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 — and world-class higher education offerings.

The universities in Canada are distinct from colleges, defined to be institutions that offer bachelor’s degrees and postgraduate degrees. Colleges, on the other hand, are defined as institutions that provide diplomas.

Globally recognised as an open, accepting and diverse country, Canada is a welcoming country which commits to diversity and inclusion for different ethnicities. Being the home to top universities, this makes Canada a top destination for international students.

For those who are seeking to pursue your foundation, undergraduate or postgraduate pathways in Canada, university rankings can provide a sense of whether the institution is right for you.

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

With that, we’ve compiled the top universities in Canada for 2025 below, with data from the latest QS World University Rankings and THE World University Rankings.

QS top universities in Canada 2025

Rank

University

Global Rank

1

University of Toronto

25

2

McGill University

29

3

University of British Columbia

38

4

University of Alberta

96

5

University of Waterloo

115

6

Western University

120

7

Université de Montréal

159

8

McMaster University

176

9

University of Ottawa

189

10

Queen’s University at Kingston

193

11

Dalhousie University

298

12

Simon Fraser University

318

13

University of Victoria (UVic)

322

14

University of Saskatchewan

345

15

York University

353

16

Concordia University

387

17

Université Laval

441

18

University of Guelph

486

19

Memorial University of Newfoundland

641–650

THE top universities in Canada 2025

Rank

University

Global Rank

1

University of Toronto

21

2

University of British Columbia

41

3

McGill University

49

4

McMaster University

103

5

University of Alberta

109

6

Université de Montréal

111

7

University of Waterloo

158

8

University of Ottawa

177

9

University of Calgary

201–250

10

Western University

201–250

11

Université Laval

251–300

12

Dalhousie University

301–350

13

Queen’s University

301–350

14

Simon Fraser University

301–350

15

University of Victoria

351–400

16

University of Saskatchewan

351–400

17

University of Guelph

401–500

18

University of Manitoba

401–500

19

York University

401–500

20

Carleton University

501–600

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