Nestled in the heart of Halifax, Saint Mary’s University is marked by iconic buildings, green spaces and fresh ocean air. The university keeps classes small, with an average of 40 students in an introductory course. Saint Mary’s also has a strong international community; almost a third of its student body hails from more than 118 countries. “Saint Mary’s is a caring, close-knit community more typically associated with smaller universities, combined with the research and student engagement opportunities of the largest Canadian institutions,” says president Robert Summerby-Murray. “We offer a bright, ambitious vision for the future—a world without limits.”

The entrepreneurial spirit is strong at the Sobey School of Business, which offers a solid slate of programs at the graduate and undergraduate level. Bachelor of commerce students get a rigorous grounding in business basics and lots of opportunities for hands-on learning through case competitions, international experience, student-run investment programs and interaction with the business community. The campus is small and intimate, occupying a leafy city block in Halifax’s South End. Downtown, with its restaurants and animated nightlife, is only minutes away. A network of overpasses and tunnels gets students to and from class without having to set foot outside—handy in the winter months.