Among the popular destinations for international students looking to study Computer Science in Canada. One of the reasons why this is true is that the country has a robust computer industry with more than sufficient jobs, offering competitive salaries. Plus, the country is among the most technologically advanced in the world, making it an ideal learning environment for tech-related studies.
Besides the practical reasons, Canada is also an excellent place to live, with the quality of life impressively high. It’s also quite easy to fall in love with its stunning sceneries and picturesque seasons. So, whichever your reason is, make sure to choose the top computer science universities in Canada.
Top Universities for Computer Science in Canada
1. University of Toronto
The University of Toronto was established in 1827 in its former name, the King’s College. With almost 200 years of history, the university established eleven autonomous colleges across its two campuses in Mississauga and Scarborough. There are more than 700 bachelor’s and 200 graduate programs, including computer science in the university. The University of Toronto is the best computer science university in Canada with its high rankings and excellent programs.
It consistently ranked high in local and international rankings, such as the QS World University rankings. The university took 11th place in the ranking by Computer Science subject, guaranteeing that you’re in for some high-quality education in this university. The bachelor’s program is offered in both campuses, managed by the Faculty of Arts and Science.
Meanwhile, the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto offers Masters and Ph.D. programs in Computer Science. Both programs are research-driven, with the Master’s of Science taking up to three years of full-time studies. On the other hand, Ph.D. takes four to six years of completion for full-time studies.
2. University of Waterloo
Another top university for Computer Science in Canada is the University of Waterloo. This public university was established in 1958, formally separating from then Waterloo College Associate Faculties. Since then, the university has built its campus over 400 hectares of land, with three satellite campuses across the country.
There are six faculties in the university, offering an extensive range of academic programs, including Computer Science. From its first 74 students in the Engineering program, the university now enrolls over 42,000. Considering these numbers, you’ll most likely find other international students here, making your stay more preferable.
As for its computer science programs, you can choose from undergraduate or postgraduate degree programs depending on your qualification. The Bachelor’s program typically takes three years of completion, with the first year focusing on Mathematics and Computer Science subjects. For the Master’s and Ph.D. studies, the university offers either full-time or part-time studies. Both also require the submission of a thesis on relevant research topics.
3. University of British Columbia
Established in 1908, the University of British Columbia is among the best computer science institutions in Canada. It ranked 25th in QS World University rankings in 2021 for Computer Science, making it third placer in its country. Besides top-caliber education, the university also funds impressive research, around 8,000 per year.
The university has two campuses in the country, with the main campus sitting on a 4,000-kilometer land in Vancouver. It is the home to the largest research libraries in the country, along with Canada’s national lab for nuclear and particle physics. Around 69,000 students, 205 of whom are international students, enjoy the university’s facilities.
For its undergraduate in Computer Science program, the university offers a Bachelor’s in Science and Arts degree program. The two differ in the inclusion of Science subjects, such as Biology, Physics, and Chemistry, in the program. However, both programs take four years of full-time studies to complete. As for the Master’s program, you can choose between its thesis or essay option. Either can take you to Ph.D. but the thesis option offers better training on research.
4. McGill University
Formerly known as McGill College, McGill University was established by King George IV in 1821. Its campus is located in Quebec, with three campuses located in downtown Montreal, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, and Gatineau. Its quality education is considered world-class, with the university ranking within the top 50 of QS World University rankings in 2021.
McGill University is also among the most preferred academic hosts of international students. From its student body of almost 40,000, more than 30% came from different countries. The university offers over 300 programs across its five faculties and 14 schools. One of these is the Computer Science program of the School of Computer Science. You can choose from its undergraduate, Master’s, and Ph.D. study levels depending on your academic credentials.
In its Bachelor’s programs, students learn about fundamental areas, such as algorithms and data structures, programming languages, and methodologies. These equip students to pursue a computer career, which is quite popular these days. After completing a bachelor’s degree program, students can also take a thesis or non-thesis Master’s program. If you wish to pursue Ph.D. studies after your master’s, the university encourages you to take the thesis Master’s program first. This can help you prepare for the extensive research requirements in the Ph.D. program.
5. University of Montreal
Université de Montréal or the University of Montreal makes it to the best computer science schools in Canada. This French-speaking public university was established in 1878 and now has 13 faculties and over sixty departments. There are over 67,500 students in this university, with 10,000 of them being international students. The majority of these students are also in undergraduate studies.
It offers over 700 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. Among these are the Computer Science programs. The Bachelor of Science program takes three years to finish, with courses taught in either English or French.
As for the Master’s program, you can choose between an internship or thesis option. The internship option requires you to complete the course requirements in a company setting. On the other hand, you’ll need to finish the thesis option in the university setting. And if you’re looking to pursue research and teaching, a Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of Montreal is available for you.
I hope that this article on Best Universities for Computer Science in Canada was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Computer Science Programs for International Students!
