University of British Columbia

UBC has an international reputation for leading research and academic programs at all levels, landing it consistently in one of the world’s top 50 spots. With 14 faculties offering more than 200 programs in undergraduate, graduate and continuing education studies, the university’s traditional strengths in Science and Economics have expanded to other study areas as well. It also hosts BC’s only medical school. Located on a large peninsula in Vancouver, the campus looks and feels like a small city, complete with shopping areas, restaurants, coffee shops and high-rise condos. For nature lovers, UBC is located in a provincial park and has access to stunning beaches and scenery.

City: Vancouver

Undergraduate tuition fees:
$27,292 – $39,574

Graduate tuition fees:
$8,952

Signature programs: Commerce, Sciences, Medicine, Film, Law

VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY

Vancouver Island University began as a vocational school to serve the local students in Nanaimo, BC. While it is now a well-established university with campuses in other cities, it still retains its historic strengths. These include a range of programs on offer: students may pursue a degree, diploma or certificate, and profit from a range of co-op opportunities. This makes it an excellent starting point towards industry certification. VIU encourages students to apply regardless of their academic background. Students who study here are quick to tell you that the professors here know them on a first name basis. Nanaimo is a ferry ride away from Vancouver, and also a gateway to other popular tourists destinations like Tofino and Port Alberni, and several islands off the coast.

City: Nanaimo

Undergraduate tuition fees:
$16,680

Graduate tuition fees:
$17,400

Signature programs:
Natural Resource Protection, Earth Science, Business

University of the Fraser Valley

The University of the Fraser Valley is primarily an undergraduate institution rooted in trades and technology programs. Class sizes are small, averaging about 25 students for every teacher. This creates a more hands-on learning experience for everyone involved and adds to a real community feeling on campus. Central to UFV is the idea of “laddering” where nearly all of its diplomas count towards the first two years of a degree program. Students in the social services diploma program, for instance, can complete a diploma enabling them to work in the field, and whenever they are ready, they can transfer these credits to a four-year applied Bachelor degree. The school has about 16,000 students enrolled in fully accredited programs, the majority at its main Abbotsford campus. It also has ancillary campuses in Chilliwack, Mission, Hope, and Agassiz, all in British Columbia, and offices in Chandigarh, India.

City: Mission

Undergraduate tuition fees:
$18,900

Graduate tuition fees:
$25,000

Signature programs: Trades, Global Development Studies, Social Work, Criminology/Criminal Justice

Capilano University

Capilano is a smaller university set in Vancouver’s stunning north-shore forest. But it’s more than an idyllic, peaceful place to study. Capilano started as a college in the 1960s. Even though it now has received a university designation, other than a few post-baccalaureate programs and certificates, the school remains largely grounded in undergraduate studies, especially certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees. These programs provide an excellent trades and technology primer — which on their own can lead to employment in Canada — or as a foundation for longer academic studies at larger research universities such as the University of British Columbia or Simon Fraser University.

City: Vancouver

Undergraduate tuition fees:
$19,068 – $29,146

Signature programs:

Animation for Film and Games, Music, Tourism Management, Business Administration Pathway

EMILY CARR UNIVERSITY OF ART + DESIGN

Emily Carr is a fine arts university located on Vancouver’s iconic Granville Island. It offers 10 major programs divided between four faculties, as well as a number of certification programs and continuing education courses. Through hands-on study, Emily Carr students learn to create both digital and real-world designs and products. Its Bachelor programs also allow for opportunities abroad: in third year, students can study at one of 57 art and design institutes including schools in Berlin and Paris. Additionally, there is the option to take advantage of co-ops and exchange opportunities with more than 70 membership art and design schools across North America, Mexico and elsewhere in Europe. Much of what Emily Carr strives to accomplish involves local industry and a strong base in technical know-how. Many of its graduates go on to work in the city’s high tech and cultural centers and make their mark in innovative collaboration worldwide. An artistic portfolio and average academic grades are needed for admission to this institution.

City: Vancouver

Undergraduate tuition fees:
$7,728

Graduate tuition fees:
$14,684 – $16,641

Signature programs

Industrial design, Cultural studies, Animation

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Already a well-known college for over 30 years, Kwantlen expanded in 2008 to become the region’s newest university. Its seven faculties offer more than 200 degree, diploma, and certification programs, and with over 17,500 undergraduate and continuing education students, Kwantlen has considerable breadth. Career advancement and on the job experience — through co-op placements — is at the heart of program delivery. The school includes four campuses serving the suburban population of the greater Vancouver area, and continues to develop new facilities for students.

City: Richmond

Undergraduate tuition fees:
$20,136

Signature programs

Business Administration, Fashion Marketing, Nursing

University of Northern British Columbia

The University of Northern British Columbia is not only an innovative research university; it also puts a high value on teaching and has some of Canada’s smallest class sizes. As a result, students at all its campuses — there are five — benefit from the ability to access their professors and forge close relationships with each other. Its main Prince George campus has become an example of sustainability, amidst a spectacular region with an abundance of natural resources. It’s no wonder that the university is consistently voted number one for its environmental commitments; its graduates and research have helped modernize the more traditional industries such as forestry and mining and made the region more sustainable. For that reason, it’s called “Canada’s green university.

City: Prince George

Undergraduate tuition fees:
$22,021

Graduate tuition fees:
$3,430

Signature programs

Natural Resources Management, Nursing, Wildlife & Fisheries, Environmental Engineering

Royal Roads University

Royal Roads University is uniquely situated in one of Canada’s most iconic National Historic Sites: Hatley Park. But it’s becoming equally famous for its innovation in “blended-teaching”, a method encouraging online learning with on-campus residency, group projects, and applied skills. Unlike most universities in Canada, it is primarily a graduate school, and it has an applied and professional degree-granting focus. For this reason it feels more clearly suited to mature students looking to continue working and enhancing existing knowledge and skills. However, it is increasingly becoming known for international undergraduate students to whom excellent support services and flexible admissions requirements may be attractive. Many of its programs are multidisciplinary, drawing not only on many different courses, but from combinations of multiple institutions as well. Not surprisingly, Royal Roads is getting a reputation for being an innovator, an outlier amongst many of the more traditional institutions in the country.

City: Victoria

Undergraduate tuition fees:
$21,206

Graduate tuition fees:
$16,248 – $17,406

Signature programs

MBA in Executive Management, MA in Global Leadership, BA International Hotel Management

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Simon Fraser University has eight faculties offering more than 100 undergraduate programs, as well as a wide range of graduate and continuing education programs. The school offers nearly 200 work placement programs both nationally and internationally. Because of this, SFU’s graduates are now widely understood by employers to have the requisite experience, skills, and attitudes that are in high demand. SFU is a school on a mountaintop. Crisscrossed by trails and parks, it affords a stunning 360-degree view of Vancouver’s lower mainland. Most students find the community — for example there are nearly 90 clubs on campus and many social events — easily makes up for the feeling of being up in the clouds.

City: Burnaby

Undergraduate tuition fees:
$25,791 – $29,377

Graduate tuition fees:
$3,894

Signature programs

Kinesiology, Criminology, Computer Science, Business, the Humanities

THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY

While now a full-fledged university with modern research facilities, Thompson Rivers University actually began as a vocational college in the 1970s. Nowadays, it still excels fundamentally in its industry-driven certificates and diplomas, while also offering bachelor degrees in nearly 70 programs. Many of these credentials also give students the option to seamlessly transfer the credits directly to bachelors programs at TRU or elsewhere in Canada. The school recently embarked on a project to internationalize its campus in Kamloops, BC and can boast a diversity that few other universities of its size can compete with. TRU is also well-known for its combination of on-campus and online learning, and laddering programs with many other schools.

City: Kamloops

Undergraduate tuition fees:
$17,820

Graduate tuition fees:
$13,138

Signature programs

Tourism Management, Business, Education, Law

TRINITY WESTERN UNIVERSITY

Trinity Western University is a private, liberal arts and science institution. As a Christian university, a faith-based education is to be expected here. Consistently rated highly by students, it comprises two main faculties, and several professional and theological schools. With about 15 students per class, TWU students can expect a high degree of access to their teachers and a dynamic classroom setting. The philosophy also stresses making a positive difference in the lives of others; so expect a certain level of community engagement. There’s also the option of obtaining credit at TWU while studying abroad in places including New York, Hawaii, Northern Ireland, and Italy. Campus life isn’t just about ministry activities, but also art, music, and athletics. Participation in sports and student clubs is emphasized. TWU’s main campus in Langley, BC, about 45 minutes east of Vancouver. It also has satellite campuses in Bellingham, Washington, and Richmond, BC.

City: Langley

Undergraduate tuition fees:
$22,260

Graduate tuition fees:
$20,100 – $45,000

Signature programs:

Theology, Liberal Arts and Humanities

UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA

The University of Victoria has a reputation for groundbreaking research that has carried around the world. In the past few years, it has also become well known as one of Canada’s most comprehensive universities, which shows it values a balance of teaching and research and offers programs at all levels. Students also remark that a small teacher-student ratio and an emphasis on co-op and practical experience with the outside community make UVic a good educational investment. The campus, while just minutes from the city, is set amongst tall evergreen trees and sprawling green grass, and its facilities are well regarded for athletics, research centers, and connection to local industry.

City: Victoria

Undergraduate tuition fees:
$20,269 – $25,861

Graduate tuition fees:
$7,611

Signature programs

Biomedical Engineering, Economics, Earth and Ocean Sciences, Health Information Science