University of Ottawa
Founded 1848 | Ottawa, ON
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. Students find opportunities in government offices, research institutions and health centres in the nation’s capital. 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. In 2018, the university opened three new buildings: a STEM-focused complex, a theatre and the Learning Crossroads, a space dedicated to active learning and teaching innovation. 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 best place to go for mainstream shopping.
“Two of the University of Ottawa’s many distinctive features are certainly its location in the heart of the capital and its international perspective,” says president Jacques Frémont. “We’re equally proud of the bilingual nature of our university, which also shapes our identity.”
Campus Buzz
The newest of the school’s living and learning communities, which are areas of residence buildings dedicated to specific communities, is called Nidjìnawendàganag, and provides Indigenous students with a culturally safe and supportive place to live.
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.
• French and English Immersion: Students enrolled in either program can pursue their undergraduate studies while improving their second-language skills. Students can take unique immersion courses relevant to their discipline and have access to a mentoring centre and writing help.
• 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.
Tuition (includes compulsory ancillary fees)
$7,452 ($8,076 out-of-province students)
Minimum Entering Grades
Arts: 75% | Science: 75% | Commerce: 80% | Engineering: 80%
Student Body
Undergraduates: Full-time: 33,522 | Part-time: 5,199
Graduates: Full-time: 6,654 | Part-time: 1,359
International Students: First-year: 16.7% | Graduate: 41.2%
Housing Facts
Residence Spaces: 4,075 (3,500 reserved for first-year students)
Residence Costs: Double room with meals: $13,890 to $16,956 | Single room with meals: $15,588 to $21,877 | Apartment-style: $8,455 to $14,899
Cool Courses
• Learning on the Land: Takes an on-the-land perspective to explore the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of Indigenous knowledge, as taught by Elders and other knowledge keepers.
• Earth: Natural Disasters Explained: Examines the geological causes of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and floods to understand why these events occur.