Are you looking for Cheap Universities in Calgary Canada? This article is for you. We have put together a comprehensive list of the cheapest universities in Calgary, including a list of colleges in Calgary for domestic and international students.
Calgary is a great place to live. The Canadian city of Alberta was ranked fifth in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2019 Global Liveability Index, every other city in North America comes after this city.
Therefore, it makes sense that many students from different parts of Canada and abroad would consider moving to the city for higher education.
While Calgary doesn’t have any of the top 100 universities in the world, you’ll find plenty of cheap but quality options here, at least by North American standards.
Study in Calgary for Domestic and International Students
Calgary is a large city in the western province of Alberta, Canada.
The city has open spaces, rivers, mountains and more sunshine than other cities in Canada. Calgary is a beautiful place to live.
The city is known for free movement and has the most extensive system of bike paths. The City of New York encourages all qualified candidates in the world to apply to Calgary’s many universities. In this article, we have mentioned the universities and colleges in the city of Calgary for international students to pursue higher education.
Why study in Calgary?
Before we move on to discussing the cheap universities in Calgary Canada, let’s look at the main reasons to study in Calgary:
Friendly city:
A common stereotype about Canadians is that they are very nice and friendly people, but not all stereotypes are true. However, Calgary has the youngest population in Canada, with 7 out of 10 people volunteering part-time. Calgary is a friendly city that welcomes tourists and international students from all over the world.
Rapid growth:
Calgary is vibrant and never boring; there is something about this city that keeps everyone on the edge of their seat. The city is home to countless oil and gas companies, making it one of the fastest-growing regions in Canada. If you’re planning on taking a course on oil and energy, you should check out the cheap universities in Calgary.
Affordable:
If you are to compare the living cost in Calgary to other cities in Canada, you’ll notice that the difference is huge. Food, groceries, accommodations, and transportation in the city are all much cheaper. Best of all, Calgary students can get discounts at the mall.
Also Read: 10 Cheap Universities in Canada to study almost for free
Cheap Universities in Calgary Canada
Below we will be listing some of the cheap universities in Calgary Canada including tuition fees for domestic and international students to have an understanding of what to expect as they prepare to apply to any of the colleges and universities listed below.
1. Mount Royal University
- Domestic tuition: $6,600
- International tuition: $21,500 – $23,000
Mount Royal University (MRU) is one of the cheapest universities in Calgary Canada. The school started more than a hundred years ago in 1910. Its main campus is located in Lincoln Park, southwest of Calgary. About 15 miles from the main campus, there is a second campus belonging to the Springbank rural community. This public university currently has more than 14,000 students and an average class size of 31.
MRU offers 12 degrees and 32 majors through its five faculties: Health, Community and Education; Business and Communication Studies; Continuing Education and Extension; Science and Technology; and the Arts. Its interior design, communication and nursing courses are a step above the rest. To help students reduce the cost of education, the university awards more than $3 million in scholarships and grants each year.
2. Alberta University of the Arts
- Domestic tuition: $4,500
- International Tuition: $15,000
The Alberta University of the Arts is one of the best on this list of cheap universities in Calgary. The academic institution was founded in 1926, the school did not gain university status until February 1, 2019. It is the only post-secondary institution in Alberta dedicated to arts, crafts and design.
Its total enrolment is approximately 1,200, of which 72% are women. This public university in Calgary has students from about 30 different countries. The teacher-student ratio is 1:16, and the average class size is 15.
Some of the programs available at AUArts include a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a Bachelor of Design, and a Master of Fine Arts in more than a dozen concentration areas. These degree programs are offered through schools of administration; Visual Arts, Craft + Emerging Media, Critical + Creative Studies and Communication Design. In 2018, the university awarded more than $145,000 in scholarships and grants.
Also Read: 25 University Scholarships For International Students in Canada 2024
3. University of Calgary
- Domestic tuition: $5,400
- International tuition: $18,350
The University of Calgary (UCalgary) is one of the best Universities in Calgary and in the whole of Canada according to the 2020 QS World University Rankings, among other rankings. It also ranks among the top 300 universities in the world. It started as a branch of the University of Alberta and became a full-fledged university in 1966.
This is surprisingly one of the cheapest universities in Calgary – it has four campuses in Calgary, with the main campus covering approximately 500 acres. The fifth campus is situated in Doha, Qatar.
The academic institution of higher learning offers more than 250 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 30,000 students. It has 14 faculties and employs over 1,800 academic staff. The public university spends more than $17 million annually on scholarships, grants, and awards. Freshmen with an average of 95% or higher will receive a $5,000 scholarship.
4. Saint Mary’s University
- Domestic tuition: $8,322
- International tuition: $15,912
While the country’s better-known St. Mary’s University (SMU) is based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Calgary, Alberta also has its own St. Mary’s University (StMU). It is a small private Catholic university with only 875 full-time and part-time students. It was established as St Mary’s University College in 1986 as an independent university and acquired its current name in 2014.
With a class size of 25 on average, StMU offers the Bachelor of Science, Post-Bachelor of Education, and 8 Bachelor of Arts, covering areas such as General Education, Liberal Studies, English, and Psychology. This is one of the cheap universities in Calgary Canada that offers its students a good number of scholarships opportunities, and grants ranging from $500 to $31,000.
Also Read: List of Tuition Free Universities in Canada for International Students
5. University of Lethbridge
- Domestic tuition: $5,000
- International Tuition: $17,500
While the main campus of the University of Lethbridge (ULeth) is in the city of Lethbridge, its second campus is in Calgary. This public university was established in 1967 and currently has more than 8,700 students enrolled.
Of these, approximately 670 students study on the Calgary campus. The university has an average class size of 34 students and a student-faculty ratio of 1:15.
While ULeth’s main campus is home to most of its more than 150 programs, the Calgary campus has a large number of undergraduate and graduate programs in management and health sciences. The university awards a $1,000 Calgary Campus Award to the first 150 students to enrol on campus for the fall semester.
For those looking for cheap universities in Calgary Canada, this is one of the cheapest you can get.
6. Ambrose University
- Domestic tuition: $13,000
- International Tuition: $19,000
Ambrose University is one of the universities in Calgary Canada that one should consider when looking for cheap universities. In 2007, Union University College and Nazarene University College merged to give birth to Ambrose University College, which gained university status in 2014 to become Ambrose University.
This is a cheap private Christian university that perceives itself to be more than a Bible college. Its 40-acre campus, located in southwest Calgary, provides higher education to only about 900 students. Its average class size is 18, and the student-faculty ratio is 1:19.
Ambrose offers several undergraduate and graduate-level programs through its Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education, Ministry and Divinity. The university offers students several scholarships ranging from $500 to $2,000.
Also Read: 10 Cheapest Universities in Canada for International Students 2024
7. Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
- Domestic tuition: $6,500
- International tuition: $20,300
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) was established in 1916 as a polytechnic in Calgary. It was the first publicly funded technical college in the Greater White North region. It has more than 11,000 students. Of these, approximately 1,600 international students represent up to 94 countries.
Through the eight schools at the university, SAIT is one of the Cheap Universities in Calgary Canada, the school offers more than one hundred career programs, including bachelor’s degrees in hospitality and tourism management, business administration and construction project management. Each year, it awards more than $5 million to students who take nearly all of its programs.
Other colleges in Calgary for International students
In addition to the aforementioned universities in Calgary Canada, Calgary has some of the best colleges for international students.
A few colleges in Calgary for international students are mentioned below:
Bow Valley College
Bow Valley College is a public, board-run college that operates as a full community institution. The college offers educational programs in different areas, including vocational training, adult upgrading, university transfer programs and English language study.
Columbia College
Columbia College is one of the colleges in Calgary Canada for international students to consider. It is a vocational academic institution in Canada, offering diploma and certificate programs in a wide range of subjects.
Cambridge College
Cambridge University is committed to committing people to their higher education goals. This is one of the colleges in Calgary Canada for international students that ensures that all students can reach their true potential.
As you progress through your study program, you may be refining your communication skills or improving your critical thinking.
Rocky Mountain College, Calgary
Rocky Mountain College is one of the Christian multi-denominational colleges in Calgary Canada. The school is located in Calgary, Alberta.
The College describes itself as a Christian learning community committed to preparing students who will be effective representatives of moral, spiritual and social change for the glory of God. It offers a one-year certificate program, a two-year diploma program, and three- and four-year Bachelor of Arts degrees.