Ontario universities are well known for research and education, and the province remains a major destination for students interested in higher education in Canada.
Many Ontario universities offer international partnerships, exchange opportunities, and support services for international students. To help prospective students compare options, this article looks at some of the best universities in Ontario that offer biology-related degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Top Schools Offering Biology in Ontario
1. University of Toronto
Situated in Toronto, the University of Toronto is a major public research university founded in 1827. Its academic programs are organized through faculties, divisions, departments, colleges, centers, and institutes across its three campuses. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs and supports research across many disciplines.
For students interested in biology, U of T offers several life-science pathways. At the University of Toronto Mississauga, the Department of Biology offers undergraduate biology programs and related specialist and major options such as ecology and evolution, molecular biology, comparative physiology, biotechnology, and biology for health sciences. At the graduate level, students can pursue research-based master’s and doctoral study in areas such as cell and systems biology, ecology and evolutionary biology, molecular genetics, and other life-science fields. Students can build research skills in areas including microbiology, genetics, ecology, evolution, and cell and molecular biology.
2. York University
York University is a large public research university in Toronto. York identifies itself as one of Canada’s largest universities and describes a diverse community of about 55,000 students from 174 countries. Diversity, inclusion, and global perspectives are central to its student-facing materials.
York’s Department of Biology offers undergraduate instruction in major areas of the field, including cell and molecular biology, physiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. The graduate Biology program offers MSc and PhD degrees with specializations in Cell and Molecular Biology, Animal and Plant Physiology, and Ecology and Evolution. Students may also access research facilities, including the Life Sciences Building and shared equipment for imaging, nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, flow cytometry, cell culture, and related research needs.
3. Carleton University
Situated in Ottawa, Carleton University was established in 1942 as Carleton College. Its campus is located between the Rideau River and the Rideau Canal, near downtown Ottawa. Carleton describes itself as a research and teaching institution with more than 30,700 students and an interdisciplinary, hands-on approach to learning.
The Department of Biology is part of Carleton’s Faculty of Science and offers undergraduate biology options including BSc and BA pathways, honors programs, concentrations in biodiversity and conservation, ecology, evolution and behavior, health science, molecular and cellular biology, and physiology, as well as related programs such as bioinformatics. At the graduate level, Carleton offers MSc and PhD programs in Biology, along with collaborative specializations in fields such as biochemistry, bioinformatics, chemical and environmental toxicology, and data science. Students work with supervisors in research areas that include ecology, evolution, conservation, genomics, bioinformatics, molecular biology, genetics, neurobiology, and physiology.
4. University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a research-intensive university founded in 1957. Waterloo reports more than 41,000 full- and part-time students in 2025, a 1,000-acre main campus, three satellite campuses, more than 100 buildings, and six faculties. It is also widely known for co-operative education, with the university describing its co-op program as the largest in North America.
The Department of Biology offers an Honours Biology pathway, related life-science programs, minors, and options such as bioinformatics, cell and molecular biology, ecology and environmental biology, and microbiology. At the graduate level, the department offers thesis-based MSc and PhD training. Biology students can choose from more than 80 biology courses and may prepare for careers in laboratory or field research, environmental assessment, education, health professions, and industry. Students in co-op pathways can also graduate with nearly two years of paid work experience.
5. University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is a comprehensive, student-focused university in Windsor, Ontario, with about 18,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. Its academic areas include Science, Engineering, Business, Law, Education, Nursing, Human Kinetics, Social Work, and Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
Biology-related study at Windsor is based in the Department of Integrative Biology within the Faculty of Science. The undergraduate Biological Sciences program offers hands-on lab experience and a flexible curriculum with areas such as microbiology, cellular development, environmental and evolutionary biology, and population and ecosystem ecology. The graduate Biological Sciences program offers MSc and PhD study, with the MSc centered on thesis research and the PhD normally completed in three to five years. Graduate research areas include aquatic ecology, developmental genetics, bioinformatics and systems biology, evolutionary biology, stem cell and cancer cell biology, and predictive ecology.
Canada can be a strong destination for aspiring biologists, and Ontario is a province with several universities offering biology-related programs, research opportunities, and support for international students. Students should compare each university’s current program requirements, tuition, scholarships, and study permit rules before deciding where to apply.
We hope this article on the best biology universities in Ontario was helpful. If you are interested in learning more, check out the Study in Canada and Available Courses for International Students.
