In this article, you will learn about the most expensive universities in Canada for residents and international students in 2024.
Ever wondered how much it costs to study at a reputable Canadian university? We ranked these institutions based on their tuition fees.
Without further ado, let’s check them out.
The Most expensive universities in Canada
The list below will reveal the Most Expensive Colleges in Canada and their undergraduate and graduate program fees for local and international students in no particular order.
1. Royal Roads University
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) – $19,473
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $45,890
Established in 1995, Royal Roads University has remained among Canada’s top universities. It is an accredited, publicly funded, applied research University based in British Columbia. It is the most expensive Canadian university in 2024.
The Public University offers a variety of programs to students so they can have a larger scope to pick from. It is one of the few Canadian Universities with lesser tuition for foreign students wanting to study graduate programs.
2. Saint Mary’s University
- Undergraduate (Residents) – $10,789.8
- Undergraduate (International Students) – $31,458
- Undergraduate (Out-of-Province Students) – $12,586
Located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Saint Mary’s University is a public university that was formerly Catholic. The college is popular for offering nationally-leading programs in business, chemistry, and also Canadian women’s basketball programs.
In Maclean’s rankings, Saint Mary’s was ranked fourth amongst Canada’s 19 “primarily undergraduate” universities. It is the second most expensive University in Canada, with a minimum tuition of $10k.
3. University of King’s College
- Undergraduate (Residents): $10,978
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students): $31,900
University of King’s College is located in the Nova Scotia Province and is among the most expensive colleges in the province and the country.
4. Acadia University
- Undergraduate (Residents) – $10,893.2
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $21,786.4
Acadia University belongs to the Nova Scotia Province of Canada. It was founded in 1838, making it one of the oldest and most respected liberal arts universities in Canada. Acadia University campus is just an hour’s drive from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and its international airport.
The University has so many affiliates. For example, Acadia is integral to her quintessential college town of Wolfville, overlooking the Annapolis Valley and the Bay of Fundy. The amount paid by Foreign students for both Undergraduate and Graduate Courses is about 20,000 CAD.
5. Mount Allison University
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) – $10,015
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $20,210
Over the years, almost 31 years back, Mount Allison has been recognized as the Top Primarily Undergraduate University. This recognition comes from MacLean, and the Canadian University has gotten it 22 times. This record is unmatched by any other University in the country.
Mount Allison offers more than 50 academic programs for students to choose from and create unique degrees. It is among the richest schools in Canada for undergraduates.
6. Dalhousie University
- Undergraduate (Residents) – $9,559
- Undergraduate (Out-of-Province Students) – $11,098
- Undergraduate (International Students) – $29,644
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Nova Scotia, Canada. It has three campuses, each at Halifax, Bible Hill, and Saint John, New Brunswick. It is commonly known as Dal.
7. NSCAD University
- Undergraduate (Residents) – $9,579.92
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $21,451.4
Based in the Nova Scotia Province, it is sometimes called the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, as that is what its acronym stands for. NSCAD is a post-secondary art school in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was founded in 1887 before becoming the first Art school to grant degrees to students in Canada.
8. St. Francis Xavier University
- Undergraduate (Residents) – $9,938
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $19,870
Receiving the MacLean recognition for the Top Primarily Undergraduate University, St. Francis Xavier University is Canada’s eighth most expensive higher institution. It is popular for the quality of its teaching, small class sizes, intimate and collaborative learning environment, and research opportunities for undergraduates.
9. Mount Saint Vincent University
- Undergraduate (Residents) – $8,928 – $9,371
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $19,452- $19,895
Often referred to as the Mount, Mount Saint University is a public, primarily undergraduate, University located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was established in 1873 and is one of the oldest universities in the country.
Mount Saint offers various undergraduate Arts, Science, Education, and Professional undergraduate programs. The University also offered graduate programs in Applied Human Nutrition, School Psychology, Child and Youth Study, Education, Family Studies and Gerontology, Public Relations, and Women’s Studies.
Mount offers a doctorate program, a Ph.D. in Educational Studies, through a joint initiative with St. Francis Xavier University and Acadia University. The Mount offers over 190 courses, over ten full undergraduate degree programs, and four online graduate degree programs.
10. University of Regina
- Undergraduate (Residents) – $8,645.40
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $23,690.40
The University of Regina is also a public research university in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was founded in 1911 as a private, denominational high school of the Methodist Church of Canada. This means it has a Methodist origin. Later on, in 1925, it was disaffiliated from the Church and joined the University of Saskatchewan in 1934.
The University of Regina is among the public institutions with a high rate of enrollment, having over 15,000 full-time and part-time students. It has a reputation for focusing on experiential learning and offering internships, professional placements, etc.
11. Cape Breton University
- Undergraduate (Residents) – $9,045
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $18,090
Ranked 19th on the MacLean Primarily Undergraduate institution, Cape Breton University remains a go-to for many freshmen. It is located in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is a public, co-ed, primarily undergraduate university and the only postsecondary degree-granting institution within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and on Cape Breton Island.
It is Canada’s eleventh most expensive university, with an average tuition of $18,090 for Undergraduate foreign students. Foreign Students offering graduate programs get to pay higher tuition.
12. St. Thomas University
- Undergraduate (Residents) – $8,280
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $18,610
St. Thomas University, sometimes called St. Thomas or STU, is of Catholic origin and an English-language liberal arts university in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. It is also a primarily undergraduate university offering bachelor’s degrees in various programs, including arts(humanities and social sciences), education, and social work.
Having a student size of approximately 1,900, STU ensures its average class size is 30, and no class larger than 60 students. The university offers several unique programs, including recognized Criminology, Journalism, Human Rights, Communications, and Public Policy majors. It is also among the most expensive colleges in Canada.
13. University of New Brunswick
- Undergraduate (Residents) – $8,177
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $19,148
The University of New Brunswick is also a public University in the New Brunswick province. It is the oldest English-language university in Canada and among the oldest public universities in North America. It has two campuses, one in Fredericton and the other in Saint John. Both campuses are located in the province.
You can study a variety of programs at the University of New Brunswick. It offers both Undergraduate and Graduate programs. It is the ninth most expensive university in Canada.
I guess that sums up the list of the most expensive universities in Canada, share this article with your friends, and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter.
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Hello there.
I am afraid to inform you that your numbers are incorrect. If you check the tuition calculators each university has on their website sites, you would see the true prices for tuition. For example, at Dalhousie using their tuition calculator, if you put that you are an out-of-province student who is taking 5 courses in the fall and winter (a total of 10 courses) is $9,840.00. This does not include any fees.
Moving on to Saint Mary’s University, the same program and course load would cost a student $10,380, and the number is out of date. It is based on the 2021-2022 school year, it is still more expensive than Mount Allison University.
Mount Allison is not the most expensive university. After going on their tuition guide it shows their cost for an out-of-province (Canadian student) is only $9,725. That is $115 CHEAPER than Dalhousie and $655 CHEAPER than Saint Mary’s University.
So, how is Mount Allison university the most expensive?
I will not even bring up the University of Toronto. Which is the true most expensive university in Canada.
Your information is not accurate. I recommend going to each university’s website to use their resources to update your number. The internet is already full of false information. Do not add to it.
Thank you very much for your time.
Have a great day,
Meggie
Thanks for pointing that out Meggie. We are pleased to let you know that this article has been updated with the recent tuition for the universities mentioned.