Top Universities in Canada 2018

Click here to view the latest version of this article, based on the QS World University Rankings® 2020.

The QS World University Rankings® 2018 is here, and 26 universities in Canada are featured among the world’s best. Of these, four are in the global top 100, while a further nine Canadian universities are ranked in the top 300. Planning to study in the Great White North? Here’s where to consider first, starting with the country’s top 10.

1. University of Toronto

Overtaking McGill University to once again be ranked as the best Canadian university is the University of Toronto, up one place at 31^st in the world this year. Established in 1827, the University of Toronto has around 88,700 students at its three campuses in Toronto, and is renowned for its research innovations, such as the discoveries of insulin and stem cells.

2. McGill University

Ranked 32^nd in the world in 2018, McGill University was founded in 1821 and has around 40,500 students, of which 25% are international. Located in Montreal, the university boasts the highest number of Rhodes Scholars (142) and Nobel Prize winners (12) among all Canadian universities. 

3. University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia is down six places to rank 51^st in the world this year, but nonetheless remains the third-highest-ranked university in Canada. Located in Vancouver and Kelowna in British Columbia, the university has about 62,900 students, including 14,434 international students from 162 countries.

4. University of Alberta

Up four places to rank joint 90^th in the world alongside South Korea’s Korea University, the University of Alberta was founded in 1908 and is mainly based in the city of Edmonton. The university enrolls 37,830 students from 143 countries and has an annual impact of CA$12.3 billion on Alberta’s economy.

5. Université de Montréal

Ranked 130^th in the world, the Université de Montréal is Canada’s highest-ranked Francophone university and one of the top 10 employers in the Montreal region. The university was established in 1878 and is one of the most active Canadian universities in research, with research revenue of more than half a billion dollars.

6. McMaster University

McMaster University, up nine places this year to rank 140^th in the world, was originally founded in 1887 in Toronto but relocated to Hamilton, Ontario in 1930. McMaster is home to 70 research centers and institutes, and is particularly renowned for its medical school.

7. University of Waterloo

Also located in Ontario, the University of Waterloo is ranked 152^nd in the world this year and is one of the youngest of these top universities in Canada, having opened its doors as recently as 1957. Today it has 36,670 students, with 37% of its graduate students coming from outside Canada.

8. Western University

Ranked joint 210^th in the world alongside Belgium’s University of Antwerp, Western University is located in London, Ontario. Previously known as the University of Western Ontario, the university was founded in 1878 and now has around 28,800 students.

9. University of Calgary

The University of Calgary is ranked 217^th in the world in 2018, down on last year but nonetheless a top-10 Canadian university. Founded in 1966, the university has five campuses, including one in Qatar, and has been the birthplace of a variety of significant inventions, including the neurochip.

10. Queen's University

Queen’s University is ranked joint 224^th in the world in 2018 and is one of the oldest universities in Canada, established in 1841 – 26 years before Canada was founded. Today, Queen’s has around 22,461 students, 10% of whom are international.

The remaining top universities in Canada…

11. Simon Fraser University – ranked joint 245^th in the world.
12. Dalhousie University – ranked joint 279^th in the world.
13. University of Ottawa – ranked joint 289^th in the world.
14. University of Victoria – ranked joint 346^th in the world.
15. Laval University – ranked 378^th in the world.
16. Concordia University – ranked 431-440 in the world.
17. York University – ranked 441-450 in the world.
18. University of Saskatchewan – ranked 451-460 in the world.
19. University of Guelph – ranked 491-500 in the world.
20. Université du Québec – ranked 501-550 in the world.
21. University of Manitoba – ranked 551-600 in the world.
22. Université de Sherbrooke – ranked 601-650 in the world.

=23. Carleton University – ranked 651-700 in the world.

=23. University of Windsor – ranked 651-700 in the world.

25. Memorial University of Newfoundland – ranked 701-750 in the world.
26. Ryerson University – ranked 801-1000 in the world.

Find out more about studying in Canada with our complete guide, including advice on applications, visas, fees and more.

For information about ranking categories, and answers to other frequently asked questions, click here.