The rankings are in: Montreal has been named one of the top 10 cities globally for international students by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) in their Best Student Cities for 2025.
Montreal—a destination also recently ranked as a cultural hub and one of the world's best cities for food—secured the 10th spot out of 150 cities, with an impressive overall score of 92.1 out of 100.
Toronto, the largest city in Canada, ranked 11th, and Vancouver placed 19th.
The QS Top Universities study evaluated six key categories to determine the rankings, including city population, which must exceed 250,000, and the presence of at least two universities from the recent QS World University Rankings.
In Montreal, these include McGill University and Concordia University.
What are the top 10 best cities for students?
According to this survey, the top ten cities are:
Why did Montreal rank in the top 10 best cities for students?
There were many factors that contributed to Montreal’s spot on the top 10 list.
When it comes to student mix, the city excels in diversity, hosting 40,000 international students from 150 countries annually.
This category assesses the proportion of students in the city's population and their international representation, as well as the inclusivity of the city's environment.
When measuring safety, pollution levels, and the number of students who aspire to study in the city, Montreal scored 85.1, with the survey reflecting students' dream city choices.
As far as employer activity, the category examined cities as recruitment hubs for employers seeking new graduates.
It considers youth employment rates and the popularity of local institutions among domestic and international employers. Toronto leads among Canadian cities with a score of 84.3, followed by Vancouver at 78.9 and Montreal at 77.
Montreal also ranked higher in affordability with a score of 41.6, compared to Toronto's 21.2 and Vancouver's 25.1, evaluating tuition costs and living expenses using metrics like the "Big Mac Index."
Based on student ratings, and considering factors like tolerance, diversity, transit, friendliness, nightlife, culture, and sustainability—including the likelihood of students staying in the city post-graduation—Montreal scored 93.6 in this category, slightly below Toronto’s 94.3.
Overall, Montreal's blend of cultural diversity, affordability, and academic excellence makes it a top choice for students worldwide. And we haven’t even mentioned all the city’s incredible things to do—cheap eats and amazing free activities included.
For more about the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking, click here.
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