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—home to the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law—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 a slate of programs in almost 20 areas, including interdisciplinary studies, criminology, environmental sustainability, and media, film and communications. The first cohort of the new collaborative doctor of veterinary medicine program—a partnership between Lakehead and the University of Guelph—begins this year, 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 areas such as mechatronics, computer science and electrical engineering.
Campus Buzz: WellU Key, a digital mental-health and wellness hub, provides personalized recommendations about mental-health services, supports and resources available on and off campus.
Quick facts
Tuition (includes compulsory ancillary fees)
$7,380 ($7,679 out-of-province students)
Minimum Entering Grades
Arts: 70% | Science: 70% | Commerce: 70% | Engineering: 70%
Student Body
Undergraduates: Full-time: 5,675 | Part-time: 1,601
Graduates: Full-time: 1,747 | Part-time: 26
International Students: First-year: 10.2% | Graduate: 58.6%
Housing Facts
Residence Spaces: 1,399 (646 reserved for first-year students)
Cost of single room with meals: $11,817 to $14,416
Double room with meals: $10,737
Cost of apartment-style: $7,928
Standout programs
Outdoor Recreation: This experiential program explores the social, cultural, economic, mental and physical benefits of outdoor recreation.
Engineering: Students can earn a degree and a technology diploma in four years, getting a solid grounding in fundamentals such as chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, mechatronics or software engineering.
Nursing: Students complete a clinical placement in first year and gradually expand their clinical experience and scope of practice through a variety of hands-on learning opportunities.
