Civil engineers make the earth more habitable by constructing structures to fulfil human needs, wants and desires. The varied specialisations in civil engineering support different facets of life. Such as transportation, environment, water management and geotechnical streams. Building sturdy, safe and utilitarian structures require acquiring the skills and knowledge in the specialised field.
Such knowledge is provided, and skills are developed at the universities in Canada. Canada is home to some of the top universities in the world. These universities offer various civil engineering courses that develop students' knowledge and skills through different forms of learning. It will give you the foundation you need to build your career. This blog will be your guide to studying civil engineering in Canada.
Why Study Civil Engineering In Canada?
Canada is home to more than 100 universities that offer civil courses in Canada. Some of these universities have been ranked in the QS World University Rankings year after year. This proves the quality of education the country offers and the job opportunities it offers graduates. Let us discuss the reasons to study civil engineering courses in Canada.
Choice of college: Canadian colleges offer several specialisations in civil engineering. You can opt for the course of your choice from the civil engineering universities in Canada. You can choose to study any courses after civil engineering in Canada.
High remuneration: There are several civil engineering companies in Canada. The scope of civil engineering in Canada is broad. After completing civil engineering in Canada, you can build your career in any job role.
Safe, friendly, and accepting: Moving to another country to pursue education is a new experience as there is a change in culture and lifestyle. Canada is known to be one of the safest countries and accepts people from diverse cultures. You don't have to worry about fitting in when you study at one of the Canadian universities.
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Also Read |
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7 Top Universities To Study Civil Engineering Courses In Canada
Out of the 102 universities that offer civil engineering courses in Canada, we have chosen the top 7 Canadian universities. This is based on the quality of education and international student experience. We have detailed each university below for your reference.
- The University of British Columbia
- University of Waterloo
- Concordia University
- McGill University
- Calgary University
- University of Toronto
- University of Windsor
1. The University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is ranked #1 for Civil Engineering Schools in Canada. It is amongst the top 25 civil engineering colleges across the world. The university has 20 research labs and centres for its engineering students. The university has some of the top scholars in the world who are tutoring engineering courses. Since the quality of education is high, the employability score of the college has also remained high.
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Type |
Public |
|
University of British Columbia, Vancouver World Ranking 2025 |
38 |
|
Course Duration |
B.A.Sc. – 4 years Masters of Civil Engineering - 12-16 months |
|
Course Offered |
B.A.Sc. in Civil Engineering Master of Civil Engineering |
|
Average Tuition Fee |
B.A.Sc. in Civil Engineering – 54,986.81 CAD/ 33,61,760 INR for full course For Master of Civil Engineering - 22,774.89 CAD / 13,83,233 INR for the first year |
2. University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is one of the best universities to pursue PhD in civil engineering in Canada. You can utilise the benefit of customising the university's course as an international student. You will participate in field studies, lab work, hackathons, certificate and co-op programs. Under the co-op program, you can work with a company for up to 24 months and get paid for it. So you will have work experience when you graduate from the University of Waterloo.
|
Type |
Public |
|
115 |
|
|
Course Duration |
16 months |
|
Course Offered |
Master in Civil Engineering PhD in Civil Engineering |
|
Average Tuition Fee |
Master in Civil Engineering - 14,592 CAD / 8,86,300 INR per term PhD in Civil Engineering – 7,396 CAD/ 4,52,174 INR per term |
3. Concordia University
Concordia University is one of the top universities in Canada that offers a wide range of courses and specialisations. If you are wondering which civil engineering specialisation is in demand in Canada, you can explore the courses here. Master in Civil Engineering at Concordia University is in high demand. It has the most competitive fee structure for its engineering courses, which benefits international students.
|
Type |
Public |
|
415 |
|
|
Course Duration |
2 years |
|
Course Offered |
Master in Civil Engineering |
|
Average Tuition Fee |
291.01 CAD / 17,792 INR per credit |
4. McGill University
McGill University has consistently remained of the top universities in Canada for its arts and engineering courses. It has also been ranking high in the QS World University Rankings. The university campus is in Montreal, ranked the highest for student-friendly cities worldwide. As an international student, you will receive a high-quality education, a fantastic student experience and gain job opportunities worldwide.
|
Type |
Public |
|
29 |
|
|
Course Duration |
2 years |
|
Course Offered |
Masters in Civil Engineering |
|
Average Tuition Fee |
11,138 CAD / 6,76,500 INR for the first year |
5. Calgary University
Calgary University is one of the most famous Canadian universities in the world. It is ranked #151-200 in ARWU University Ranking, #201-250 in Times Higher Education University Ranking and #169 in US News & World Report. The employability score of the college has also been high since it has high-quality education and award-winning tutors.
|
Type |
Public |
|
198 |
|
|
Course Duration |
1-2 years |
|
Course Offered |
M.Eng in Civil Engineering |
|
Average Tuition Fee |
8,413.04 CAD / 5,14,353 INR for the first year |
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6. University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is world-famous for its research centres and opportunities for students. The university invests in the all-around development of its international student fraternity. Apart from classroom learning, the students participate in practical activities such as projects, group activities, interaction with mentors and sports. Athletics is one of the most critical aspects at the University of Toronto. Students participate in sports championships held across Canada.
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Type |
Public |
|
25 |
|
|
Course Duration |
12 months |
|
Course Offered |
M.Eng in Civil |
|
Average Tuition Fee |
46,286 CAD / 28,11,180 INR for the first year |
7. University of Windsor
The faculty at the University of Windsor are recognised across Canada. Several award-winning scholars are tutoring at the college. This benefits the students immensely as they can learn from their experiences. As an international student, your skills will be developed and enhanced as you implement the concepts into your practical work experiences under the guidance of these tutors. It is one of the best universities to study civil engineering in Canada.
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Type |
Public |
|
547 |
|
|
Course Duration |
1 year |
|
Course Offered |
Honours Certificate Civil |
|
Average Tuition Fee |
23,036 CAD / 13,90,000 INR for the first year |
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Eligibility Criteria To Study Civil Engineering In Canada
As an international student, you must meet the eligibility criteria set by the Canadian university to study civil engineering in Canada. The university sets the criteria for every course it offers, and it varies for each course. But all international students must meet a standard set of criteria. We have listed them below.
- Educational Criteria
- English language proficiency tests
- GRE
Educational Criteria
If you want to pursue a diploma or Bachelor of civil engineering in Canada, you must hold a school completion certificate from a recognised board in your country of residence. 10 + 2 years of education is required with a minimum of 65% overall score.
To apply for Masters, you must hold a completed Bachelor in Civil Engineering degree or any other equivalent. To pursue PhD in Civil engineering in Canada, you must hold a course completion certificate in Masters in Civil engineering or any other equivalent. The minimum overall score required by the Canadian universities is 65%.
English language proficiency tests
If you are a resident of a country where English is not the first language, you must take up English language proficiency test. IELTS and TOEFL are the most commonly accepted tests by the best civil engineering universities in Canada.
IELTS – Minimum overall score of 6.5-7.0
TOEFL - Minimum overall score of 90-100
GRE
Specific civil engineering colleges in Canada require international students to take GRE. Minimum GRE score requirement by the best civil engineering colleges in Canada is 250.
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Documents Required To Pursue Civil Engineering In Canada
As an international student, when you apply for civil engineering courses in Canada, you must fill the application form on the university's official website. In addition to that, you must attach supporting documents. Though the comprehensive list of documents varies from one course to another and from one university to another, there are a set of standard documents that all Indian students must submit to study at Canadian universities. We have listed them below for your reference.
- Copy of passport
- Financial proof
- English proficiency test scores
- Official academic transcripts
- Work record
- Resume
- Statement of purpose
- Recommendation/Reference letters
- Canada student Visa requirements
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Admission Process For Civil Courses In Canada
To study civil engineering colleges in Canada, international students must follow a procedure to apply. Though there is a slight variation in the admission process from one university to another, there are some common steps for all the Canadian universities. We have listed it for you below.
- Visit the official website of the university to study civil courses in Canada.
- Check course specialisation you want to opt for.
- Check the in-take season you want to apply for.
- Fill out the student application form and pay the mentioned registration fee.
- Attach the documents listed as required for the civil engineering course of your choice.
- The university will screen your student application.
- Once selected, you will receive an unconditional offer letter from the university accepting your application to study the course.
- Apply for a student visa for the duration of your course.
Cost To Study Civil Engineering In Canada
Cost is essential for international students to study civil engineering courses in Canada. There are two types of costs.
- Tuition fees
- Cost of living
Tuition fees
Civil engineering courses in Canada fees depend on the specialisation and the Canadian university you choose to study at. The average civil engineering courses in Canada fees is 8,413 CAD/5,14,174 INR- 46,286 CAD/28,11,200 INR per annum.
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Cost of living
The basic expenses are taken into consideration while calculating the cost of living for international students in Canada. This includes rent for housing, food, groceries, and transportation. The average cost would be 900 CAD-1,500 CAD per month.
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Scholarships To Pursue Civil Engineering In Canada
The cost of studying civil engineering courses in Canada can be reduced only in terms of tuition fee. This is possible when you are eligible to gain a scholarship. Almost all the universities in Canada offer scholarships for international students to study civil engineering in Canada. You can apply for a scholarship through the official website of the university when you submit your application at civil engineering universities in Canada.
|
Scholarship |
Benefit |
|
AI Insley Graduate Scholarship |
2,000 CAD |
|
Allen Cook Prize in Civil Engineering |
500 CAD |
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Alberta Public Works Association |
5,000 CAD |
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McGill-UAE Fellowships in Science and Engineering |
Full funding |
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Gordon Hunt Engineering Scholarship |
3,000 CAD -10,000 CAD |
Jobs After Civil Courses In Canada
When you think of the scope of civil engineering in Canada, the civil engineers are in high demand. There are several companies in Canada that are open to employing fresh graduates. Also, the degrees from the universities in Canada are recognised across the world. This means you can explore job opportunities in any part of the world.
|
Job Role |
Average Annual Salary |
|
Civil Engineer |
49,569 CAD/ 30,30,528 INR |
|
Structural Engineer |
78,236 CAD / 47,83,000 INR |
|
Bridge Engineer |
88,210 CAD / 54,02,900 INR |
|
Project Engineer |
86,508 CAD / 52,88,888 INR |
|
Environmental Engineer |
76,614 CAD / 46,84,000 INR |
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Wrapping up
This blog has provided you with comprehensive information about civil engineering in Canada. With plenty of top universities and multiple specialisations in the subject, it is essential to choose the right course to meet your educational goals. The course curriculum is designed based on the vision and mission of the university. Ensure that you choose the right university and course. If you need guidance, feel free to reach out to our Yocket counsellors anytime.
