Montreal is a city in Quebec, Canada, which has more of French-speaking citizens. You should know by now that Canada as a whole is an English and French-speaking country. English and French are the major languages there but that has not stopped students from all corners of the world to come to pursue their preferred degree here.

Back to Montreal; yes the place is crawling with French and almost all the schools there, universities and colleges alike, offer their programs in French. But, there are few universities in the area that are completely in English language and I am going to tell you everything you need to know about these schools in this article.

This article provides a list of English universities in Montreal and brief details of these schools especially in the aspect of helping you easily apply for admission and available funding programs such as scholarships, financial aid, prizes, bursaries, etc. that will help to fund your education in these universities.

Canada is globally recognized among the best destinations in the world, throwing her doors open to people from all countries interested in studying at a university in any of the cities and locations in the country.

Canadian accredited universities have quite a good reputation and as they are all globally recognized, so are the degree certificates they provide to students.

If you want to study abroad, Canada is one of the places you should really consider. The environment is suitable for learning, the crime rate is low, earn the recognition of a Canadian graduate student and you get to learn a lot from her diverse cultures. In general, you get to enjoy the overall experience of studying abroad, especially in a place like Canada.

Now, back to Montreal, since it is the major study location this post is centered on and there are few things that you need to know about Montreal before you begin your academic pursuit in the area.

Why Study In Montreal?

In recent years, Montreal has become one of the top-rated study destinations for international students because of its dynamic culture, affordability, vast job market, and safe environment. Here are some top benefits of studying in Montreal:

  1. Top Universities

Nearly five universities are based in Montreal, providing international students with a wide array of disciplines. More than 50,000 international students are studying in these universities. Greater Montreal provides some exceptional study opportunities for abroad students.

  1. Relatively Cheaper

Montreal is the second most populated Canadian city and largest city of Quebec province. With a population of above 4 million, Montreal is one of the cheapest cities to live in. The student accommodation cost is way more affordable than many other Canadian cities.

  1. Vast Job Market

Montreal is the first preference of investment for North Americans. This city has experienced the best job growth in the last few years. Due to its favourable job market, the companies are interested in hiring international students.

  1. Work Opportunities

The best universities in Montreal for international students also assist international students with internships and job opportunities.

Is French dominant in Montreal?

Montreal is located in Quebec and it is the second-largest city in Canada with the largest population of French speakers at a percentage of 77.1% while English speakers amount to about 7.45%. These statistics are taken from the 2016 census stats which can be found on Wikipedia.

However, even with the higher French dominancy in Montreal, there are places there that constitute mainly of English speakers such as the Greater Montreal Area where they have built a well-established network of educational, social, economic and cultural institutions.

So, as an English speaker wanting to study in Montreal, language certainly wonโ€™t be a barrier as there are people there who can converse very well in English too.

Does the University of Montreal teach in English?

Yes, the University of Montreal teaches in English but this is only for some graduate programs. All the undergraduate programs at the University of Montreal are taught entirely in French.

The Universitรฉ de Montrรฉal, as it is actually known, is a complete French-language university. But some of her graduate-level programs are bilingual so, students who are proficient in English and also meet the French language requirement can take part in these programs.

The only degree program taught in pure English at the University of Montreal is the Vision Science Optometry masterโ€™s program.

You can find all the bilingual programs at the University of Montreal here.

Is Montreal a good place for international students?

Yes, Montreal is quite a good place for international students. In fact, according to a ranking done by QS for Best Student Cities, Montreal came first in the world. This rank considers criteria like cost of living, desirability and employer activity.

Montreal is home to over 45,000 international students and has some of the best universities in Quebec, Canada and in the world.

These should make you consider studying at Montreal and if it isnโ€™t enough you should consider the following reasons on why you should;

  • Montreal is home to world-class institutions among them is McGill University, HEC Montreal, John Molson School of Business, Dawson College and lot more with global recognition.
  • The cost of living in Montreal is low, thus an affordable destination for students coming to study there
  • It is an international city with a dynamic cultural scene, there are Francophones, Anglophones and Allophones in the area.
  • It is a safe environment with a low crime rate and it is designed on a human-scale making it really easy to get around.

This city, Montreal, has a lot of exciting experiences in store for international students. It has received a very good global reputation and is currently ranked as the second happiest city in the world should.

With all these in place, it is high time I dived into the main topic, detailed list of English universities in Montreal, although they arenโ€™t much they are worthy of mention and have a lot to offer to both international and domestic students.

English Universities In Montreal

Like I pointed out earlier, Montreal predominantly a French area in Canada but, that hasnโ€™t stopped English institutions from thriving and with that, I was able to get all the English universities in Montreal and they are just two in number.

  • McGill University
  • Concordia University

These two are the only English universities in Montreal and I have provided more details about these schools below.

McGill University

McGill University, a public research university I Canada, is one of the English universities in Montreal established in 1821. The school offers a range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the arts, sciences, medicine, engineering, management and so on.

The university is one of Canadaโ€™s best-known institutions of higher learning and one of the worldโ€™s top leading universities best known for her teaching excellence and research-intensive programs which would offer you real-world skills and develop your potential into a successful career.

The institution has contributed positively to the science space which has benefitted the Montreal community, Canada and the world as a whole.

McGill University Acceptance Rate

McGill University has a graduate acceptance rate of 29% and an undergraduate acceptance rate of 41%. Undergraduate students are approximately 28,000 while postgraduate students are approximately 11,000, and from these figures, a total of about 30% of the students are foreigners from over 150 countries.

McGill University Ranking & Tuition Fees

McGill University has been ranked among the top leading institutions on a global scale and in Canada too, it is ranked on No. 2 of Canadaโ€™s top universities and on No. 31 on world universities according to QS World University Ranking.

For the tuition fees, it varies from international and domestic student to program of study thus I cannot give a precise fee but a range of it and it should be around what you will pay when attending McGill University.

Undergraduate Tuition Fees at McGill University

For international first-year students of McGill University, the education cost ranges from $22,271 โ€“ $48,747 depending on the program of study but this cost covers tuition, ancillary fees, health insurance, books and supplies.

While for Quebec students specifically, the education cost for them ranges from $5,181 โ€“ $7,130 which covers tuition, ancillary, books and supplies. The education cost for other Canadian students ranges from $10,557 โ€“ $12,526 covering tuition, ancillary, books and supplies.

Note that these costs depend on your program of study, see other costs HERE.

Graduate Tuition Fees at McGill University

Graduate students from Quebec pay $1,272 for tuition while other Canadian students pay from $1,272 โ€“ $3,970.05 depending on the program of study, international graduate student tuition fee ranges from $7,818 โ€“ $8,710.50 depending on the program of study.

Top Universities in Montreal

Top universities in Montreal: Montreal is the largest city in Canada’s Quebec province. This city is a preferred choice for international students across the globe. Montreal was ranked number one by the QS Best Student Cities 2017 and fourth in 2018. The cultural capital of Canada is home to various world-class educational institutions. As it is one of the largest city, it also boasts of economic activity providing numerous employment opportunities to students. Like other big cities of Canada like Ottawa and Toronto, Montreal is equally popular amongst international students. Other than the low cost of living, it is also popular for its diverse culture and friendliness of the local population.

In this article, we will discuss the top universities in Montreal and top universities in Canada. You can also check out more details about the university by clicking on them. Here is the list of top universities in Montreal:

  • McGill University
  • University of Montrรฉal
  • HEC Montrรฉal
  • Concordia University
  • Polytechnic School of Montreal
  • School of Higher Technology – University of Quebec

McGill University

Established in 1821, McGill University is one of the best-known universities in Canada and across the world. The university was ranked number one in Bursaries and Scholarships in Macleanโ€™s University Rankings 2018, which is the highest for any Canadian university. The university offers more than 300 degree subjects in 10 different fields. Areas in which the Montreal University offer courses:

  • Engineering
  • Law
  • Management
  • Medicine
  • Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
  • Arts
  • Dentistry
  • Education
  • Science
  • Music

University of Montrรฉal

The https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-ranki… is one of the most sought-after education institutes for research in Canada. The university is known for its cultural diversity, as almost one-fourth of the students come from outside Canada. Highlights of the University of Montrรฉal are:

  • The university offers more than 250 undergraduate programs
  • The university offers more than 350 graduate programs
  • The university offers the widest range of courses in Canada
  • The university ranked among the top global 100 in life sciences and medicine

HEC Montrรฉal

HEC Montreal is the oldest and one of the most prominent business schools in Canada. It also houses the largest bilingual business library in Canada. The accredited business school (AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA) features regularly in top global rankings by Bloomberg, Top Universities and Financial Times. As the school has close tie-ups with the industry, so, students are always benefitted from it whether in terms of knowledge, internships or employment opportunities. The one-year MBA program offered by the university with low tuition fee and excellent placement opportunities makes it highly popular among international students from more than 20 countries. The average MBA salary is CAD 93,655. Highlights of HEC Montreal:

  • The university was ranked 45 by Financial Times in 2018
  • Ranked 119 globally by Bloomberg in 2019
  • Ranked in 101-110 by QS Global MBA Ranking 2019

Concordia University

Established in 1974, The Concordia University offers courses in various disciples. The programs offered by the university in Psychology, Accounting and finance, media studies, art and design, and education are considered as best in the world. From 2016 the university is consecutively ranked among the top 61-70 by the QS rankings under 50.

Polytechnic School of Montreal

Established in 1873, Polytechnique Montreal is one of the largest teaching and research engineering institutions in Canada. This institute offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and research programs in engineering. The Polytechnique Montreal ranked 29th in Canada in 2018 university ranking nationally. Also, it ranked number one for its number of research chairs in Canada.

Cheap Universities in Montreal

1. Dawson College

  • Domestic Tuition Fees: $3,150
  • International Tuition Fees: $15,750

Dawson College is a 50-year-old public college sitting across around 12 acres of land in the Montreal suburb of Westmont. When founded in 1969, it only had 111 teachers tutoring 1,655 students. Presently, it has 10,000 students who are taught by 600 teachers. The English-language college offers as many as 30 programs. These are either a three-year career/technical program or a two-year pre-university program.

The programs at Dawson cover a broad range of study areas, including Environmental Science, Psychology, Interior Design, Computer Science Technology, and Radiation Oncology. The collegeโ€™s Awards Office provides students with a variety of scholarships, bursaries, and awards, organized under two categories: Winter Semester Awards and Fall Semester Awards.

2. Concordia University

  • Domestic Tuition Fees: $11,250
  • International Tuition Fees: $30,700

Concordia University came into being when a merger took place between Loyola College and Sir George Williams University in 1974. This cheap university in Montreal operates through the campuses of both institutions in Montreal. Its total enrolment currently stands at 51,903. Of them, 8,400 are international students representing 150 countries.

The comprehensive research university ranks 17th nationally and 462nd globally in the QS World University Rankings 2020. It is also the only Canadian university to make it to the QS Top 50 Under 50 2020.

Concordia offers over a couple of hundred undergraduate and graduate programs. The programs in Building Engineering, Kinesiology and Clinical Exercise Physiology, and Journalism are among its standouts. T

he public university offers a wide range of scholarships and awards to its students, most of which donโ€™t require any application. The Undergraduate Scholarships and Awards Committee awards them automatically in the Fall semester.

However, there are some scholarships and awards that do require an application to be considered for.

3. HEC Montreal

  • Domestic Tuition Fees: $7,950
  • International Tuition Fees: $26,000

Established in 1907, HEC Montreal was the first business school in the Great White North. It serves as a graduate school of the Universitรฉ de Montrรฉal. Its campus is situated at Montrealโ€™s Cรดte-des-Neigesโ€“Notre-Dame-de-Grรขce borough.

The institution has a student population north of 14,000. Of them, around 4,300 are international students hailing from 155 countries.

According to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019, it is one of the top 100 business schools in the world, ranking fourth nationally.

Although HEC Montreal is a French-language institution, its Bachelor of Business Administration program provides students with bilingual study option. However, it has several programs at the graduate level that are offered entirely in English. The school, jointly with HEC Montreal Foundation, has hundreds of scholarships in store for its students every year, ranging from $1,000 to $17,500.

4.  Vanier College

  • Domestic Tuition Fees: $3,500
  • International Tuition Fees: $12,750

In 1970, just one year after Dawson had begun its journey as Quebecโ€™s first English-language public college, Vanier College was founded as the second English-language public college in the province. It is sited at Montrealโ€™s Saint-Laurent borough, which itself was a city until a merger in 2002.

This cheap university in Montreal offers 28 career/technical and pre-university programs in study areas like Nursing, Environmental and Wildlife Management, Architectural Technology, Liberal Arts, Music, and Commerce.

It has more than 6,700 full-time Diploma students, and around 2,000 part-time students attending credit and non-credit courses and programs.

Students can apply for a number of external scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $100,000.

5. Universitรฉ du Quรฉbec ร  Montrรฉal

  • Domestic Tuition Fees: $8,600
  • International Tuition Fees: $20,000

Located in downtown Montreal, the Universitรฉ du Quรฉbec ร  Montrรฉal (UQAM) is a public university that predominantly uses French as the language of instruction.

It was founded in 1969 by merging a bunch of institutions, including ร‰cole des Beaux-Arts de Montrรฉal and Collรจge Sainte-Marie. It has a student population of nearly 39,000, including around 3,900 international students who come from 95 different countries.

UQAM facilitates over 300 undergraduate and graduate programs. Some of the courses in these programs have English as the language of instruction. However, there isnโ€™t a single program that is taught completely in English. The university offers a variety of scholarships and bursaries to its students in collaboration with UQAM Foundation and many other outside organizations.

6. McGill University

  • Domestic Tuition Fees: $11,000
  • International Tuition Fees: $31,000

McGill University ranks among the top 3 universities in Canada and top 50 universities in the world in almost any of the recognized global university rankings. Beginning its journey way back in 1821, it is currently home to over 40,000 students. Of them, around 35 percent are international students hailing from over 150 countries. As many as eight Nobel laureates have studied at the university.

McGill offers more than 250 undergraduate programs and over 400 graduate programs through its 11 academic faculties and 14 schools. The university has been spending millions every year, precisely $32.6 million in 2018, to award its exemplary students with scholarships and to support students in need with financial aid.

7. TAV College

  • Domestic Tuition Fees: $4,100
  • International Tuition Fees: $15,350

The final university in our list of cheap universities in Montreal is TAV College, which is a government-accredited private college that came into being in 1995. Positioned at Montrealโ€™s Cote des Neiges Snowdon district, it uses both English and French as the languages of instruction. Although the college has only a little more than 1,000 students in total, over 50 nationalities are represented at its campus.

Top 4 Universities in Montreal Canada

Montreal is home to some top-rated universities in Canada. Below, weโ€™re mentioning the top 5 universities based in Montreal. It is the latest updated Montreal university list for international students:

  1. University of Montreal
  2. McGill University
  3. Concordia University
  4. University of Quebec at Montreal

Let us now take a look at each of these universities below:

1. University of Montreal

Established in 1878, the University of Montreal is a public research university. The university has 13 faculties and offers a number of undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Its engineering school – Polytechnique Montrรฉal and management school- HEC Montrรฉal are well recognised for their quality education among international students. Furthermore, this public university provides 40+ scholarship options to international students.

QS World University Rank 2023
Type of universityPublic
International students7,625
Average tuition fee18,000 –  30,000 CAD/ year (1102081.96- 1836803.26 INR) 
Popular programsMSc Economics, MSc Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bachelor of Mathematics, BA Sociology, MSc Computer Science, MBA, B.Eng Computer Engineering, BSc Mathematics and Computer Science
Study benefitsWell-recognized globally and provides scholarships to international students

2. McGill University

McGill University is also known as โ€˜Harvard of Canadaโ€™, and is one of the top universities in Montreal for higher studies. McGill University is also part of Canadian Ivy League Schools and students from more than 150 countries are enrolled here for a range of programs. As this is one of the most famous Canadian universities, getting admission at McGill is pretty challenging. It’s impossible to keep McGill university away from the Montreal university list.

QS World University Rank 202331
Type of universityPublic
International students10,827
Average tuition fee21,000 – 56,000 CAD/ year (1285762.28- 3428699.42 INR) 
Popular programsMBA, Master of Management, MSc Computer Science, MEng Mechanical Engineering, LLM, BEng Computer Engineering
Study benefitsOne of the top-rated research-intensive university of Canada whose degrees have considerable international recognition.

3. Concordia University

In our list of universities in Montreal for international students, Concordia University is  the largest in Canada in terms of enrollment with a total student population of 51,000+ students. It is one of the few institutions in Montreal where English is the primary language of instruction. The university offers programs across several fields including engineering, economics, computer science, marketing, etc. Its  John Molson School of Business is ranked among the top 10 B-schools in Canada.

QS World University Rank 2023551- 560
Type of universityPublic
International students11,717
Average tuition fee22,000 – 50,000 CAD/ year (1346989.06- 3061338.77 INR) 
Popular programsMBA, Master of Supply Chain Management, Master of Applied Computer Science, Software Engineering
Study benefitsProvides 200+ courses, lower tuition fees, less competition for admission, and scholarships are also available

4. Universitรฉ du Quรฉbec ร  Montrรฉal (UQAM)

UQAM is a French language university with a student strength of over 40,000. The university offers bachelors, masters and doctoral programs across various disciplines including management, arts, education, communication, Law, Science and social science. The university is known for the quality of its educational support, cutting-edge research and the excellence of its teaching faculty across disciplines.

QS World University Rank 2023
Type of universityPublic
International students4300
Average tuition fee16,000 – 48,000 CAD/ year (979628.41 – 2938885.22 INR) 
Popular programsBBA, BASc Computer and Electronic Systems, MBA Accounting Sciences, MSc Computer Science, MSc Economics, MEng Software Engineering
Study benefitsUQAM is known for the quality of its programs and  its research based on social concerns.

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