A province having the most number of international students, Ontario is home to Canada’s capital city, Ottawa; and Canada’s financial hub, Toronto. And therefore, universities in Ontario provide international students with a competitive edge, and a degree which is highly valued, as well as recognised across the globe. Almost all universities in Ontario provide an education which is highly praiseworthy, and offers international students with high returns in terms of both placement and job opportunities in Canada. So without further ado, let's get you to explore some of the best universities in Ontario for international students.
Table of Contents |
Why Study in Ontario?
Ontario is a province which you do not want to miss out on while exploring options to study in Canada. We have specially curated some reasons to get you to love Ontario:
- Quality of Life: Cities in Ontario are regularly featured in the list of cities providing the best quality of life. The best student cities include Toronto, Ottawa, etc.
- Globally Recognised Education: International population willing to pursue higher education in Canada is attracted to the huge research and academic outputs offered by universities in Ontario. The top universities in Ontario are known to provide students with degrees recognised all around the globe, in high regard.
- Highly Ranked Universities: Some of the best universities in Ontario like McMaster University, University of Toronto, York University, have been highly ranked globally through internationally renowned ranking organisations like THE World University Rankings and QS World University Rankings.
- Diversity: You can experience true cultural diversities across cities in Ontario especially Toronto. As an international student, you are more likely to find students from your country here than in any other part of Canada.
- Outstanding Job Opportunities: Toronto located in Ontario is a financial hub, and so provides out of the world job opportunities to international students. Moreover, Ontario is known to be the largest IT region in Canada, precisely North America after Silicon Valley.
Suggested:Why Study in Canada?
Now that you are aware of the benefits of studying inOntario, let’s take an in-depth look into the top Ontario universities:
Top 10 universities in Ontario Canada for International Students
Let us now help you find the university of your dreams through this list of universities in Ontario:
- University of Toronto
- University of Waterloo
- York University
- McMaster University
- University of Ottawa
- University of Guelph
- Western University
- Queen’s University
- Ryerson University
- Carleton University
Now, let us find out more about these universities:
1. University of Toronto
A global leader in academics and research work, the University of Toronto is the best universities in Toronto and has been a home to around 560,000 alumni. Counted among the top 10 universities in Ontario, the University of Toronto is also ranked high for its commendable research outputs, along with placement opportunities.
QS World University Rankings 2023 |
34 |
Type |
Public |
Location |
Toronto |
Average Tuition Fee |
40,000 CAD/ year (2434544.40 INR) |
Popular Programs |
MSc Data Science, Master of Engineering, Master of Health Science, BSc Computer Science |
2. University of Waterloo
Known for being a top innovation university in Canada, the University of Waterloo is home to around 10,000 international students coming from over 100 countries across the globe. The university is also famous for being partners with more than 7,000 recruiters and employers.
QS World University Rankings 2023 |
154 |
Type |
Public |
Location |
Waterloo |
Average Tuition Fee |
42,000 CAD to 43,000 CAD/ year (2556271.62 to 2617135.23 INR) |
Popular Programs |
Bachelors of Engineering, BSc Biomedical Sciences, MSc Theology, MA Mathematics |
3. York University
A culturally rich and diverse university, the York University leads quite a many universities in Ontario in terms of teaching, and research. One of the top universities in Ontario for its employment rates, the York University offers jobs to 94% of its graduating students each year.
QS World University Rankings 2023 |
39 |
Type |
Public |
Location |
Toronto |
Average Tuition Fee |
33,875 CAD/ year (2061754.79 INR) |
Popular Programs |
BA Actuarial Science, Engineering, BDes Design, MSc Biophysics |
4. McMaster University
Standing tall in the list of universities in Ontario, the McMaster University ranks #4 in Canada by the recent THE World University Rankings. The university is also famous for offering international students with outstanding job opportunities in Canada. Some of the top recruiters at McMaster include Dyson, KPMG, PepsiCo, Nestle Canada, etc.
QS World University Rankings 2023 |
152 |
Type |
Public |
Location |
Hamilton |
Average Tuition Fee |
54,000 CAD / year (3286634.94 INR) |
Popular Programs |
Bachelor of Technology, BA Economics, Bachelors of Business Administration |
5. University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa is known for employing a global perspective to its education system. A lot of international students study at the University of Ottawa representing around 150 countries. The university also offers numerous scholarships to international students.
QS World University Rankings 2023 |
237 |
Type |
Public |
Location |
Ottawa |
Average Tuition Fee |
52,000 CAD/ year (3164907.72 INR) |
Popular Programs |
BEng Software Engineering, BSc Biochemistry, MA Economics |
6. University of Guelph
Counted among the best universities in Ontario, students get benefitted from the University of Guelph in numerous ways including scholarships, affordable tuition, and high research outputs. The university offers a lot of program levels including bachelors, masters, doctoral, certificate and diploma programs.
QS World University Rankings 2023 |
591- 600 |
Type |
Public |
Location |
Guelph |
Average Tuition Fee |
42,422 CAD/ year (2581956.06 INR) |
Popular Programs |
Biomedical engineering, MBA, BSc Computer Science, Graduate Certificate Business, BSc Biology, BSc Geoscience |
7. Western University
Having a high research output, the Western University is counted among the top research intensive universities in Canada. The university is ranked in the world’s 1% higher education institutes. Western University is home to around 40,000 students coming from over 117 countries worldwide, and observes an employment rate of 95.2%.
QS World University Rankings 2023 |
172 |
Type |
Public |
Location |
London |
Average Tuition Fee |
38,692 CAD to 52,554 CAD/ year (2354934.80 to 3198626.16 INR) |
Popular Programs |
Biomedical engineering, Civil engineering, Collaborative nursing, MSc Computer Science |
8. Queen’s University
Known for offering one of a kind, unique education, graduates from Queen’s University are known to be an accomplished, highly recognised lot in the world. The university has been ranked 1st in Canada and 5th in the world by THE Impact Rankings, 2021. The university offers some of the major disciplines and study levels including PG, UG and doctoral programs.
QS World University Rankings 2023 |
- |
Type |
Public |
Location |
Kingston |
Average Tuition Fee |
7,716 CAD/ credit (469623.61 INR) |
Popular Programs |
Graduate diploma in accounting, masters in cancer research, civil engineering |
9. Ryerson University
Ryerson University is the best public university for international students whose history is entrenched in career-driven education, innovative to address contemporary group needs. It offers seven academic faculties and has numerous degrees for undergraduate and particular minor programs. It provides 62 undergraduate courses and 55 PhD & postgraduate programs. The most popular majors students opt for at RU are Social Sciences, Computer Science & Public Health.
QS World University Rankings 2023 |
- |
Type |
Public |
Location |
Ontario, Canada |
Average Tuition Fee |
Bachelor’s: 29,945 to 38,457 CAD/year (1822560.80 to 2340631.85 INR) Post- Graduate: 25,000 to 27,500 CAD/year (1521590.25 to 1673749.28 INR) |
Popular Programs |
Business Economics, Computer Science, Arts & Humanities, Electrical & Electronic Engineering etc. |
10. Carleton University
Carleton University is a lively, research-concentrated university dedicated to offering an outstanding learning experience for its students. The university has 69 master’s programs and 6 certificate courses. Apart from this, 7 post-baccalaureate diploma programs are also accessible to UG students. It is home to more than 2,400 international students representing over 40 countries worldwide. The university also shows an employment rate of 90.3% within six months of graduation.
QS World University Rankings 2023 |
601-650 |
Type |
Public |
Location |
Ottawa, Canada |
Average Tuition Fee |
Bachelor’s: 68,000 CAD/year (4138725.48 INR) Post- Graduate: 55,000 CAD/year (3347498.55 INR) |
Popular Programs |
Business Management, Humanities, Computer Science & IT, Engineering & Technology, Social Sciences etc. |
Suggested:Colleges in Ontario
Now that we know about the best universities in Ontario, let us take a overview of the student life as an international student:
International Student Life in Ontario
Ontario is one of the top choices for students wanting to study in Canada. The availability of well-known universities and colleges is a major fact that attracts students. However, education is the only positive of choosing Ontario. Ontario is large, culturally diverse and is known for its hospitality. There is also no dearth of activities that you can be a part of, be it film festivals or exploring the night life.
When it comes to the cost of living in Ontario, it can go up to 1500 CAD per month and the majority of expenses are incurred on the accommodation. It is important to remember that Ontario is slightly expensive when compared to other regions in Canada since it is home to Toronto and Ottawa, the most expensive cities in Canada. However, since there is a wide availability of highly ranked institutions to choose from, studying here is totally worth it.
Suggested:University vs College Canada
Almost all universities in Ontario are popular for offering international students with quality education, and a career which is immensely respected as well as valued across the globe. Upon graduation, you can easily get placed through most top universities in Ontario, and therefore Ontario can be considered as one of the best destinations to study in Canada. In case you need assistance with the selection, Yocket Counsellors are only a click away!
Also Read: