The World's Best Universities Have Been Revealed & These Canadian Schools Made The Cut

The best universities in the world have been revealed, and several Canadian schools are apparently just a cut above the rest.

A 2024 ranking looked at 1,906 universities across 108 countries and regions, revealing the best post-secondary institutions around the globe as well as the top 10 best universities in Canada.

One Canadian school even managed to crack the top 25 schools globally, while only three were able to make it into the top 50.

The World University Rankings is an annual ranking compiled by Times Higher Education (THE). The ranking looks at "research-intensive universities" across their core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

What is the best university in the world?

In the latest ranking, the title of the best university in the world went to the University of Oxford in the U.K., which retained its number one position from last year's ranking.

Rounding out the top five are Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and the University of Cambridge.

What are the best universities in Canada?

While no Canadian school managed to make the top five or even top 10, one school managed to crack the top 25 institutions globally.

The University of Toronto was ranked as the best university in Canada and the 21st-best school overall. While it ranked the highest in Canada, the school did drop a few points from its 2023 ranking, in which it was in the 18th spot globally.

"With a longstanding reputation for innovation and research, the University of Toronto was the birthplace of such ground-breaking scientific moments as the discovery of insulin and stem cell research, and the invention of the electron microscope," says THE.

"The university also cites teaching as a strength in disciplines spanning medicine, business, engineering, humanities, education, and more."

While Toronto didn't score as highly as the U.K. universities, Times Higher Education notes that UofT's St. George campus is "likened to Oxford and Cambridge on account of its mix of green space and historical architecture."

The second-best university in Canada is the University of British Columbia, which ranked 41st overall. The school scored highly for its international outlook and research quality, though received a lower score for its teaching.

Despite the lower score, THE notes that UBC "aims to empower students with technical expertise and an awareness of the latest research trends, enabling them to make a contribution to their chosen field of study."

Rounding out the top three in Canada, McGill University was the third-best school in the country and the 49th-best in the world.

The school scored the highest for its international outlook, with its lowest score going to its teaching.

Other Canadian schools included in the ranking that didn't manage to crack the top 50 include McMaster University (103), the University of Alberta (109), the Université de Montréal (111), the University of Waterloo (158) and the University of Ottawa (177).

"With eight universities in the top 200, Canada offers plenty of opportunities for a world-class education for international students," says THE.

"Compared with the US, Canada can also provide cheaper tuition fees, a simpler application process and more opportunities for permanent residency after graduation."

Top 10 universities in Canada

Here's the full list of the top 10 best universities in Canada in 2024 according to the ranking:

1. University of Toronto
2. University of British Columbia
3. McGill University
4. McMaster University
5. University of Alberta
6. University of Montreal
7. University of Waterloo
8. University of Ottawa
9. University of Calgary
10. Western University