Best Universities in Canada for International Master’s Students (2026): Rankings, Fees and Admission

Introduction

The best universities in Canada for a master’s are McGill University, the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia and the University of Alberta, the four Canadian institutions in the world’s top 100 in the QS World University Rankings 2027, followed by the University of Waterloo (113th), Western University (142nd), Université de Montréal (162nd), McMaster University (174th) and Queen’s University (179th). McGill leads nationally at 30th, and Toronto posts the highest international student score of any Canadian university (97.4 out of 100).

If you are researching a master’s in Canada as an international student, you are probably weighing three questions at once: which institutions are strong in your field, what the degree will cost, and how realistic your admission chances are. Canada answers all three reasonably well, though the system works differently from the UK or the US. There is no central application platform, research master’s degrees usually come with a supervisor and often with an assistantship, and the post-study work permit is one of the most generous among major destinations.

This guide compares the nine universities in a single table, then covers how Canadian master’s degrees are structured, what each university asks for, what you will pay, where the funding is, and the deadlines for fall 2027 entry.

Best Universities in Canada for a Master’s: The 2026 Comparison Table

What the tuition column is, and what it is not. Every amount in it is the university’s standard published rate for a full-time research (thesis) master’s, the single rate that covers most MA, MSc and MASc programs on that campus, for an international student, for one academic year. It is not the price of every master’s there. Professional and course-based degrees are priced separately and run two to five times higher, from CAD 27,419 for UBC’s Master of Engineering to CAD 78,550 for Toronto’s Master of Management Analytics, and are not in this column.

Canadian universities do not publish admission rates for master’s programs, because admission is decided department by department and often depends on a supervisor agreeing to take you on. That is why this table has no acceptance rate column, and why the profile of your prospective department matters more than any institution-wide figure.

Why Study in Canada for a Master’s as an International Student?

Canada’s case for postgraduate study rests on a few concrete advantages, not just goodwill toward international students.

The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is the standout feature. Since February 15, 2024, master’s graduates can apply for a 3-year work permit even if their program was shorter than 2 years, provided it lasted at least 8 months and they meet the other eligibility rules, including a language test at Canadian Language Benchmark 7 for applications filed since November 1, 2024. Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral graduates are also exempt from the field-of-study restrictions that apply to college and certificate programs. For a full walkthrough of the permit and the study permit that precedes it, see our guide to Canada student visa requirements [→ canada-student-visa-requirements].

Canada also funds research seriously. The three federal agencies (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) back thousands of graduate projects each year, and hubs such as Mila in Montreal for artificial intelligence or Amii in Alberta give master’s students access to labs with real international visibility. The catch, covered in the funding section, is that the flagship federal master’s scholarship is reserved for Canadians and permanent residents.

Add a mostly English-taught academic culture with real French options in Quebec, widely recognized degrees, and living costs that, outside Toronto and Vancouver, tend to stay below comparable US or UK cities, and the practical case becomes clear. If you are still deciding between destinations, our overview of the top study abroad destinations in 2026 [→ top-study-abroad-destinations] puts Canada side by side with the US, the UK and Australia.

How Do Master’s Degrees Work in Canada?

Canadian master’s degrees take one of two forms. Thesis-based (research) master’s run about 2 years, include a supervised research project, and often come with a research or teaching assistantship. Course-based (professional) master’s, such as the Master of Engineering, the MBA or specialized analytics degrees, are often completed in 12 to 16 months, carry no funding by default, and are priced two to three times higher for international students. Which type suits you depends on whether you want hands-on research experience or a faster route into the job market.

Canada’s closest equivalent to the UK’s Russell Group is the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities, an alliance of 15 research-intensive institutions that includes every university profiled here. Membership signals significant research funding, which matters more at master’s level, since your supervisor’s lab often shapes your experience more than the university’s name.

There is no equivalent to UCAS or the Common App: you apply directly to each university through its graduate school portal. The year runs in two main terms, fall (September to December) and winter (January to April), plus a summer term; most programs admit primarily for fall. Grading is percentage-based, then converted to a GPA usually out of 4.0, worth checking against your own transcript system. Most programs are taught in English, though Université de Montréal and other Quebec institutions teach many in French.

The Best Universities in Canada for International Master’s Students, Ranked

The order below follows the QS World University Rankings 2027. At master’s level, your department’s research strength and your supervisor’s track record matter as much as the overall position, so treat these ranks as a starting point.

1. McGill University (QS 2027: 30th)

McGill is Canada’s highest-ranked university, at 30th in QS 2027 (down from 27th), with 10,196 graduate students and 27% of its student body from outside Canada (fall 2025). International students in a full-time thesis master’s pay CAD 10,674 per 15-credit term, about CAD 21,349 (approx. $15,200) for a fall-winter year, a rate set by Quebec that also applies at Université de Montréal.

Its graduate programs are strongest in medicine, law and the social sciences, and its International Students score (92 out of 100, 162nd worldwide) reflects one of the country’s most diverse campuses. The university-wide deadline for international applicants to the fall term is January 15, but some programs close on December 1.

McGill suits you if you want a research-heavy master’s in a bilingual city, comfortable that graduate life, though conducted mostly in English, unfolds inside a francophone environment.

2. University of Toronto (QS 2027: 32nd)

The University of Toronto holds 32nd place (down from 29th) and is Canada’s largest research university, with 21,728 graduate students and 27,897 international students from 176 countries and territories (27% of enrollment, 2025-26). Its research funding, including partner hospitals, reached CAD 1.73 billion in 2024-25 (approx. $1.23 billion), the largest in the country.

Toronto also posts the highest International Students score of any Canadian university in QS 2027 (97.4 out of 100, 111th worldwide). Its strength spans nearly every discipline, from computer science and engineering to public health and the humanities. The price reflects that position: a doctoral-stream master’s (MA, MSc, MASc) cost CAD 31,870 in 2025-26 (approx. $22,700) for international students, and professional degrees run far higher, at CAD 70,730 for the Master of Engineering and CAD 78,550 for Management Analytics.

Toronto suits you if you want maximum choice of graduate programs and supervisors within one institution, in a large and highly international city, and your budget can absorb the highest research master’s fees in this list.

3. University of British Columbia (QS 2027: 45th)

UBC, split between Vancouver and the Okanagan Valley, ranks 45th (down from 40th). Its Vancouver campus enrolls 60,309 students, 11,144 of them at graduate level, with 25.4% coming from outside Canada (2023-24). Standard research master’s tuition for international students is CAD 10,798 per installment, CAD 32,394 a year over three installments (approx. $23,100, 2026-27), while the MBA charges CAD 27,105 per installment over four installments.

UBC stands out for sustainability research, forestry and Asia-Pacific studies, with strong ties to research partners across the Pacific Rim, and it ranks 5th worldwide on QS’s sustainability indicator.

UBC suits you if your field connects to environmental science, sustainability or Asia-Pacific relations, and you want a campus close to nature without sacrificing research depth.

4. University of Alberta (QS 2027: 96th)

The University of Alberta, in Edmonton, ranks 96th (down from 94th) and is the most affordable research option in this list: international thesis-based master’s students admitted in fall 2026 pay CAD 10,519 for a full year (approx. $7,500), while course-based master’s are billed at CAD 826 per credit. The university reports 3,090 international graduate students, and roughly 18% of its 46,201 students come from abroad (2023-24).

It is known for energy and engineering research, alongside a growing artificial intelligence cluster built around the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii).

Alberta suits you if your interests lie in engineering, energy systems or AI, and you want the lowest tuition and living costs among Canada’s top research universities.

5. University of Waterloo (QS 2027: 113th)

Waterloo climbs to 113th (up from 119th) and is Canada’s most recognized university for computer science, engineering and mathematics. It is also the most international graduate school in this list: 41% of its graduate students come from abroad (2024-25). Research master’s tuition for international students is CAD 7,696 per term, about CAD 23,088 for a three-term year (approx. $16,500, 2026), while professional degrees such as the Master of Engineering (CAD 17,400 per term) or the Master of Accounting (CAD 25,136 per term) cost two to three times more.

Its innovation ecosystem, centered on the Velocity incubator, draws graduate researchers into applied, industry-facing work.

Waterloo suits you if you want your research to translate quickly into applied technology or a startup, with direct access to Canada’s tech sector.

6. Western University (QS 2027: 142nd)

Western, in London, Ontario, makes the biggest jump in this list, from 151st to 142nd, and combines a large research base with mid-range international fees: a regular master’s costs CAD 8,441 per term, about CAD 16,882 for a fall-winter year (approx. $12,000, fall 2026). Professional programs are billed separately, from CAD 17,172 per term for a Master of Engineering to CAD 24,897 for the Ivey MBA’s first term. Western enrolls 4,664 master’s and 2,557 doctoral students, and 5,445 international students from 134 countries (September 2025).

It is best known for the Ivey Business School and for health sciences, and it charges international doctoral students the domestic rate, a policy in place since 2018 that signals how it competes for research students.

Western suits you if you want a research master’s at a mid-range price with a strong business or health sciences department nearby, in a smaller city than Toronto.

7. Université de Montréal (QS 2027: 162nd)

Université de Montréal, one of the world’s largest French-language research universities, rises to 162nd (up from 168th). Together with its affiliated schools HEC Montréal (business) and Polytechnique Montréal (engineering), it enrolls 71,146 students, 27% of them at graduate level, and welcomes more than 9,800 international students a year. It is home to Mila, one of the largest academic AI research clusters in the world.

Its pricing is the most favorable in this list once the UdeM exemption scholarship is counted. The list rate for a thesis-based master’s is CAD 711.62 per credit (CAD 10,674 per 15-credit trimester), but every international master’s student admitted receives an automatic exemption of CAD 353.69 per credit on research programs, bringing the net cost to about CAD 10,738 for a 30-credit year (approx. $7,700, 2026-27). No separate application is needed.

Université de Montréal suits you if you want an AI or engineering-focused master’s taught primarily in French, or a bilingual research environment in Quebec at the lowest net tuition of the nine.

8. McMaster University (QS 2027: 174th)

McMaster, in Hamilton, holds 174th place and is the most graduate-international university in this list after Waterloo: 1,707 of its 5,487 graduate students, or 31.1%, come from abroad, out of 37,592 students in total (2023-24). It is the university where problem-based learning in medical education was developed, and health sciences remain its strongest suit, alongside engineering.

Its fees are the hardest of the nine to pin down, which is why the table above carries no amount for it. McMaster charges graduate tuition at a base rate per unit set by each Faculty rather than at one university-wide international rate, and the 2026-27 schedule it publishes lists individual rates for professional and course-based degrees rather than a figure for research master’s. Ask your department for the rate that applies to your program and the number of units it requires before you compare McMaster on cost, and raise funding in the same conversation, since research master’s students here are commonly supported.

McMaster suits you if your field is health sciences, medicine or engineering and you want a research-intensive department with an unusually international graduate cohort.

9. Queen’s University (QS 2027: 179th)

Queen’s, in Kingston, Ontario, rises from 191st to 179th and offers the second-lowest research master’s tuition in this list: CAD 4,309 per term, CAD 12,927 for a three-term year (approx. $9,200, 2026-27), a single rate that covers most master’s degrees including the MA, MSc, MASc, MEd and LLM. Professional programs at the Smith School of Business are priced apart, with the MBA above CAD 65,000 and Management Analytics at CAD 73,850 for the program. Queen’s enrolls 7,368 graduate students, and 28% of them are international, drawn from 123 countries (2025-26).

Its reputation rests on the Smith School of Business, law and engineering, and on a campus culture closer to a small college than a large urban university.

Queen’s suits you if you want a research master’s at a low published rate, or a business degree with one of Canada’s best-known brands, in a small university city.

Canada Master’s Admission Requirements for International Students

Applying to a Canadian master’s program is direct in principle, but it rewards early planning, especially if you want funding attached to your offer.

There is no centralized application: you apply to each university’s graduate school, usually 8 to 12 months ahead of the start date. You need a completed bachelor’s degree with a minimum average, often equivalent to a B+ or roughly 3.0 out of 4.0, though the most competitive programs expect closer to an A-. Waterloo, for example, sets its minimum at 75% overall for both master’s and doctoral admission. Documents typically include transcripts, a statement of purpose or research proposal, two to three reference letters, a CV and, for thesis-based programs, a named supervisor. Our guide to recommendation letters for a master’s application [→ recommendation-letters-university] explains who to ask and when. Since your statement of purpose often carries as much weight as your grades in a Canadian graduate application, our Cover Letter and Essay Generator can help you turn your research interests and background into a strong first draft.

English language requirements vary by university and are higher than many applicants expect at the top of the list. McGill asks for TOEFL iBT 86 (20 per component) or IELTS 6.5; UBC and Alberta for TOEFL iBT 90 or IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0; Toronto for TOEFL iBT 93 (22 in writing and speaking) or IELTS 7.0 with no band below 6.5; Waterloo for TOEFL iBT 90 with 25 in writing and speaking, or IELTS 7.0 with 6.5 in writing and speaking. Since January 21, 2026, the TOEFL iBT also reports on a 1 to 6 scale, on which these universities set their minimum at 4.5 overall. Individual departments can require more, and law or journalism programs usually do. The GRE and GMAT are not required by most Canadian programs, but certain professional master’s, particularly in business, still ask for one. Our guide to GMAT, GRE, TOEFL and IELTS [→ gmat-gre-toefl-ielts-guide] covers scores, costs and validity.

Application Deadlines for Fall 2027 Entry

Treat any deadline as a floor, not a ceiling. Not sure how your profile compares to these expectations? Our Admission Predictor gives you a realistic read on your chances before you commit time to an application.

How Much Does a Master’s in Canada Cost for International Students?

Master’s tuition in Canada varies more by program type than by university prestige. The table below uses each university’s published 2026-27 international rates (Toronto 2025-26, its most recent schedule).

Thesis-based master’s students in STEM fields are often offered a research or teaching assistantship alongside admission, which can offset a meaningful share of tuition, though the amount varies by department and should be confirmed with your prospective supervisor before you accept.

Both proof-of-funds figures are minimums, not comfortable budgets, particularly in Toronto or Vancouver; Montreal, Waterloo, Kingston, London and Edmonton tend to be more affordable. Students heading to McGill or Université de Montréal apply to Quebec’s immigration ministry for a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) and must meet its threshold rather than the federal one. For a country-by-country view of what a degree really costs, see our analysis of the real cost of a master’s abroad [→ real-cost-masters-abroad], and for the proof-of-funds rules by destination, our guide on how to budget for studying abroad [→ how-to-budget-studying-abroad].

Dollar conversions in this article use the Bank of Canada daily rate of September 21, 2026 (1 USD = 1.4021 CAD, or about 0.71 USD per CAD); confirm the current rate before finalizing your budget.

Scholarships for International Master’s Students in Canada

Funding for international master’s students is limited compared to the size of Canada’s tuition bills, so it pays to know exactly where it exists.

The flagship federal award, the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship, Master’s (CAD 27,000 for 12 months, approx. $19,300), is open only to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected persons, so do not count on it. Provincial and university awards are where international students can compete.

The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) pays CAD 5,000 per session for two or three consecutive sessions (CAD 10,000 to 15,000 a year, approx. $7,100 to $10,700) and is open to master’s students at Ontario universities, including Toronto, Waterloo, Western, McMaster and Queen’s. Awards for international students on a study permit are strictly capped: the University of Toronto, for example, received an allocation of 22 international OGS awards for 2024-25.

Universities run their own entrance awards too. Waterloo’s International Master’s Award of Excellence provides CAD 2,500 per term for up to five terms (CAD 12,500 in total, approx. $8,900) to international students entering research-based master’s programs, on nomination by the faculty. UBC’s International Tuition Award offers up to CAD 3,200 a year (approx. $2,300) to international students in research-oriented master’s and doctoral programs on the Vancouver campus. Université de Montréal’s exemption scholarship is the most generous in cash terms and the only automatic one: CAD 5,305 per 15-credit trimester on research master’s programs (about CAD 10,611 a year, approx. $7,600), credited to every eligible international master’s student without an application.

Most U15 universities offer comparable fellowships, usually awarded from your admission file rather than through a separate form. Apply to your program and any relevant funding at the same time, and if you are targeting a thesis-based program, ask your prospective supervisor directly about assistantship funding before you accept an offer.

Canada Study Permit and Post-Study Work Rights for Master’s Students

International master’s students need a study permit, which costs CAD 150 plus CAD 85 for biometrics (approx. $107 and $61). Since January 1, 2026, students admitted to a degree-granting master’s or doctoral program at a public institution are exempt from the provincial or territorial attestation letter that most other study permit applicants must obtain, which removes one step and shields graduate applicants from the provincial caps. You must still show proof of funds of CAD 23,448 per year plus tuition for applications filed from September 1, 2026, or CAD 24,617 if you are studying in Quebec, where a CAQ is also required. Processing times vary by country of application, so apply as soon as you hold your offer letter.

Once in Canada, you can work off campus up to 24 hours per week during regular academic sessions and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks. After graduation, master’s graduates from a program of at least 8 months qualify for a 3-year Post-Graduation Work Permit, subject to a Canadian Language Benchmark 7 test and an application within 180 days of completing the program. The full procedure, costs and timeline are in our Canada student visa guide [→ canada-student-visa-requirements].

Which Canadian Universities Go Further for International Students?

A handful of Canadian universities go further than their ranking suggests for the international master’s experience specifically.

The University of Toronto posts the highest International Students score among Canadian universities in QS 2027 (97.4 out of 100, 111th worldwide), reflecting 27,897 international students and dedicated support through its School of Graduate Studies. McGill follows (score of 92, 162nd worldwide), with international services well practiced at guiding non-Canadian applicants through study permits and settling into Montreal.

Measured at graduate level rather than across the whole campus, the picture changes: Waterloo leads with 41% international graduate students, ahead of McMaster at 31.1% and Queen’s at 28%, all well above their overall institutional shares. Université de Montréal goes further on price, with an automatic tuition exemption that no other university in this list matches.

How to Choose the Right University in Canada for Your Master’s

Rankings are a reasonable start, but the right Canadian university depends on factors a single table cannot capture.

Start with your subject and, for a research degree, your prospective supervisor, since a strong department at a lower-ranked university often serves you better than a famous name with no one working in your area. Then weigh location against budget: Toronto and Vancouver offer the deepest industry networks but the highest tuition and living costs, while Montreal, Waterloo, Kingston, London and Edmonton deliver comparable quality more affordably. A thesis master’s at Alberta, Université de Montréal or Queen’s costs a third to two-fifths of the same degree at Toronto or UBC.

Also check each university’s employment outcomes if a Canadian career matters to you, and contact your prospective department directly to ask current students about supervision style and funding reliability before committing. If you are also weighing an undergraduate route or advising a younger sibling, our ranking of the best universities in Canada for undergraduates [→ best-universities-canada-undergraduate] uses different criteria for that level. If weighing all of this feels like a lot to juggle on your own, our International Orientation Advisor can match your academic profile, budget and goals to the Canadian universities and programs that fit you best.

Conclusion

Canada’s case for international master’s students rests on a real combination: four universities in the world’s top 100, research tuition that ranges from roughly CAD 10,500 to CAD 32,400 a year depending on the university, a funding system that takes graduate students seriously through assistantships and provincial awards, and a 3-year work permit that gives you time to build a career afterward. What it asks in return is more legwork than a single centralized system, mainly around finding the right department and supervisor for your field. Confirm your English test scores, line up strong references and map out the December 2026 to February 2027 deadlines now, and a Canadian master’s becomes an achievable, well-costed plan rather than a distant one.