In this article, you will learn about the most expensive universities in Canada for residents, international students, and international students.
Ever wondered how much it costs to study at a reputable Canadian university? We ranked these institutions based on their tuition and fees.
Without further ado, let’s check them out.
Most expensive universities in Canada
The list below will reveal the 15 Most Expensive Universities in Canada and their undergraduate and graduate program fees for local and international students in no particular order.
1. Mount Allison University
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) – $9,725
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $19,620
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 the most expensive University in Canada for Canadian Undergraduates.
2. Royal Roads University
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) – $8,911 – $10,144
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $21,630
- Graduate (Canadian Students) – $12,893 – $14,332
- Graduate (Foreign Students) – $16,248 – $17,754
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 second most expensive University in Canada.
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.
3. University of King’s College
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) $11,517
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) $29,118
University of King’s College is located in the Nova Scotia Province and is among the most expensive universities in the province and the country.
The University offers a rich academic experience with its renowned Foundation Year Program (FYP), interdisciplinary Honors programs, the school of Journalism, or Multiple degree options in Arts & Humanities, Science, and Music. The Music program is offered jointly with Dalhousie University.
4. Acadia University
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) – $9,761
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) $19,543
- Graduate (Canadian Students) – Â $9,705
- Graduate (Foreign Students) – $19,733
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 approximately 20,000 CAD. It is the fourth most expensive University in Canada.
5. St. Francis Xavier University
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) $8,087 – $9,370
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) $18,740
- Graduate (Canadian Students) $5,240 – $6,010
- Graduate (Foreign Students) $12,020
Receiving the MacLean recognition for the Top Primarily Undergraduate University, St. Francis Xavier University is the fifth most expensive University in Canada. It is popular for the quality of its teaching, small class sizes, intimate and collaborative learning environment, and research opportunities for undergraduates.
It was founded in the mid-80s, making it one of Canada’s oldest and most prestigious universities. St. Francis Xavier has consistently ranked the best undergraduate university in Canada. It is located in Nova Scotia Province.
6. NSCAD University
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) – $9,300
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $20,826
- Graduate (Canadian Students) – $9,362
- Graduate (Foreign Students) – $21,012
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.
The degrees offered by the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design include bachelor’s degrees in Fine Art (BFA), Design (BDes), and Art History (BA). NSCAD also offers Master of Fine Arts and Master of Design degrees at the graduate level. It is the sixth most expensive university in Canada.
7. Cape Breton University
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) – $8,780
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $8,784
- Graduate (Canadian Students) – $16,893
- Graduate (Foreign Students) – $25,713
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 the seventh most expensive university in Canada, with an average tuition of $8,784 for Undergraduate foreign students. Foreign Students offering graduate programs get to pay higher tuition.
8. St. Thomas University
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) – $8,039
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $18,068
St. Thomas University, sometimes called St. Thomas or STU, is of Catholic origin and an English-language liberal arts university located 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 majors in Criminology, Journalism, Human Rights, Communications, and Public Policy. It is also among the most expensive universities in Canada.
9. University of New Brunswick
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) – $7,825
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $18,323
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 of which is 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.
10. Mount Saint Vincent University
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) – $8,668 – $9,098
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $18,761- $19,191
Often referred to as the Mount, Mount Saint University is a public, primarily undergraduate, University which is 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 programs in Arts, Science, Education, and Professional studies. The University also offered graduate programs in degrees including; 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 more than 190 courses, over 10 full undergraduate degree programs, and four graduate degree programs online.
11. Saint Mary’s University
- Undergraduate (Residents) – $7,447 – $8,297
- Undergraduate (International Students) – $19,879 – $21,460
- Undergraduate (Out-of-Province Students) – $8,730 – $9,580
Located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Saint Mary’s University is a public university, which was formerly Catholic. The college is popular for offering nationally-leading programs in business, chemistry, and also Canadian women’s basketball programs.
The annual Maclean’s rankings evaluate universities on 13 performance measures. Maclean’s evaluates universities in three categories, with Saint Mary’s being ranked amongst other universities the publication categorized as “primarily undergraduate” institutions.
In Maclean’s rankings, Saint Mary’s was ranked fourth amongst 19 “primarily undergraduate” universities in Canada. It is the 11th most expensive University in Canada, with minimum tuition of $7,097.
12. Dalhousie University
- Undergraduate (Residents) – $9,108
- Undergraduate (Out-of-Province Students) – $9,840
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 and it’s the 12th most expensive university in Canada.
Dalhousie University is offering more than 4000 courses, and 180 degree programs in 12 undergraduate, graduate, and professional faculties. The university is a member of the U15, a group of research-intensive universities in Canada.
13. University of Regina
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) – $6,983 – $7,403
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $20,948 – $22,208
- Graduate (Canadian Students) – $4,564 – $4,564
- Graduate (Foreign Students) – $8,282 – $8,282
The University of Regina is also a public research university located 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 having a focus on experiential learning, and offering internships, professional placements, etc.
14. University of Toronto
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) – $6,100 – $11,420
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $39,560 – $60,150
- Graduate (Canadian Students) – $6,210 – $10,350
- Graduate (Foreign Students) – $6,210 – $42,710
Located in Ontario, the University of Toronto is a public University known to be among the best in the country. It is the 14th most expensive university in Canada on our list, but it is the most expensive Canadian University when it comes to Undergraduate programs for foreign students.
The University of Toronto offers over 700 undergraduate and 200 graduate programs. In all major rankings, the university consistently ranks in the top ten public universities in the world and as the top university in the country.
15. The University of British Columbia
- Undergraduate (Canadian Students) – $5,617 – $7,475
- Undergraduate (Foreign Students) – $34,276 – $41,156
- Graduate (Canadian Students) – $5,198 – $5,198
- Graduate (Foreign Students) – $9,131 – $9,131
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university with campuses near Vancouver and Kelowna, British Columbia. It was established in 1908, making it British Columbia’s oldest university.
The university ranks among the top three universities in Canada. With an annual research budget of $759 million, the University funds over 8,000 projects yearly.
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.