Introduction
While America attracts many international students every year, the higher cost of education makes American students look for opportunities for higher education in Canada? Why? The answer is simple, “Canada is one of the most affordable places for international students.” That explains why the number of Americans coming to study in Canada has gone up from a mere 3500 13-14 years ago to more than 10,000 as of now. There are many good colleges in Canada for American Students. We will cover 17 of the top colleges in Canada that attract American students out of them.
In this blog post, let’s talk about the best colleges in Canada for US students. But, before that, let’s talk about the reasons why Canada is the first choice for higher education for US students.
In this blog post, we will talk about the following 3 sub-topics:
1. Why is Canada the first choice for higher education for US students?
2. Here are the best colleges in Canada that attract American Students the most
3. FAQs
Why is Canada the first choice for higher education for US students?
Canada boasts many universities that have rankings in the QS World University Rankings. Therefore, students choose Canada for higher education. Moreover, the tuition fees in Canadian colleges are much more affordable than those of UK or US colleges.
In this section, let us look at all the reasons that make Canada the first choice for higher education for US students:
English as a medium of communication
Canada’s official languages are English and French. But, English is the medium of teaching for courses for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. Therefore, American students will get the opportunity to converse in the language in which they are comfortable. Moreover, they can even learn a new language, i.e., French, and make their resumes stand out.
As mentioned above, Canada boasts many top-ranked universities with a detailed academic history and high employability rates. Among Canada’s high-ranked universities, we must mention the names of the University of Toronto, McGill University, University of Montreal, University of British Columbia, and the University of Alberta. Because the quality of education that Canadian universities provide is undoubtedly high, they give tough competition to British and American Universities.
Canada boasts a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural environment that is welcoming for international students as they find it easy to adapt to such an environment. That explains why as many as 120,000 international students come to Canada each year to study.
Canada is both a safe country and a country with a high quality of life. In fact, it is the second country in the world having the highest quality of life as per Global News.
Canadian universities foster an environment of research and innovation that has led to many surprising discoveries like an advanced cancer detection device and effective HIV/AIDS treatment methods. Students get to participate in many experiments, making education fun and interesting.
Here are the best colleges/universities in Canada that attract American Students the most
We have come to the section where we will discuss the best colleges in Canada for US students. Here is the much-awaited list that will give you an idea of the good colleges in Canada for American students:
Concordia University
Concordia University, Montreal, Canada, attracts many international students. Out of them, 10% belong to the US. As far as domestic rankings are concerned, it ranks at No. 10 (Maclean’s). The minimum eligibility criteria for US students are C+ to B+ and B+ or higher for Honors Programs. SAT/ACT scores are not required. The high-in-demand programs are Art & Design, Journalism, Engineering, and Kinesiology. As per the 2022 QS Graduate Employability Rankings, Concordia University secured a place in the 301-500 category globally. Concordia University also accepts home-schooled candidates from the US. The tuition fees that Concordia University charges are between 4198 CAD and 9761 CAD.
Concordia University
McGill University
Another Montreal-based University/ College that attracts around 1700 US students is McGill University. The domestic rankings for McGill University stand at No. 1 (Maclean’s). The minimum eligibility criteria for US students are a high school diploma, ACT or SAT scores, 2 SAT subject tests, and an ideal ACT/SAT score of 31/1400. McGill University’s most robust programs are in Business, Engineering, Law, Medicine, English, Biology, and Physiology. As per Times Higher Education, the World Ranking for McGill University stands at 44 as of 2022. You should be ready to spend anywhere between 4769 CAD and 10,332 CAD to study at McGill University, Canada.
McGill University
McMaster University
McMaster University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, attracts around 85 US students, and it ranks at No.4 on Maclean’s rankings. The application criteria include senior academic subjects or a combination of subject tests equivalent to AP, IB, and SAT II. Other requirements include four years of English, Mathematics (including Calculus), Biology, Chemistry, and Physics coursework; minimum SAT/ACT score of 1200/27. If you are looking to study in Health Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Nursing, and Kinesiology, McMaster University will be your best bet. As per Times Higher Education, MC Master University ranks at Number 80 in the World University Rankings 2022. You should have a budget of around 7,378 CAD to study at McMaster University.
McMaster University
Queen’s University
Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada is another prestigious college/university that Attracts American students. Its domestic ranking is 5 (Maclean’s). As a US student, you need to be a 12th-grade graduate having a minimum of B as a GPA (in four Academic grades from a high school having accreditation). You may need to sit for a test. The most vital programs that Queen’s University offers are Economics, Business, Mining, Engineering, Psychology, and Physiology. As per Times Higher Education, Queen’s University has a World University Ranking 2022 is between 251 and 300. The cost of studying at Queen’s University as a US student is 6,990 CAD.
Queen’s University
Ryerson University
This Toronto-based college/university with a Maclean’s ranking of 11 is another college where US students come to study. The minimum requirements are graduation from 12 from an accredited secondary school with a minimum overall grade of B, and a high score in a standardized test to make an application stand out. If you are thinking of studying in the fields of Art & Design, Engineering, Creative Industries, and Biomedical Sciences, Ryerson University will be a perfect choice. The Times Higher Education places Ryerson at 801-1000th in the World Rankings for 2022. If you want to study in this college/university, you need to shell out 6,996 CAD.
Ryerson University
Simon Fraser University
This college/university in British Columbia also appears on all the lists of the good colleges in Canada for American students. With a Maclean’s Ranking of 1, no wonder it is one of the most sought-after institutions in Canada. The minimum requirements are a 70% grade in English (senior level), a minimum of C-/60% in Mathematics (Junior/Senior level), and SAT/ACT score of 1130/22. Students mostly choose Computer Science, Archaeology, Geography, Education, and Labor Studies at Simon Fraser University. With 201-250th World University ranking, this prestigious college/university is perfect for American students. The cost of education here is 7,006 CAD.
Simon Fraser University
University of Alberta
This college/university has a Maclean’s ranking of 6 and is also one of the best colleges in Canada for US students. With a Maclean’s Ranking of 6, this institute accepts American students with a US high school diploma, depending on the subjects they had taken in the final three years. The minimum SAT/ ACT score for American students is 1200/26. American students mostly take up Business, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Engineering, Nursing, and Kinesiology. As per Times Higher Education, the University of Alberta has a world ranking of 125. If you are ready to spend 6820 CAD, the University of Alberta will be your best choice.
University of Alberta
University of British Columbia
This college/university has a Maclean’s ranking of 3 and enrolls around 1200 American students. The minimum requirements for admission into the University of British Columbia are English (Grade 12 level), Mathematics (Three years), and SAT/ACT scores. The subjects that are high in demand are Computer Science, Engineering, Business, Geography, Environmental Studies, Psychology, and Kinesiology. The World Ranking of the University of British Columbia is 37 as per Times Higher Education. The cost of studying at this college/university is 6,608 CAD.
University of British Columbia
University of Calgary
This college/university has a Maclean’s ranking of 3 and enrolls around 1200 American students. The minimum requirements for admission into the University of British Columbia are English (Grade 12 level), Mathematics (Three years), and SAT/ACT scores. The subjects that are high in demand are Computer Science, Engineering, Business, Geography, Environmental Studies, Psychology, and Kinesiology. The World Ranking of the University of British Columbia is 37 as per Times Higher Education. The cost of studying at this college/university is 6,608 CAD.
University of Calgary
University of Guelph
This college/university has a Maclean’s ranking of 4. It requires American students to have a minimum GPA (unweighted) of 3.0 out of 4.0 and a minimum SAT/ACT score of 1190/24. The most vital programs of the University of Guelph are Animal Science, Biology, Agricultural and Food Science, Plant Science, and Neuroscience. The college/university has a World University Rank for 2022 of 501-600. The College/University charges around 7,537 CAD from US students.
University of Guelph
University of Ottawa
The next name on our list of the best colleges in Canada for US students is the University of Ottawa, with a Maclean’s Ranking of 9. The minimum eligibility criterion is a high school diploma. If you want to study Linguistics, Political Science, Nursing, Entrepreneurship, or International Development, you should apply for the University of Ottawa. The World University Ranking for this college, as per Times Higher Education, is 162. The fees that the college charges are 7,152 CAD.
University of Ottawa
University of Toronto
This is one of the best colleges in Canada for US students, enrolling around 900 US students. You can trust this University with its quality of education as it has a Maclean’s Ranking of 2. The requirements for an application depend on the specific programs that you choose but, you must have an average grade point of B+ or even higher. The most robust programs that the University of Toronto offers are Computer Science, Engineering, Business, Biology, Psychology, and Mathematics. It has ranked at 16 in the Global Universities Rankings as per the US News & World Report. You need to pay around 7,651 CAD if you study here.
University of Toronto
University of Victoria
Another high-in-demand college/university is this one, having a Maclean’s score of 2. If you want to get into the University of Victoria, you should get a minimum average GPA (unweighted) of 3.0 out of 4.0 and a minimum SAT/ACT score of 1270/26. American students mostly prefer to study Ocean Sciences, Physics, Law, and Earth Sciences. As per the Times Higher Education, the University of Victoria has secured a World University Ranking of 301-350th as of 2022. You should be ready to spend at least 6,668 CAD to study here.
University of Victoria
University of Waterloo
This college/university has a Maclean’s Ranking of 2 and is also one of the most prestigious colleges that attract American students. Here too, the program you choose determines the requirements for application, but usually, you must score a minimum of A- GPA in AP courses. Some courses also require students to sit for SAT/ACT. The University of Waterloo attracts around 500 American students, including those who have dual citizenship in the US and Canada. The most vital programs are Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, and Nanosciences. With a World University Ranking of 201-250 as per Times Higher Education (2022), the cost of studying here is around 6,753 CAD.
University of Waterloo
Western University
Western University, London, Ontario, has a Maclean’s Ranking of 8 and requires American students to have a minimum unweighted cumulative GPA of 3.0 out of 4, a minimum SAT/ACT score of 1190/24, and enrolment in AP courses. If you want to study Business, Kinesiology, Media, Engineering, or Nursing, you should fill up the application form without delay. It has a World University Ranking of 201-250 (2022) as per The Times Higher Education and charges an average fee of 7,443 CAD.
Western University
York University
The application requirements for this prestigious institute with a Maclean’s Ranking of 6 are limited as they are a high school diploma and SAT/ACT score. The most robust programs that American students can choose from are Business, English, Global Health, Commerce, Law, and International Studies. York University ranks 401-500th in The World University Rankings (Times Higher Education). If you are ready to spend 7,300 CAD, you can apply for York University, Toronto, for sure.
York University
Dalhousie University
This college/university with a Maclean’s Ranking of 7 is undoubtedly one of the best colleges in Canada for US students but, getting admission into Dalhousie University is quite challenging. You need to secure a minimum B grade in your final year and sit for SAT/ACT exams, but having minimum requirements is not enough to get admission here. The competition among applicants is cut-throat. However, Dalhousie University is renowned for the following programs – Biology, Earth Science, Agriculture, Justice, Law, and Kinesiology. As per Times Higher Education, it has a World University Ranking of 251-300th. You may need to shell out anywhere between 8,114 CAD to 9,397 CAD if you want to study at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
Dalhousie University
FAQS
Are admissions for American Students tougher in Canada?
No, admissions in Canada are easier than in American institutes because of the lesser population in Canada compared to that in the US.
What do I need as an American student to study in Canada?
For American students, just like any other international student, a Study permit allowing the student to study in Canada is a must.
Is the cost of studying in Canada less than in the US?
Yes, the cost of studying is much less in Canada than in the US. On average, tuition fees of Canadian educational institutes are 27% less expensive than that of American educational institutes.
How to get permanent resident status in Canada as an American student?
You can get permanent resident status in Canada as an American student (looking to study in Canada) given you meet the eligibility criteria of the immigration program of Canada you are applying.
Conclusion
These were the best colleges in Canada for US students. If you have a question about studying in Canada as an American student, you can check the FAQs section. Suppose you need better reasons to study in Canada as an American student. In that case, you can refer to the above section, “Why is Canada the first choice for higher education for US students?”