Simon Fraser University opened to students in September 1965 on Burnaby Mountain, after provincial legislation set it up in 1963. It is named after the explorer Simon Fraser, and the original hilltop campus was designed by the architects Arthur Erickson and Geoffrey Massey.
SFU now works from three campuses in Metro Vancouver: the main one in Burnaby, a downtown Vancouver presence centred on Harbour Centre, and a campus in Surrey. Its faculties cover arts and social sciences, business, education, applied sciences and science, among others, and the university lists research institutes and centres across the three sites.
Published figures show more than 20,000 students, counted in full-time equivalents in recent years. The Burnaby site serves as the main campus, with Vancouver and Surrey operating as branch campuses, so students in the region can reach the university through three different centres. Because the three campuses differ in the programmes they host, prospective applicants should check the university’s website for programme lists, entrance requirements and co-operative education options.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Engineering, Life Sciences, Robotics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Certificate, Diploma, Doctor, Graduate Diploma, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Strong co-op education program. Partnerships with tech industry, health authorities, and community organizations. Engages in significant international research collaborations.
Research:
Research strengths in computing science (AI, big data), environmental science, health sciences, and public policy. Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary research.
Famous Alumnis:
Terry Fox, Margaret Trudeau, Christy Clark, Russell Peters (attended briefly)
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
6000
Current students***:
37000
Foreign students***:
20%
Cumulative former students***:
170000
Pros
Multiple campuses offering different environments, strong co-op programs, leader in certain research areas like computing and environmental science.
Cons
Burnaby Mountain campus can feel isolated, some 1960s architecture is divisive, highly competitive for some programs.
Best For
Students interested in interdisciplinary studies, co-op programs, and areas like computing science, criminology, or environmental science, with campuses across Metro Vancouver.
University of British Columbia, the other large public university in Metro Vancouver, overlaps in computer science and many science fields.
University of Victoria is a public research university on Vancouver Island with ocean and climate sciences and engineering.
Carleton University in Ottawa teaches journalism, public affairs and engineering, a public university with a comparable range of professional and applied subjects.
York University in Toronto is a large public university with business and law as strong points as well as fine arts.
University of Waterloo is known for computer science, engineering and a co-operative education model.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
University of California, Irvine (United States) is a public research university with computer science, engineering and health sciences.
University of California, Santa Cruz (United States) offers astronomy, marine biology and computer science.
Lancaster University (United Kingdom) is a public university combining business, environmental science and physics.
University of Essex (United Kingdom) is a public university whose social sciences and human rights work resemble SFU's arts and social sciences side.
Tilburg University (Netherlands) has data science and cognitive science, comparable to SFU's interest in computing and the social sciences.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When did Simon Fraser University open?
It opened to students in 1965, after being established by provincial legislation in 1963. The first semester began in September 1965 on Burnaby Mountain.
Who designed the original campus?
The architects Arthur Erickson and Geoffrey Massey designed the main campus, which opened in 1965.
Where are the SFU campuses?
SFU has three campuses in Metro Vancouver, in Burnaby, Surrey and downtown Vancouver. The Vancouver campus is based at Harbour Centre.
Why is it called Simon Fraser University?
It is named after the explorer Simon Fraser. The name was chosen when the university was set up in the 1960s.
What faculties are there?
Faculties include arts and social sciences, business, education, applied sciences and science, along with others. The complete list is on the university's website.
How many students attend SFU?
Recent figures give more than 20,000 students in full-time equivalents.
Where should applicants look for entry requirements?
The admissions pages at the university website list programme requirements, deadlines and tuition. International applicants should read those pages for their own country.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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