McGill University or University of Toronto?

In the QS World University Rankings by Subject, Toronto is ahead in each of the five broad subject areas.  

Interestingly, the rankings suggest the two top Canadian universities have similar sets of subject strengths: both score highly for arts and humanities as well as life sciences and medicine.  

The main point of divergence is in engineering and technology, for which Toronto ranks 18th in the world, while McGill trails behind at joint 40th.  

Choosing between these two top universities in Canada also means making a choice between their respective cities – Montréal and Toronto. Both are in the south-east of Canada, although Toronto’s a little further south, and both are large cities – the two largest by population in the country. 

While Toronto is accepted as Canada’s commercial and financial capital, both cities can make strong claims to be the country’s leading cultural hub. As well as vibrant music, film and nightlife scenes, both cities boast extremely high levels of international diversity.  

Though Toronto may be slightly more diverse overall, Montréal has a more internationally diverse student community, as demonstrated below. In the most recent QS Best Student Cities ranking, Montréal is ranked sixth in the world, higher than Toronto, which places in 11th.  

Montréal also achieves higher ratings than Toronto for employer activity. This indicator is based on a survey of graduate employers, domestic and international, to see which cities they prefer to recruit from. Both cities are in the top 15 for desirability, though Toronto is ahead on this indicator, ranked 10th compared to Montréal’s 11th.  

One of the main differences between the two cities is language. Toronto is English-speaking, while Montréal, where McGill is located, is in the French-speaking province of Quebec. However, most teaching at McGill is conducted in English, and proof of English proficiency is an application requirement. 

It should also be noted that while the University of Toronto’s main campus is right in the heart of the city, it also has two additional campuses, one in Scarborough (a district in the east of the city) and another in Mississauga (a neighbouring city to the west). 

McGill's most recent figures show that they had around 39,736 students, of which around 12,228 (32 percent) were international, and about 10,265 (26 percent) were studying at graduate level. 

The University of Toronto is significantly larger, with their most recent figures showing a total of 93,081 students enrolled. Of these, 20,296 (22 percent) were studying at graduate level, and 23,019 (25 percent) were international. Toronto has one of the largest student communities among institutions featured in the QS World University Rankings.  

As well as being split across three campuses, the University of Toronto makes its huge community more manageable by using a college system, similar to that at Oxbridge (Oxford and Cambridge) in the UK. Applicants to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences choose one of seven colleges, each of which provides a smaller student community within the overall university. 

So, if your decision about where to study in Canada can’t be made based on the course that best matches your own academic interests and career plans, lifestyle factors could certainly help tip the balance. Maybe you want to practice your French, or perhaps you like the idea of being part of a smaller college community and a member of a very large student body.  

At the University of Toronto, tuition fees for undergraduate domestic students start at CA$6,100, depending on the program. For international students, prices are inevitably higher, ranging from around CA$54,900 to CA$68,750, again depending on the program chosen.  

For graduate-level studies, prices span a broad range, from CA$21,560 to as much as $64,810 depending on the program. The university does state, however, that it is committed to providing financial support for those pursuing research-based graduate programs. Partial funding is also available. Toronto also announced that since autumn 2018 most international students will pay the same fees as domestic students for PhD programs (excluding certain programs). 

At McGill University, entrance policies are slightly different, with residents of Quebec province receiving discounted fees. Prices also depend on the program. For programs within arts and sciences, residents of Quebec are charged CA$2,725 annually, non-Quebec Canadians pay CA$8,505, and international students pay CA$26,500 (2021/2022 figures). At graduate level, all students can enrol on a full-time master’s program for the same price as their undergraduate fees, while international students pay upwards of CA$20,000 for PhDs.  

To take a look at the financial aid available to international students at McGill University, visit the international student funding page. Or, for more information on fees at the University of Toronto, visit this webpage. 

This article was originally published in January 2014. It was most recently updated in June 2021 to include data from the latest QS World University Rankings® and other sources. 

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