It’s no secret that Calgary is a great place to live. The city in the Canadian province of Alberta continues to rank highly for quality of life; in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2025 Global Liveability Index, Calgary remained in the top tier of North American cities but ranked 18th globally, after placing fifth in 2024. So, it makes sense that many students from different parts of Canada and outside the country think about moving to the city for higher education. Although Calgary doesn’t currently house any of the world’s top 100 universities in the QS World University Rankings, you will find several lower-cost, quality options here, at least by North American standards.
If you’re an incoming international student in Canada, you can try the universities and post-secondary institutions in this city. They have a reputation for quality education and relatively affordable tuition fees. In the article below, we listed some of the cheapest universities and post-secondary schools in Calgary.
Affordable Schools in Calgary for International Students
1. Mount Royal University
Mount Royal University began its journey over a hundred years ago in 1910. Its main campus is situated at Lincoln Park in southwest Calgary, and it also has a Springbank campus west of the city. The public undergraduate university enrolled 15,991 students in 2024/25, with international students making up 3.5% of the student body.
MRU offers 14 degrees and 38 majors through its academic faculties, including arts, business and communication studies, science and technology, and health, community and education. To help students lower the cost of their education, the university awarded about CA$5.8 million in scholarships and bursaries in 2024/25.
2. Alberta University of the Arts
Although this affordable institution in Calgary was founded in 1926, the Alberta University of the Arts received university status much later. It is the only university in Alberta and the Prairie provinces dedicated to art, craft, and design, and one of only a few such institutions in Canada.
The Calgary-based public university offers Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Design, and Master of Fine Arts programs. Its undergraduate BFA and BDes programs are full-time, in-person programs that are typically completed over four years, while the MFA in Craft Media is a graduate option for advanced studio practice.
3. University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is one of Canada’s major research universities. In the QS World University Rankings 2025-2026, it placed 211th in the world; in the Times Higher Education 2026 ranking, it placed 200th internationally and ninth nationally. Starting as a branch of the University of Alberta, it became a full-fledged institution in 1966.
The comprehensive research university has four campuses: Main Campus, Downtown Campus, Foothills, and Spy Hill. UCalgary offers 250+ programs through 14 faculties to a student population of more than 38,000. It also employs about 1,850 academic staff.
This public university offers more than CA$22 million in scholarships, bursaries, and awards annually for prospective high school students. New students with an admission average of 95% or higher are automatically considered for the CA$5,000 President’s Admission Scholarship.
4. St. Mary’s University
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: around CA$29,153/year (Undergraduate Arts and Science) | CA$36,713/year (Education after-degree)
While the country’s more widely known Saint Mary’s University is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Calgary also has its own St. Mary’s University (StMU). It is a small, independent Catholic university. The original St. Mary’s College Act received Royal Assent in 1986, and the institution was approved to change its name from St. Mary’s University College to St. Mary’s University in 2014.
With an average class size of 25, StMU offers eight Bachelor of Arts degrees, a Bachelor of Science degree, Bachelor of Education after-degrees in elementary and secondary education, and transferable university courses in 35 academic disciplines. StMU also offers scholarships and bursaries; in the 2023-2024 academic year, it disbursed CA$560,030 in student awards.
5. University of Lethbridge
Although the University of Lethbridge has its main campus in Lethbridge, it also has a second campus in Calgary. Founded in 1967, the public university is home to about 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students from around the world.
ULethbridge offers more than 150 undergraduate programs and over 75 graduate programs across its two campuses. In Calgary, it offers flexible undergraduate and graduate programs with evening, weekend, online, and blended delivery options.
6. Ambrose University
Next on our list of cheap universities in Calgary is Ambrose University. In 2007, Ambrose University College was formed through an educational partnership between The Alliance Canada and the Church of the Nazarene Canada. The institution later became Ambrose University. It is a private Christian institution located in southwest Calgary.
Ambrose offers undergraduate and graduate programs in areas such as arts and sciences, business, education, ministry, and seminary studies. The university provides financial aid and awards, including entrance and continuing scholarships, bursaries, and other student support options.
7. Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: around CA$1,941 to CA$2,199/3-credit course for many 2025/26 international programs; program rates vary
Established in 1916, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology is a Calgary-based polytechnic institute. SAIT has eight schools and offers career-focused education in areas such as business, construction, energy, health, hospitality, manufacturing, technology, and transportation. In 2024/25, SAIT reported an overall unique student headcount of 40,202, including 21,869 students in 101 degree, applied degree, diploma, and certificate programs.
SAIT is made up of one main campus and three satellite campuses within Calgary: Art Smith Aero Centre, Point Trotter Campus, and the Downtown Campus. Students in almost every program also had access to CA$10 million in scholarships and bursaries in 2024/25.
Aside from the most prominent universities in Canada, there are more affordable institutions in Calgary that you can consider. The article above lists several examples with lower tuition fees, so check them out if you want to pursue a degree or post-secondary credential in this city.
We hope this article about the cheap universities in Calgary was helpful. Make sure also to check out our Canada Page and the Available Programs for International Students!
