Address: 2500 University Drive NW, T2N 1N4 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Energy Research, Engineering, Kinesiology
Established in 1966, the University of Calgary is a public research university located in Canada’s energy capital. It has a strong focus on research, innovation, and community engagement.
The University of Calgary was established as an independent institution in 1966 and now counts about 35,000 students and 6,000 staff. It sits in the north-west of Calgary, the commercial heart of the Canadian oil and gas industry, and its Schulich School of Engineering is among the largest in the country. The Rocky Mountains are about 90 minutes to the west, which shapes the outdoor culture of the campus.
Energy and engineering are the obvious strengths, but the university has built a wider profile. Kinesiology is a leading programme in Canada, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is one of only five in the country, and the Cumming School of Medicine runs major research in neuroscience, cancer and public health. Biomedical engineering links medicine with Schulich engineering, and energy innovation covers hydrogen, geothermal and carbon management as well as oil and gas.
Close ties with the energy sector bring laboratories, industrial chairs and placements. The computer scientist James Gosling, who created the Java programming language, and Garrett Camp, a co-founder of Uber, are among the graduates, and Stephen Harper, the former prime minister, took his master’s degree in economics here. Hayley Wickenheiser, a four-time Olympic gold medallist in ice hockey, studied medicine at the university.
Teaching is in English. Domestic tuition is moderate, and international undergraduate fees are higher. The university belongs to the U15 group of Canadian research universities. Admission depends on grades, and many engineering and science programmes offer co-op or internship placements with industry.
Calgary has lower housing costs than Vancouver or Toronto, and the winter is dry and sunny, with sudden warm spells. About 180,000 people have graduated from the University of Calgary, and the local job market for engineers, geologists and data specialists remains one of the strongest in Canada.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Engineering, Geotechnics, Life Sciences, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Certificate, Diploma, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Member of U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities. Strong partnerships with the energy sector, health organizations (Foothills Medical Centre adjacent), and technology companies.
Research:
Research strengths in energy innovation, biomedical engineering, public health, kinesiology, and veterinary medicine. Growing focus on data science and AI.
Famous Alumnis:
James Gosling, Stephen Harper, Naheed Nenshi, Hayley Wickenheiser, Garrett Camp
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
6000
Current students***:
35000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
180000
Pros
Dynamic research environment in an entrepreneurial city, strong engineering and energy programs, modern campus facilities.
Cons
Large commuter student population, Calgary can be car-dependent, some programs less internationally renowned than older U15s.
Best For
Students interested in energy, engineering, kinesiology, or veterinary medicine, in a research-focused university located in a dynamic and entrepreneurial Canadian city.
In terms of fields, University of British Columbia is the nearest neighbour, with ecology and sustainability, life sciences and data analytics again at the core; it is larger, enrolling about 70,500 students against roughly 35,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Another national school that puts ecology and sustainability, life sciences and AI and machine learning at the centre is University of Alberta, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral, certificate, diploma and mba, and covers agriculture and chemistry as well.
On content, University of Ottawa and this institution are close, as both teach life sciences, data analytics and AI and machine learning; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral, certificate, diploma and mba.
University of New Brunswick works in much the same fields, chiefly ecology and sustainability, life sciences and data analytics, and it does not run the mba programmes found here, and is far smaller, with about 10,000 students against roughly 35,000 here.
The comparison with Simon Fraser University is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on ecology and sustainability, life sciences and data analytics, and it also offers graduate diploma programmes and covers robotics as well.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Looking internationally, University of Texas at Austin in the United States is where geotechnics, life sciences and data analytics get a comparable treatment; it is slightly larger, at about 52,400 students against roughly 35,000 here, and is also a public institution.
George Mason University offers an international parallel to this institution, with ecology and sustainability, life sciences and data analytics as common ground; it does not run the certificate and diploma programmes found here and covers finance and statistics as well.
Abroad, University of Wollongong (Australia) covers ecology and sustainability, life sciences and data analytics in a comparable way, and it is also a public institution and does not run the certificate and diploma programmes found here.
A foreign alternative with a similar emphasis on ecology and sustainability, life sciences and data analytics is La Trobe University in Australia, and it is also a public institution and does not run the certificate and diploma programmes found here.
University of Canterbury (New Zealand) works on the same fields as this institution, chiefly geotechnics, ecology and sustainability and life sciences; it is also a public institution and does not run the certificate and diploma programmes found here.
*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
Where is the University of Calgary?
The main campus is at 2500 University Drive NW in Calgary, Alberta.
How large is the university?
About 35,000 students and 6,000 staff.
When did it become independent?
In 1966, when it separated from the University of Alberta.
What is it best known for?
Energy research, engineering, kinesiology, medicine and veterinary medicine.
What language is used for teaching?
English.
How much does tuition cost?
Domestic tuition is moderate and international undergraduate fees are higher. Check the current schedule for your programme.
Is there a link to the energy industry?
Yes. The university works with energy companies on research, industrial chairs and student placements.
Which research networks does it belong to?
The U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities.
Who are famous alumni?
James Gosling, creator of Java, Garrett Camp, co-founder of Uber, and former prime minister Stephen Harper studied at the University of Calgary.
Is Calgary a good place to study?
Housing costs are lower than in Vancouver or Toronto, and the Rocky Mountains are about 90 minutes away.
*: 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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