Lakehead University

Lakehead University offers a broad range of degree and diploma programs—including programs designed for Indigenous students—across nine faculties on two campuses. The main campus offers more than 85 programs across nine faculties and is located in Thunder Bay, Ontario, where sightings of foxes, beavers and deer are common. At the centre of campus, man-made Lake Tamblyn offers a prime fishing spot and doubles as a skating rink during the winter. A tunnel system that connects most campus buildings comes in handy on cold winter days. Lakehead’s Orillia campus, a 90-minute drive north of Toronto, offers 20 undergraduate programs and five graduate ones, including interdisciplinary studies, criminology, environmental sustainability and media, film and communications. The new collaborative doctor of veterinary medicine program—a partnership between Lakehead and the University of Guelph—began in 2025, designed to address the critical veterinarian shortage in rural and Indigenous communities in northern Ontario. “Students choose Lakehead for its world-class education, award-winning research, liveable communities surrounded by nature and, ultimately, to realize their full potential,” says president Gillian Siddall. “Through our uniquely accessible pathways to entry, student support programs and extensive opportunities for experiential learning, we help students achieve their dreams on their terms.” A new STEM hub is currently under construction in Barrie. Beginning in September of 2026, it will offer programs in mechatronics, computer science and electrical engineering, and will feature flexible classrooms, research spaces and several specialized labs, including an electronic motors and robotics lab. 

Campus Buzz: For the first time in 14 years, Lakehead will host the 2026 USports WCL Wrestling Championships at its Thunder Bay campus.

Quick facts

Tuition (includes compulsory ancillary fees)
$7,457 ($8,070 out-of-province students)

Median Entering Grades
Arts: 80.3% | Science: 69.2% | Commerce: 81.8% | Engineering: 84.8%

Student Body
Undergraduates: Full-time: 5,850 | Part-time: 1,631
Graduates: Full-time: 1801 | Part-time: 28
International Students: First-year: 5% | Graduate: 57.9%

Housing Facts
Residence Spaces: 1,399 (guaranteed for first-years)
Cost of single room with meals:  $12,519 to $15,037
Cost os double room with meals: $11,429
Cost of apartment-style:  8,344

Standout programs

Forestry: Students choose between three specializations: forest management, forest health and protection or forest products and marketing. 
Animal Sciences: Students learn cellular biology, genetics, biodiversity and ecology, graduating equipped to further their education in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine.
Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism: In this experiential program, students explore the social, cultural, economic, mental and physical benefits of outdoor recreation, developing skills in leadership and therapeutic recreation. 

Reputation

Ranked #10 (Primarily Undergraduate) among faculty members and hiring managers in the 2025 reputation survey, powered by Angus Reid Group.