Want to study in the US or Canada? Check out these options – 10 of the best places to study abroad in North America, based on the QS Best Student Cities 2015. This global index draws on a range of indicators to rate cities on their universities, student community, lifestyle, reputation among employers, and affordability for prospective international students. Based on the most recent results, here are 10 of the best places to study abroad in the US or Canada this year…
Boston
Nicknamed “the Athens of America”, this east-coast US city is well known as a hub of academia. While the city center is home to an impressive selection of internationally renowned universities, including Boston University and Tufts University, its wider area also encompasses two of the world’s most elite institutions – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University. Boston ranks sixth overall in the QS Best Student Cities 2015 – the highest entrant among the best places to study abroad in North America – getting strong scores for its universities, its large and diverse student community, and its stellar reputation among graduate employers.
QS Best Student Cities ranking: joint 13th
Boston is certainly one of the world’s best-known academic hubs, and in the QS Best Student Cities 2016 it retains its position within the global top 15, ranking joint 13th alongside Canadian citiesToronto and Vancouver.
Boston’s leading position is bolstered by universities located within the Greater Boston area, in the neighboring town of Cambridge. The most famous of these are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, which are both consistently ranked among the very top universities in the world. In the QS World University Rankings? 2015/16, MIT retains its place as the world’s number one university, while Ivy League member Harvard University comes second.
While these two institutions have no shortage of attractions of their own, the proximity of Boston certainly doesn’t take away from their appeal. As one of the most historic cities in the US, Boston combines the hustle and bustle of a major metropolis and a happening arts, politics and culture scene, with an abundance of open green space and the stunning fall colors for which Massachusettsand the region of New England are famous. In addition to the academic might of MIT and Harvard, Boston is home to five more internationally ranked universities, forming a hub of intellectual endeavor which has earned it the nickname “the Athens of America”.
Thanks in part to the two showstoppers, MIT and Harvard, Boston has a great score in the “university rankings” category of the Best Student Cities index. It’s also one of the highest scorers in the “employer activity” category, reflecting the strong international reputation of its institutions among graduate employers around the world.
The city’s weakest score, predictably, is for affordability, with fees at top US universities exceeding US$40,000 per year. But in fact both MIT and Harvard operate need-blind admission policies for all applicants, including international students, and generous financial aid packages mean Boston’s universities may not be as out-of-reach as they at first appear.
QS ranked universities
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Harvard University; Boston University; Tufts University; Boston College; Northeastern University; Brandeis University; University of Massachusetts - Boston
Montréal
Canada’s leading city in the index, Montréal is widely accepted as the nation’s “cultural capital”, known for its foodie and music scenes, mixture of Francophone and Anglophone influences, and packed annual calendar of internationally attended festivals. It ranks eighth overall in the QS Best Student Cities 2015, with a particularly strong score in the “student mix” category, reflecting its large and internationally diverse student community. The city’s leading institution, McGill University, is currently ranked 21st in the world, followed by the Université de Montréal (within the world’s top 100) and Concordia University (top 500).
QS Best Student Cities ranking: 7th
Home to several of Canada's highest ranking institutions, including McGill University (currently ranked 24th in the world and 1st in Canada), Montréal has been dubbed Canada’s cultural capital, and one of the world's most livable cities. In the QS Best Student Cities 2016, Montréal retains a strong position among the world’s best cities for students, moving up from 8th to 7th place, behind Singapore.
As a French-speaking city in a largely English-speaking nation that has experienced mass immigration from all over the world in the past decades, Montréal has a distinctly hybrid culture. The city boasts a world-renowned indie music scene and is the site of several major international festivals, including the Montréal International Jazz Festival and the world's largest comedy festival, Just for Laughs.
With a relatively large and diverse student population, Montréal gets its strongest score in the “student mix” category of the Best Student Cities index. Its weakest point is affordability – but in fact it beats many of the other top 10 student cities on this indicator.
QS ranked universities
McGill University ; Université de Montréal ; Concordia University
Toronto
Just one place behind Montréal in the QS Best Student Cities 2015, in ninth place overall, fellow Canadian city Toronto is a close rival on all counts. It too claims an exciting variety of cultural offerings, cuisine and nightlife venues, along with a thriving higher education sector. In fact, theUniversity of Toronto is currently one place ahead of McGill in the QS World University Rankings?, joined in the international league tables by York University and Ryserson University. Toronto claims the highest score of any city in the “desirability” category, reflecting its high quality of life, but is narrowly beaten by Montréal in the other four fields assessed.
QS Best Student Cities ranking: joint 13th
Canada’s largest city combines all the best the country has to offer – a diverse community, vibrant cultural scene and nightlife, stunning natural surrounds, and of course world-leading universities.
Rival Canadian city Montréal retains a slight lead, ranking six places higher than Toronto in the QS Best Student Cities 2016. As well as being closely matched in the higher education space, the two cities are also close competitors for the title of Canada’s “cultural capital”. Toronto boasts booming art, fashion, creative and foodie scenes, and an impressive concentration of creative types. It also gets the highest overall score in the QS Best Student Cities’ “desirability” category, and ranks fourth out of 140 cities in The Economist’s Global Liveability Report.
QS ranked universities
University of Toronto ; York University ; Ryerson University
Vancouver
Over on the opposite side of Canada, west-coast city Vancouver is another highly popular student destination, offering a pretty unbeatable combination of sea, snow sports and urban life. Its leading institution, the University of British Columbia, ranks comfortably within the global top 50, while the nearby Simon Fraser University offers the chance to study in the heart of the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Unsurprisingly, Vancouver’s strongest score is for “desirability”, with an almost equally strong rating for “student mix”, reflecting the large numbers of international students already attracted to its bright lights and thrilling natural surrounds.
QS Best Student Cities ranking: joint 13th
Although sometimes overshadowed by fellow Canadian cities Montréal and Toronto, Vancouver is not to be overlooked. In the QS Best Student Cities 2016, Vancouver retains its position among the top 15 best student cities in the world, at joint 13th with Toronto and Boston.
Two universities in Vancouver feature in the QS World University Rankings? 2015/16, the highest-ranked of which is the University of British Columbia at 50th in the world. Vancouver’s other ranked institution, Simon Fraser University, offers a particularly unique study setting, thanks to the location of its main campus in the middle of the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area, just outside the city.
Whether you’re based in the city center or not, Vancouver has much to offer. The nearby Grouse, Seymour and Cypress mountains provide more than just a beautiful backdrop to the city – they’re also an incredibly popular destination for snowsports, offering some of the world’s best ski resorts.
Even in the center of Vancouver the great outdoors is never far away – beaches, forest and stunning mountains are all within easy reach. For those who prefer cultural pursuits, Vancouver also offers an array of brilliant nightlife, theatres and music – everything you’d expect from one of Canada’s most loved cities.
QS ranked universities
University of British Columbia ; Simon Fraser University
San Francisco
Firmly back on US soil, San Francisco combines laid-back Californian beach culture with fast-paced high-tech innovation. Adjacent to famous tech hub Silicon Valley, the San Francisco Bay Area is home to two of the planet’s most prestigious higher education institutions: Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, ranked 7th and 27th in the world respectively. At 13th (one place behind Vancouver) in the overall index, San Francisco gets a particularly high score for “employer reputation”, thanks to its combination of world-leading universities and game-changing research centers.
QS Best Student Cities ranking: joint 27th withAmsterdam and Copenhagen
Lying adjacent to California's famed tech innovation hub Silicon Valley, San Francisco is within striking distance of two of the world's most prestigious universities, Stanford University and theUniversity of California, Berkeley, currently ranked joint 3rd and 26th in the world respectively.
Made famous in the 1960s as the home of “flower power”, San Francisco remains one of the US's most iconic and frequently visited cities. With its famously laid-back coastal lifestyle and sunny climate, it’s known for its high quality of life, without the expensive living costs associated with cities like New York (though of course university fees are still as high as you’d expect from top US universities).
Today, the city’s bohemian heritage and relaxed beach style blend with more cutting-edge and competitive dynamics. One of the world's leading 10 financial centers, the San Francisco Bay Area is home to hundreds of innovative companies, particularly in the technology sector, including the likes of Apple, Facebook and IBM, adding to its attraction for ambitious students and graduates.
This, combined with the high caliber of its institutions, gives San Francisco one of the strongest scores in the “employer activity” category of the QS Best Student Cities index – based on surveys of local and international employers, who are asked to identify the cities they perceive as producing the most talented and employable graduates. The city’s highest score in the QS Best Student Cities index is in the “student mix” category, reflecting its large and international student community.
QS ranked universities
Stanford University; University of California, Berkeley (UCB); University of San Francisco;University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
New York
The most iconic city in the US and probably the world, New York places 17th in the QS Best Student Cities 2015 – with high scores in most categories offset somewhat by a relatively low “affordability” rating. For those who find ways to meet the city’s high fees and living costs, however, the Big Apple is pretty much unsurpassable. Few places on Earth come close to matching its non-stop lifestyle and mind-blowing range of cultural attractions – or, indeed, its selection of internationally ranked universities, led by Columbia University and New York University (NYU), both well within the global top 50.
QS Best Student Cities ranking: 20th
From architecture and arts to finance and innovation, New York City is one of the world’s undoubted leaders in almost every field imaginable – and this includes higher education. With 11 internationally ranked universities located in the New York City area, it’s long been a magnet for international students seeking the finest education money can buy – not to mention the chance to live in such an iconic and dynamic metropolis.
Few other cities can rival the high concentration of world-class universities in the NYC area – New York is one of the highest scoring cities in the ‘university rankings’ category of the QS Best Student Cities index. The main factor preventing NYC from getting a higher overall position is its low score for affordability; top-dollar tuition fees combine with relatively high overall living costs to make this one of the world’s more expensive study options.
But for those for whom it is a financially viable option, New York offers a virtually inexhaustible supply of things to see and do. Home to many of the most important movers and shakers in world culture, business, finance and the media, and pulsating with energy 24/7, the Big Apple will keep throwing up enough surprises and new experiences to keep you going for an entire lifetime, let alone the duration of your degree program.
QS ranked universities
Columbia University; New York University (NYU); Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick; Yeshiva University; University of Delaware; City University of New York; Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey, Newark; New School University; Stevens Institute of Technology; Fordham University; Rockefeller University
Chicago
Known for its rich musical heritage, passionate sports fans, skyscraper-dominated skyline and lakeside beaches, the “Windy City” ranks just one place behind New York in the overall QS Best Student Cities 2015. While the cost of living is markedly lower compared to NYC, this doesn’t mean any compromise on either quality of education or quality of life. Indeed, Chicago beats New York in the “desirability” category, and its two leading universities – the University of Chicago andNorthwestern University – boast even higher international rankings than NYC’s top two.
QS Best Student Cities ranking: joint 30th withBarcelona
A fast-paced, high-rise economic hub, Chicago is also a city that famously knows how to let its hair down. Nicknamed 'The Windy City', Chicago saw an explosion of blues and jazz music during the 20th century which earned it a reputation as the northern US's answer to New Orleans.
Chicago is also home to two of the nation's – and the world’s – most prestigious universities, theUniversity of Chicago (ranked 10th in the world), and Northwestern University (ranked 32nd), plus two more universities within the global top 500.
The city’s strongest score is in the “employer activity” category of the index, reflecting the strong reputation of its institutions among graduate employers. As for other US cities, the weak point is affordability, due to the high tuition fees charged by leading private institutions such as the University of Chicago.
But for many students, the exceptional academic facilities on offer, alongside the myriad social and cultural opportunities offered by this bustling metropolis, will make studying in Chicago well worth the investment.
QS ranked universities
University of Chicago; Northwestern University; University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC); Illinois Institute of Technology; Loyola University Chicago
Los Angeles
For those who prefer their beaches by the ocean rather than the Great Lakes, Los Angeles joins fellow Californian city San Francisco as a second option for those keen to study in the US’s most populous state. The home of the Hollywood movie industry, LA is also rich ground for literature, music and arts of all kinds, boasting more theaters and museums than any other US city. It’s certainly not all superficial glitz and glamour either; the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is one of the world’s most prestigious, with the University of Southern California not far behind.
QS Best Student Cities ranking: 42nd
Home to two universities ranked within the world’s top 150, Los Angeles joined the QS Best Student Cities in the 2014 edition. For the 2016 edition, it achieves particularly strong scores in the “student mix” and “employer activity” categories. The latter reflects the views of local and international employers, who clearly view the city as a key hub from which to recruit bright new talents. Certainly it’s no surprise to find that graduates of the world-renowned University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) are in high demand.
Home to the Hollywood film industry and absolutely packed with galleries, museums, theaters and all kinds of performance venues, LA is often touted as the ‘Creative Capital of the World’. In addition to its large comprehensive state universities, the city also has numerous private universities and colleges, many specializing in fields relating to the creative arts.
Whatever your field of interest, LA is likely to have a strong offering – whether it’s business, science, fashion, medicine, sports or technology. It is, after all, the second largest metropolitan area in the US (after New York). And the southern Californian climate is an added bonus, with sunshine guaranteed pretty much year-round.
QS ranked universities
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); University of Southern California
Philadelphia
Just to the south of NYC, Philadelphia offers a different perspective on east-coast life, offering an appealing combination of green spaces, cultural venues and historic interest (including the famous Liberty Bell) – plus several of the US’s very best universities. The Ivy League member University of Pennsylvania (currently ranked 13th in the world) is joined here by the also internationally esteemedDrexel University and Temple University. Its strongest score in the QS Best Student Cities 2015 is in the “employer activity” category, suggesting prospective employers are keen to recruit graduates from the city’s top institutions.
QS Best Student Cities ranking: 48th
Home of Ivy League member the University of Pennsylvania (18th in the QS World University Rankings? 2015/16), as well as the esteemed Drexel University and Temple University, Philadelphia certainly holds its own as an international study destination.
The city has played a key role throughout US history and politics. It was here that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, and here that the Liberty Bell – a symbol of US independence – is housed. This rich history, combined with a good selection of museums, galleries and thriving arts, theater and music scenes, makes Philadelphia a popular tourist destination, as well as a pleasant and interesting place to live.
Beyond the tourist trail, the ‘city of brotherly love’ (a nickname based on the Greek meaning of ‘Philadelphia’), is a multifaceted modern metropolis. The city’s residents are known for being passionate about sport at both professional and university level. In recent years Philadelphia has also become something of a foodie’s favorite, though the city’s cuisine will always be associated primarily with the simple pleasures of the steak and cheese submarine sandwich (the ‘Philly cheesesteak’).
QS ranked universities
University of Pennsylvania; Drexel University; Temple University
Washington DC
Last but certainly not least, Washington DC offers the chance to study in the US’s political center. Home of the White House, Supreme Court and all the national monuments, memorials and museums you could wish for, the federal district is also a showcase for many aspects of US arts and culture, particularly known for its jazz scene. The city itself is home to a cluster of prestigious institutions, including Georgetown University and George Washington University, while theUniversity of Maryland, College Park is less than a half hour’s drive away in neighboring Maryland.
QS Best Student Cities ranking: 45th
It should hardly be a surprise to find Washington DC, the federal capital of the world’s most popular study destination, on a list of the planet’s best student cities. This year Washington DC is ranked as the 45th best student city in the world and sixth in the US.
Washington DC’s position as a leading student city is helped by the five universities based in and close to the city that feature in the QS World University Rankings? 2015/16. These are led by theUniversity of Maryland, College Park at joint 126th in the world, followed by Georgetown University,George Washington University, American University and Howard University.
And of course, studying in Washington DC means being right at the heart of US history and politics – the White House, Supreme Court and national monuments and memorials are all located here. When not seeking study advice from statues of presidents past, you may enjoy spending time in the pretty and vibrant old port area of Georgetown, seeing an exhibition at one of the 19 museums in the Smithsonian group, or engaging in the traditional local pastime of debating politics over a good meal.
QS ranked universities
University of Maryland, College Park; Georgetown University; George Washington University;American University; Howard University
