 189th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Curriculum: As a prominent Canadian university, the University of Ottawa is the world's largest English-French bilingual school, offering more than 350 undergraduate courses in a variety of disciplines.

Tuition fee: The tuition fee of the University of Ottawa ranges from 13,500 to 21,500 CAD/semester (about 247 million to 393 million VND).

School Highlights:

• Teaching quality: The university is a member of the UC15 Canada research group, with the primary goal of encouraging students to develop their thinking through the opportunity to participate in practical activities abroad.

Alumni: The university is the cradle of many famous talents such as Wayne Angell - former Governor of the Federal Reserve, Representative of the State of Kansas, and Chief Economist at Bear Stearns; Merritt Cramer Mechem - American politician, former Supreme Court Justice, and fifth Governor of New Mexico...

The University of Ottawa's degrees are recognized worldwide.

11. Queen's University at Kingston

Overview:

• Address: Kingston City, Ontario Province, Canada.

• Website:

  https://www.queensu.ca/

• Year founded: 1841.

• Ranking: Ranked 193rd in the QS Rankings 2025.

The Queen's University at Kingston program is divided into many faculties and small schools, including:

• Arts and Sciences: Science and art.

• Education.

• Engineering and Applied Sciences.

• Health Sciences.

• Law: Law.

• The School of Public Policy.

• Smith School of Business: Smith School of Business.

Tuition fees: The school's tuition fees vary depending on the major and different academic years, usually ranging from $7,000 to $8,000/semester (about 163 million - 187 million VND).

School highlights: Queen's University at Kingston is a Canadian university and a member of the UC15 Canadian research group. The university operates 6 research centres and research institutes including: Neuroscience Research Centre, Geography Centre, High Performance Computing Virtual Laboratory, Human Mobility Research Centre, Sudbury Neutrino Observatory Institute, and South African Research Centre.

Queen's University at Kingston has trained many Nobel Prize winners, Turing, Victoria Cross, 57 Rhodes scholars...

12. Dalhousie University

Overview:

• Address: 6299 South St., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

• Website:

  https://www.dal.ca/

• Year of establishment: 1818.

• Ranking: Ranked 275th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Academic Programs: Dalhousie University is a member of the UC15 Canadian research intensive organization group, with more than 200 major programs and 80 minor programs. Currently, the university is training more than 19,000 students from 115 different countries with 24% being international students.

Tuition fee: Dalhousie University's tuition fee is about 18,750 - 23,340 CAD/year (about 342 million - 425 million VND)

Highlights of the university: Dalhousie University is a desirable destination for many domestic and foreign students thanks to the following outstanding advantages:

• Modern campus: Dalhousie University owns 5 libraries. The Killam Memorial Library is Atlantic Canada's largest library with more than 1 million books and 40,000 magazines. In addition, there is the W. K. Kellogg Health Sciences Library, Sexton Technology and Design, the Sir James Dunn Law Library, and the MacRae Library with Atlantic Canada's largest collection of agricultural resources.

• Dalhousie University has strengths in agricultural education, training and research.

Alumni: Dalhousie University is the cradle of many talents in many different fields, including 91 Rhodes scholars, many alumni of the prestigious Nobel Prize. This is also a school that trains 3 Canadian Prime Ministers, 8 Lieutenants, Bertha Wilson - the first woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court...

13. Simon Fraser University

Overview:

• Address: 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, Canada.

• Website:

  https://www.sfu.ca/

• Year of establishment: 1965.

• Ranking: Ranked 319th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Curriculum: Simon Fraser University offers 130 different subjects in 8 main faculties:

• Faculty of Applied Sciences.

• Health Sciences: Department of Health Sciences.

• Arts and Social Sciences: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

• Education: Faculty of Education.

• Beedie School of Business: Beedie School of Business.

• Sciences: Faculty of Science.

• Communication.

• Environment: Faculty of Environment.

• Art and Technology: Faculty of Technology and Art.

Highlights of the university: Simon Fraser University is a university in Canada that attracts many domestic and foreign students because the university always tries to create conditions for students of all majors to intern at large companies such as HSBC, KBGM, Bank of Montreal, Coca Cola, etc.

Tuition fee: The tuition fee of Simon Fraser University ranges from about 29,777 CAD/year (about 543 million VND).

14. University of Victoria (UVic)

Overview:

• Address: 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, Canada.

• Website:

  https://www.uvic.ca/

• Year of establishment: 1963.

• Ranking: Ranked 349th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Curriculum: The University of Victoria is renowned for its 8 areas of study including:

• Culture and creatively.

• Climate and energy: Climate and energy.

• Health and life sciences: Health and life sciences.

• Data science and cyber physical systems.

• Ocean science and technology.

• Global studies and social justice.

• Mathematics.

• Computer science.

• Indigenous research.

Highlights of the university: One of the top universities in Canada, the University of Victoria is famous for its global studies with many alumni who are influential people such as: Andrew J. Weaver - Member of the Legislative Council of British Columbia, Rona Ambrose - Former Member of the House of Commons of Canada, Jeff Mallett - Investor, Tamara Vrooman - CEO of Vancity...

Tuition fees: The school's tuition fees vary between majors, usually ranging from 25,860 to 35,080 CAD/year (about 471 million - 640 million VND).

15. University of Saskatchewan

Overview:

• Address: Saskatoon, SK, Canad

• Website:

  https://www.ulaval.ca/en

• Year Founded: 1907

• Ranking: Ranked 340th in the QS Rankings 2025.

Academic program: When it comes to the top universities in Canada, the University of Saskatchewan is indispensable, offering 80 different programs in more than 130 fields. Some typical majors such as agriculture, biotechnology, economics, education, engineering...

What makes it special: The university is one of Canada's leading research universities and a member of the U15 group of research universities in Canada

If you’re ready to chase your goals—whether it's studying in Toronto, exploring the vibrant cultural scene while living in Montreal as a student, or pursuing your academic dreams in any other Canadian city—tap the button below for free guidance, and we’ll help you get to a top institution.

Read more:

• Why Study in Canada 

• Education System in Canada 

• Cost of Study in Canada 

• Canada Scholarships 

• Canada Visa Requirements 

World university rankings  

• World University Rankings 

• QS World University Rankings 

• Times Higher Education World University Rankings 

• Complete University Guide Rankings