Are ALL Canada’s Public Universities Good for International Students

Many international students look at high ranking universities as the university where they want to study. But should rank be the only driving force when considering your study in Canada destination? A closer look shows that all public universities in Canada offer high-quality education, even if the quality can vary depending on factors such as faculty expertise, research opportunities, facilities, and resources available. Some universities may excel in certain fields or have stronger programs in specific areas compared to others. Additionally, factors like student-to-faculty ratio, campus culture, and location can also influence the overall educational experience.

 Several Canadian public universities consistently rank among the top in the world in various rankings, such as the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, McGill University, and the University of Alberta, among others. However, this doesn't mean that other universities in Canada don't offer excellent programs and opportunities for students.

And if rank is important to you as an international student, there are different ways to rank Canadian universities. For example, the top 10 ranked primarily undergraduate universities will bring up a whole different set of universities. Or one can also look at rank from the top small universities or newest universities worldwide. So let’s take a look at some of these rankings:

Canada’s Top 10 Universities for 2025

According to QS 2025 rankings, these are Canada’s best universities:

• University of Toronto

• McGill University

• University of British Columbia

• University of Alberta

• University of Waterloo

• Western University

• Universite de Montreal

• McMaster University

• University of Ottawa

• Queens University at Kingston

Top 10 primarily Undergraduate Universities in Canada

According to the Canadian ranking guru, MacLean’s Magazine, you will be surprised to see that none of the universities listed in the QS list, are listed here.

• Mount Allison University

• University of Northern British Columbia

• St Mary’s University

• Bishop’s University

• Acadia University

• University of Lethbridge

• Trent University

• Ontario Tech University

• St Francis Xavier University

• University of Prince Edward Island

All these public universities are excellent options for international students to do their undergraduate programs. They come with an excellent education, superb teaching, affordable tuition and some of them have excellent international student scholarships. So international students should consider these universities too when looking at Canadian institutions.

Universities and colleges in Canada boast strong reputations for their dedication to maintaining high-quality programs and continually striving for improvement. Additionally, specific professional programs undergo rigorous evaluation by professional bodies to guarantee alignment with industry standards in fields like nursing, architecture, and engineering. This commitment ensures that Canada's public institutions consistently meet the demanding academic and industrial requirements set forth. An international student can be assured that whatever public institution they choose, they have made a wise choice on reputation.

“International employers recently ranked Canada’s education system in the top 10 of the Global Employability Rankings” ' (Times Higher Education, 2021).

There are many other ways to rank universities such as which are the top universities for international students. In the list put out by Pearson PTE, you will also find the University of Manitoba which is not listed in any of the lists above. It is evident from the different ranks shown here that rank should not be your only deciding factor when choosing a university in Canada. And if all of this ranking left you more confused, that is okay, it is confusing. So why don’t you contact Go 2 Canada Education Services to sort it out for you. They have over 35 years of experience in Canada’s post-secondary education sector so they can help you understand where rank should be placed in your decision-making.

As you can see, Canada’s public universities are top-notch whether they are in the world’s top 100 or not. Ultimately, the "best" university for an individual depends on their academic interests, career goals, and personal preferences. It's essential for prospective students to research and consider factors such as program offerings, faculty reputation, campus environment, and extracurricular activities when evaluating different universities. You should also contact Go 2 Canada Education Services to help you because they have already done your research. And they only have public universities and colleges (except Columbia College), so there is no need to worry, with them, you will be advised on public universities and colleges only.