University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a diverse, bilingual university with more than 550 programs in 10 faculties. Students can study everything from fine arts to hard sciences in French, English or both. The university has an extensive co-op program boasting a 96 per cent placement rate in government offices, research institutions and health centres. The school’s co-curricular uOGlobal recognition program helps students develop employment skills valued worldwide. As part of its growth and development plan, uOttawa opened the Advanced Research Complex; it houses the Centre for Research in Photonics, several geoscience laboratories and the only accelerator mass spectrometer in Canada. Recent facility additions include a STEM-focused complex, a theatre and the Learning Crossroads, a space dedicated to active learning and teaching innovation. The school also recently broke ground on its Advanced Medical Research Centre, set to open next year. The campus blends well into the city’s urban core. Academic buildings and dorms are not far from a coffee shop or a decent place to eat, and the nearby Rideau Centre is the city’s largest shopping centre. “At uOttawa, we are driven by the urge to challenge the status quo and the ambition to become a catalyst for change,” says president Jacques Frémont. “We offer our community a unique, bilingual platform to respond with energy and creativity to global challenges and have a lasting impact.”
Campus buzz: Health and wellness are top of mind at UOttawa, with a variety of classes on offer for students, from body-weight exercises and self-massage to yoga fitness and HIIT offered around campus.
Quick facts
Tuition (includes compulsory ancillary fees)
$7,479 ($8,439 out-of-province students)
Minimum Entering Grades
Arts: 75% | Science: 75% | Commerce: 80% | Engineering: 80%
Student Body
Undergraduates: Full-time: 33,989 | Part-time: 4,930
Graduates: Full-time: 6,702 | Part-time: 1,335
International Students: First-year: 16.4% | Graduate: 42.5%
Housing Facts
Residence Spaces: 4,040 (3,000 reserved for first-year students)
Cost of double room with meals: $14,683 to $15,358
Cost of single room with meals: $16,526 to $17,201
Cost of apartment-style: $13,653 to $24,044
Standout programs
Multidisciplinary Design: This flexible program combines engineering and technical skills with other areas of study. Students can customize their learning based on their interests and engage in experiential learning and internships.
Translational Molecular Medicine: This B.Sc. program combines in-class learning with high-end laboratories. Students study medical issues within Eastern Ontario’s largest health network while acquiring essential technical and laboratory skills.
Indigenous Law in French: This unique certificate program introduces Indigenous learners to the study of law. It emphasizes the oral tradition and offers experiential learning opportunities in Indigenous communities.
