49 Best universities for Creative Writing in Canada

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Canada ranked based on their research performance in Creative Writing. A graph of 366K citations received by 23.9K academic papers made by 49 universities in Canada was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of Toronto

Ontario | Toronto

For Creative Writing

#1 in North America

#1 in the World

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

2. University of British Columbia

British Columbia | Vancouver

For Creative Writing

#5 in North America

#8 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 71,201
Founded: 1908

3. University of Alberta

Alberta | Edmonton

For Creative Writing

#9 in North America

#14 in the World

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

4. McGill University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Creative Writing

#24 in North America

#38 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 37,888
Founded: 1821

5. York University

Ontario | Toronto

For Creative Writing

#26 in North America

#40 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 53,000
Founded: 1959

6. University of Calgary

Alberta | Calgary

For Creative Writing

#38 in North America

#63 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1966

7. University of Victoria

British Columbia | Victoria

For Creative Writing

#45 in North America

#79 in the World

Enrollment: 15,999
Founded: 1963

8. Western University

Ontario | London

For Creative Writing

#52 in North America

#96 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 21,836
Founded: 1878

9. University of Ottawa

Ontario | Ottawa

For Creative Writing

#62 in North America

#118 in the World

Enrollment: 42,027
Founded: 1848

10. Simon Fraser University

British Columbia | Burnaby

For Creative Writing

#63 in North America

#119 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1965

11. Queen's University

Ontario | Kingston

For Creative Writing

#66 in North America

#130 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Enrollment: 30,386
Founded: 1841

12. Carleton University

Ontario | Ottawa

For Creative Writing

#74 in North America

#150 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 9,109
Founded: 1942

13. University of Waterloo

Ontario | Waterloo

For Creative Writing

#84 in North America

#169 in the World

Founded: 1957

14. Ryerson University

Ontario | Toronto

For Creative Writing

#90 in North America

#180 in the World

Enrollment: 38,950
Founded: 1948

15. McMaster University

Ontario | Hamilton

For Creative Writing

#92 in North America

#184 in the World

Enrollment: 27,965
Founded: 1887

16. University of Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Creative Writing

#94 in North America

#188 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 66,972
Founded: 1878

17. University of Manitoba

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Creative Writing

#112 in North America

#240 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 29,800
Founded: 1877

18. Memorial University of Newfoundland

Newfoundland and Labrador | St. John's

For Creative Writing

#114 in North America

#247 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1925

19. Dalhousie University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Creative Writing

#119 in North America

#263 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Enrollment: 30,867
Founded: 1818

20. Wilfrid Laurier University

Ontario | Waterloo

For Creative Writing

#120 in North America

#265 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1911

21. University of Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan | Saskatoon

For Creative Writing

#123 in North America

#278 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 20,953
Founded: 1907

22. Concordia University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Creative Writing

#131 in North America

#295 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1974

23. Brock University

Ontario | St. Catharines

For Creative Writing

#147 in North America

#338 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 1964

24. University of Windsor

Ontario | Windsor

For Creative Writing

#159 in North America

#368 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 16,092
Founded: 1857

25. University of Quebec in Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Creative Writing

#163 in North America

#373 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1969

26. Laval University

Quebec State | Quebec City

For Creative Writing

#166 in North America

#379 in the World

Enrollment: 45,000
Founded: 1852

27. University of Guelph

Ontario | Guelph

For Creative Writing

#170 in North America

#389 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1964

28. University of Regina

Saskatchewan | Regina

For Creative Writing

#180 in North America

#430 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1911

29. Trent University

Ontario | Peterborough

For Creative Writing

#197 in North America

#488 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 1963

30. University of Winnipeg

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Creative Writing

#217 in North America

#545 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 10,000
Founded: 1871

31. Laurentian University

Ontario | Greater Sudbury

For Creative Writing

#225 in North America

#565 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 9,323
Founded: 1960

32. St. Francis Xavier University

Nova Scotia | Antigonish

For Creative Writing

#244 in North America

#625 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1853

33. University of Lethbridge

Alberta | Lethbridge

For Creative Writing

#247 in North America

#628 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Founded: 1967

34. University of New Brunswick

New Brunswick | Fredericton

For Creative Writing

#252 in North America

#638 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 32,036
Founded: 1785

35. St. Thomas University - Canada

New Brunswick | Fredericton

For Creative Writing

#281 in North America

#744 in the World

Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 1910

36. Lakehead University

Ontario | Thunder Bay

For Creative Writing

#284 in North America

#749 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1965

37. University of Northern British Columbia

British Columbia | Prince George

For Creative Writing

#292 in North America

#774 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Enrollment: 28,609
Founded: 1990

38. University of Sherbrooke

Quebec State | Sherbrooke

For Creative Writing

#303 in North America

#801 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1954

39. Mount Saint Vincent University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Creative Writing

#331 in North America

#879 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 4,050
Founded: 1873

40. University of Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island | Charlottetown

For Creative Writing

#349 in North America

#926 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 4,336
Founded: 1969

41. MacEwan University

Alberta | Edmonton

For Creative Writing

#366 in North America

#983 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1971

42. Mount Royal University

Alberta | Calgary

For Creative Writing

#379 in North America

#1025 in the World

Founded: 1910

43. Saint Mary's University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Creative Writing

#380 in North America

#1026 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 7,281
Founded: 1802

44. Acadia University

Nova Scotia | Wolfville

For Creative Writing

#397 in North America

#1073 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Founded: 1838

45. Nipissing University

Ontario | North Bay

For Creative Writing

#402 in North America

#1099 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

46. Ontario Tech University

Ontario | Oshawa

For Creative Writing

#406 in North America

#1107 in the World

Founded: 2002

47. Thompson Rivers University

British Columbia | Kamloops

For Creative Writing

#467 in North America

#1317 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Founded: 1970

48. Brandon University

Manitoba | Brandon

For Creative Writing

#471 in North America

#1335 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1899

49. Mount Allison University

New Brunswick | Sackville

For Creative Writing

#492 in North America

#1427 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 72,100
Founded: 1839

The best cities to study Creative Writing in Canada based on the number of universities and their ranks are Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Montreal.