Top 10 Universities & Colleges in Canada: International Students

Canada's top universities are known for providing high quality affordable education, excellent research facilities, lucrative employment opportunities, and internationally recognized degrees. Almost 30 universities in Canada are ranked at the top by various ranking agencies based on their education quality, research quality, employer reputation, etc.

Canada is the preferred higher education hub for international students mainly for its affordable education in comparison to the US. Canada is also preferred for its simpler application process and higher chances for jobs leading to better opportunities for permanent residency.

The top colleges and universities of Canada are known for their diverse community of students and faculty that promotes a global outlook and encourages more international collaborations. Some of Canada’s best law schools and engineering colleges are a part of the top-ranked universities in Canada providing internationally recognized qualifications for the students to excel in any chosen field of study.

Table of Contents

• Top Universities in Canada for International Students
• Canada University Rankings
• Admission Requirements for Top Colleges in Canada
• Top Universities in Canada for MBA

Top Universities in Canada for International Students

Some of the best universities in Canada are ranked in the top 200 universities in the world by different ranking agencies and institutions. The universities listed below are also the top universities in Canada for engineering studies and are also home to some of Canada’s best law schools. Some of Canada’s top universities based on rankings are listed below:

• University of Toronto
• McGill University
• University of British Columbia
• Université de Montréal
• University of Alberta
• McMaster University
• University of Calgary
• University of Waterloo
• Western University
• Queen's University

University of Toronto

University of Toronto (U of T) is a world-class research-intensive university and one of the top-ranking universities in Canada. Over 93,000 students, including 23,000 international students, attend the university across its three campuses. U of T offers more than 980 undergraduate and graduate courses in a wide range of disciplines. 

In the 2022 edition of the best global university rankings, US News & World Report placed the university at 16th position in the world. Students applying to U of T must note that an IELTS score of 6.5 is required for bachelor's courses, and a score of 7.0 is required for master's courses. The top courses offered by the U of T are shown in the table below:

Courses	Annual Tuition Fees (INR)	Scores
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]	38 Lakhs	TOEFL:100, IELTS:7.0, GMAT:660
Master of Science [M.Sc] in Computer Science	15.6 Lakhs	TOEFL:93, IELTS:6.5,  GRE:309
Master of Nursing [M.N]	17.9 Lakhs	TOEFL:93, IELTS:6.5,  GRE:309
Bachelor of Science [B.Sc] in Computer Science	34 Lakhs	TOEFL:100, IELTS:6.5, MELAB:85, SAT:1330, ACT:23
Bachelor of Business Administration [B.B.A]	34 Lakhs	TOEFL:100, IELTS:6.5, MELAB:85, SAT:1330, ACT:23

Read More: University of Toronto

McGill University

McGill University is the second-best university in Canada and is one of the best colleges in Canada for international students, with over 31,000 students from 150 countries around the world. The percentage of international students currently at the university is 24%.McGill University is ranked #27 in the QS World University Rankings for 2022. 

The university offers over 300 undergraduate programs to international students, as well as 400+ graduate programs across 80 departments. Other admission requirements include submission of academic transcripts, personal statement, English language proficiency scores, etc. Some of the major programs available at McGill University include:

Courses	Annual Tuition Fees (INR)	Scores
Master of Management [M.Mgmt] in Analytics	34.6 Lakhs	TOEFL:86, IELTS:6.5, GMAT:660
Master of Science [M.Sc] in Computer Science	11.1 Lakhs	TOEFL:86, IELTS:6.5,  GRE:300
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]	59.3 Lakhs	TOEFL:86, IELTS:6.5,  GMAT:670
Bachelor of Science [B.Sc] in Computer Science	29.3 Lakhs	TOEFL:86, IELTS:6.5
Bachelor of Engineering [B.Eng] in Mechanical Engineering	29.3 Lakhs	TOEFL:86, IELTS:6.5

Read More: McGill University

University of British Columbia

The world ranking of the University of British Columbia (UBC) is #46 as per QS rankings 2022 and #37 as per Times Higher Education 2022. It is the oldest university in the province and is ranked #3 in Canada for international students. More than 68,000 students from over 140 countries attend the university. 

In order to apply to UBC, international applicants need to score well on English language proficiency tests and other standardized exams. Some of the popular courses at UBC are offered in subject areas like engineering, medicine, management, geography, forestry, etc. Following are the top courses offered by the University of British Columbia:

Courses	Annual Tuition Fees (INR)	Scores
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]	53.7 Lakhs	TOEFL:100, IELTS:7.0, PTE: 70, GMAT:550, GRE: 310
Master of Science [M.Sc] in Computer Science	5.2 Lakhs	TOEFL:100, IELTS:7.0, PTE: 52, GRE:310
Master of Architecture [M.Arch]	27 Lakhs	TOEFL:100, IELTS:7.0, PTE:52, GRE:310
Bachelor of Science [B.Sc] in Computer Science	25.3 Lakhs	TOEFL:90, IELTS:6.0, PTE:65
Bachelor of Commerce [B.Com]	31.7 Lakhs	TOEFL:90, IELTS:6.0, PTE:65

Read More: University of British Columbia

Université de Montréal

The University of Montreal is a French-language public research university in Montreal and has over 67,350 students, including 10,000 international students. It is one of the best universities in Montreal and is ranked #88 in the world by Times Higher Education 2022.

Over 600 undergraduate and graduate programs are offered at the university in various subject areas, such as management, engineering, science, computer science, etc. To gain admission at Université de Montréal, you must have English and French language proficiency proof, study permit, valid visa, bank statement, academic transcripts, statement of purpose, etc. Université de Montréal offers these major programs:

Courses	Annual Tuition Fees (INR)	Scores
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]	27.4 Lakhs	TOEFL:85, IELTS:6.5, TOEIC:601, GMAT:630, GRE:308
Master of Science [M.Sc] in Computer Science	11.6 Lakhs	TOEFL:85, IELTS:6.5, TOEIC:601, GRE:308
Master of Engineering [M.Eng] in Computer Engineering	17.9 Lakhs	TOEFL:85, IELTS:6.5, TOEIC:601, GMAT:630, GRE:308
Bachelor of Engineering [B.Eng] in Civil Engineering	11.2 Lakhs	TOEFL:85, IELTS:6.5, PTE:59
Bachelor of Business Administration [B.B.A]	15.3 Lakhs	TOEFL:85, IELTS:6.0, TOEIC:601

Read More: University of Montreal

University of Alberta

The University of Alberta is a public research university in Canada, and it is ranked #126 in the world by QS World Rankings 2022. It has 4 campuses across Canada and is home to 40,000 students from all over the world. The university offers 400+ courses in a diverse range of subject areas.

To be admitted to the University of Alberta, international students must meet some basic criteria and submit the necessary documents. Students must submit a purpose statement, English proficiency proof, academic transcripts, letters of reference, among other requirements. Following are the top courses provided by the University of Alberta:

Courses	Annual Tuition Fees (INR)	Scores
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]	17.7 Lakhs	TOEFL:100, IELTS:7, GMAT:550, PTE:68, GRE:310
Master of Engineering [M.Eng] in Mechanical Engineering	11 Lakhs	TOEFL:93, IELTS:6.5, PTE:59, GRE:310
Bachelor of Science in Nursing [B.S.N]	15.1 Lakhs	TOEFL:90, IELTS:6.5,  PTE:61
Bachelor of Science [B.Sc] in Computing Science	16.5 Lakhs	TOEFL:90, IELTS:6.5,  PTE:61
Bachelor of Science [B.Sc] in Statistics	16.5 Lakhs	TOEFL:90, IELTS:6.5,  PTE:61

Read More: University of Alberta

McMaster University

McMaster University is ranked #80 in the world by Times Higher Education 2022 and #140 in QS world university rankings 2022. Over 4500 international students attend the university from 139 countries. It offers courses in a variety of fields, including engineering, business, humanities, social sciences, health sciences, etc.

International students are required to provide IELTS/TOEFL/PTE scores to prove their proficiency in English. Scores of 100 on TOEFL and 7 on IELTS are the minimum requirements. You need good scores on tests like the GRE and GMAT to apply to McMaster's MBA program. Following are the popular courses at McMaster University:

Courses	Annual Tuition Fees (INR)	Scores
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]	26.7 Lakhs	TOEFL:100, IELTS:7, GMAT:600, GRE:309
Master of Science [M.Sc] in Computer Science	10.1 Lakhs	TOEFL:88, IELTS:6.5,  PTE:60
Master of Science in Nursing [M.S.N]	6.4 Lakhs	TOEFL:88, IELTS:6.5,  PTE:60, GRE:304
Bachelor of Science in Nursing [B.S.N]	19.1 Lakhs	TOEFL:88, IELTS:6.5,  PTE:60
Bachelor of Arts [B.A] in Economics	19.9 Lakhs	TOEFL:86, IELTS:6.5,  PTE:60

Read More: McMaster University

University of Calgary

The world ranking of the University of Calgary (UCalgary) is #235 according to QS rankings 2022. It is an independent university spread across 5 campuses with a total student population of over 33,000 students. At the undergraduate level, UCalgary offers over 110 different programs, while at the graduate level, it offers over 70 different programs. 

International students need to pay 125 CAD as application fees for undergraduate programs and 145 CAD for graduate programs. Applicants to UCalgary must score 80 on the TOEFL or have a score of 6 on the IELTS. The top programs offered by the University of Calgary are given in the table below:

Courses	Annual Tuition Fees (INR)	Scores
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]	22 Lakhs	IELTS:7, TOEFL:97, GMAT:600, GRE:289, PTE:68
Master of Management [M.Mgmt]	15.8 Lakhs	TOEFL:97, IELTS:7.0, PTE:68, GRE:309
Master of Architecture [M.Arch]	11.7 Lakhs	TOEFL:105, IELTS:7.5, PTE:59, GRE:309
Bachelor of Science [B.Sc] in Computer Science	12.4 Lakhs	TOEFL:86, IELTS:6.5, PTE:60
Bachelor of Science [B.Sc] in  Software Engineering	12.4 Lakhs	TOEFL:86, IELTS:6.5, PTE:60

Read More: University of Calgary

University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo is a member of the prestigious U15 research group and has 3 campuses in Canada. Over 100 undergraduate and 200 postgraduate programs are offered by the university in multiple disciplines, including engineering, architecture, computer science, accounting, data science, finance, etc.

The university awards merit-based scholarships and bursaries to foreign students. To apply for the University of Waterloo, students must appear for English language tests like IELTS, TOEFL, etc. However, the course requirements differ from one program to another. Here are a few of the major courses available at the University of Waterloo:

Courses	Annual Tuition Fees (INR)	Scores
Master of Engineering [M.Eng] in Mechanical Engineering	16.8 Lakhs	TOEFL:90, IELTS:7.0
Master of Business [M.Bus] in Entrepreneurship and Technology	37.2 Lakhs	TOEFL:90, IELTS:7.0, MELAB:85, PTE:63
Master of Science [M.Sc] in Geography	8.8 Lakhs	TOEFL:100, IELTS:7.5
Bachelor of Computer Science [B.C.S]	26.8 Lakhs	TOEFL:90, IELTS:7.0, PTE:63, SAT:1230
Bachelor of Architecture [B.Arch]	35.1 Lakhs	TOEFL:90, IELTS:6.5

Read More: University of Waterloo

Western University

Western University has more than 38,000 students from 121 countries around the world. It ranks #170 in the world by QS global rankings 2022. There are over 488 undergraduate and graduate degree courses provided by the university through its 12 faculties.

In Western University's work-study program, students are permitted to work for a maximum of 10 hours a week while taking classes and 40 hours during holidays. The university has a 95.2% employment rate, and graduates are able to earn up to 110,000 CAD (80 lakhs) per year. Western University offers the following courses:

Courses	Annual Tuition Fees (INR)	Scores
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]	74.5 Lakhs	TOEFL:100, IELTS:7, PTE:70, GMAT:680
Master of Science [M.Sc] in Management	41.7 Lakhs	TOEFL:100, IELTS:7, PTE:70, GMAT:680
Master of Arts [M.A] in Economics	11.1 Lakhs	TOEFL:86, IELTS:6.5, PTE:58, GRE:300
Bachelor of Science [B.Sc] in Computer Science	18.7 Lakhs	TOEFL:83, IELTS:6.5, PTE:58
Bachelor of Science in Nursing [B.S.N]	24 Lakhs	TOEFL:83, IELTS:6.5, PTE:58

Read More: Western University

Queen's University

Queen’s University has a total student enrollment of over 24,000 students and ranks #251-300 in the world according to the rankings given by Times Higher Education 2022. As one of Canada's most prestigious universities, Queen's has an acceptance rate of just 10.4% to 19.3% for its UG and PG courses.

The university offers admissions on a rolling basis throughout the year, and early applications are strongly preferred. Students need to have academic transcripts, statement of purpose, English proficiency scores, LORs, standardized scores, etc., to apply for the university. Some of the most popular courses offered by Queen’s University are shown in the table below:

Courses	Annual Tuition Fees (INR)	Scores
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]	76.1 Lakhs	TOEFL:100, IELTS:7.5, GMAT:600, GRE:315, PTE:65
Master of Science [M.Sc] in Computing Science	11.6 Lakhs	TOEFL:88, IELTS:7,  PTE:309
Master of Management [M.Mgmt] in Artificial Intelligence	49.2 Lakhs	TOEFL:100, IELTS:7.5,  GRE:315
Bachelor of Computer Science [B.C.S]	13.6 Lakhs	TOEFL:88, IELTS:6.5, PTE:60
Bachelor of Commerce [B.Com]	14.4 Lakhs	TOEFL:88, IELTS:6.5, PTE:60

Read More: Queen’s University

Canada University Rankings

The are some universities in Canada that ranked in the top 150 universities in the world by QS World University Rankings 2022. The rankings of some of the best colleges in Canada based on QS World University Rankings 2022 are given below:

Top Colleges in Canada	QS World University Rankings 2022
University of Toronto	26
University of British Columbia	46
McGill University	27
University of Montreal	111
McMaster University	140

Admission Requirements for Top Colleges in Canada

While the admission requirements vary from university to university in Canada, there are a few common requirements. In order to apply to top universities in Canada, students must note the following requirements:

• Secondary school certificate (for undergraduate programs)
• 3-4 year bachelors degree (for graduate programs)
• Academic transcripts and certificates (translated into English)
• Proof of English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL./PTE/MELAB)
• Standardized test scores (SAT, GMAT, GRE, ACT)
• Resume
• Statement of Purpose
• Proof of financial support
• Reference letters

Top Universities in Canada for MBA

Canada has some of the best MBA universities that provide affordable education, a diverse student body, and world-class resource facilities. The enrolled students can get a general MBA degree or a specialized degree in consulting, marketing, HR, or finance.

• Ivey Business School - University of Western Ontario
• Schulich School of Business - York University
• Rotman School of Management - University of Toronto
• Desautels Faculty of Management - McGill University
• Sauder School of Business - University of British Columbia
• Queen's School of Business - Queen's University
• Alberta School of Business - University of Alberta
• John Molson School of Business - Concordia University
• HEC Montréal
• Sobey School of Business