Public Universities In Canada

Canada offers an exceptional choice of private and public universities. As of now, there are 96 public universities in Canada that offer 15,000+ academic courses. The list of public institutions includes premier universities like the University of Toronto, McGill University, etc. Studying at public universities in Canada is not free, but within an affordable tuition range. As per a student survey, the average tuition fee for public universities is 35,000 CAD per year.

Let’s discuss the top public universities in Canada including top programs, tuition fees, and other benefits they offer.

List of Public Universities in Canada: Top 15 by QS Rankings

QS Ranking 2023	University	Annual Tuition Range
#31	McGill University	CAD 31,000- CAD 63,000
#34	University of Toronto	CAD 13,650- CAD 63,768
#47	University of British Columbia	CAD 17,890- CAD 31,634
#110	University of Alberta	CAD 6,500- CAD 29,136
#116	Université de Montréal	CAD 19,597- CAD 20,400
#154	University of Waterloo	CAD 40,682- CAD 63,464
#172	Western University	CAD 18,038- CAD 20,000
#237	University of Ottawa	CAD 18,699 - CAD 33,123
#242	University of Calgary	CAD 26,849- CAD 35,136
#246	Queen’s University	CAD 7,942- CAD 21,858
#308	Dalhousie University	CAD 7392.00- CAD 16,860
#328	Simon Fraser University	CAD 7,064- CAD 32,724
#359	University of Victoria	CAD 7,922- CAD 28,093
#456	York University	CAD 29,000 to 37,000
#1001-1200	University of Regina	CAD 22,028- CAD 25,868

Requirements for Public Universities in Canada

Each public university in Canada has its own set of admission requirements. The international students are advised to thoroughly check the university’s official website where they wish to apply for admission. Listed below are the general admission requirements and documents for admissions in public universities.

General Admission Requirements:

A copy of your diploma, high school or Bachelor’s degree
All transcript of your previous qualifications
English language proficiency
- IELTS: 6.5
- TOEFL-IBT: 90
- PTE: 45
Standardized test scores
- GMAT: 500-600
- GRE: 305-320
Your CV
Evidence of scholarship or funding
2 to 3 Letters of recommendation
Portfolio and writing samples
A scan of your passport

Also Check: PTE Accepted Universities in Canada

McGill University

McGill University is a highly ranked public university and currently it stands at 31st position in QS global university rankings. The university is known for being a top medical institute in Canada. It offers a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate level programs in business analytics, chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, nursing, anthropology, and chemistry. The tuition fee at McGill University ranges from 18,000 CAD to 50,000 CAD for international students.

Top Courses:

University of Toronto

University of Toronto is yet another top public university in Canada and it is ranked among the top 50 universities in QS global rankings. It is also known to be one of the top research institutions in the world. Currently, University of Toronto houses more than 93,000 students and out of those, 23,000 are international students. The university offers more than 980 undergraduate and graduate programs. Tuition fee at University of Toronto may cost around 58,000 CAD to 68,000 CAD for international students.

Top Courses:

University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia offers over 200 academic programs through two schools and 12 faculties. The programs at University of British Columbia are offered as certificates, diplomas, associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's and doctoral degrees. The admission at British Columbia is quite competitive and is followed by an admission test. The acceptance rate at UBC ranges between 40 to 50%, making it moderately selective.

Top Courses:

University of Alberta

The University of Alberta offers more than 200 in undergraduate and over 500 graduate programs to 40,000 students from 156 across the globe. It is one of the top 5 research universities in the country and has estimated an annual research funding of 500 million CAD in 2019. The university has been ranked among the top 10 in forestry, paleontology, transplantation, geology, petroleum and sports. The University of Alberta also offers study abroad opportunities in 23 research universities all over the world.

Top Courses:

Master of Business Administration
Master of Accounting
M.Sc in Integrated Petroleum Geosciences
M.Eng in Mechanical Engineering
MPH Environmental and Occupational Health

Universite de Montreal

Université de Montréal is leading instution for higher studies in Quebec. It is one of the largest universities in Canada with a total student population of 69,172 students. Out of the total student body, 45,517 are enrolled at Udem’s main campus, 14,169 at HEC Montreal and the remaining 9,486 at Polytechnique Montreal. Around 73% of students are pursuing undergraduate courses and 27% are studying graduate level courses.

Top Courses:

University of Waterloo

University of Waterloo is one of the popular public universities for those aiming to pursue bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or engineering. Also, it is the world's first University that allowed access to state-of-the-art computers for undergraduate students. Over 100 undergraduate and 190 programs are offered at the University of Waterloo. For international students, the tuition fee at Waterloo may cost around 40,000 CAD to 50,000 CAD.

Top Courses:

Western University

Western University is one of the most affordable public universities in the nation that primarily focuses on research and partners with various universities for integrated courses. The University is listed among the top 1% institutions in the world for higher education. There are 41,940 students enrolled at Western University with 4,493 international students from 129 countries all over the world. The programs at Western University are offered across 12 faculties including 400 undergraduate majors and 88 graduate programs. The fee for international students at Western ranges between 36,000 CAD to 49,000 CAD.

Top Courses:

University of Ottawa

University of Ottawa has a student body of over 42,000 students. The annual employment rate for Ottawa graduates is 97%. More than 550 undergraduate and graduate level programs are offered at UOttawa in engineering, arts, management, social science, health sciences, education and law. The tuition fee for international students starts from 26,000 CAD.

Top Courses:

University of Calgary

University of Calgary offers over 250 undergraduate and graduate programs across 14 faculties. There are nearly 33,000 students enrolled at UCalgary with over 26,000 undergraduate and more than 6,000 graduate students. The university has 5 campuses in the northwest quadrant of Calgary, Spyhill, foothills, downtown, and Qatar. University of Calgary currently ranks among the top 10 universities in Canada by popular ranking agencies.

Top Courses:

Queen’s University

Queen’s University is one of the well-renowned universities in Canada for high quality learning and student experience. Around 25,260 students from more than 100 countries reside at Queen’s University. A wide range of programs are offered at Queen’s including 125 graduate and 140 online courses. The tuition fee for international students at Queen’s University may cost 28,000 CAD for undergraduate and 28,000 CAD for graduate programs.

Top Courses:

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Many of the public universities in Canada are globally recognised among the top research universities. The tuition cost for each university may vary depending on the city and services that it offers. Also, studying in a public university in Canada is quite beneficial for international students as they have range of work opportunities to chose from. Nevertheless, the students may also look for various part-time jobs and internship opportunities while studying at Canadian public university.