Address: 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Agriculture and Food Science, Veterinary Medicine, Environmental Sciences
The University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario, was created in 1964 by bringing together three older institutions: the Ontario Agricultural College, the Ontario Veterinary College and the Macdonald Institute. The agricultural college opened in 1874 and the veterinary college was founded in 1862, so the roots of the university reach back more than 150 years.
Teaching and research are organised in eight colleges covering the physical and life sciences, business, arts, social sciences, and agricultural and veterinary sciences. The university describes its guiding commitment as improving life, and its strategic plan for 2022 to 2027 was introduced in spring 2023.
Britannica characterises Guelph as a public university and an important centre for research in scientific agriculture. That agricultural and veterinary heritage is why food, animal health and environmental sciences are the subjects most often associated with the institution. Details of programmes, fees and admission are given on the university’s official website.
Domains taught:
Agriculture, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Ecology and Sustainability, Food Science, Life Sciences
Diplomas*:
Associate Degree, Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Member of U15 (as of 2024 for some rankings, though traditionally not). Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) are cornerstones. Strong partnerships with agri-food industry and government.
Research:
World-renowned research in agriculture, food science, veterinary medicine, biodiversity, and environmental science. Significant contributions to human and animal health.
Famous Alumnis:
Roberta Bondar (MSc, also UofT), Tim Bray, Alissa White-Gluz, Chris Banks
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
6000
Current students***:
30000
Foreign students***:
5%
Cumulative former students***:
140000
Pros
Global leader in agriculture, food, and veterinary sciences, beautiful campus, strong focus on sustainability and life sciences.
Cons
Guelph is a smaller city, some programs outside of life/agri-sciences may be less prominent.
Best For
Students passionate about agriculture, food science, veterinary medicine, or environmental sciences, seeking a research-intensive university with a strong focus on these areas.
University of Saskatchewan is a public university whose colleges include agriculture and bioresources and veterinary medicine, the closest Canadian match to Guelph's founding fields.
University of Manitoba in Winnipeg is public and lists Agriculture and Food Sciences beside Health Sciences.
Western University in London, Ontario, is public and also in the same province, with Health Sciences and Engineering as notable specialties.
University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ontario, is public, with Engineering and Mathematics among its main areas.
Queen's University in Kingston is another public Ontario university, combining Engineering, Business and Health Sciences.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
University of California, Davis (United States), a public university in Davis, specialises in Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and Veterinary Medicine.
Wageningen University & Research (Netherlands) is public and concentrates on Food Science, Environmental Sciences and Life Sciences.
Royal Veterinary College in the United Kingdom is a public institution in London devoted to Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Nursing and Bioscience.
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway), public and based at Ås, combines Life Sciences, Environmental Sciences and Veterinary Medicine.
Washington State University, a public university in Pullman in the United States, lists Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine and Engineering.
*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
How was the University of Guelph formed?
It was established in 1964 when three existing colleges were combined: the Ontario Agricultural College, the Ontario Veterinary College and the Macdonald Institute. Those colleges give the university roots of more than 150 years.
When did the agricultural and veterinary colleges begin?
The Ontario Agricultural College opened in 1874 and the Ontario Veterinary College was founded in 1862. Both continue as colleges of the present university.
How many colleges does Guelph have?
Eight colleges teach and research across the physical and life sciences, business, arts, social sciences, and agricultural and veterinary sciences. The official site lists each one with its programmes.
Where is the university located?
The main campus is in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Prospective students can check campus maps and travel information on the university website.
Is Guelph a public university?
Yes, it is a public university. Britannica describes it as an important centre for research in scientific agriculture.
Which strategic plan guides the university now?
The university introduced its strategic plan for 2022 to 2027 in spring 2023. Its guiding commitment is expressed as improving life.
Where can admission and fee details be found?
The official website publishes entry requirements and tuition for each programme. Contact the admissions office through that site for questions about deadlines or scholarships.
*: 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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