University of Calgary

Founded 1966 | Calgary, AB

The University of Calgary is a young university in a dynamic city. Located in the country’s energy capital, the school has long been a leader in energy and engineering. But it’s also attuned to the province’s wider needs, including economic diversification, environmental stewardship and healthy communities. U of C produces leading thinkers in mental health, public policy, applied sciences—even the study of outer space.

“At the University of Calgary, we think and act with a global mindset and commit to leadership in sustainable ways of living, working and learning,” says president Ed McCauley. “We are building tremendous momentum in the areas that matter most to our community: meaningful student experiences; high-impact research and scholarship; enriched teaching and learning; and strong partnerships at the local, national and international level.”

The main campus mixes old and new buildings with green spaces and underground tunnels that help students escape cold winters. The Haskayne School of Business has just opened a new state-of-the-art building. Mathison Hall is a student-centred learning environment that houses classrooms, breakout rooms, spaces to study and socialize, as well as student advising and career services.

Standout Programs

• Sustainable Systems Engineering: This program combines technology and problem solving, drawing on engineering as well as science, business, Indigenous studies and agriculture. It features collaborative projects, career advisors, work placements and study-abroad opportunities.

• City Innovation: Through digital design tools and hands-on, studio-based courses examining real-world issues, this new design program prepares students to address the complex issues facing cities.

• Embedded Certificates: Students can enhance their degree with an added certificate that strengthens their program of study; areas include leadership studies, entrepreneurial thinking, pluralism and global citizenship, sustainable studies, and mental health and resilience.

Tuition (includes compulsory ancillary fees)

$7,986

Minimum Entering Grades

Arts: 77-88% | Science: 80-96.2% | Commerce: 85% | Engineering: 87%

Student Body

Undergraduates: Full-time: 26,786 | Part-time: 1,485

Graduates: Full-time: 6,424 | Part-time: 1,002

International Students: First-year: 17.4% | Graduate: 39.6%

Male-Female Ratio: 45 to 55

Housing Facts

Residence Spaces: 3,115 (1,258 reserved for first-year students)

Residence Costs: Double room with meals: $7,996 to $12,533

Single room with meals: $10,795 to $14,078 |

Apartment-style: $6,965 to $9,332

Cool Courses

• Natural Hazards; Risks and Impacts: Students learn how to identify causes and probabilities of hazards, as well as risk management, in a Canadian context.

• Innovations in Wearable Technology: Topics in this introductory course include products and services, markets and trends, wearable sensor applications, data delivery ecosystems and data visualization.

Student Life on Campus

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