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The best online colleges in Canada include Robertson College, Humber College, and Athabasca University. See the 13 top online schools and their key features.
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With nearly 9 million students taking college courses exclusively online, it’s an increasingly popular way to learn. Attending college online is a great way for students to learn at their own pace. Many schools offer online course options, but they’re not all created equal.Â
When looking for the best online colleges in Canada, it’s important to explore your options before committing to a specific school or program. Depending on your learning style and life phase, your needs will vary. The criteria that a recent high school graduate is looking for will be very different than someone making a career change at 40.Â
Here are some of the best online colleges in Canada and what makes them so great.Â
The best online colleges in Canada offer a range of courses at various price points. They also work to meet the needs of individual students, whether that means flexibility to self-pace their learning or a more structured learning experience.Â
These are all things to consider when looking at the best online colleges in Canada. Here is a breakdown of the top schools offering online courses and their features.Â
Best for all types of learners
As one of the best online colleges in Canada, Robertson College offers a variety of flexible program options, including in-person, hybrid, and online programs. With a focus on providing learning opportunities that help students find in-demand jobs they’ll enjoy, Robertson College also offers career-focused micro-credentials.Â
Robertson’s online learning options include both structured and flexible courses. Using the online learning platform Brightspace, students can easily connect with their instructors and classmates. Course options include:Â
Best for their innovative approach to learning
Humber College is a polytechnic school, which offers hands-on and multidisciplinary learning opportunities. Humber works closely with different employers to give their students hands-on, real-world experience in their field.Â
The largest polytechnic in Canada, Humber offers unique learning spaces and options. With multiple campuses in Ontario, students can experience in-person learning as well as online courses. With full-time options offered in the daytime, evenings, and weekends, there are many courses to choose from, such as:Â
Athabasca University. (2024, January 1). In Wikipedia.
Best for their wide range of online-only programs
One of the first online colleges in Canada, Athabasca describes itself as Canada’s “open university.” With more than 50 different programs, students can get their education wherever and whenever they want. And with undergraduate, graduate, individual, and career development course options, Athabasca offers something for everyone.
Without the need to be enrolled in a specific program to take an Athabasca course, students have true flexibility to pursue their education in the best way for them. Degree options include:
Best for online undergraduate options
Based in Kingston, Ontario, Queen’s University has a good reputation among Canadian universities. Offering 140+ online courses across 10 disciplines, there are undergraduate and postgraduate options as well as micro-credentials for career enhancement.Â
Queens’ online offerings suit various types of learners with a blend of collaborative and independent learning. While learning is mostly asynchronous, with live and recorded sessions, courses do have set start and end dates. Additionally, some programs will require some in-person elements, such as labs or fieldwork.Â
Degrees offered include:
Best for bilingual students (English and French)
Laurentian University offers the largest selection of online bilingual courses in Canada. Students also get a high degree of flexibility with self-pacing options.Â
Laurentian offers both Degree and Diploma programs, a Master’s in Business Administration program, and certification and upskilling courses. Some of these options include:
Best for those who like a challengeÂ
McGill University is consistently ranked one of the top universities in Canada. This also means it’s quite competitive. However, their online programs primarily focus on professional development, with a variety of courses on topics such as project management, business administration, and cyber security.Â
Because McGill’s online courses centre around professional skills, classes that require live attendance are scheduled outside working hours in the evenings. Courses are also largely asynchronous, with both live classes and independent work, requiring only about five hours a week.Â
Featured online courses include:
Best for those interested in business and leadership
The University of Fredericton, also known as UFred, is a private, 100% online business and leadership-focused university. Along with offering degree, diploma, and certificate courses, UFred is well known for its Master of Business Administration program.
The multidisciplinary program offers nine different leadership-focused disciplines, including Global Leadership, Professional Selling & Leadership, and Artificial Intelligence Leadership. With a maximum of 25 students per class, students are given the support they need to succeed. According to their website, UFred’s MBA was voted the best online MBA in 2023.Â
Some additional course offerings include:
Best for hybrid and flexible options
Yorkville is a private university that offers a smaller roster of online programs. The programs they offer online cover a range of disciplines, from Psychology to Interior Decorating. With small class sizes, flexible schedules, and a focus on engaging coursework, Yorkville prides themselves on helping students achieve their goals — both personal and professional.Â
Students can choose from full- or part-time coursework and have the option to do accelerated studies with course start dates year-round. With campuses in Fredericton, NB, Toronto, ON, and Vancouver, BC, students can also do hybrid coursework as their program allows.Â
 Courses offered include:
Best for mature and postgraduate students
Royal Roads’ blended learning programs began in the 1990s and focus on supporting mature and postgraduate students in fitting their education into their busy schedules. While many of the programs offered at Royal Roads are blended — requiring both online and in-person coursework — they do offer some online-only options.Â
Blended courses are predominately online but require an intensive on-campus residency. Online learning includes a combination of asynchronous and synchronous classes, as well as classwork and discussions through the learning platform Moodle.Â
Some of the online-only program offerings are:
Best for students who value accessibilityÂ
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) has a large course catalogue of online program offerings. Students can either set their own pace for learning or stick to a schedule, and they also have flexibility around exam times.Â
With their campus in Kamloops, BC, some courses require in-person elements such as labs. TRU emphasizes the importance of student success, prioritizing accessibility in particular. With TRU’s open learning model, students are encouraged to work at their own pace. They offer adult basic education courses, certificates, diplomas, and degrees.Â
Programs include:
Best for postsecondary education courses
The University of Manitoba offers more than 80 of their courses online. Their courses are primarily asynchronous but do require students to complete coursework within a specific time frame.
The university offers a wide range of courses focusing specifically on professional development in higher education administration. This includes courses in Academic Advising, Governance in Canadian Universities, and Women in Academic Leadership. Additional programs include:Â
Best for fast-track optionsÂ
Mount Royal University (MRU) offers both self-paced and fast-paced course options for online learners. The Calgary, AB, university has more than 50 online course options covering a variety of disciplines, with the option to fast-track some courses.
MRU includes both asynchronous and synchronous course options, with flexible pacing and blended learning options. Their fast-track option allows students to complete courses in as little as five consecutive days.Â
Programs include:
Best for their online business administration master’s
The University of Canada West is a Vancouver-based private university. Their online program offerings are completely self-paced with the exception of tests. They have both in-person and online classes.Â
Canada West’s programs focus primarily on career enhancements. They offer a number of micro-credentials in topics such as Data and Web Analytics and Social Media Marketing, as well as undergraduate options and a Master’s program. Courses include:Â
As you try to decide which of the best online colleges in Canada is for you, you likely still have some questions. Here are some of the commonly asked questions about getting your degree online in Canada.Â
Yes, online degrees, Master’s degrees, and other certifications are recognized in Canada at both the provincial and federal levels if they are from accredited institutions. Confirm if a school is accredited by visiting the Government of Canada’s webpage.Â
Colleges in Canada do not offer online degrees. One of the main differences between college and university is that universities can offer degrees while colleges cannot. Some universities that do offer online degrees in Canada include Athabasca University, Laurentian University, and Royal Roads University.Â
The best online college to attend depends entirely on your needs as a student. Consider what courses you are interested in, if you want full- or part-time studies, if you need flexibility or want a structured schedule, as well as your budget, among many other considerations.Â
Degrees in Canada cost anywhere from $4,500 to $8,000 per year for Canadian students. This depends on the specific program and educational institution. For international students, degrees in Canada cost anywhere from $7,000 to $22,000 a year.Â
Yes, many accredited online degrees are recognized internationally. Whether your online degree is recognized will depend on the specific accrediting body of that region.
As you continue to explore the best online colleges in Canada and carefully weigh your options, consider Robertson College. With Robertson’s career-focused courses, you can rest assured that your individual needs as a student and professional will be met.
Explore Robertson College’s online learning options.Â
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