Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025 has published the list of the world’s top-ranked institutions. Canadian universities, keeping up with its successful trend, achieved top rankings among the world’s very best.

According to the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025. The rankings evaluate universities globally using 18 performance indicators, grouped into five categories: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry engagement.

The 2025 rankings show Canada’s sustained prominence in the global academic arena, with three institutions securing spots in the world’s top 50. The University of Toronto placed 21st globally, while the University of British Columbia ranked 41st and McGill University 45th. McMaster University and the University of Alberta both shared the 116th position in the global rankings.

The top university in Canada are:

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

The Economic Times reported the internal rankings of Canadian universities. The University of Toronto remains in the leading position due to consistent performance across all five ranking categories. The adequate and relevant research output and international reputation contributed to its global rank. The University of British Columbia and McGill University followed closely, each demonstrating strengths in research and international cooperation. 

McMaster University and the University of Alberta, both tied for fourth nationally and 116th globally, both receiving perfect scores in the industry engagement category. This score reflects their strong ties with industry partners and effective transfer of research for pragmatic uses. 

Université de Montréal ranked sixth in Canada and performed well in research and international reputation. The University of Waterloo, known for its co-op programmes and innovation-focused approach, placed seventh. The University of Ottawa, which is Canada’s largest bilingual university taking courses in both English and French, was ranked eighth nationally, as per THE World Rankings 2025. 

The University of Calgary and Western University shared the ninth position. Both institutions showed sustained performances with last year’s rankings. 

The 2025 rankings show only minor changes among Canada’s top universities, with McGill University being the only institution in the top three to improve as consistent and sustained performances ensured a stable ranking for all universities.