Top Canadian universities for Engineering and Technology degrees will help students avail of several opportunities in this field.
A Canadian engineering or technology degree can assist international students gain access to both professional and research fields. Because of their reputation for academic brilliance and a strong emphasis on research, Canadian universities are among the best in the world for offering engineering and technology programs.
International students are welcome to enroll in engineering and technology programs at the undergraduate or graduate levels at several Canadian universities. This resource, which lists some of the top Canadian universities for engineering and technology and gives an overview of the courses they offer, their tuition rates for international students, and their general admission requirements, can help you narrow down the universities you might want to attend.
Top Canadian universities for Engineering and Technology degree – their eligibility criteria
Undergraduate Programs
Engineering undergraduate programs in Canada typically last for four years. In rare circumstances, programs that include co-op terms may last an extra year. You usually obtain a Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) or Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) degree after successfully completing the program. At the same time, a few universities offer separate degrees for specific programs like software engineering.
After graduating from high school, you must qualify to apply for Canada’s undergraduate engineering program as a foreign student. Next, you must submit your high school diploma (or Canadian equivalent) and transcripts with the entrance application.
You generally require strong high school grades to qualify for admission to engineering programs at Canadian institutions. The majority of prestigious universities demand at least a 75–85% average score. Universities may also require that you have taken courses in English, physics, chemistry, and mathematics at the high school level, including calculus. Some universities may also request your SAT scores.
If English isn’t your first language, you’ll need to take an English language test. You might take the IELTS or TOEFL to get admission into undergraduate engineering programs. English language proficiency is typically another criterion.
Many Canadian institutions will also evaluate your extracurricular engagement and leadership characteristics in addition to your academic accomplishments.
Graduate programs
You must have an accredited undergraduate degree that is equal to a four-year Canadian bachelor’s degree, with at least a mid-B average grade or a 75 to 80% score. Hence, you will be able to apply for a master’s degree in engineering or technology. Alternatively, you may be eligible to apply if you have successfully finished a master’s degree and a three-year bachelor’s program in your nation of origin.
You require a master’s degree in science (physical, chemical, or biological sciences), technology, or engineering with at least a B+ equivalent grade to gain admission to doctoral programs.
The declaration of intent, which should include information on your academic and research interests as well as academic or professional references, is further required by the majority of colleges. Universities may also interview potential students to narrow down the field.
Exploring the top Canadian Universities for Engineering and Technology degree
Many of the top colleges in the world for engineering and technology degrees are located in Canada. The following Canadian universities are among the prominent 150 in the world of engineering and technology according to the QS World Rankings 2022:
University of Toronto, Ontario – undergraduate programs
Engineering Science (EngSci), Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Material Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Mineral Engineering are the eight main tracks for Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) programs. In addition, the institution has a TrackOne, an Undeclared program for students who desire to learn about many engineering specialties before deciding on one at the conclusion of their first year.
Graduate Programs
Research Degrees – A four-year Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Engineering after completing a two-year Master of Applied Science (MASc).
Professional Degrees – A two-year MEng degree in one of the following academic fields:
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering
- Department of Chemical and Engineering and Applied Chemistry
- U of T Institute for Aerospace and Studies
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering
Tuition fees for international students
- The first-year tuition cost for international students in undergraduate engineering programs is $65,410 CAD. Additionally, beginning in the second year, students must pay a co-op fee. The costs for subsequent years are subject to vary.
- The annual tuition for the MEng program is $66,670 CAD.
- The annual tuition for the MASc and Ph.D. programs is, respectively, $28,900 CAD and $6,210 CAD. These programs also provide money for tuition and other fees for enrolled students.
University of British Columbia, Vancouver
Every Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) degree in engineering at UBC begins with a foundation year. The following 14 areas of specialization are available to students after that:
- Biomedical Engineering;
- Chemical and Biological Engineering;
- Chemical Engineering;
- Civil Engineering;
- Computer Engineering;
- Electrical Engineering;
- Engineering Physics;
- Environmental Engineering;
- Geological Engineering;
- Integrated Engineering;
- Manufacturing Engineering;
- Materials Engineering;
- Mechanical Engineering; and
- Mining Engineering.
The university provides two different kinds of graduate engineering programs (course length does not include co-op terms):
- Research Programs (related to thesis) – A one-year Master of Engineering (MEng), a two-year Master of Applied Science (MASc), and a four-year (Ph.D.) degree in eight primary fields are available. The eight fields are Biomedical, Chemical and Biological, Civil, Electrical and Computer, Electrical, Materials, Mechanical, and Mining Engineering.
- Professional Degrees – A 12-month Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) program with eight specialization options (Advanced Materials Manufacturing, Clean Energy Engineering, Dependable Software Systems, High-Performance Buildings, Integrated Water Management, Naval Architecture, and Marine Engineering, Sustainable Process Engineering, and Urban Systems) and a 12- to 16-month Master of Engineering (MEng) program in one of eleven subject fields are specialized degrees.
International student tuition costs:
- International students enrolling in BASc programs in 2022 will pay an annual tuition fee totaling $54,986.81 CAD.
- The MEng program’s total tuition cost is 22,774.89 CAD. The total expense of tuition for the MEL program is $58,803.42 CAD. The yearly tuition cost for other graduate programs is around $9,313.92 CAD.
University of Waterloo, Ontario
15 undergraduate programs, including 14 professional engineering degrees and one Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) degree, are a part of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo. The following are the undergraduate programs:
- Architecture
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering,
- Computer Engineering,
- Electrical Engineering,
- Environmental Engineering,
- Geological Engineering,
- Management Engineering,
- Mechanical Engineering,
- Mechatronics Engineering,
- Nanotechnology Engineering,
- Software Engineering (BSE), and Systems Design Engineering
Graduate Programs
- Two-year MASc and Master of Architecture (MArch) degrees, as well as four-year Ph.D. programs, are available for research.
- Professional programs include the one-year MBET program and the 16-month MEng programs.
International students and the tuition fees they must pay
- For the BAS and BASc in Architectural Engineering programs, the first-year tuition costs for overseas students are $65,000 CAD and $66,000 CAD, respectively. The first-year tuition cost for all other undergraduate engineering programs is $61,300 CAD.
- The yearly tuition for the MASc and MArch programs is $23,088 CAD and $35,796 CAD, respectively.
- The overall tuition cost for the MBET program is $64,701 CAD. The entire program tuition charge for the 16-month MEng is $58,368 CAD, and the MMSc is $43,776 CAD.
The top Canadian universities for Engineering and Technology degrees – University of Alberta, Edmonton
Undergraduate Programs – Undergraduate students at this university have the choice of a regular four-year Bachelor of Science (BSc) or a five-year degree with a co-op program. Students have the option of specializing in the following after their first year:
- Biomedical Engineering;
- Chemical Engineering;
- Civil Engineering;
- Computer Engineering;
- Electrical Engineering;
- Engineering Physics;
- Environmental Engineering;
- Materials Engineering;
- Mechanical Engineering;
- Mining Engineering;
- Nanoengineering;
- Nanoscale System Design;
- Petroleum Engineering, or Software Engineering
Graduate Programs
- In the fields of Chemical & Materials Engineering, Civil, Environmental, Mining & Petroleum Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, and Mechanical Engineering, students can earn a Master of Engineering (MEng) or a combined MBA/MEng degree.
- MSc and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering, civil, environmental, mining, and petroleum engineering, as well as chemical and materials engineering, computer and electrical engineering, engineering physics, and engineering management.
- Internetworking Master of Science (MINT).
International students to pay tuition fees
- The yearly expense of the BSc Engineering program is $42,707.40 CAD.
- International students must pay a yearly tuition of $40,290 CAD for the MEng programs. The yearly tuition cost for MBA/MEng programs is $41,780.42 CAD.
- The average annual CAD cost of the MINT program is $11,220.
- The annual tuition charge for thesis-based master’s and doctorate programs in Canada is $8,874 CAD.
McGill University (Montreal)
Undergraduate Programs
- Degrees in Bioengineering,
- Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Mechanical, Materials Co-op, and Mining Co-op are available from the McGill University Faculty of Engineering.
- A bachelor’s degree in architecture or software engineering are further options for students.
Graduate Programs
- Chemical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Biological and Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. degrees are all available.
- MEng, MSc, and Ph.D. degrees in mining and material engineering, mechanical engineering, and civil engineering, respectively.
- Architecture MArch and Ph.D.
- Aerospace engineering MEng.
Tuition fees for international students
- As of 2022–2023, the annual tuition fee for overseas students enrolled in BEng and Bachelor of Software Engineering programs is $55,381.30 CAD.
- The BSc (Architecture) program costs $26,430.90 CAD per year tuition.
- The yearly cost of tuition for non-thesis master’s programs is $13,505.70 CAD, compared to $9,577.35 CAD for programs that include a thesis (Winter 2022).
- For Ph.D. candidates beginning the program in Winter 2022, the annual tuition cost is $8,596.35 CAD.
The top Canadian universities for Engineering and Technology degrees – Queen’s University, Kingston
Undergraduate Programs
Undergraduate students have the option of choosing one of ten programs of specialization, including the following:
- Chemical Engineering,
- Civil Engineering,
- Computer Engineering,
- Mining Engineering,
- Electrical Engineering,
- Engineering Chemistry,
- Engineering Physics,
- Geological Engineering,
- Mathematics and Engineering, and Mechanical and Materials Engineering,
They might select a Direct Entry program in the Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) Innovation Stream or Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering streams.
Graduate Programs
Engineering degrees with a focus on research include two-year MASc and four-year Ph.D. programs in the following:
- Biomedical Engineering;
- Chemical Engineering;
- Civil Engineering;
- Electrical and Computer Engineering;
- Engineering and Applied Physics;
- GeoEngineering;
- Geological Engineering;
- Mathematics and Engineering;
- Minerals and Materials Engineering;
- Mining Engineering; and
- The university also provides an MSc in Applied Sustainability.
Programs for professionals
- MEng programs in Advanced Design & Manufacturing (ADMI)
- Applied Sustainability
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Minerals and Materials Engineering,
- Mining Engineering, and UNENE – Nuclear Engineering
These are all one-year programs.
Tuition fees for international students
- With respect to the specialization you choose, the cost for undergraduate engineering degrees might be anywhere between $33,198 and $59,385 CAD.
- The annual tuition cost for the MEng programs is $20,466.78 CAD.
- The annual tuition costs for the engineering MASc and Ph.D. programs are $12,927.45 CAD and $5,772.99 CAD, respectively.
Canada is a popular study abroad country known for its engineering programs. A technology or engineering degree from a Canadian university will help you lay the groundwork for your future profession and put you firmly on the road to success, whether you’re considering undergraduate or graduate studies.
