Overview

Founded in 1907, the University of Saskatchewan (USask) is a public research institution located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Canada. It is the largest education institution within the province and offers a comprehensive selection of undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses, which span a wide range of subject areas.

　　There are approximately 25,000 students at the university, which includes a strong international community representing more than 130 countries worldwide. USask is a research-driven institution and is one of Canada's top research universities. It holds membership of the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities and conducts leading research into some of the most significant challenges faced by society today, including agriculture, energy and mineral resources, indigenous peoples, synchrotron sciences, public health and wellness, water, communities and sustainability, and quantum innovation.

　　

What's New

The University of Saskatchewan is a world leader in sustainability for higher education, taking top places in global rankings for its pioneering design and practices.

　　With a place in the top 100 universities worldwide according to the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023, placing 67th overall, USask has demonstrated its world-class performance against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

　　Within this, the university made particular progress against SDG 2, ‘Zero Hunger', leaping from 52nd place to 16th – due in part to its pioneering new courses in agriculture and bioresources. This is in addition to a top 20 place globally for ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities'.

　　''We are thrilled to see USask's dedication to sustainability recognized in these latest rankings,'' said USask Vice-President Research Baljit Singh. ''This is a testament to the commitment of many: our researchers, faculty, scholars, artists, staff, and students who continually deliver on our promise to be what the world needs.''

　　In addition to its recent achievements across THE Impact Rankings, the university also achieved a gold status award for the first in the Sustainability Tracking & Assessment System (STARS).

　　

Teaching quality

USask has an educational heritage of more than a century, and is known for the quality of its curriculum and course material. Students are at the centre of what the university does, and the university works hard to build environments in which their faculty can deliver the highest level of teaching service while conducting their work with integrity, compassion, and professionalism.

　　The university is well-resourced, and contains modern teaching facilities, cutting edge laboratories, lecture halls, classrooms, as well as the latest teaching technologies to enhance the tuition which students receive.

　　The teaching faculty at USask represents a diverse and highly qualified group of individuals, with years of combined experience and a passion for the success of their students. The overall student to staff ratio at the university is 19:1. Students are taught in relatively small class sizes, which gives them a more personalised learning experience and results in more one-to-one interaction than many Canadian universities.

　　

Department structure

USask offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate degree programmes, delivered by a superb teaching faculty, and spanning many different subject areas.

　　Degree courses are distributed across the following 18 academic colleges and schools, which form the backbone of the university's educational programme:

　　Agriculture and Bioresources Arts and Science Dentistry Education Edwards School of Business Engineering School of Environment and Sustainability Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Kinesiology Law Medicine Nursing Pharmacy and Nutrition School of Rehabilitation Science School of Public Health Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy Veterinary MedicineEach of these schools has a distinct organisational structure, although the university has an inter-disciplinary approach towards research and instruction, and encourages cross-collaboration between colleges, working together to engage with USask's wider research goals.

　　

Entry requirements

USask offers a wide range of degree programmes at undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels of study, as well as continued professional development courses, spanning a huge number of subject areas. As such, entry requirements can vary between programmes and prospective students are encouraged to visit the university website to find course-specific admission details.

　　This will typically involve submission of an online application, which includes a student's prior educational records such as high-school and postsecondary transcripts, and for some subjects can include a cover letter or a small portfolio of work. The university considers applications from students of a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and nationalities.

　　The USask admissions team are available all year-round to answer any queries or questions relating to the application progress.

　　

Facilities

The University of Saskatchewan's historic campus is located on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River on more than 2,000 acres of land. It is known for being one Canada's most beautiful campuses and contains all the facilities and resources needed for students to excel academically, while also gaining a rich university experience.

　　The campus is self-contained learning environment. In addition to educational facilities, it is home to student accommodation facilities, sports facilities, food and drinks vendors, retail services, health and wellness clinics and so much more. There are even art galleries, gardens, and two museums on campus which student can visit to get inspired.

　　The university's main library is a state-of-the-art facility which houses hundreds of thousands of books, journals, and digital resources which student can freely use for their studies. Much of these resources are available online through USask's online virtual learning environment (VLE), and the library also hosts an IT centre which provides technical support to all students.

　　

Scholarships & funding

The University of Saskatchewan works hard to provide opportunities to students from all backgrounds and offers a comprehensive programme of scholarships and bursary schemes to support its student community.

　　Funding is awarded according to both merit-based and means-tested criteria. Students are automatically considered for certain awards at the time of admission, while others require a separate application. For example, the Guaranteed Entrance Scholarship recognises a student's prior academic achievement and is awarded based on their admission average, as follows:

　　

Admission average

95 percent - Scholarship valued at CAD 3,000

　　93 percent to 94.9 percent - Scholarship valued at CAD 2,000

　　90 percent to 92.9 percent - Scholarship valued at CAD 1,000

　　85 percent to 89.9 percent - Scholarship valued at CAD 500

　　There are many other awards available. Prospective students are encouraged to check the university's fees and funding pages online for full information on eligibility requirements, as well as any key dates and deadlines.