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156 Best Public Universities in Canada

University of Toronto tops our list of 156 Public universities in Canada at #29 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Next come University of Toronto, Mississauga (QS World #29) and University of Toronto, Scarborough (QS World #29). The universities on this list offer 3,887 matching courses between them.

156 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
25Ranked
UL Université Laval logo
QS World #469 #25 in Canada Canada

Université Laval

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#469 QS World University Rankings 2026
#25 in Canada
26Ranked
UW University of Windsor logo
QS World #547 #26 in Canada Canada
#547 QS World University Rankings 2025
#26 in Canada
29Ranked
UD Université de Sherbrooke logo
#29 in Canada Canada

Université de Sherbrooke

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#29 in Canada · by research impact
3,454,054 citations · h-index 483
31Ranked
MU Memorial University of Newfoundland logo
#31 in Canada Canada

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#31 in Canada · by research impact
2,879,995 citations · h-index 467
35Ranked
RP Ryerson Polytechnic University logo
#35 in Canada Canada

Ryerson Polytechnic University

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#35 in Canada · by research impact
1,545,377 citations · h-index 318
42Ranked
LU Laurentian University of Sudbury logo
#42 in Canada Canada
#42 in Canada · by research impact
704,181 citations · h-index 277
46Ranked
TU Trent University logo
#46 in Canada Canada

Trent University

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#46 in Canada · by research impact
653,245 citations · h-index 271

How these universities are ranked

26 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #29 (University of Toronto) to #547 (University of Windsor); they are listed first, in that order. Below them, universities follow their research output: University of Toronto is cited most (59,684,471 citations). 12 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".

Public, private and where they are

156 are public and 0 private (100% public). By location, Ontario (3), Quebec (1) and British Columbia (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is McGill University, founded in 1821. University of Toronto is the largest, with 97,000 students.

Inside the course list

By level: 2,297 bachelor's, 574 diploma, 253 master's and 89 professional. The most common subjects are Business & Management (549), Social Sciences & Psychology (489), Medicine & Health Sciences (330) and Engineering (275). The usual length is 4 years and 2 years. 95% are full-time and 62 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (96% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (89% of courses with a stated intake). Ontario Tech University offers the widest choice, with 141 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 5 of these universities. McGill University is the least expensive at USD 37,000 a year and University of Toronto the most at USD 45,000; the middle of the range is about USD 40,000. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for Public in Canada?

University of Toronto (QS World #29), University of Toronto, Mississauga (QS World #29) and University of Toronto, Scarborough (QS World #29) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Public in Canada?

Of those with published fees, McGill University is the least expensive at about USD 37,000 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Public in Canada?

156 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Public course take in Canada?

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 2 years the next most common.

When do Public courses start in Canada?

Fall is the main intake — 96% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Can I study Public online with a university in Canada?

62 of these courses are listed as online.

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