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Top 20 Canadian Universities for PhD Study in 2022
Written by Marcus Holt
Canada has a reputation for being one of the friendliest countries in the world, as well as having globally-renowned research universities. But what are the best Canadian universities for PhD study?
One way to decide where to study your PhD is to look at university rankings. So, we’ve collated the rankings from three global university league tables to help you in your PhD search.
Top Ranked Canadian Universities
The following table lists the 20 top-ranked Canadian universities in 2021/22.
| University | THE 2022 | QS 2022 | ARWU 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto | =18 | 26 | 22 |
| University of British Columbia | 37 | 46 | 42 |
| McGill University | 44 | =27 | 67 |
| McMaster University | =80 | 140 | 92 |
| University of Montreal | =88 | 111 | 101-150 |
| University of Alberta | 125 | 126 | 101-150 |
| University of Ottawa | =162 | 230 | 201-300 |
| University of Calgary | 201-250 | 235 | 151-200 |
| Simon Fraser University | 201-250 | =298 | 301-400 |
| University of Waterloo | 201-250 | =149 | 151-200 |
| Western Univeristy | 201-250 | 170 | 201-300 |
| Dalhousie University | 251-300 | =272 | 201-300 |
| Universitié Laval | 251-300 | =414 | 301-400 |
| Queen's University | 251-300 | =240 | 201-300 |
| University of Manitoba | 301-350 | 601-650 | 301-400 |
| University of Victoria | 301-350 | =334 | 301-400 |
| York University | 401-500 | =494 | 301-400 |
| University of Guelph | 501-600 | 581-590 | 401-500 |
| University of Saskatchewan | 501-600 | 458 | 301-400 |
| Carleton University | 601-800 | 601-650 | 401-500 |
| Information in this table is based on the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings, QS World University Rankings and Academic Ranking of World Universities. Visit their websites for more information. | |||
So, how good are the top universities in Canada for PhD study?
In global rankings, Canada does well, with several universities in the world top 100 for each league ranking.
Given that Canada only has around 100 universities (the USA has about 4,000), the striking number of universities ranking high is impressive.
On this page we’ve given a brief introduction to university rankings. For a more detailed overview of how the system works and how to get the best out of it, check our guide to PhD rankings.
Find out more
Elsewhere on FindAPhD you can read about:
Search for a PhD in Canada
Ready to start looking for your ideal study abroad opportunity? Browse PhDs in Canada on FindAPhD.com or read our guide to studying a PhD in Canada.
Last Updated: 19 November 2021