Overview

Founded in 1878, Western University attracts students with a broad worldview seeking to study, engage with, and lead in international communities.

　　Offering more than 400 undergraduate programs and 88 graduate programs, Western teaches a full complement of disciplines with five subjects ranked in the top 50 globally.

　　Western students study and live in a diverse, welcoming community that includes more than 5,800 international students. Students have the opportunity to balance academic achievement with leadership activities, research, athletics, volunteer experiences and social engagement, fostering a strong sense of community.

　　Western has a proud legacy of 24 Rhodes Scholars. In addition, over the past seven years, Western has had 13 Global Winners and over 150 highly commended students recognized through the Global Undergraduate Awards – consistently ranking Western as first in North America in this pan-disciplinary competition.

　　A member of the U15, Canada's most distinguished research universities, Western is ranked among Canada's fastest-rising institutions for scientific research. Its research teams are internationally renowned in fields ranging from neuroscience and imaging to natural disaster mitigation, planetary science and social innovation. The university attracts CAD 240 million annually in external research funding.

　　Western is based in London, Canada, a welcoming city of 384,000 located two hours west of Toronto that serves as an economic and cultural hub for Southwestern Ontario.

　　Its campus is 480 hectares of green space comprising gothic-style buildings mixed with modern structures. The campus is well-connected to the city's public transit system in addition to many cycling and walking trails. Travel to Toronto, Detroit and many other destinations is easy by air, train and bus.

　　Western is a founding member of the most distinguished research universities in Canada, U15. The university takes research from labs and into the real world through its partnerships in the public and private sectors.

　　When you study at Western, you join a global network of more than 315,000 alumni from 150 countries. Graduates enjoy successful careers and a 95.2 per cent employment rate after graduation.

　　

What's new

International students are well-supported through immigration advising, virtual programming, peer connections and individual assistance – whether in Canada or studying remotely. Western also offers a range of immigration, travel and quarantine support and resources for students to make their journey to Canada from abroad.

　　Western University places the health of its students, faculty and staff at the centre of all its practices and policies. The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing challenge to the delivery of quality higher education but the university has risen to the challenge by implementing protective measures for students on campus, while also investing in enhanced resources and support for online teaching.

　　The Take Care Western campaign ensures that the health and safety on the university campus is a collective responsibility. The university works to have all members of the community following conscientious steps to care for each other and minimize transmission risk of COVID-19, and offers an on-campus COVID-19 testing clinic.

　　The core of Western's approach is a careful, multi-phased plan to safely support students' academic success as well as continued research activities. The plan combines some in-person learning with online education, all while maintaining a high standard of teaching.

　　

Teaching quality

Western professors are highly trained experts in their field who integrate their research findings into their daily teaching. Western has the second-highest number of 3M National Teaching Fellowships in Canada – awarded through a national awards program recognizing exceptional contributions to teaching and learning in Canadian post-secondary education.

　　Every faculty member has their own way of bringing the classroom to life at Western. From simulations to case methods to collaborative learning, you will learn from the very best, in new and exciting ways. Meet some of our professors and hear how they engage students in meaningful ways. Sample a lecture or two – and see what it would be like to learn at Western.

　　Western's quality also extends to its students, who maintain one of Canada's highest national entrance averages for first years. In addition, the retention rate for students moving from their first to second year is over 93 per cent - one of the best rates across Canada, and the graduation rate is almost 10 per cent above the Ontario university system.

　　

Department structure

Western University is comprised of 12 faculties and schools, which offer more than 400 combinations of undergraduate courses ranging across majors and minors, in addition to specializations. The university also offers 88 graduate degree programs across a range of focused or interdisciplinary options, including professional master's programs and research-based master's and doctoral programs.

　　The faculties at Western University include:

　　Arts and Humanities Engineering Health Sciences Information and Media Studies Kinesiology Medical Sciences Music Science Social Science and DAN Management and Organizational StudiesWestern offers superior flexibility in program choice through a modular degree structure, allowing students to combine various subjects within their degree to meet their interests and talents. Critical thinking, ethics, experiential learning, service to the larger community, leadership and innovation are key values driving the Western experience – no matter the program choice.

　　Students at Western can also take on concurrent degrees if they wish to study two majors at once, in addition to a combined degree comprising of a degree program with a professional course.

　　

Entry requirements

Western University is passionate about admitting the best and brightest students into the university community, whatever their background, area of interest or country of origin. The university evaluates all students based on academic performance, expected potential and the competitive strength of their application. As a result, the high school grades and other achievements that applicants demonstrate will be evaluated during the admissions process.

　　All students who are applying to study at Western University will need to demonstrate satisfaction of the following minimum criteria in order to be considered for admission:

　　General admission requirements pertaining to the educational jurisdiction in which an applicant has studied High school pre-requisites for the faculty/program to which they are applying English language requirements, if applicable Supplementary information which may include but is not limited to personal profiles, auditions, portfolios, or personal statements Admission average as calculated by WesternWestern's Undergraduate Admissions office may require that any applicant completes and submits evidence of a test of English language proficiency. This will apply to all students for whom their first language is not English. The university accepts a range of acceptable English language tests, including but not limited to:

　　IELTS International – a minimum score in IELTS Academic is required with a minimum overall band score of 6.5 with no part less than 6.0. TOEFL Internet based (iBT), Paper-based (PBT) and the TWE. A minimum score is required on the internet based TOEFL of 83 with no score below 20, and a 550 on the paper-based test with a 5 on the TWE.

　　

Facilities

Students at Western University will spend much of their time living and learning on the university's stunning, 480-hectare (1,200-acre) campus in the city of London, Ontario. This campus is the perfect environment for learning, with a mix of gothic and modern architecture set among large expanses of open spaces and hills. The campus, which has won several honours for its natural beauty and quality, sits alongside the Thames River and is located in the north end of the city.

　　Western's campus isn't just style but substance too, with an impressive array of services and facilities to suit every student's needs. The campus enables the university's reputation as a world-leading research institution through its state-of-the-art classrooms, breakout learning spaces, laboratories, and computer facilities. In addition, Western boasts the fourth largest library collection in Canada, and provides digital access to millions of electronic publications and more than 700 bibliographic databases. Multiple on-campus library locations allow students to supplement their face-to-face teaching with private study in modern private study spaces.

　　Western University offers a fantastic residential experience to its students and is consistently ranked among the top for best residence experience in Canadian large universities. The university offers nine different residences, which are tailored to one of three residence styles. These are: traditional, suite-style and hybrid-style, allowing every student to select a living arrangement that suits their lifestyle and finances.

　　The campus is also home to a number of arts and athletics facilities, including the McIntosh Gallery, the Paul Davenport Theatre, and a CAD 35 million student recreation facility. This recreation centre contains a fitness centre, swimming pools, courts and a wide array of classes.

　　

Scholarships & funding

Western University recognizes that exceptional academic achievement requires strong institutional and financial support for its students, in order for them to realize their full potential. As a result, the university offers a range of financial awards and scholarships.

　　Three International President's Entrance Scholarships valued at CAD 50,000 each are awarded to exceptional international students each year through the National Scholarship Program. These awards recognize general excellence in the university's student body and are awarded to students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievements and innovative approaches to their learning journey. Selected recipients of this prestigious scholarship receive CAD 20,000 for first year and CAD 10,000 annually for years two to four.

　　Western also offers guaranteed admission scholarships for high-achieving high school students entering the university. These include the Western Scholarship of Excellence, which includes 250 scholarships of CAD 8,000 each for students with the highest high school admission average scores. In addition, there are the Western Scholarships of Distinction and the Western Admission Scholarships which range in value between CAD 2,500 and 3,500 and are available for students with final admission averages over a certain minimum.

　　The university also offers a robust array of donor-sponsored scholarships and other financial aid options to ensure that every student has the best chance of completing their studies without difficulty. These options include bursaries and an international student work study program offering part-time employment on campus.