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University of Manitoba

Canada Canada

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THE World Ranking: 351

Overview

Overview

At the University of Manitoba (UM), students can study in a beautiful city that has an exciting arts scene and amazing surroundings. This impressive medical and doctoral institution is in the centre of Manitoba’s capital, Winnipeg. It’s the largest city in the province, the home of many different cultures —over 100 languages are spoken in the city.

 

UM itself is the first and oldest university in western Canada, and it’s been encouraging and helping students on their academic and professional journeys since it was founded in 1877. Today, UM continues that tradition with over 30,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students attending.

 

20 per cent of the students enrolled at UM are international, and the alumni network of over 180,000 people is spread across the globe in 139 different countries. Since there are so many international students attending the University of Manitoba, resources for these students are strong, and support is always available, in the form of guidance or funding assistance via a scholarship.

 

The tutors and lecturers of UM dedicate themselves to giving every student an equal opportunity to succeed, providing them with all the resources they need. With only a few students to every faculty member, everyone enrolled at this university can be sure that they will be guided and heard by their teachers during their programmes of study.

 

The actual teaching standard is also very high across every faculty and department, and there are many support options available from the academic to the emotional (counselling, academic advice, financial aid, career planning and more).

 

UM is a place of imagination and discovery, the only research university of its kind in the area. With great facilities, good career prospects and a close community of students and teachers working together, it’s hard to imagine a better learning environment than the University of Manitoba.

 

Find out more about studying at UM:

 

Teaching quality

Entry requirements

Scholarships & funding

University structure

Facilities

Student support

Graduate outcomes

 

Teaching Quality

The hard-working staff at UM happily offer their students a high standard of teaching quality. There are over 9,000 members of staff at UM, including over 5,000 academic staff members. This creates a ratio of one academic staff member to every six UM students. Every person who attends UM gets the attention and support they need to do very well.

 

Only 6,000 people have ever received the Order of Canada. A huge 363 of this special 6,000 have been faculty and/or past students at UM, so it’s no surprise that high quality teaching is provided at this institution. Included in this group of recipients is Dr Francis Plummer, who was recognised for his HIV and AIDS research. Also included is Wanda Koop, a loved community activist in Canada.

 

Exciting research efforts are always happening at UM. In 2014, a team at the university discovered ZMapp, a treatment for people infected with Ebola. Today, there are over 50 research centres at UM across a number of fields, and every researcher is working hard for the good of society and the wider world.

 

The University of Manitoba was ranked 14th by Maclean’s University Rankings in 2019 and ranked 13th in Research Infosource’s top 50 Canadian research universities the year before. These rankings show just how much is happening at UM, from quality teaching to new and important research projects.

 

Entry Requirements

Because of the fact that UM is a top medical/doctoral institution, the university is very competitive. It isn’t the easiest to get into — the entry requirements are high, and the average acceptance rate is just 52 per cent. Regardless of background and chosen programme of study, every applicant to UM must meet certain university entry requirements.

 

The most common applicant types for UM are ‘direct entry’ and ‘advanced entry domestic’, but international applicants do make up a strong portion of the students. University requirements for international students are slightly different and can be explored in detail on the UM website.

 

International applicants can find their general admission requirements on the site by choosing their country of study to view what is expected to be considered for entry. Usually, the equivalent of high-school-level qualifications is required for admission for undergraduates.

 

At UM, each programme has unique entry requirements, so applicants are then urged to search for their programme-specific admission requirements depending on what they're interested in studying. There are additional entry requirements for graduates, including a CV, letter of recommendation, an essay and a minimum average GPA of B. Existing university qualifications will be considered.

 

English Score Required

It’s expected that everyone who applies to study at UM will understand the English language up to a certain level.

 

There are certain exceptions to this rule for people who don’t speak English as a first language, including ten years spent living in Canada and graduation from a Canadian curriculum secondary school or Manitoba high school with a minimum achievement level having been met. Potential students can find a full list of exceptions on the UM website.

 

If no exceptions apply, applicants will need to prove their understanding of English. Common choices accepted at UM include the Intensive Academic English Programme (IAEP), the Canadian Test of English for Scholars and Trainees (CanTEST) and the Pearson Test of English.

 

One of the most standard methods of assessment is the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). An IELTS score of no lower than 6.5 overall band with no individual band  score below 6 is required to be considered (the individual bands are listening, reading, speaking and writing).

 

When applying to a graduate programme, UM asks applicants to check their desired programme’s specific needs and requirements in the area of English language understanding, as these requirements are likely to change from course to course.

 

Admission

After ensuring they meet all entry requirements, students begin university admission by selecting and applying for the programme they want. Undergraduates must then be prepared to provide basic personal information, details of their previous education and an application fee (CAD 100 for Canadian citizens and CAD 120 for international students).

 

Applicants may also be expected to provide additional elements such as course information from prior studies, transcripts, a personal statement, a portfolio or in some cases, an audition or interview. Interviews and portfolios are even more common at the postgraduate level of study and should be appropriately prepared for.

 

Some of the required supporting documents can be directly uploaded into a student's admission application. The university states that some must be physically mailed in though and insists that applicants send them by registered mail or courier to prevent them from getting lost, or to give students more options if things do get lost.

 

Once the application has been submitted to UM and the application fee has been paid, the admissions team will consider the application. Applicants are urged to check their application status regularly, but the university will notify them if additional documents are needed. When a decision has been made, applicants will be told via email.

 

Tuition fees and study costs following successful student admission will vary between courses. Students can view the tuition cost specific to their programme in table two on the university's website. As an example, an international student enrolled in University 1 will pay around CAD 21,350 for a year. This total also includes, on top of the tuition fee:

 

  • Textbooks
  • Supplies
  • A health and dental plan
  • A sport and recreation fee
  • U-Pass

 

Scholarships & Funding

At the University of Manitoba, academic achievement is recognised, celebrated and rewarded with additional funding through entrance scholarships. These are offered to students graduating from domestic high schools and international high schools. International students will be offered a scholarship after the following:

 

  • They apply for admission before the deadline date
  • They pay the appropriate tuition fee rates
  • They achieve a high school average of 85 per cent or higher based on the best five academic courses of senior level from the university's approved General Entrance Scholarship List

 

The values of the scholarships UM offers change from year to year with high school grade averages. To use 2020-21 as an example, grade averages of 95 per cent or greater received a CAD 3,000 entrance scholarship to help towards fees and funding. Grade averages of 90 per cent or greater received CAD 2,000, and grade averages of 85 per cent or greater received CAD 1,000.

 

This scholarship can’t be mixed with any other award offered through the university's entrance scholarship programme.

 

Beyond university scholarships, students who are struggling with their fees or facing financial difficulties can apply for a University of Manitoba General Bursary through the Aurora Student Portal. This must be submitted to the Financial Aid and Awards office by the deadline. The criteria a student must meet to be eligible for a bursary can be found on the UM website.

 

There are several other bursaries available that require an application, such as the Michael McAdam and Wendy Smith Bursary and the Youth in Care Grant. Any student struggling with funding can look into applying for grants or bursaries like these. UM has always tried to help students out in any way possible.

 

University Structure

The university's two main campuses (Fort Garry and Bannatyne) are exciting learning environments where students can enjoy all sides of university culture during their studies. A third site, the William Norrie Centre on Selkirk Avenue, serves as the campus for social work education.

 

Fort Garry Campus is positioned about 20 minutes away from the centre of Winnipeg, and it’s a historic, green landscape. There are over 60 teaching and research buildings across over 280 hectares at Fort Garry, and though things look historic on the outside, there are some very modern and useful resources on the inside to help students learn and develop.

 

Bannatyne Campus is Fort Garry’s urban sister, and it’s where all the medical and dental educational units are. Bannatyne is actually a nine-building complex with lots of great facilities for student recreation, studying and everything between the two.

 

There are a total of 27 faculties, colleges, and schools across UM. Within these 27, there are 100 programmes. Within these programmes, there are lots of different courses to choose from. UM gives students more learning and research opportunities than any other post-secondary institution in the province, with over 50 research centres. There are also 49 Canada Research Chairs and 32 Endowed and Sponsored Research Chairs on the 5,000-person academic staff.

 

Facilities

On campuses as energetic and fun as UM’s, there’s always something for students to do. There are lots of student activity centres to explore and enjoy, whether a student loves to work out in the gym or have some fun with arts and crafts in a creative club after class.

 

Fort Garry has many laboratories and research centres, as well as wide open spaces and lots of places to eat. The food court in the USMU University Centre (a real hub and student life centre on campus) includes familiar chains like Subway. There are also some great retail options at UM, like the Bannatyne bookstore.

 

Both of UM’s main campuses have great student recreation centres with top-quality cardio, resistance and strength training equipment available. Fort Garry’s sports facilities will please anyone who loves to stay active — there’s everything from tennis courts and fields to the indoor courts and gymnasiums of the Frank Kennedy Centre.

 

On the academic side of things, there are over 50 research facilities specialising in everything from arctic science and climate change to immunity, inflammation and infectious disease. There are nine libraries at UM, complete with computer labs and comfortable group study spaces.

 

And most importantly, the modern classrooms and beautiful lecture theatres at UM are well designed, from the acoustics to the lighting. They’re the best possible places to learn and develop over the course of a degree.

 

Accommodation

If a student decides to live on campus at UM, the university won’t just be their place of study. It will be their home. Staff at UM are aware of this and are dedicated to making everyone feel happy in this academic and personal home.

 

There are plenty of university accommodation options at the University of Manitoba, with four residential buildings to choose from. All buildings provide students with 24/7 laundry facilities, communal lounges and free wireless and wired internet connections. The buildings are:

 

  • The Arthur V. Mauro Residence (only available after one completed year of study)
  • The Mary Speechly Hall
  • The Pembina Hall
  • The University College Residence

 

The Mary Speechly Hall is the most chosen accommodation option for first year undergraduate students who would like to experience dormitory-style life. It’s found on Maclean Crescent right next to the Fresh Food Company. Pembina Hall is similar but also contains single rooms with private washrooms. University College is similar once again, offering double rooms and single rooms.

 

Outside of these four choices, St. Andrew’s and St. John’s are two affiliated colleges providing student accommodation options on the Fort Garry campus. The university instructs students to contact the colleges directly if they are interested in these options.

 

There are also lots of off-campus student house options for any student looking to immerse themselves in the grand adventure that Winnipeg offers. And for international students, the Homestay Programme is a brilliant opportunity to live with a Canadian family and experience Canadian culture at its most authentic.

 

Student Support

UM takes every step it can to make sure students at the university get all the help and support they need. From day one of the UM experience to graduation and beyond (when students become members of the alumni network), everyone is a part of UM’s welcoming, friendly community. Resources and student support services will always be allocated when they can be to set people up for success.

 

Some examples of the student support programme at UM include career planning guidance, financial aid, counselling and spiritual student support. For international students, there is a range of helpful services available. These services include application support, transition support, and help to settle into life (academic and personal) in Canada.

 

As well as health coverage, international student advisors (to act as a student guide when one is needed) and special orientation events, lots of UM student services and programmes show how much the university values different cultures. For example, there's the Welcome Mentors programme (international and experienced students are paired up with new students to build meaningful connections and learn/share).

 

No student is left feeling lost at the University of Manitoba. From the moment a person is admitted, they're part of the community. They will be welcomed and looked after throughout their entire university experience.

 

Graduate Outcomes

At the University of Manitoba, students are given every resource they need to finish university successfully and head into an exciting career in their chosen field after graduation. Throughout their time at UM, they get excellent career services and guidance. Career Connect, for example, is a career and employment hub for students, alumni, and employers.

 

Job postings can be accessed on Career Connect, as can news about upcoming events that might improve job prospects, like career fairs and interview/cover letter/resume/job search workshops. Other employment services at UM that can help students open up their career options include the easy-to-access career planner workbook and the Career Mentor Programme, in which you meet with a dedicated career guide.

 

After graduation, there are still career opportunities to benefit from. The Distinguished Alumni Awards (DAA) recognise outstanding professional and personal accomplishments from University of Manitoba alumni. These awards celebrate the achievements of graduates. The 2022 recipients of this honour were awarded for successes such as research in the field of membrane trafficking and leadership in Indigenous health and rural medicine.

 

Lots of UM graduates go on to have very impressive careers like those mentioned above, whether they choose to pursue further study at a postgraduate level or head directly into the working world. The average salary of graduates from UM’s MBA, as an example, is CAD 85,075 per annum.

 

The possibilities for graduates of the University of Manitoba are endless. The university is an exciting, interesting place to be — never boring, never below high standards — but it’s also a place that is constantly preparing students for the world beyond university. For international and domestic students, there are not many universities that are this focused on employability and preparation for work.

 

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Key facts and figures at University of Manitoba

Rankings

Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
Source: THE

351

OVERALL SCORE

49.1%

TEACHING

31.8%

INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK

59.1%

INDUSTRY INCOME

62.3%

RESEARCH

34.7%

CITATIONS

76.3%
QS World University Rankings 2024
Source: QS

671

Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023
Source: ARWU

201

Student life in numbers

COSTS PER YEAR
LIVING COSTS

CAD$11,000

AVERAGE PRIVATE RENT

CAD$5,250

AVERAGE TUITION FEE PER YEAR

UNDERGRADUATE

CAD$19,420

POSTGRADUATE

CAD$11,040

VOCATIONAL

CAD$19,930

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