6 Best Universities In Montreal For International Students 2025

Montreal is surely one of the places you should be considering if you’re looking to study in Canada. This location has a lot to offer for international students, including world-class universities and exciting student experiences.

Out of 6 universities in Montreal, McGill University and Université de Montréal are the top-performing schools in Montreal. This list covers public institutions in Montreal.

In this article, we’ve compiled the best universities in Montreal, Quebec. We based our rankings on academic reputations from reputable sources and the number of international students. By doing this, you’ll have an efficient way of comparing your target universities and choose your host university in Montreal, Quebec.

Rank University Country Type
1 McGill University Canada Public
2 Université de Montréal Canada Public
3 Concordia University Canada Public
4 Polytechnique Montréal Canada Public
5 HEC Montréal University Canada Public
6 Université du Québec Canada Public

How do I get admission to the best universities in Montreal?

Applying to the universities in Montreal involves submitting requirements and following specific admissions procedures set by your chosen university. The requirements often include a student visa, application packages, and language scores. Check out our guide for international students who want to study in Montreal to learn more about applying for admission in this country’s universities!

How much are the tuition fees at the best universities in Montreal?

Tuition fees at Montreal’s universities can vary depending on which university, degree, and program you will be enrolling in. Generally, tuition fees for the bachelor’s level range from 23,700 CAD to 55,400 CAD , while tuition fees for the master’s level range from 9,577 CAD to 59,000 CAD. If you are interested, check out the affordable universities in Montreal!

As we cover the best universities in Montreal for international students, feel free to check out the university’s information on Admission, Tuition, Courses, and Language Requirements by looking at the individual university pages.

Top Universities in Montreal for International Students

StudyAbroadAide World Rankings
#3 in Canada
#20 in North America
#31 in World
Percentage of International Students
25%
Total Number of students - 39,736
International Number of students - 10,000

McGill University is one of Canada’s oldest and highest-ranked public universities. It attracts students from around the globe, and international students constitute a significant percentage of McGill’s large student population. The university’s 200-year history is marked by academic and research excellence, with impressive contributions to the world through significant discoveries and innovations. It has many notable alumni, including Nobel laureates, world leaders, executives, and pioneers across different fields.

StudyAbroadAide World Rankings
#5 in Canada
#34 in North America
#59 in World
Percentage of International Students
53%
Total Number of students - 67,389
International Number of students - 35,500

The Université de Montréal (UdeM) is a prestigious French-language university located in Montreal, Canada. The university offers an incredibly wide range of programs and aims to create and disseminate knowledge to benefit society. It highly provides education through practical learning and quality assessments in order to produce graduates that are professionally trained and ready for the global industry.

 

StudyAbroadAide World Rankings
#14 in Canada
#99 in North America
#286 in World
Percentage of International Students
21%
Total Number of students - 46,811
International Number of students - 9,999

Concordia University was established by the amalgamation of two educational institutes with rich histories, Loyola College and Sir George Williams University. Concordia continues to be guided by the core values of its founding institutes. It has expanded infrastructure at both campuses with several new buildings and facilities. Concordia University prides itself on being a next-gen university, bringing exciting innovation to its teaching and learning practices, knowledge creation and dissemination strategies, and space utilization.

StudyAbroadAide World Rankings
#19 in Canada
#137 in North America
#429 in World
Percentage of International Students
40%
Total Number of students - 4,993
International Number of students - 2,000

Polytechnique Montréal is a technological university and one of Canada’s largest institutions for engineering education. An important factor in the engineering sector of Quebec, the university is focused not just on research innovation but also on its social consequences and is deeply committed to sustainable development. Graduates of the university have gone on to be involved with significant projects in the region and the world.

StudyAbroadAide World Rankings
#25 in Canada
#228 in North America
#700 in World
Percentage of International Students
37%
Total Number of students - 10,214
International Number of students - 3,746

HEC Montréal is a French-language Canadian educational institute that consistently ranks among the world’s top business schools. Affiliated to Université de Montréal, HEC is one of only two business schools in Canada to have all three prestigious international accreditations: AMBA, AACSB International, and EQUIS. With the vision to be a center for management knowledge, HEC Montréal offers a wide range of taught, research, and professional programs in both French and English.

StudyAbroadAide World Rankings
#27 in Canada
#239 in North America
#755 in World
Percentage of International Students
No Available Data
Total Number of students - 43,314

Université du Québec is a network of ten institutions established in 1968 to work with and support each other in their mission. These ten institutions include the University of Quebec in Montreal, the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières, the National Institute for Scientific Research, and the National School of Public Administration. The university’s mission is to make degree-level training accessible to Quebec’s general population, advance the province’s scientific development, and promote growth in all its regions. These institutes all share the same core values of “accessibility, grounding, and innovation.” Aware of community needs, research at the university is designed to find solutions to problems and challenges faced by the locals.

We know that choosing your dream school in Montreal not an easy task. After all, you need to consider other factors like the cost of your education, school background, and population, as it can be overwhelming on your part.

So, to help you out further in weighing your school options for studying in Montreal, make sure to visit our list of the best public universities in Montreal! These articles will surely help you in deciding your next study destination!