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The Best Universities for Law in Canada (2024)

Written by Vincent Hedman

Why Study Law in Canada

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

  • Canada is renowned for its excellent legal education system that emphasises both the theoretical and practical aspects of law. Studying for a Masters Degree in Law (LL.M.) in Canadian institutions provides an opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of Canadian as well as international law.
  • Canadian universities offer a wide range of specialisations within the field of Law, including but not limited to environmental law, human rights, corporate law, intellectual property rights, indigenous law, and international trade laws. This diversity allows students to tailor their studies according to their career objectives or research interests.
  • Canada’s multicultural society is reflected in its university campuses. Students get the opportunity to study alongside peers from various cultural backgrounds which enriches the learning experience by bringing diverse perspectives into classroom discussions.
  • Many Canadian universities are at the forefront of legal research offering students numerous opportunities to work on cutting-edge research projects under the guidance of leading scholars in their fields. Additionally, there are numerous scholarships available specifically targeted at international students pursuing Masters Degrees.

The Best Universities for Law in Canada

The following tables gives the 10 top universities in Canada for Law, 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 to know more about how you as an postgrad student can use these rankings to your advantage.


Top 10 Universities in Canada for Law (Times Higher Education)
University Canada Rank Global Rank
University of Toronto 1 =21
McGill University 2 =29
University of British Columbia 3 37
University of Ottawa 4 58
University of Montreal 5 88
York University 6 96
Dalhousie University 7 100
University of Alberta 8 101-125
University of Calgary 9 126-150
University of Quebec 10 126-150
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 Universities in Canada for Law (QS)
University Canada Rank Global Rank
University of Toronto 1 =17
McGill University 2 28
University of British Columbia 3 42
University of Ottawa 4 =99
University of Montreal 5 101-150
Dalhousie University 6 151-200
Queen's University at Kingston 7 151-200
York University (Canada) 8 151-200
University of Alberta 9 201-250
Western University 10 201-250
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 Universities in Canada for Law (ARWU)
University Canada Rank Global Rank
University of Toronto 1 31
Simon Fraser University 2 44
Carleton University 3 76-100
McGill University 4 101-150
University of British Columbia 5 101-150
University of Montreal 6 101-150
University of Ottawa 7 101-150
Laval University 8 151-200
Queen's University at Kingston 9 151-200
Western University 10 151-200
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: 11 October 2024