QS 2027 Canadian University Rankings: McGill University Ranked 30th as International Student Enrollment Declines

2026-10-04 · Guides

In the QS 2027 World University Rankings, McGill University is ranked 30th, the University of Toronto 32nd, UBC 45th, and the University of Alberta 96th, with the top three all slightly dropping from last year. Meanwhile, IRCC data shows that the number of active study permit holders by the end of 2025 is about a quarter lower than a year ago. This article summarizes the rankings, UBC's international student tuition, and the 2026 study permit cap policy.

Let's start with the conclusion: In the QS World University Rankings 2027, released in June 2026, four Canadian universities made it into the top 100: McGill University at 30, University of Toronto at 32, University of British Columbia (UBC) at 45, and University of Alberta at 96. The top three all dropped a few spots from the previous year. Meanwhile, Canada continues to tighten its international student cap: IRCC data shows that by the end of 2025, there were approximately 691,000 international students with study permits in Canada, down about 26% from the approximately 928,000 at the end of 2024.

For applicants, looking at these two trends together is more meaningful: the academic strength of top universities hasn't changed much, but the policy environment for admissions and study permits has.

QS 2027: Top 4 in Canada

University	QS 2027	QS 2026
McGill University	30	27
University of Toronto	32	29
University of British Columbia (UBC)	45	40
University of Alberta	96	94

In addition, University of Waterloo ranked 113 (119 the previous year) and Western University ranked 142 (151 the previous year), both showing slight improvements.

Some background:

QS 2027 evaluated over 1,500 universities, with 30 Canadian institutions on the list (according to figures published by the University of Alberta).
McGill is the highest-ranked Canadian university for the second consecutive year. According to McGill's published sub-indicator data, it ranks 9th globally in Sustainability, 33rd in Academic Reputation, 45th in Employer Reputation, and 36th in Employment Outcomes; it ranks 1st in Canada for Employment Outcomes.
The University of Alberta has entered the global top 100 for the third consecutive year.
The Canadian higher education news site Academica, citing QS data, reported that about 66% of Canadian universities dropped in rank this year. Some media outlets have linked this to the financial pressure caused by international student caps, but this is commentary, not a conclusion drawn by QS.

How to Interpret the Rankings

QS is a comprehensive global ranking that emphasizes metrics such as academic reputation, employer reputation, internationalization, and research output. A fluctuation of a few spots up or down usually does not indicate a major change at the university itself. When choosing a school, program strength, curriculum, city location, tuition, and graduate employment outcomes are often more important than the overall ranking.

Canada's domestic Maclean's university rankings are also frequently referenced. The 2026 edition was released in October 2025. The top five in the Medical Doctoral category are McGill, Toronto, UBC, Alberta, with McMaster and Calgary tied for fifth. As of October 4, 2026, the 2027 edition has not yet been released; it is typically published around October each year.

UBC International Undergraduate Tuition (2026/27)

Using the UBC Vancouver campus as an example, the tuition for newly admitted international undergraduates for the 2026/27 academic year is as follows (according to the UBC website, the academic year is based on 30 credits, and Engineering is based on 37 credits):

Program	Per Credit	First-Year Tuition
Arts	CAD 1,717.68	CAD 51,530.40
Science	CAD 1,769.40	CAD 53,082.00
Computer Science	CAD 1,769.40	CAD 53,082.00
Kinesiology	CAD 1,769.40	CAD 53,082.00
Business (Sauder)	CAD 2,222.61	CAD 66,678.30
Applied Science / Engineering	CAD 1,789.18	CAD 66,199.66

For comparison, the first-year tuition for domestic students in Arts and Science for the same academic year is CAD 6,200.70.

UBC also notes that for international undergraduates admitted in the 2026/27 academic year, tuition will increase by no more than 3% per year for the following four years or until graduation. This is very useful for planning a four-year budget.

The above figures are tuition only and do not include incidental fees, housing, and living expenses. When applying for a study permit, you must also separately prove your living expenses according to IRCC standards.

Study Permit Caps: 2026 Arrangements

On November 25, 2025, IRCC announced the international student cap for 2026:

A maximum of 408,000 study permits are expected to be issued in 2026, with 155,000 for newly arriving students and the rest for extensions of current students.
This figure is 7% lower than the 2025 issuance target of 437,000 and 16% lower than the 485,000 in 2024.
For applications requiring a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL), a maximum of 180,000 are expected to be issued in 2026; the total number of application spots under the cap is 309,670.
PAL/TAL application spots for major provinces: Ontario 104,780, Quebec 93,069, British Columbia 32,596, Alberta 32,271.

Master's and PhD Exempt from PAL: Starting January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at designated public learning institutions (DLIs) will no longer need to submit a PAL/TAL when applying for a study permit. Undergraduate and college program students will generally still need a PAL/TAL.

Changes in International Student Numbers

In materials submitted to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM) in 2026, IRCC provided these figures:

Date	Number of Study Permit Holders
December 31, 2024	Approx. 928,430
December 31, 2025	Approx. 691,215
February 28, 2026	698,510

According to IRCC, the total number of international students in Canada decreased by 26% in 2025. For new arrivals, approximately 115,385 international students entered Canada in 2025, a decrease of 177,635 or 61% compared to 2024. In January–February 2026, 9,140 new arrivals entered, 40% fewer than the same period in 2025.

Some media outlets have summarized the changes over the past two years as a "reduction by one-third," but the figures above are what we can verify from official IRCC materials.

What This Means for Applicants

Top Universities Remain Strong: McGill, U of T, and UBC remain in the global top 50; minor ranking fluctuations do not need to be over-interpreted.
More Friendly Policy for Graduate Studies: Master's and PhD applicants at public institutions are exempt from the PAL, simplifying the application process by one step. Undergraduate applicants should pay attention to the PAL allocation in their respective provinces.
Calculate Budgets Based on Official Websites: Tuition varies significantly by program. First-year tuition for UBC Business and Engineering both exceed CAD 66,000, and living expenses and incidental fees must be added.
Stay Updated on Policy Changes: The 2027 caps and PAL arrangements have not yet been announced. All information is current as of October 4, 2026; please refer to the IRCC and university official websites for the latest updates.

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