Among the best and most recognized art schools in Canada are:
- Emily Carr University of Art and Design (ECUAD)
- Alberta University of Arts
- Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) University
- Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD)
- University of British Columbia (UBC)
- Concordia University
- Mount Alison University
- York University
- Sheridan Arts College
- Yukon School of Visual Arts
If you have shown a strong passion for the arts as a child and continued to nurture it throughout elementary and high school, the next natural step is usually enrolling in an undergraduate art program. Living in Canada, you’ll have access to some of the world’s most renowned art schools 1. The next question is, which one should you choose?
Emily Carr University of Art and Design (ECUAD)
Named after the famous Canadian painter, the Emily Carr University of Art and Design is a well-known public Canadian university and one of the top-ranked institutions for art and design located in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The university offers three main undergraduate programmes — Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Media Arts, and Bachelor of Fine Arts, where students will get to major in the following fields of study:
Entry Requirements: Canadian applicants must graduate from Grade 12 secondary school and have a minimum overall grade point average of 2.5 (C+ or 67%).
They must also complete 5 subjects from the selection of Grade 12 British Columbia Ministry-approved courses, such as Mathematics courses, Science, Social Studies, Languages, and Language Arts.
✔ Portfolio submission is a must.
Alberta University of Arts
Based in Calgary, Alberta, the Alberta University of the Arts is known for its focus on smaller classes and dynamic art lessons. Currently, the average faculty-to-student ratio is 1:14, and the average student class size is 21.
The university offers two main Bachelor’s degrees across multiple disciplines — Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Bachelor of Design (BDes) programs. Under the BFA, students will specialize in Studio Art, followed by these areas of concentration:
On the other hand, students who choose to enroll in the BDEs program will major in either Visual Communication Design or Photography.
Entry Requirements: Local applicants who graduated from a Canadian high school with a minimum overall grade of 60% in English 30-1 and three additional Grade 12 courses, such as Social Studies, Fine Arts, Humanities, and a few more. International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) are also accepted.
✔ Portfolio submission is a must.
Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD)
Well known as the largest and oldest art institution in Canada, the OCAD is located in Toronto, Ontario. The OCAD has three faculties — Faculty of Arts and Science, Faculty of Art, and Faculty of Design, all of which show strong digital and design presence.
Pathways include:
1. Advertising
2. Creative Writing
3. Digital Futures
4. Drawing & Painting
5. Environmental Design
6. Experimental Animation
7. Graphic Design
8. Indigenous Visual Culture
9. Industrial Design
10. Integrated Media
12. Photography
13. Printmaking & Publications
14. Material Art & Design
15. Sculpture/Installation
16. Visual and Critical Studies
17. Integrated Media: Life Studies Specialization
18. Criticism & Curatorial Practice
Entry requirements: Both domestic students and international students have to prepare a portfolio and high school transcripts. Academic requirements could differ depending on which school you’re from — in Ontario or outside Ontario. Be sure to check the official OCAD webpage for the latest details.
Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD)
The Nova Scotia College of Art and Design is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Founded in 1887, it is an art school with strong fine art programs and comprehensive interdisciplinary art education, especially when it comes to shaping the craft, design, and art field in Canada.
Here are the following undergraduate programs offered:
Bachelor of Arts
- Art History Studio
- Art History Non-Studio
Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Ceramics
- Expanded Media
- Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Jewellery + Metalsmithing
- Photography
- Textiles + Fashion
Bachelor of Design
- Interdisciplinary Design
Entry Requirements: Local and international applicants need to submit their academic transcripts and portfolios accordingly, based on their program requirements. What’s different about Nova Scotia University is that they require every applicant to submit a one-page admission essay on why they choose to enroll in this art school and discuss their aspirations towards pursuing a program in NSCAD.
University of British Columbia (UBC)
While UBC is a large research university and not a specialized art school per se, its Department of Art History, Visual Art & Theory (AHVA) is known for its academic rigor, with a strong focus on art history, criticism, and visual theory in the North American region.
At UBC, students can opt to study the Bachelor of Arts (BA) program, majoring or minoring in Art History, the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program, majoring or minoring in Visual Art, or the interdisciplinary Bachelor of Media Studies (BMS) program.
Entry Requirements: UBC has higher academic requirements than the other institutions. Local students must score at least 70% in Grade 11 or Grade 12 English and are encouraged to take at least six academic/non-academic Grade 12 courses. Portfolio requirements may vary according to different programs.
Concordia University
Located in Montréal, Quebec, Concordia University is known for its extensive undergraduate programs with a specialized art focus (Bachelor of Fine Arts), including the following main branches:
Art Ed and Art History
- Art Education, Visual Arts
- Art History
- Art History and Film Studies
- Art History and Studio Art
Design and Computation
- Computation Arts
- Computation Arts - Computer Science
- Design
Studio Arts
- Ceramics
- Fibres and Material Practices
- Intermedia (Video, Performance, and Electronic Arts)
- Painting and Drawing
- Photography
- Print Media
- Sculpture
- Studio Arts
Entry requirement: High school diploma (in and outside Quebec) with updated transcript, online application, and a letter of intent (why you chose this course, an overview of your educational background, and goals of choosing this course). The letter can be written in English or French.
✔ Portfolio submission is a must. Minimum number of items in the digital file is 15 items, maximum items is 20 files. Your online portfolio will be submitted together with your letter of intent.
Mount Alison University
If you are located in New Brunswick, you can consider taking an art course at Mount Alison University. Applicants can choose from these main degree pathways under the Department of Fine Arts:
Entry requirements: High school diploma completion with a minimum final grade of 65% or the equivalent. Applicants must first submit an application to the university and a separate Fine Arts application to the Department of Fine Arts.
✔ Portfolio submission is a must. A digital portfolio will be reviewed according to your selected course. 15 digital images for still documentation + 10 images of pages from sketchbook. Refer to this video for the details.
York University
While York University is not a typical art school per se, it takes pride in its School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD), which is home to about 3000+ students and 30+ competitive undergraduate programs. According to the Maclean’s 2025 University Rankings, York University is one of the top five comprehensive universities in Canada, which is why it's one of the best art schools in our list.
It is most well known for its Visual Arts and Design programs and extensive art training facilities, such as the L. L. Odette Centre for Sculpture, which is Canada's largest university Sculpture Studio. Here are some examples of undergraduate arts programs offered:
Entry requirements: Applicants need to have a strong academic average for their high school diploma (mid-70s).
✔ Portfolio submission is a must for design and fine arts programs. During the evaluation process, shortlisted candidates will also be invited for an interview alongside their portfolio presentation.
Sheridan Arts College
Sheridan Arts College is a good option for applicants who are searching for both diploma and degree courses relating to the field of art and design. Located in Oakville, Ontario, this institution's Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design (FAAD) is Canada's largest art school 2, offering 38 specialized programs with 18 Bachelor's degree options. Among them, here are the key fields of study:
Entry requirements: For diploma programs, applicants only require an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent. On the other hand, degree program applicants need a high school diploma with a minimum 65% grade average, and must have completed a Visual Arts credit in addition to 5 more subjects, including English (if you have a visual arts credit, a portfolio review is unnecessary)
✔Portfolio submission is a must for degree program applicants without a Visual Arts credit.
Yukon School of Visual Arts
Finally, we have the Yukon School of Visual. Located in Dawson City, this art school is ideal for students who are looking for a solid, well-accredited foundation art program to prepare them well for a degree in art school. This means that it is beginner-friendly and also suitable for mature students.
Even though this school is known for its 8-month Foundation Year Program, this program is equivalent to the first year of a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (BFA), with many hands-on learning activities and art workshops. Graduates from this foundation program can transfer their credits to the following art learning institutions:
- Emily Carr University of Art + Design
- OCAD University
- Mount Allison University
- NSCAD University
- Alberta University of the Arts
- University of Ottawa
Entry requirements: Prospective applicants must achieve a minimum 65% overall grade in their high school diploma, especially in the English 12 subject (or equivalent).
✔ Portfolio submission is a must according to these structure: 10-20 digital images documenting artworks (that you have completed), 2-5 images selected from your sketchbook (to show your creative process), and also a short written statement (200-500 words) to detail who you are, why you want to study visual arts here and how studying here can impact your artwork.
What Matters When Choosing The Best Art School
We hope this list of the best art schools 3 in Canada has given you some insights into the experience of studying art professionally in the country.
Every art school has its appeal and strengths in terms of its campus locations, rankings, and art specializations, but what matters the most is whether your passion for the arts is aligned with the school’s vision and values in terms of art education.
That’s why it’s best to know where your strength and passion in art lie through a private tutor before deciding on the exact art undergraduate degree or art school.
At Superprof, you can be certain to find a tutor who matches your preferences in terms of qualifications, teaching experience, art specialization, and most importantly, hourly rates. All you need to do is state your subject of interest (in this case, art) and current location (for example, Ottawa) in the search box (homepage) to start browsing various tutors’ profiles.
You’ll get undivided attention and receive instant feedback and practice techniques specifically chosen to help you grow in your area of interest. Plus, if you're preparing a portfolio for art school or an upcoming project, having a dedicated art tutor who can give you personalized advice is a huge plus to equip you to survive art school.
With these preparations all set, you’re one step closer to your dream of becoming an artist!
References
- Top 10 best art colleges in Canada: courses, ranking, fee & more! (2025, April 23). https://amberstudent.com/blog/post/top-art-colleges-in-canada-courses-ranking-fee
- Octet Design. (n.d.). Top design universities in Canada | Best colleges & Courses. Octet Design Journal. https://octet.design/journal/top-design-universities-in-canada/
- Top 10 best art schools in Canada. (2019, June 7). LoveFunArt. https://lovefunart.ca/blogs/insight/top-10-best-art-schools-in-canada
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