Established in 1965, Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university in British Columbia, Canada, with a superb academic reputation and over 60 years of tradition for innovation and excellence.
SFU offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and continued professional development programs covering a wide range of subject areas. There are more than 350 undergraduate programs available including certificates, diplomas, post-baccalaureate, degrees, majors, joint majors, honours, joint honours, and more. The university also offers nearly 150 graduate programs, including master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, and a selection of postgraduate certificates and diplomas. The university is known for its strong culture of research and innovation and aims to produce work that makes a positive impact on communities, while developing strong partner networks.
SFU comprises three vibrant university campuses located in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. Burnaby is the original and largest campus. It is situated at the top of Burnaby Mountain, with Surrey and Vancouver campuses offering two separate city-based locations. All three campuses are accessible by public transit, and the university is home to more than 37,000 students, including over 8,000 international students representing over 130 countries worldwide.
SFU has a strong athletics program and their team is the first and only athletic program outside of the United States that competes in the prestigious National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
SFU is currently and repeatedly ranked the number 1 Canadian comprehensive university (Maclean’s University Ranking). It is currently named Canada's top university for innovation and 12th globally according to the 2025 World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) rankings, and ranks highly in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
2025 401 100
2024 301
2023 301
2026 308 11
2025 319 1
2024 318
2026 301
2025 301 50
2024 251
In addition to its reputation as a research-orientated university, SFU is also highly career-focused, and its students are encouraged to develop a wide range of transferable employability skills over the duration of their studies.
SFU’s career and volunteer services provide undergraduate students with career guidance to help them develop their career aspirations and strategies before completing their degree. The department offers interview training and job seeking services, organizes networking events, and encourages students to make informed decisions about their future.
The university offers an impressive co-operative learning program, among the first in western Canada, with 9,266 students enrolled in Co-op education as of June 2024. This interdisciplinary effort empowers students to explore diverse career paths and gain valuable work experience with respected employers and organizations from across Canada and around the world. Participants benefit from the opportunity to earn income and fund their education while preparing themselves for post-graduation employment.
The top five industries that post job opportunities to hire SFU co-op students include information technology, engineering, science, government agency and healthcare. The top hiring countries of SFU co-op students are Canada, China, the USA, Vietnam and India.
SFU’s dedicated network of over 200,000 alumni in over 145 countries around the world maintains the university’s global presence and reputation for excellence, and current students may contact the network for advice, professional insights, and career connections.
Research and innovation are core values around which SFU’s academic reputation has evolved.
The university has recently been recognised for its continued investment in these values, being named Canada's top university for innovation for the fifth time and is currently 12th globally according to the 2025 World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) rankings.
Recent additions to the university include its School of Sustainable Engineering, completed in 2019 on the Surrey campus, which has since earned the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification. Students learn in laboratories and through teamwork-based courses, integrating studies such as engineering, entrepreneurship, and economics to meet global demand for sustainable engineering leadership.
Future plans include its new School of Medicine, which will be purpose-built for graduate physicians trained in team-based, community-level, culturally safe health care with an emphasis on family medicine.
These results highlight the strength of SFU’s impact within Canada and on the world stage and indicate the progressive approach to education for which the university is globally known.
SFU ranks among the top 1.9 percent of all universities and number 13 in Canada in the Centre for World University Rankings 2025. The university also performed well in the 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, placing within the top 301-350 universities in the world. Its education, computer science, psychology, archaeology, anthropology, and communication & media studies programs rank among the best in Canada and the top 150 in the world.
The Times Higher Education 2025 World University Rankings ranked SFU as second in Canada for International Outlook. SFU also placed second in Canada for Affordable and Clean Energy, and third in Canada for both Climate Action and Sustainable Cities and Communities in the Times Higher Education 2025 University Impact Rankings.
CAD$34,342 Undergraduate Fees are for indicative purposes, check with institution for details
CAD$7,637 Postgraduate Fees are for indicative purposes, check with institution for details
SFU offers a variety of academic programs at various levels of study, with tuition fees contingent on the program and level of study. For example, tuition for international students is about CAD 36,000 per year for a typical program in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in the 2024/25 academic year.
SFU provides many financial aid options, including scholarships, bursaries and awards, which can be based on academic merit or financial need. One significant source of funding available to international applicants is the Undergraduate Scholars Entrance Scholarship, which is available to all high school students. This scholarship ranges from CAD 20,000 to CAD 140,000 and is given to students who demonstrate strong potential to enrich the university community through their ongoing academic and community involvement.
There are also scholarships for all students as well as specific ones for certain departments, including applied sciences, arts and social sciences, business administration, and sciences. Additionally, SFU offers work-study and co-op programs that allow students to earn money while gaining valuable work experience.
Canadian undergraduate students pay around CAD 7,300 in fees per year, whereas International undergraduate student costs are higher, with a usual cost of about CAD 36,00 per year (Based on a typical program in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in 2024/25).
There are a diverse range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs for prospective students to choose from at SFU, and these cover hundreds of subjects and several modes of study.
Specific entry requirements vary between course subject and study levels, and applicants are encouraged to review the program-specific pages on the SFU website to familiarize themselves with important details before preparing their application.
There are many different pathways to admission, from high school applications to college transfer, plus partnership pathways. The SFU admissions team considers each application based on its individual merits and encourages anyone with the desire to gain a top-class Canadian education to apply.
In addition to meeting academic criteria, applicants must demonstrate a minimum level of English proficiency.
SFU is recognized for consistently high standard of teaching across more than 500 undergraduate and postgraduate programs combined, placing it among the best universities in the world for many academic subjects.
Programs are distributed over eight academic faculties and delivered by experienced and highly qualified instructors, many of whom are involved in ongoing professional work and innovative research projects. Class sizes are small, with an average student to faculty ratio of just 19:1, which results in a more personalized learning experience and greater opportunities for feedback, guidance, and connection.
Students are supported at every stage of their academic journey and have full access to a range of student services, learning resources, academic advising, personal and well-being support, and cutting-edge teaching technologies, helping to drive engagement and give students the best chance for success.
SFU has earned a respected academic reputation, including more than 70 active Royal Society of Canada members currently researching at the university. Between the university’s dedicated faculty and prestigious alumni, SFU has had multiple Rhodes Scholars and Guggenheim Fellows. SFU’s global reputation has attracted over 450 faculty with an international background to become part of its faculty community of more than 1,000 members.
SFU is a research-oriented institution, whose comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate programs provide students with relevant and thorough preparation for starting their careers with confidence.
The university offers a unique interdisciplinary academic approach that allows students to combine majors, minors, and certificates to create an educational experience that provides breadth and knowledge, while building a strong foundation in current research, relevant skills, and best practices.
There are over 500 programs for students to choose from, which can lead to a huge variety of career pathways. Programs are delivered by the following eight academic faculties:
Additionally, SFU is home to 60 research centers and institutes distributed across these eight faculties, and each performs leading work that contributes to the university’s high ranking among Canada’s top universities for research impact.
SFU's network of research centres address some of the most current and significant global and societal challenges, fostering a collaborative environment in which the research informs the teaching and course delivery throughout the rest of the school.
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Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
