We do not know what the future holds,
We just know to work very hard.
When I was young, I pushed myself hard to be the top student of my class.
When I was older, I strived to get into the top schools.
Thinking back, life as a kid was really simple.
My biggest dream was to become a famous scientist,
My biggest worry was not getting into Tsinghua or Peking University.
Until one day, when I suddenly grew up and realized that the world was bigger than I had imagined. There is much more the world has to offer – like to study abroad.
However, there are so many schools abroad even though we have only been told of Tsinghua and Peking University since we were young. No one has ever mentioned going to the University of Toronto or McGill University ...
We want to know more about the schools before we make a decision to apply, but the problem is, the school is so far away! We rarely have the opportunity to go and see for ourselves. So besides looking at rankings, we might also look for information on the Internet. Another problem is there are so many sources of rankings, and each one is so different. Which one do we look at? How are Canadian schools classified, and are they not like the "Project 985" and "Project 211" universities in China? Which schools in Canada are like the "985" and "211"?
While these terms may seem strange outside of China, we have done everything possible to collect and analyze data to sort out the Canadian "985" and "211" school classifications for you.
“985”What is “Project 985” and “Project 211”?
Although most of us reading this article were born and raised in China, and we know that the top schools of the Great Heavenly Dynasty are divided into categories "985" and "211." However, I believe that many still do not know the origin of these names.
985Engineeringwas announced by President Jiang Zemin in his speech to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Peking University on May 4th, 1998. He states that in order to achieve modernization, China must have a number of world-class universities. The first phase of Project 985 was first implemented at Peking University and Tsinghua University (our deepest interwoven dream as a child). There is a total of 39 universities in the project.
211Engineeringis a process for the 21st century, focusing on the establishment of about 100 universities and a number of key disciplines. The project was officially launched in November 1995. There are 112 universities in total.
Canada’s version of Project 985 and 211
There are only about 200 universities in Canada, and in China, there are 112 “Project 211" universities. Therefore, in terms of the number of schools, Canada does not dominate, but rather in terms of education quality ...
Canada’s version of “Project 985”
Project 985 is the first establishment project for prestigious universities in China. The value of Project 985 universities is slightly better than Project 211. If these categories correspond to Canada’s universities, the top ranks belong to three major universities: Toronto Universities，McGill University，University of British Columbia。
The three major schools have been at ranked near the top over the years, and have continuously competed for the top ranking.
The University of Toronto has deserving maintained the lead among the three giants, especially in this year's major rankings, in which it holds first place. As the most well-known university in Canada, the University of Toronto occupies a leading position in academic, scientific, and school environments.
McGill University and Toronto Universities and even though it has a ranking below U of T, there is little difference in their score. McGill is also the most traditional of the three famous schools. First of all, being located in a French-speaking area, it has unique language-learning advantages. There is an excellent combination of English and French education here.
UBC is the most innovative university among the three famous universities. Its teaching quality is comparable to that of McGill. With its excellent location, in the beautiful city of Vancouver, its popularity also extremely high among the majority of international students.
Canada’s version of Project 211
The total number of schools in Canada is low, but the quality is exceptional. Except for Canada’s “Top 3” mentioned above, Canada also has the "Big Eight" universities that are comparable to Ivy league. The remaining schools here can be ranked similar to China’s "Project 211" universities.
University of Alberta is arguably Canada's most comprehensively developed university. The province’s rapid development since the discovery of oil has also led to the development of the University of Alberta. Today, the school is ranked among the top in the world, as Alberta is one of the richest oil provinces in Canada and maintains its position as a leader in production and environment technology. The school is also one of the rare universities that has their own sports college.
McMaster University is a medium-sized university, but the percentage of professors with Ph.D.’s is the highest in Canada. The school has a medical school comparable to McGill University. It is one of the rare universities in North America with its own nuclear reactor. It is particularly famous in the industry. The university is known as the “Canadian MIT.”
Queens University is Canada's most teaching-oriented university. Together with Toronto and McGill, it is known as a “Canadian Ivy League” school. Although the school does not have any unique programs, it hardly has any shortcomings. It is a highly reputable university in Canada. It is known as the “Princeton of Canada.”
 University of Waterloo has a short history, it is the fastest growing school in Canada. Since its establishment, the school has been focusing on the computer industry and established the School of Mathematics, giving it an unsurpassed reputation in the computer science field. Waterloo is also best known for its co-op program, where students can gain practical experience while studying.
Western Universityis a university located in London, Ontario, and has become one of Canada's largest universities. The school focuses on the study of the humanities. Its medical school is topnotch in Canada, and its Ivey business school is particularly renowned. The MBA program is recognized throughout the country and globally.
University of Montreal is the world's largest French-speaking school and the second-largest school in Canada. In recent years, the school's many academic research results have ranked second in the Canadian comprehensive ranking. The university's engineering school and business school are world-renowned, with the best-equipped virtual trading room among universities in the world. It is also a university with personalized services.
University of Calgary,formerly a branch of the University of Alberta, has grown rapidly into one of Canada's most significant research universities. The school's International Tourism Education and Research Centre is the only research centre outside Europe. In recent years, the university has established a good relationship with Peking University, Tsinghua University, Sun Yat-Sen University, and Tongji University in China.
Canada's "National Focus"
The three major schools and the "Big Eight" schools that go out to Canada, and some schools are not to be underestimated. Although it may be slightly inferior in general, a certain major may be the leader of the industry, for example:York University’s business program,University of Guelph’s agriculture program, etc. There are also some dominant universities that can also be considered as the focus of the partners, such as:Simon Fraser University，University of Quebec，University of Ottawa，Victoria University，Laval University，Concordia University，Dalhousie University,etc.
In the end, these are subjective opinions. Some of you may have opposing ideas. If you are dissatisfied with our articles, please take our efforts into consideration, and turn your resentment into praise!
