Canada is the most educated country globally because the schools are publicly funded, and each province controls and creates education catered to their own residents.

Canadian universities have been numerically ranked based on their positions in the overall Best Global Universities rankings. In addition, schools were evaluated based on their research performance and ratings by members of the academic community worldwide and within North America.

This ranking is created based on Academics, Graduation Rate, Tuition, Repetitions, and Global Ranking.

The Best Universities in Canada 2018

10.Western University

Western University ranks as one of Canada’s top research universities. From fundamental to applied knowledge, Western discoveries benefit economic, social, health and cultural development in Canada and around the world.

The university attracts students with broad worldviews seeking to study, engage, and lead in international communities. Students from 117 countries share in classroom experiences and engage in study-abroad, research and volunteer opportunities to broaden perspectives and knowledge. Western students balance academic achievement with opportunities for athletic, volunteer and social engagement, which foster a strong community that extends to more than 277,000 alumni worldwide.

Global Score: 53.8
Academic Score: 39.2
Bright Rank Score: 90

9. University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo is a public institution that was founded in 1957. The Canadian university’s main campus is in Waterloo, Ontario, not far from several of the Great Lakes and the U.S. border. The university also has satellite campuses in nearby Cambridge, Kitchener, and Stratford. More than 30,000 students attend the university.

Tuition is generally higher for international students, though a handful of graduate programs charge domestic and international students at the same rate. In addition, University housing is available for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Global Score: 56.3
Academic Score: 48.8
Smart Rank Score: 91

8. University of Ottawa

The University of Ottawa is a vital, engaged and vibrant center for human understanding and advancement — offering a superior educational experience. Credit goes to our staff, faculty, and students, across all departments, services, and faculties and to our partners in the public and private sectors.

Their work on the issues facing society, and their commitment to delivering learning experiences of the highest calibre, are why the University of Ottawa is gaining increasing recognition for research and academic excellence and our positive contribution to the local community and the country at large.

Global Score: 57.5
Academic Score: 32.6
Smart Rank Score: 92

7. University of Calgary

The University of Calgary is Canada’s leading next-generation university; a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude in Canada’s most enterprising city. The university has a clear strategic direction to become one of Canada’s top five research universities by 2016, grounded in innovative learning and teaching, and fully integrated with the community of Calgary.

Supporting industry and businesses locally, nationally and internationally, the University of Calgary strives to serve the community and reflect its values, while working to find solutions to some of the most challenging problems facing society today.

Global Score: 58.7
Academic Score: 42.8
Smart Rank Score: 93

6. University of Alberta

The University of Alberta is a public institution that was founded in 1908. Located in the province of Alberta in Western Canada, around 80 percent of the university’s students study at the undergraduate level. The university is made up of five campuses, four of which are in the city of Edmonton, including the main North Campus, which covers around 50 city blocks. The university’s fifth site, the Augustana Campus, is located roughly an hour away from Edmonton in the rural city of Camrose.

Global Score: 62.6
Academic Score: 73
Smart Rank Score: 94

5. University of Montreal

The University of Montreal is a public institution that traces its roots back to 1878. Initially a branch of the Université Laval de Québec, it became an independent institution in 1919. The university is affiliated with two other schools: Polytechnique Montréal, an engineering school, and HEC Montréal, a business school. The university and its affiliated schools are located in Montreal, Quebec – one of the tCanada’smost populous metropolitan areas. 

Global Score: 62.7
Academic Score: 67.2
Smart Rank Score: 95

4. McMaster University

McMaster University is a public institution that was founded in 1887. The Canadian university’s main campus is in a suburban neighborhood of Hamilton, Ontario, near the western edge of Lake Ontario and not far from the U.S. border. Other campuses are located in downtown Hamilton, Burlington, Kitchener-Waterloo and Niagara.

The university’s international students hail from more than 75 countries, and its full-time faculty members come from more than 55.

Global Score: 62.8
Academic Score: 51.8
Smart Rank Score: 96

3. McGill University

McGill University is a public institution that was founded in 1821 and is located in Quebec, Canada. The university has two campuses: the downtown campus in Montreal and the Macdonald campus in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. The two campuses are approximately 20 miles apart.

The primary language of instruction is English, although, in a recent year, around 20 percent of university students said French was their mother tongue. In fact, around half of the population of Montreal speaks French as a first language.

Global Score: 72.3
Academic Score: 96.9
Smart Rank Score: 97

2. University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia is a public institution located in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The university was established in 1908 and opened in 1915. It has two main campuses – the Vancouver campus and the Okanagan campus located in Kelowna. The Vancouver campus is the larger of the two, accommodating more than 85 percent of UBC students. In a recent year, 23 percent of students at the Vancouver campus and around 13 percent at the Okanagan campus were international.

Global Score: 75.7
Academic Score: 99.1
Smart Rank Score: 98

1. University of Toronto

the University of Toronto is a public institution that was founded in 1827. Around 80 percent of its students study at the undergraduate level. The school has three campuses – St. George, Mississauga, and Scarborough – located in and around Toronto. Roughly 95 percent of the university’s graduate students study at the downtown St. George campus, as do upward of 60 percent of its undergraduates.

Thousands of foreign students from more than 160 countries and regions attend the University of Toronto. In a recent year, the top countries of origin for non-Canadian students were China, India and the U.S. Tuition is higher for international students.

Global Score: 80.7
Academic Score: 99.7
Smart Rank Score: 99