Established in 1957, the University of Waterloo is renowned for its extensive cooperative education programs, strong entrepreneurial culture, and global leadership in computer science, engineering, and mathematics.
Waterloo is known less for its age than for how it organises study and work. The university opened in 1957 in Waterloo, Ontario, and has about 42,500 students and 7,100 staff. Its cooperative education system is the largest of its kind in the world: students alternate academic terms with paid work terms, and a typical engineering degree includes six work terms, so graduates leave with up to two years of employment history.
The Faculty of Mathematics is often described as the largest in the world and is the home of one of the best computer science programmes in Canada. Engineering, software engineering and mathematics lead the lists of applicants. Mike Lazaridis, who co-founded Research In Motion, the maker of BlackBerry, studied here, and the university has produced a long line of founders for the technology cluster around Kitchener-Waterloo.
Research is led by quantum technologies. The Institute for Quantum Computing, created in 2002 with Lazaridis’s support, works alongside the nearby Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and Waterloo also has large groups in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, nanotechnology and water science. The university encourages inventors to keep the rights to their work, which has supported a culture of spin-off companies.
Teaching is in English. International undergraduate fees are significantly higher than domestic fees, but co-op salaries often cover a large part of the cost. Admission to engineering and computer science is competitive, and many programmes ask for supplementary applications, so applicants should apply early and prepare a strong profile.
Waterloo is a mid-sized city about 100 km west of Toronto. Rents are lower than in the capital, the technology sector offers many placements, and students often rotate between Waterloo and work terms in Toronto, Vancouver or the United States. About 255,000 people have graduated from the university.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Engineering, Mathematics, Nanotechnologies, Robotics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Graduate Diploma, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
World’s largest post-secondary co-operative education program, with partnerships with thousands of employers globally. Hub for tech startups and innovation (Velocity incubator, Communitech). Member of U15.
Research:
A leading innovation university with research strengths in quantum computing (Institute for Quantum Computing), artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, water sustainability, advanced manufacturing, and health technologies.
Famous Alumnis:
Mike Lazaridis, Chris Hadfield, Chamath Palihapitiya, Rupi Kaur, David Cheriton, Kevin O’Leary (MBA)
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
7100
Current students***:
42500
Foreign students***:
20%
Cumulative former students***:
255000
Pros
World-renowned co-op programs providing extensive work experience, strong entrepreneurial ecosystem and startup culture, global leader in computer science, engineering, and quantum computing.
Students focused on careers in technology, engineering, and mathematics, valuing extensive co-op opportunities, an entrepreneurial environment, and cutting-edge research.
Anyone who wants a second school in the same country with a similar spread of data analytics, AI and machine learning and software engineering can consider University of Toronto, and it covers chemistry and physics as well, and is larger, enrolling about 97,500 students against roughly 42,500 here.
University of Calgary offers a comparable education in data analytics, AI and machine learning and software engineering: it also offers certificate, diploma and mba programmes, and covers geotechnics and ecology and sustainability as well.
McGill University shares the core fields of this university, namely data analytics, AI and machine learning and software engineering; it is also a public institution and also offers graduate certificate and mba programmes.
Anyone who wants a second school in the same country with a similar spread of data analytics, AI and machine learning and software engineering can consider McMaster University, and it has almost the same size, at about 37,500 students, and is also a public institution.
On content, University of Ottawa and this university are close, as both teach data analytics, AI and machine learning and software engineering; it is also a public institution, and also offers certificate, diploma and mba programmes.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Students considering a move abroad can look at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, where mathematics, data analytics and AI and machine learning also form the core, and it covers chemistry and physics as well, and has almost the same size, at about 37,458 students.
Georgia Institute of Technology brings a the United States setting to the same core fields, robotics, data analytics and AI and machine learning, and it also offers mba programmes and covers aerospace and manufacturing as well.
Nanjing University in China pursues a similar profile in mathematics, data analytics and AI and machine learning, and it covers astroscience and chemistry as well, and is slightly smaller, at about 35,700 students against roughly 42,500 here.
University of California, Berkeley in the United States pursues a similar profile in data analytics, AI and machine learning and software engineering, and it covers chemistry and physics as well, and has almost the same size, at about 45,300 students.
Guangzhou University offers an international parallel to this institution, with mathematics, data analytics and software engineering as common ground; it does not run the graduate diploma programmes found here and covers civil engineering and chemistry as well.
*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 Waterloo?
It is at 200 University Avenue West in Waterloo, Ontario, about 100 km west of Toronto.
How large is the university?
About 42,500 students and 7,100 staff.
What is special about Waterloo?
It runs the largest co-operative education programme in the world, where students alternate academic terms with paid work terms.
How many work terms does engineering include?
A typical engineering degree includes six work terms, which can add up to roughly two years of work experience.
It is a research institute at Waterloo, created in 2002, working on quantum information and technology alongside the nearby Perimeter Institute.
What language is used for teaching?
English.
How much does it cost?
International undergraduate fees are significantly higher than domestic fees. Co-op earnings often cover a large part of the cost, but check the current schedule.
Is admission competitive?
Yes, especially for engineering, computer science and mathematics. Many programmes require supplementary applications.
Who are notable alumni?
Mike Lazaridis, co-founder of Research In Motion, and many founders of technology companies in the Kitchener-Waterloo region.
*: 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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