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The Best Universities for Computer Science in Canada (2025)

Written by Vincent Hedman

Why Study Computer Science in Canada

There are many reasons why someone might want to study Computer Science at a university in Canada. Here are just a few:

  • Computer Science is an incredibly important field in today's technology-driven world, and Canada is home to some of the best Computer Science programmes in North America.
  • Canadian universities are renowned for providing quality instruction by experienced faculty members who have years of industry experience.
  • The tuition costs for studying Computer Science in Canada are relatively low when compared to other countries.
  • International students studying Computer Science in Canada are eligible for postgraduate work permits so they can stay on after graduation and gain valuable work experience from local employers.

The Best Universities for Computer Science in Canada

The following tables gives the 10 top universities in Canada for Computer Science, according to global and local university rankings. It can show you which Canadian universities are amongst the best in the world - and help you compare institutions on an international level.

This information is based on the latest rankings tables, researched and published by Times Higher Education, QS and Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).

Each ranking system uses its own methodology, with different factors having more or less influence on a university's result.

Read our guide on how to use international rankings as a postgraduate for more information.


Top 10 Canadian Universities for Computer Science (Times Higher Education)
University Canada Rank Global Rank
University of Toronto 1 23
University of Waterloo 2 43
University of Montreal 3 46
University of British Columbia 4 51
McGill University 5 76
University of Alberta 6 80
Simon Fraser University 7 126-150
University of Quebec 8 201-250
University of Ottawa 9 201-250
University of Victoria 10 201-250
This information is based on the latest rankings tables, researched and published by Times Higher Education. Visit their website for more information.

What should I know about the Times Higher Education rankings?

The Times Higher Education rankings are strong in academic focus and diverse teaching metrics, but do not include employer-specific metrics. Additionally, the rankings may not include all specialist institutions.


Top 10 Canadian Universities for Computer Science (QS)
University Canada Rank Global Rank
University of Toronto 1 12
University of British Columbia 2 =31
University of Waterloo 3 33
McGill University 4 48
University of Montreal 5 55
University of Alberta 6 =105
Queen's University at Kingston 7 =191
Simon Fraser University 8 201-250
University of Calgary 9 201-250
Carleton University 10 251-300
This information is based on the latest rankings tables, researched and published by QS World University Rankings. Visit their website for more information.

What should I know about the QS rankings?

The QS World University Rankings are designed to meet the needs of prospective students, with more weight given to student-centric metrics such as staff/student ratio, international recruitment and employer opinion. The rankings are balanced between qualitative and quantitative data, but give less weight to research than some other rankings.


Top 10 Canadian Universities for Computer Science (ARWU)
University Canada Rank Global Rank
University of Toronto 1 17
University of Montreal 2 24
University of Waterloo 3 43
University of Alberta 4 51-75
University of British Columbia 5 51-75
Simon Fraser University 6 101-150
Carleton University 7 151-200
McGill University 8 151-200
École de technologie supérieure - Montreal 9 201-300
University of Manitoba 10 201-300
This information is based on the latest rankings tables, researched and published by Academic Ranking of World Universities. Visit their website for more information.

What should I know about the ARWU rankings?

The ARWU rankings reflect the presence of elite academics and the future academic success of graduates. However, they do not directly assess the quality of education at a university or take into account other aspects of university performance.


Last updated: 07 April 2025