The best university in Alberta for 2027 is the University of Alberta in Edmonton, followed by the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge. Alberta has 12 universities on this list, from large research universities to online, arts, and small faith-based schools, each with its own strengths. Take time to research before you decide, and use the list below to compare them.
Alberta is Canada’s fourth-largest province, with over 4 million people, and most of these schools are in Edmonton or Calgary. Our order follows the UM World University Rankings methodology and our university rankings. For the national picture, see our list of Canada’s best universities.
The Best Universities In Alberta 2027
1. University of Alberta
The University of Alberta in Edmonton was chartered in 1906 and opened in 1908. It is the biggest school on this list, with about 44,000 full-time equivalent students in 2023-24, and its North Campus sits in the North Saskatchewan River valley. It also runs Campus Saint-Jean, Augustana in Camrose and a South Campus.
It offers roughly 400 programs across 18 faculties and receives nearly $500 million a year in external research funding. Researchers here helped refine insulin, built the Edmonton Protocol for Type 1 diabetes and developed the hot-water process for oilsands bitumen. It ranked 96th in the QS World University Rankings 2025 and fourth in Canada. The Golden Bears and Pandas compete in U Sports.
2. University of Calgary
The University of Calgary became independent in 1966, after starting as a branch of the University of Alberta in 1944. Its roots go back to the Calgary Normal School, founded in 1905. The main campus is about 10 km from downtown near the Bow River, and in 2023-24 it enrolled about 35,600 full-time equivalent students.
It has 14 faculties, including the Haskayne School of Business, the Schulich School of Engineering and the Cumming School of Medicine. Sponsored research revenue reached $380.4 million. It ranked 182nd in the 2024 QS rankings and 8th in Canada. Alumni include Stephen Harper and Java creator James Gosling, and the Dinos have won the Vanier Cup five times.
3. University of Lethbridge
The University of Lethbridge opened in 1967 as Alberta’s third university, on the former Lethbridge Junior College campus with about 650 students. It now enrolls around 7,400 full-time equivalent students and also has a Calgary campus. Maclean’s ranked it sixth in Canada among primarily undergraduate universities in 2024.
It offers more than 150 undergraduate programs, with faculties including Arts and Science, Education, Fine Arts, Health Sciences, and the Dhillon School of Business. The $280 million Science Commons opened in 2019, and Arthur Erickson designed University Hall. The Pronghorns compete in U Sports, and the art gallery holds over 15,000 objects.
4. Athabasca University
Athabasca University was founded in 1970 and is Canada’s first university to specialize in online distance education. Its main campus is in Athabasca, about 145 km north of Edmonton, but most students learn from home. It describes itself as Canada’s only fully open university, with year-round admissions.
It offers over 900 courses and more than 50 undergraduate and graduate programs across five faculties, from business and health to science and technology. Individual-study courses can take up to six months to finish. It launched the world’s first online MBA in 1994, so it suits working adults and anyone who needs a flexible schedule.
5. MacEwan University
MacEwan University started in 1971 as Grant MacEwan Community College, named after a former Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. It became a university on September 24, 2009, and sits in downtown Edmonton. In 2023-24, it enrolled about 13,500 full-time equivalent students.
It offers nearly 60 programs, including bachelor’s degrees, certificates and diplomas, with an undergraduate focus. The Griffins joined U Sports as a full member in 2016 and play basketball, hockey, volleyball, soccer and more. It also opened kihêw waciston, an Indigenous support centre. Its colours are maroon and white, and its motto is Discendo Floremus. Its urban setting puts students close to the city’s arts scene and job opportunities.
6. Mount Royal University
Mount Royal University was chartered in 1910 as Mount Royal College, opened in 1911 and gained university status in 2009. Its Lincoln Park campus in Calgary has been home since 1972. About 11,560 full-time equivalent students were enrolled in 2023-24, with an average class size of 30.
It offers 13 degrees and 37 majors through faculties such as Arts, the Bissett School of Business, and Communication Studies and Health, Community and Education. The Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts, opened in 2015, has the 787-seat Bella Concert Hall. It was named an Ashoka Changemaker Campus in 2017, and the Cougars compete in U Sports.
7. Ambrose University
Ambrose University in Calgary traces back to 1921, when Nazarene University College began in the basement of Calgary First Church of the Nazarene. The current school formed in 2007 through a merger with Alliance University College and took the Ambrose name in 2014. It is affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance and the Church of the Nazarene.
It is small, with 461 full-time equivalent students in 2023-24, and its students come from over 30 Christian denominations. It offers liberal arts and science degrees, theology and pastoral ministry programs, and a School of Business that launched in 2021. The Lions are its teams, and Bryce Ashlin-Mayo became president in May 2024.
8. Concordia University of Edmonton
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod founded Concordia University of Edmonton in 1921, and it became Concordia University of Edmonton in 2015. It is now a secular, publicly funded independent institution with about 2,150 full-time equivalent students.
Undergraduate degrees in arts, science and management offer 45 majors and minors, and graduate programs cover education, information technology, information security and psychology. Its Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology is described as the only one of its kind west of Manitoba. The Thunder compete in the ACAC, and alumni include actor Nathan Fillion. A 200-bed residence is scheduled to open in 2027, and its urban Edmonton campus is easy to reach.
9. The King’s University
The King’s University in Edmonton was founded in 1979 and has had its current name since 2015. It is an ecumenical Christian university that accepts academically qualified students of all faiths. About 686 full-time equivalent students attended in 2023-24, on a 20-acre urban campus.
Degrees run across arts, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, music, business and education, with over 650 courses in 37 disciplines. Environmental Studies earned professional accreditation from ECO Canada in 2011, and the Politics-History-Economics combined major is another standout. Maclean’s has named it among Canada’s best small universities, and the Eagles compete in the ACAC.
10. Burman University
Burman University in Lacombe was founded in 1907 as Alberta Industrial Academy in Leduc and moved to its current site in 1909. It became Burman University in 2015 and is Alberta’s oldest university by founding date. The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada owns and operates it.
Enrollment is 334 students from 37 countries, and the student-to-professor ratio is 13:1. Education is its largest program, with degrees in business, arts, science, and music as well. Red Deer is under 30 minutes away. The Choral Union has performed at Carnegie Hall three times, and the Bobcats play in the Prairie Athletic Conference.
11. St. Mary’s University
St. Mary’s University in Calgary is a private Roman Catholic institution that began in 1986 as St. Mary’s College. It became a university college in 2004 and took its current name in 2014. The hilltop campus includes early-1900s heritage buildings converted into classrooms.
It offers a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Education (after-degree), eight Bachelor of Arts degrees, and courses in 35 academic disciplines. The library holds over 30,000 titles and a Heritage Edition of The St. John’s Bible. The library plans to offer a fully online Master of Education in Catholic Leadership as its first graduate program. The Lightning compete in the ACAC.
12. Alberta University of the Arts
Alberta University of the Arts began in 1926 as SAIT’s art department and later became Alberta College of Art and Design. It was renamed Alberta University of the Arts on February 1, 2019. About 1,015 full-time equivalent students study at its Calgary campus.
Four schools cover craft and emerging media, visual arts, communication design, and critical and creative studies. It offers Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Design degrees plus a Master of Fine Arts in Craft Media. The Luke Lindoe Library holds over 25,000 art and design titles, and two professional galleries sit alongside nine student-run spaces.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best university in Alberta?
The University of Alberta in Edmonton is first on our 2027 list, followed by the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge. The University of Alberta ranked 96th in the QS World University Rankings 2025, fourth in Canada.
How many universities are in Alberta?
This list covers 12 universities: public research universities, undergraduate universities, an online university, an arts university and several small faith-based schools.
Which Alberta university is best for online study?
Athabasca University. It specializes in online distance education, admits students year-round, and offers over 900 courses and more than 50 programs.
Which Alberta universities are in Edmonton and which are in Calgary?
Edmonton has the University of Alberta, MacEwan University, Concordia University of Edmonton and The King’s University. Calgary has the University of Calgary, Mount Royal University, Ambrose University, St. Mary’s University and Alberta University of the Arts.
Which Alberta universities are faith-based?
Ambrose University (Christian and Missionary Alliance and Church of the Nazarene), The King’s University (ecumenical Christian), Burman University (Seventh-day Adventist) and St. Mary’s University (Roman Catholic). The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod founded Concordia University of Edmonton, which is now secular.
Which Alberta university has the smallest enrollment?
Burman University has the smallest enrollment, with 334 students in 2025, followed by Ambrose University with 461 full-time equivalent students in 2023-24.
Top 12 Best Universities in Alberta 2027: Ranked List
- University of Alberta
- University of Calgary
- University of Lethbridge
- Athabasca University
- MacEwan University
- Mount Royal University
- Ambrose University
- Concordia University of Edmonton
- The King’s University
- Burman University
- St. Mary’s University
- Alberta University of the Arts
Read more about UM World University Rankings
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