Last Updated: March 15, 2021
Best Universities for Computer Science in Canada
Canada has been the go-to country for several international students - more so recently. Ever since Canada opened their gates for permanent residency (PR), not only families from several countries want to settle in Canada for a better future, students want to do the same.
Students have a higher chance of being able to get a permanent residency in Canada as Canadian universities provide internship opportunities in almost every field of expertise. Not only does a student get the best education in the world, but they also get to experience the real-world application before they would complete their degree.
The same goes for a postgraduate degree in Computer Science. Almost every university in Canada provides two kinds of Computer Science degrees - with at least an internship in the last year or a thesis that would pave the path towards a Ph.D. for the students enrolled. If a student does not wish to go forward with a thesis, some universities provide a research project option. But, they are not as research-based as a thesis.
Below is the list of Canada's top 5 universities to get a degree in Computer Science.
Top 5 universities for Computer Science
The University of Toronto:
- The University of Toronto is one of the finest universities in the world for many courses, such as - Engineering, MBA, Economics, Sciences. It has been tooted as the best university in Canada and has secured the prestigious position of the top 10 in the world for years. Furthermore, the university has contributed towards groundbreaking research in every field of expertise possible - especially healthcare. It is of no surprise that the courses in Computer Science are as good as the others.
- The University of Toronto offers two courses in the field of computer science - MSc in Computer Science and Meng in Electrical & Computer Engineering.
- The duration of both the courses is different, but they are both full-time. The duration for MSc in Computer Science is 2 years, whereas the duration for Meng in Electrical & Computer Engineering is 3 years.
- At the University of Toronto, students do not have the option of doing a thesis in both the courses - MSc in Computer Science as well as Meng in Electrical & Computer Engineering.
- The entry requirements for the University of Toronto include a degree that proves 4 years of full-time graduation with at least 70% or more and a GRE score of 309 at least.
- English requirements include either a TOEFL score of 97 overall or an IELTS score of 7.0 overall, with no less than 6.5 in every component.
- International students will need to submit additional documents such as a transcript, letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, a CV, and financial documentation which proves that the student can cover the tuition and living costs.
- Even though the entry requirements for both the courses match, there is a huge margin in the fees between both the courses. The fees for MSc in Computer Science is $21,000 per year, whereas the tuition fee for Meng in Electrical & Computer Engineering is $48,000 per year.
- The tuition fees at the University of Toronto are exceptionally high, hence it is recommended to apply for scholarships in Canada. To know more about scholarships in Canada click here
University of British Columbia:
- The University of British Columbia is popular for being the only top university with affordable education. Moreover, the University of British Columbia has a great record in the field of research. Just like other courses in British Columbia, an internship is offered in the last year of the course in Computer Science. This gives an opportunity to the students to practice theoretical concepts in the real world before they enter the actual workforce.
- The University of British Columbia offers two courses in the field of computer science - MSc in Computer and Meng in Electrical. It is to be noted that both the courses are different, but come under the same faculty.
- The duration of the course is of 2 years, full-time. Even though the time duration is the same for both the courses, an MSc in Computer is a thesis-based course, whereas Meng in Electrical is purely course-based.
- The entry requirements for the University of British Columbia include a degree that proves 4 years of full-time graduation with at least 75% or more and a GRE score of 310 at least.
- English requirements include either a TOEFL score of 90 overall or an IELTS score of 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in every component.
- International students will need to submit additional documents such as a transcript, letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, a CV, and financial documentation that proves that the student can cover the tuition and living costs.
- Even though the entry requirements for both the courses match, there is a huge margin in the fees between both the courses. The fees for MSc in Computer is $6,500 per year, whereas the tuition fee for Meng in Electrical is $16,000 per year.
McGill University:
- At McGill University, the School of Computer Science currently stands second in Canada for its research funding. Moreover, McGill University has a reputation of delivering excellent education, while pushing their students towards excellence by letting them
- The McGill University two courses in the field of computer science - MSc in Computer and Meng in Electrical & Computer Engineering.
- The duration of both the courses is of 1.5 years, full-time. At McGill University, students have the option of doing a thesis in both the courses - MSc in Computer Science as well as Meng in Electrical & Computer Engineering. Students get the liberty to choose to do a thesis during their course or opt-out of it. If students decide to opt-out of a thesis, they will have to take part in a research project.
- The entry requirements for the McGill University include a degree that proves 4 years of full-time graduation with at least 60% or more and a GRE score of 300 at least.
- English requirements include either a TOEFL score of 86 overall or an IELTS score of 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in every component.
- International students will need to submit additional documents such as a transcript, and letters of recommendation.
- Unlike the University of British Columbia, there is not a stark difference in the fees between both the courses. In fact, the tuition fee for MSc in Computer Science and Meng in Electrical & Computer Engineering is the same. The fees for MSc in Computer and Meng in Electrical & Computer Engineering are $14,500 per year.
University of Calgary:
- The University of Calgary is highly recommended for students wanting to complete a course in Computer Science from Canada. The University of Calgary has been in the world's top university rankings for providing exceptional courses in Computer Science to students from all over the world.
- The University of Calgary offers two courses in the field of computer science - MSc in Computer and MSc in Electrical & Computer Engineering.
- The duration of both the courses is of 2 years, full-time. At the University of Calgary, students have the option of doing a thesis in both the courses - MSc in Computer Science as well as MSc in Electrical & Computer Engineering. Students get the liberty to choose to do a thesis during their course or opt-out of it.
- As for entry requirements, a strong GRE is highly recommended. The acceptable score for GRE is quite high, at a whopping 309. It is expected that students have completed requisite BS level courses in Computer science in their previous undergraduate degrees. Moreover, the undergraduate degree must be of four years.
- English requirements include either a TOEFL score of 97 or an IELTS score of 7.0 overall, with no less than 6.5 in every component.
- International students will need to submit additional documents such as a transcript, letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, a CV, a writing sample, a study proposal, a statement of intent, and a statement of research interests.
- The tuition fees for MSc in Computer and MSc in Electrical & Computer Engineering is $14,000 per year.
McMaster University
- McMaster University is one of the top 100 universities in Canada and has been applauded for its progressive research field in every area of expertise possible.
- The university is very popular amongst international students as it provides a world-class degree that does not burn a hole in the pocket of any student.
- The McMaster University offers two courses in the field of computer science - MSc in Computer Science and Meng in Electrical & Computer Engineering.
- The duration of both the courses is different, but they are both full-time. The duration for MSc in Computer Science is 2 years, whereas the duration for Meng in Electrical & Computer Engineering is 1.5 years. Another difference between the courses is that an MSc in Computer Science is a thesis-based course, whereas Meng in Electrical & Computer Science is purely course-based.
- As for entry requirements, the acceptable score for GRE is a score of 309, and an undergraduate degree of 4 years in a field related to computer science.
- English requirements include either a TOEFL score of 92 or an IELTS score of 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in every component. International students will also be required to submit their PTE scores. The acceptable PTE score is at least 60 overall.
- International students will need to submit additional documents such as a transcript, letters of recommendation, a personal statement, a CV, the application form and application fee, and a statement of intent.
- Even though the entry requirements for both the courses match, there is a huge margin in the fees between both the courses. The fees for MSc in Computer Science is $8,500 per year, whereas the tuition fee for Meng in Electrical & Computer Science is $17,400 per year.