If you hope to pursue higher education in Canada, doing so somewhere in Ontario is a good move. The Conference Board of Canada’s Education and Skills report card suggests that Ontario is one of the top three performers among all Canadian provinces. The province has 22 public universities, 24 public colleges, and 17 private colleges.
However, several institutions’ tuition fees can be well beyond your affordability range. So, here we have listed seven cheap universities and colleges in Ontario for international students.
Affordable Schools in Ontario for International Students
1. Algoma University
Beginning in 1965 as a university college, Algoma University earned its university status and its current name in 2008. This cheap school in Ontario is a small, undergraduate-only university. Its total student enrolment stands at just around 1,400. But interestingly, approximately 20 percent of first-year students come from outside Canada. The public university’s has three campuses in the Ontario cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins, and Brampton.
At Algoma, students can enroll in 20-odd programs. Its environmental science, computer science, and community development programs are considered to be the standouts. Moreover, it is known for being the only university in the country to offer a three-year undergraduate program in the indigenous North American language of Anishinaabemowin. The institution also has several scholarships and awards for Canadian and international students, ranging from $500 to $16,000.
2. Cambrian College
As the name suggests, Cambrian College is a public school specializing in applied arts and technology, established in 1967. With over 5,000 full-time and part-time students, it is recognized as the largest college in Northern Ontario. Students from more than 20 countries are currently studying at the college, which has three campuses in Sudbury, Espanola, and Little Current.
Cambrian offers over a hundred programs that can lead to various credentials, including degrees, advanced certificates, diplomas, and micro-credentials. The college also has spent $2,000,000 in scholarships and bursaries, with future students in Business Administration degrees immediately qualifying for a $1,000 entrance scholarship if they enroll as full-time students in September 2024.
3. University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is the southernmost institution in the Great White North. It occupies 125 acres east of Ambassador Bridge, North America’s busiest international border crossing. This cheap school in Ontario was founded in 1963. It has a student population of over 18,000, including over 3,000 international students from nearly a hundred countries.
Multiple global rankings recognize it as one of the top 25 universities in the country. UWindsor facilitates 190 undergraduate programs and 70 graduate programs. Its Kinesiology and Aeronautics Leadership programs are a cut above the rest. Annually, the institution disburses $14 million in scholarships, bursaries, and awards to its students.
4. Dominican University College
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: around CA$14,440/year (Undergraduate) | around CA$21,660/year (Graduate)
In 1900, the Dominican University College began its journey as one of the first university colleges in the Canadian capital of Ottawa. It is a tiny university with just around 250 full-time and part-time students. Its campus is a few blocks from Parliament Hill and the Supreme Court of Canada. The public Christian school has been affiliated with Carleton University since 2012.
DUC claims to be a first-class research university in philosophy and theology. And those two are the only fields in which it offers undergraduate and graduate programs. The programs are taught in both English and French. Moreover, it has several financial aid programs and scholarship opportunities to assist students in financial need.
5. Toronto Metropolitan University
Founded in 1948, Toronto Metropolitan University is the province’s most applied-to institution in available space. Its main campus is located near Yonge-Dundas Square in downtown Toronto. Formerly Ryerson University, it is home to over 38,500 students enrolled in over a hundred undergraduate and graduate programs.
Nearly five percent of the total student population comes from outside the country. The university’s Creative Industries, Aerospace Engineering, and Biomedical Sciences programs are considered its best. Each year, it allocates over $4 million for entrance scholarship support for its students.
6. Centennial College
Centennial College is next on our list of cheap universities in Ontario. This institution began in 1966 as Ontario’s first publicly funded college. It has five campuses across Toronto, with the main ones located in the administrative division of Scarborough. The college also has a campus in Suzhou, a Chinese city 60-odd miles from Shanghai.
Centennial offers nearly a couple of hundred full-time programs through its seven schools, including Bachelor’s in Information Technology, Nursing, and Public Relations Management. It also offers about 150 part-time programs and annually provides over $3.5 million in scholarships and bursaries to its domestic and international students.
7. Lakehead University
Lakehead University emerged in 1965 through a merger between Lakehead Technical Institute and Lakehead College of Arts, Science, and Technology. It currently has two campuses in the Ontario cities of Thunder Bay and Orillia. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in more than 50 fields of study. The engineering and computer science programs are more reputable than the others. The public institution provides its students more than $11 million in scholarships, bursaries, and yearly awards.
FAQs: Studying in Ontario
Which College Offers the Lowest Tuition Fee in Canada?
One of the cheapest universities in Canada is Memorial University of Newfoundland. With a CA$721 per credit hour, this institution offers high-quality education at an affordable cost. It is also located in a region with cheap living expenses, which makes the deal even better for international applicants.
What Is the Cheapest School in Ontario for International Students?
For international students, one of the cheapest schools in Ontario is the Algoma University and Cambrian College, which have tuition fees of around CA$10,000+ per semester. Coming in a close second, the next competitor on our list would be Dominican University College, which has tuition fees of over CA$14,000 per term.
As the province with the most extensive population in Canada, Ontario is surely something you want to study in if you want to interact with more people and gain more opportunities. With its many institutions, you can save up more money if you enroll in a cheap university. For specific details, take a peek at our list of cheap universities in Ontario using the links above.
We hope this article on cheap universities in Ontario was helpful. For more information about studying in this North American country, feel free also to check out our Canada Page and the Open Courses for International Students!
