University of Toronto

Located in the leafy environs of Queen’s Park, the University of Toronto has been a mainstay in the Canadian city since it was established in 1827. 

Toronto is a public research university with 11 colleges, each of which differs in character and history. Academically, the University of Toronto is noted for influential movements and curricula in literary criticism and communication theory, known as the Toronto School. 

The university was the birthplace of insulin and stem cell research and was the site of the first practical electron microscope. By a significant margin, the University of Toronto receives the most annual scientific research funding of any Canadian university.

Academically, the University of Toronto is widely acknowledged as one of the best universities in Canada, with particular praise reserved for its research performance. Its law faculty and engineering school are both highly regarded, as are its medicine programs for doctoral students. 

Nearly three-quarters of its 60,000 students pursue undergraduate studies, most of whom enroll in the school’s arts and science faculty. Toronto encourages undergraduate students to customize their degrees to match their academic interests and career aspirations. This means that, instead of locking themselves in the library, students can become a part of research by collaborating with researchers through internship opportunities, field courses, research projects, and more. 

For those thinking about pursuing a master’s or doctoral studies, there are over 175 research and professional programs across more than 80 departments, as well as the potential for interdisciplinary research in more than 40 collaborative programs.

Life on campus is a cornucopia of club, societies and interest groups. Across the school’s three campuses there are more than 1,000 individual clubs, ranging from beekeeping to breakdancing. Some focus on cultural or faith-based ties, others on academic interests. Either way, student life at Toronto is rich with opportunities to cultivate interests and to meet fellow enthusiasts along the way. 

There are also countless opportunities for students to explore their creative sides by joining an arts group or taking a class on creative writing, music or film. If you prefer sports to the arts, then good news: Toronto students are an active bunch, taking full advantage of the university’s state-of-the-arts sports facilities and Canada’s largest intramural sports program. The University of Toronto also has one of North America's largest and most successful intercollegiate sports programs, with 44 teams participating in 26 sports.