Canada's public universities award bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees recognised alongside those from the US, UK and Australia. Below you'll find why each featured university is worth a look, what makes it strong, what you gain, and what it costs international students today.
| University | Province | Annual tuition | Program & year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto | ON | 63,570 | Arts & Science, 2025-26 | UofT |
| McGill University | QC | 56,000 | BA, 2026-27 (BEng 65,168 · BCom 74,678) | McGill |
| University of Waterloo | ON | 54,000–75,000 | Estimate incl. fees, 2026-27 | Waterloo |
| Queen's University | ON | 54,808 | Arts & Science, 2025-26 | Queen's |
| Simon Fraser University | BC | ~56,800 | 3 terms at 18,944, 2026-27 | SFU |
| University of British Columbia | BC | 51,530 | Arts Year 1, 2026-27 | UBC |
| Western University | ON | 48,000–64,400 | Year 1 incl. fees, 2025-26 | Western |
| McMaster University | ON | 45,158 | Social Sciences, Level 1, 2025-26 | McMaster |
| University of Ottawa | ON | 38,692–62,000 | 2025-26 (secondary source) | uOttawa |
| University of Alberta | AB | 35,908–49,953 | All programs, 2026-27, fixed | UAlberta |
| Dalhousie University | NS | 33,091–51,503 | 2026-27 | Dalhousie |
| University of Regina | SK | 29,348–34,545 | 30 credit hours, 2026-27 | URegina |
| University of Calgary | AB | from 30,782 | 10 courses, lowest rate group | UCalgary |
| Université de Montréal | QC | ~29,876 | Bachelor's, 2025-26 (secondary source) | Narcity |
| Memorial University | NL | 22,500 | New students, 2026-27 | Memorial |
| University of New Brunswick | NB | 20,903 | BA Fredericton, 2026-27 | UNB |
| Brandon University | MB | 16,855 | Arts, 2025-26 | Brandon |
Graduate fees vary far more by program than undergraduate fees do, so we price them program by program.
A master's (usually 1–2 years) or PhD (usually 4–6 years) turns broad knowledge into expertise employers and research labs look for.
Canadian universities spent CAD 19 billion on research in 2024, about a third of all R&D in the country, so labs and supervisors are well funded.
Some programs fund their students. For example, most international PhD students at the University of Toronto pay the domestic tuition rate.
A pathway lets a student start a university-level program with extra support, then move into the degree once they meet the required grades or English level.
Other university pathway colleges include Toronto Metropolitan University International College, Wilfrid Laurier International College and Western International College.
| City / university | What it covers | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| London, ON (Western) | First-year residence, Sept–Apr | 21,770–27,340 | Western |
| Winnipeg (U of Manitoba) | Living expenses per year, 2026-27 | 16,000–19,000 | ICM |
| Edmonton (U of Alberta) | Residence with meal plan, 2026-27 | from 14,200 | UAlberta handbook |
| St. John's (Memorial) | Residence with meals, per year, 2026-27 | 10,594–12,510 | Memorial |
| University of Regina | Room and meals, 8 months, 2026-27 | 7,720–16,260 | URegina |
The complete list of Universities Canada members. Each has its own page with why to choose it, what sets it apart, what it costs an international student and what the student gains.