If you’re looking for the best schools in Canada for an MBA, there are a few things you should consider. First of all, your career goals will be important. If you want to work in banking or finance, you might want to look for schools that specialize in those fields. But if you’re looking for an education that will help you become a manager or director at a company, any school will do. Another thing to consider is where the school is located. If it’s far away from where you live now, it might be hard to get there every day and stay focused on studying. You might also want to choose a school that’s close to where you plan on working after graduation so that they can help set up interviews and connections with hiring managers at companies near campus. Finally, make sure the programs offered by each school meet your needs! Do they offer concentrations or specialties in your desired field? Are there opportunities for internships during the semester? Can you get real-world experience through case studies and projects? These should all be considered when choosing a program!
You may find it hard to access the right information on the internet, so we are here to help you in the following article, providing the best and updated information on Best schools in Canada for MBA. Read on to learn more. We at collegelearners have all the information that you need about Best schools in Canada for MBA.
Best schools in Canada for MBA
Candian MBAs have risen to prominence in recent times, making Canada one of the top three countries globally to get an MBA. Some of the top MBA colleges in Canada consist of Rotman School of Management, Smith School of Business, Schulich School of Business, and Desautels Faculty of Management.
The tuition fees for the top 20 MBA colleges in Canada range from CAD 20,000 to CAD 130,000 for Indian and international students. However, the total cost of pursuing an MBA degree from top colleges in Canada is different after adding additional expenses like thecost of living, books, supplies, etc.
Compare Top 20 MBA colleges in Canada
Here is a comparison between the top 20 MBA colleges in Canada based on tuition fee, GMAT Score, location, and type of MBA program available:
Sr.no | MBA colleges in Canada | Tuition Fees CAD (International student) | GMAT Score | Location | Type of MBA Program |
1. | The University of Toronto โ Rotman School of Management | $131,120 | 670 | Toronto | Full time, Part-time, Executive, and dual degree |
2. | Queenโs Smith School of Business | $102,100 | 654 | Kingston | Full time, Part-time, Executive, and dual degree |
3. | Western University โ Ivey Business School | $120,500 | 680 | London | Full-time, Executive, dual degree |
4. | McGill University โ Desautels Faculty of Management | $99,500 | 675 | Montreal | Full time, Part-time, Executive, and dual degree |
5. | York University โ Schulich School of Business | $106,900 | 660 | Toronto | Full time, Part-time, Executive, and dual degree |
6. | UBC Sauder School of Business | $90,057 | 650 | Vancouver | Full-time, Part-time, dual degree |
7. | Alberta School of Business | $60,000 | 650 | Edmonton | Full time, Part-time, Executive, and dual degree |
8. | Concordia University โ John Molson School of Business | $41,500 | 640 | Montreal | Full time, Part-time, and Executive MBA |
9. | HEC Montrรฉal | $54,000 | 625 | Montreal | Full time, Part-time, and Executive MBA |
10. | Rowe School of Business | $82,205 | 550+ | Halifax | Online, corporate residency, Dal MBA |
11. | McMaster University โ DeGroote School of Business | $86,000 | 580-700 | Burlington | Full time, Part-time, and Executive MBA |
12. | Brock University โ Goodman School of Business | $70,317 | 550+ | St. Catharines | Full-time, Part-time MBA, and dual degree |
13. | University of Ottawa โ Telfer School of Management | $64,000 | 510-720 | Ottawa | Full time, Part-time, Executive, and dual degree |
14. | Simon Fraser University โ Beedie School of Business | $58,058 | 615 | Vancouver | Full time and Part-time |
15. | Sobey School of Business | $43,000 | 590 | Halifax | Full time, Part-time, Executive, and dual degree |
16. | Wilfrid Laurier University | $49,738 | 550-640 | Toronto/Waterloo | Full-time, Part-time MBA, and dual degree |
17. | University of Victoria | $38,419 | 550+ | British Columbia | Full-time, executive, and part-time |
18. | The University of Calgary โ Haskayne School of Business | $29,087 | 550+ | Calgary | Full time, Part-time, Executive, and dual degree |
19. | Ryerson University โ Ted Rogers School of Management | $47,391 | 550-750 | Toronto | Full-time and Part-time MBA |
20. | Edwards School of Business | $54,854 | 550+ | Saskatchewan | Full-time and Part-time MBA |
Top 5 MBA colleges in Canada
Here are the top 5 MBA colleges in Canada:
- University of Toronto โ Rotman School of Management
- Queenโs Smith School of Business
- Ivey Business School
- Desautels Faculty of Management
- Schulich School of Business
University of Torontoโs โ Rotman School of Management
The Rotman full-time 2-year MBA Program is one of the largest and most diverse programs offered in Canada. Its campus is located in downtown Toronto which is a large commercial and financial hub.
It ranks #3 for Bloomberg Best Business School for an MBA in Canada. The average GMAT score of 670. The total mean base salary of an MBA graduate in 2021 is CAD 87,000. Here is a brief overview of the program:
Duration | Class size | Average GMAT Score | Tuition fees (International Student) | Teaching Approach | Average Salary including bonus | Popular Industry employment | Essay questions |
20 months | 275 | 670 | $103,001 | A model-based problem-solving approach | $87,000 | Finance | 1 written and two video essay |
What is the Rotmanโs admissions committee looking for?
They are looking for a well-rounded candidate who has a high potential for academic and professional success and will reinforce Rotmanโs brand on-campus and post-graduation.
Your academic excellence can be shown through a high GMAT or GPA. But, apart from that, you can leverage the โSpike factorโ essay question in Rotmanโs MBA application, where you can highlight your achievements, goals, or any experience that shaped you to become who you are and what makes you unique.
MBA Curriculum, Electives, and Majors
The Rotman MBA curriculum is divided into core courses (that are spread out over the first year) and elective courses. Students can choose from up to 90 elective courses and 15 majors in the second year to tailor their MBA program.
Some of the areas of Interest available are:
- Consulting
- Global Management
- Health Sector Management
- Brand Management
- Business Design
- Investment Banking
- Risk Management and Financial Engineering
Rotman has pioneered the teaching of integrative thinking and business design, which teaches students to go beyond the functional areas of business and consider the big picture. Integrative thinking, according to Rotman, shows how to use models to define and structure business challenges, thus improving your ability to solve complex problems.
Flexible Internship Program
Rotmanโs flexible internship program offers students the opportunity to pursue an internship during any of the three different 4-month internship periods after the first year. The three different internship periods are:
- May-August
- September โ December
- January โ April
Creative Destruction Lab
Those interested in evaluating and building early-stage tech businesses can participate in the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL). Founded by Professor Ajay Agrawal at Rotman in 2012, CDL has expanded to Vancouver (Sauder School of Business), Calgary (Haskayne School of Business), Montrรฉal (HEC Montrรฉal), Halifax (Rowe School of Business), and New York City (Stern School of Business).
Rotman Students work alongside CDL partners to help develop financial models, evaluate potential markets, and fine-tune strategies for scaling. There is a competitive selection process for the CDL course.
Ventures accepted into the CDL program have backgrounds in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cleantech, and health. The following are some CDL alumni organizations:
- Thalmic Labs (Waterloo)
- Atomwise (San Francisco)
- Deep Genomics (Toronto)
- Automat (Montrรฉal)
- Kyndi (Palo Alto)
Queenโs Smith School of Business
The Smith School of Business 12-months program takes a flexible and highly personalized approach that allows you to build the right program for your career goals. The average base salary of an MBA graduate from Smith is approx. CAD $92,084. The MBA program at Queenโs University has a small class size of 88 students and the average GMAT score of its class is around 654. Here is a brief overview:
Duration | Class size | Average GMAT Score | Tuition fees (International Student) | Teaching Approach | Average Salary including bonus | Popular Industry employment | Essay questions |
12 months | 88 | 654 | $ 102,100 | Blend of -Experimental, simulation, and case studies. | $92,084 | Consulting | 1 written and two video essay |
Who should apply to Smith School of Business?
If you want to acquire skills, graduate in a year, and start working, the Smith School of Business MBA program might be a good choice. The program is specially targeted to candidates who are looking to advance their careers and be leadership-ready.
The good news is you get to finish your MBA degree sooner. However, you must let go of the internship opportunities that a 2-year MBA program offers. Moreover, this does not impact your post-MBA career outcome. The average salary earned by a typical Smith MBA graduate is at par with business schools that offer Internship opportunities. Besides, the program offers two major business projects to gain practical experiences in a real-world setting to make up for the lack of internship.
What is Smithโs MBA admissions committee looking for?
They are looking for exceptionally motivated candidates who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, career progression, and the ability to work in a team-based environment. So, do not forget to showcase these attributes in your application to the Smith MBA program.
Blended Teaching Style at Smith
Smith School of Business has a unique approach to teaching. By leveraging the power of several teaching styles, the college has created an approach that is innovative, effective, and unique. There are five types of teaching methods:
- The case method
- Experirential learning
- Class instruction and discussion
- Simulations
- Real-world business projects
MBA Curriculum
Smithโs flexible program allows you to build your curriculum that meets your career goals. The program begins with an overview of business fundamentals in the first six months, which also includes the integrated team projects. In the second year, you get to choose your individual project and complete your electives. Here are some of the Business fundamental subjects that are taught:
- Business Analytics
- Business and corporate strategy
- Finance fundamentals
- Managing human capital
- Operations and supply chain management
Some of the electives that are offered by Smithโs MBA program mare:
- Analytical decision making
- Digital execution
- Corporate Valuation and mergers and Acquisitions
- Global startegy
- Sales Management
- Startegic Project Management
Western Universityโs Ivey School of Business
The Ivey MBA is a one-year, full-time program that starts in March. The Ivey MBA program, like HBS, is delivered using the case study method. Students go through over 300 cases in a year, which helps mirror the challenges and complexities of real-world business in the classroom.
The average salary of an MBA graduate is CAD 117,997 and the average GMAT score for its incoming class is 680. Here is a brief overview of the MBA program:
Duration | Class size | Average GMAT Score | Tuition fees (International Student) | Teaching Approach | Average Salary including bonus | Popular Industry employment | Essay questions |
12 months | 161 | 680 | $120,500 | Case-based approach | $117,997 | Consulting | 2 written and 2 video |
What is the Ivy MBA admissions committee looking for?
From extracurricular activities or volunteering to academic or career success, the admissions committee is looking for candidates who can bring their leadership potential into the classroom. They also look for academic excellence and professional experience, where they prefer at least two years of consecutive work experience.
Learning by Doing and the Case Method
The Ivey MBA program focuses on learning by doing. The case method, which forms the mainstay of the Ivey MBA program, encourages students to think of business challenges outside of the traditional function-based approach. This enables students to take a big-picture view and become comfortable with making decisions when faced with uncertainty.
Team-Based Learning Approach
Students work in teams to refine their assessments of a case, ideas, and plan of action and then participate in a class discussion where they debate and learn from the diverse perspectives of other individuals and teams. The Ivey MBA classroom is the ultimate training ground to practice your business leadership skills and apply your theoretical business knowledge.
Strong Employment Statistics and Career Management Team
The average salary for an MBA graduate (2019) is CAD 115,146. The career management team at Ivey is ranked #1 by its recruiting partners, and career coaching is built into the curriculum of the MBA program.
The career management team helps students in building a solid resume, preparing for interviews, and networking effectively. This helps students find hidden career opportunities and plan their career strategies.
McGill Universityโs Desautels Faculty of Management
Located in downtown Montrรฉal McGill Desautels Faculty of Managementโs MBA program is ranked #1 in Canada by Wall Street Journal, and #4 in Bloomberg BusinessWeek ranking 2021. The average salary of an MBA graduate is CAD 85,500. The MBA program at McGill University has a small class size of 65-85 students and the average GMAT score of its class is around 675.
Here is a brief overview of the MBA program:
Duration | Class size | Average GMAT Score | Tuition fees (International Student) | Teaching Approach | Average Salary including bonus | Popular Industry employment | Essay question |
12 and 20 months | 65 -85 | 675 | $99,500 | Combines both theory and cases. | $85,500 | Financial services | 3 written essays |
Who should apply to Desautels Faculty og Management?
The McGill flexible MBA program offered for 12 and 20 months is specially designed for mid-career students who aim to move up the hierarchy or seek to leverage MBA to change their career path in a new country. McGill MBA fosters a close-knit community of learners within each cohort with a small class size compared to other top business schools.
So, what is the McGill MBA admissions committee looking for? They are looking for talented candidates that have strong academics, managerial potential, and leadership skills. All of these attributes can be showcased
Redesigned MBA Curriculum with a Student Centric Approach
The McGill MBA program has been redesigned to provide students with a global perspective to help shape tomorrowโs world leaders. Experiential learning, case studies, real business projects, and international study trips are an essential part of the McGill MBA experience.
The McGill MBA curriculum can be divided into four distinct phases:
- Laying Foundations
- Integrating Disciplines
- Specializing
- Experiential Learning
The 1st phase consists of a Base Camp program that ensures all candidates have the required quantitative skills in Business Math and Financial Accounting. The 2nd phase consists of core courses structured around different disciplines. The Integration modules (in the 2nd phase) helps in combining all the learnings from the core courses and enhance the learning experience.
The 3rd phase is where you can start tailoring the MBA program to your own professional and personal learning objectives. Students can choose courses from 5-key subject areas and can choose to graduate with up to 2 specializations from the following key subject areas:
- Global Strategy & Leadership
- Entrepreneurship
- Business Analytics
- Marketing
- Finance
The 4th and final phase is where students can choose from different experiential learning opportunities such as:
- 10-day international study trip
- Internships
- International Exchange
- Practicum
Personalized Career and Employment Resources
The McGill MBA program hosts more than 100 firms on their campus every year for both students and firms to explore various career opportunities. Additionally, the Desautels MBA program has full-time career coaches, specific stream advisors, and dedicated professional development programming to help students become successful in the job market post-MBA.
Some of the resources provided include:
- Self-awareness and strengths-based psychometric assessments
- Industry and Functional overviews
- Skills-based workshops for resume and interview preparation as well as structured thinking and communication.
York Universityโs Schulich School of Business
The Schulich MBA program flexibility allows students to switch between full-time or part-time status. Students can choose to study at any of the two campus options located in downtown and uptown Toronto.
89% of Schulich MBA students were hired within 3-months of graduation. The average salary of an MBA graduate in 2020 is CAD 94,200. The Schulich MBA program has a larger class size (420) as compared to other MBA universities. The average GMAT score of its incoming class is 660. Here is an overview of the MBA program:
Duration | Class size | Average GMAT Score | Tuition fees (International Student) | Teaching Approach | Average Salary including bonus | Popular Industry employment | Essay questions |
16 โ 20 months | 420 | 660 | $106,900 | Determined solely by the most effective way to teach a particular course. | $94,200 | Financial services | 2 written, 1 timed, and 2 video |
Schulich School of Business: MBA Curriculum
The MBA curriculum includes 33 credits, of course, courses. The core equips students with a common background and capabilities for effective management of public, private, and non-profit sectors. In addition to core courses, students are required to complete 27 credits of electives, which allows for a more in-depth exploration of an area of focus.
Strategy Field Study and Specializations
Students also participate in the strategy field study as the capstone of the program. The strategy field study is a 2-term consulting project where the student team conducts a strategic assessment of an organization and its environment. The student teams then present their recommendations to senior management.
Best schools in Canada
Universities in Canada have always gained a wide reputation for good teaching and excellent research. Seriously! – have you seen what they’re doing with telecom and cyber research? Canadian universities are highly ranked among international schools and institutions worldwide, and they continue to attract the smartest people to their highly respected and prestigious degree programmes. All these top ranked colleges, universities, law schools, medical schools, and engineering schools have a wide, global reputation and continue to be the top-ranked schools for international students. To go to some of the best universities in the world for your Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D, you should certainly consider Canada as your destination for the best rankings and widest reputation.
Best Universities in Canada according to International Rankings
Universities | Times Higher Education Ranking (2022) | Shanghai Jiao Tong University Ranking (2022) | TopUniversities Ranking (2023) | U.S. News & World Report Ranking (2021) |
---|---|---|---|---|
University of Toronto | 18 | 22 | 34 | 17 |
University of British Columbia | 37 | 44 | 47 | 31 |
McGill University | 44 | 73 | 31 | 51 |
McMaster University | 80 | 90 | 152 | 133 |
University of Montreal | 88 | 101 | 116 | 140 |
University of Alberta | 125 | 92 | 110 | 138 |
University of Ottawa | 162 | 201 | 237 | 192 |
Simon Fraser University | 201 | 301 | 328 | 306 |
University of Waterloo | 201 | 151 | 154 | 210 |
Western University – Canada | 201 | 201 | 172 | 287 |
University Rankings Explained
World University Rankings created by Times Higher Education takes into account the reputation of research done by universities and how often papers produced by universities were quoted around the world.
Academic Ranking of World Universities created by Shanghai Jiao Tong University focuses on the number of award-winning scientists, most cited researchers from the listed universities, and their contribution to the scientific community.
QS World University Rankings created by TopUniversities surveys a large number of academic experts about the reputation of universities and also measures the quality of teaching.
Best Global Universities Rankings created by U.S. News & World Report analyses university graduation rates and how many students remain enrolled in their second year of studies. It also surveys university representatives on the performance of universities.
Study in Canada
Canada is one of the most popular study destinations in the world due to its high focus on the quality of its universities and its emphasis on attracting international students who can later immigrate. Canadians are very welcoming to international students and they invest a lot into making sure students are safe, treated fairly, and enjoy their stay in the country. Study in one of the strongest economies in the world while enjoying a high living standard and a flexible study environment. Classes have smaller student groups ensuring everyone gets the attention they need, and encouraging group assignments and debates.
Best Colleges for International Students in Canada
Canada is one of the best study destinations for international students. Why is Canada always attracting students from all countries in the world? The answer is simple. Canada is home to most of the top universities and colleges in the world. Furthermore, the cost of living and the affordable cost of studying in Canada along with the straightforward visa process makes the admission process easier for international students. Being a country with such a friendly atmosphere for students regardless of their nationality, colour or race makes it a safe Heaven for International students to pursue their higher education.
In this post, I will show you the Top 10 colleges in Canada to consider as an international students.
Once youโve made up your mind to study in Canada, the next step is choosing the college or university to apply to. There are many great institutions in Canada and choosing the best can be a difficult task to accomplish. There are a number of factors you need to consider to make the right choice. While there are no specific rules for choosing a college or university in Canada, this post can help make the process easier for you.
Tips to Help You Make the Right Choice
- Study interest: Knowing the course, you want to study is a useful first step. If youโre planning to study a professional or specialized course, you might want to consider institutions that offer your specialized program as their core specialization. For example, if you wish to study Medicine, rather than attending a random University, the best option is to attend a university that has a College of Medicine.
Even if the course you want to study is a general course, you will want to make sure that the school you are considering offers it. Go to the schoolโs official website and search through the courses they offer. This will help you make the right choice.
Other factors to consider when choosing a college in Canada include:
- The official language of the school: the most common languages spoken in Canada are French and English. Some schools use one or both as their official language. You must ensure that youโll be able to communicate fluently in the primary language of the school as much as possible.
- Type of school: are you interested in studying in a vocational school, University, college, or Institute? There are top schools to consider for each of the categories you choose.
- Type of degree- the type of degree youโre planning to pursue also determines the school you will choose
- Location: ensure to research to find out where the school is located. Are you looking for a suburban, urban or rural location?
- Accommodation: this is also another important factor you need to consider early enough. Does the school provide accommodation for international students in form of hostels or will you be solely responsible for finding accommodation off-campus?
Some of these factors may be more important to you than others. Hence, you should feel free to customize this list to reflect what is most important to you in a school. Once you have narrowed down your list, the next step is to forward your application. All schools in Canada have different application processes and requirements, therefore it is important to find each schoolโs requirements before you apply.
Best Colleges in Canada to Consider
Here are the top best colleges in Canada to consider:
- Centennial College
Centennial College is one of the best colleges for international students in Canada. It is located in Toronto and is the first community college in Ontario. The college was established in 1966 and is globally recognized for its multiculturalism with international students from over 100 cultural groups.
The Centennial College has 5 Campuses and houses 8 schools comprising of Business, engineering, tourism, aviation, arts etc. You can apply for full-time, part time or virtual programs. The school is very friendly to international students regardless of their race.
Centennial College offers over 95 diploma and certificate courses in community health studies, engineering technology, science, communications, business, general arts, transportation and hospitality.
- George Brown College
This college has three main campuses all located in Toronto, Canadaโs largest city. It runs part-time, full time and continuing education programs that are flexible and allows you to combine classes with part-time jobs. The college is globally recognized for its close partnership with companies, organizations, and industry leaders to ensure programs are evolving and provide students with the requisite skills and technical know-how that will make them relevant in the marketplace.
George Brown College offers a wide variety of programs in community services, business, art, design, early childhood education, health science, culinary arts, engineering technologies, preparatory studies.
Degree programs are approved by the Ontario Post- secondary Education Quality Assessment Board.
The College is a member of the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario and other recognized educational bodies in Canada. It is certainly a school you will love as the admission requirements and procedure favour international students.
- Seneca College
The College is located in Toronto and it offers both Full time, part-time and continuing education programs that allow international students to take up part-time jobs while studying. It offers courses relating to technology, applied arts, financial services and business. The college is in partnership with various industry leaders to provide the requisite 21st-century skills that will make students relevant in the marketplace.
- Mohawk College
Mohawk College is one of the best community colleges in Canada. It was first established in 1967 and has grown to be one of the best colleges in the country with a core specialization in applied research. The community college provides students with collaborative project spaces supported by teachers and industry partners. It offers a wide range of programs in all areas including community services, health technology and business.
The college is globally recognized for its open doors to international students from all countries of the world. As an international student, you get to enjoy certain privileges ranging from awards, academic support, health insurance, accommodation alternatives among many others.
- Georgian College
Located in Ontario, the Georgian College is one of the best colleges for international students in Canada. It is globally recognized for its CO-OP programs and partnership with leading industry and business leaders in the country, providing employment opportunities and paid internships to outstanding students. The college has a special love for international students receiving over 4000 international students annually from over 85 different countries.
For accommodation in this community college, they have many options, therefore it will be easier to find one that suits your needs. The admission process and requirements are also friendly to international students.
- The Ontario College of Art and Design University
If youโre passionate about arts and design, then youโll want to check out the Ontario College of Art and Design University. It is located in the Ontario district and I Campus is a stone throw to the Entertainment District. It is right next door to Ontarioโs Art Gallery.
With this unique location, the college offers students the perfect place to study and get inspired. Experience the rich Canadian cultural heritage and free-living in the heartbeat of Toronto while getting a quality education at the OCAD U. the visual design and art programs run in the college are the best in Canada and students walk away with BDes, BFAs and even MFAs or MAs.
- Red River College
This college was first established in 1938 as the Manitoba Technical Institute (MIT) and was later renamed Red River College in 1998. It is one of the best colleges for international students in Canada. With a graduate employment rate of 95% and graduate satisfaction rate of 98%, students are sure to get the very best quality of education and experience in the Red River College. The school runs over 200 programs and currently have a student population of over 30,000 drawn across all countries of the world. It is a public college and located in the heart of Manitoba.
- Humber College
Humber College is one of Canadaโs largest community colleges for international students. It currently has a student population of over 27,000 full-time students draw from over 80 countries the college is located in the heart of Toronto and is a member of Polytechnics Canada. It offers a wide range of career focused programs including bachelorโs degrees, diplomas and professional certifications.
The college was first established in 1967 and currently offers over 150 programs including postgraduate programs. It is the most comprehensive and dynamic community college in Canada.
- British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)
British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) is a public polytechnic institute located in Burnaby British Columbia. It offers programs related to trade, health, technology and business. The institute is actively engaged in applied research and focused on solving industry-based problems. The institute also has the Aerospace Technology Campus in Richmond and other advanced facilities in the heart of British Colombia.
- Algonquin College
Algonquin College is a public community college with several campuses located in Ontario. The college is named after the indigenous occupants of North America who first occupied this region- Algonkin. In 2019, the college was recognized as the National Capital Regionโs Top Employer of the year. In fact, the college ranks as the 2nd best Ontario college for student and graduate satisfaction.
It is no news that Canada is one of the best Study and work destinations. There are many world class colleges in Canada and you can get confused not knowing which one to choose. I believe that the information shared in this post will help you make a well informed decision.
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