Carleton University, founded in 1942, is a public research university located in Ottawa, Canada. Carleton University Campus has a diverse student body of over 31,000 students out of which 4500 are international students from more than 150 countries around the world.
The university intakes are scheduled for Fall, Winter, and Summer semesters. To secure admission at Carleton University, students must submit a GPA of 70%+. International students are recommended to begin the application process at least 5-6 months prior to when they wish to begin your studies.
Carleton University has been ranked #21 in Best Value Schools by U.S. News & World Report. This means the university is considered to be one of the most affordable universities in Canada. The cost of attendance at Carleton University for international students is around CAD 28,000-36,000 per year, depending on the program of study.

Carleton University Rankings
Carleton University is a top-ranked university in Canada. The overall rankings of universities as per different agencies are mentioned below.
Ranking Agency | Ranking 2023 |
---|---|
QS World University Rankings | #601-650 |
Best Global Universities US News | #526 |
World University Rankings THE | #601-800 |
Carleton University Subject Rankings
The university is often compared with York University and University of Guelph. A brief comparison of both with top-ranking subjects is tabulated below.
Program | Carleton University | York University | University of Guelph |
---|---|---|---|
Engineering-Mechanical | #351-400 | - | #401-450 |
Arts and Humanities | #451-500 | #159 | #370 |
Engineering | #251-300 | #401-450 | #201-250 |
Computer Science | #251-200 | #251-300 | #401-450 |
Communication and Media Studies | #151-200 | #151-200 | - |
Students can also check out detailed comparisons between Carleton and a few other universities from the below-mentioned links.
Carleton University Courses
Carleton University offers 64 majors and 19 minors to undergraduate students. The most popular majors for international students at university are Engineering, Journalism, International Business and Media Studies. The university has 69 graduate programs and 6 certificate courses. Apart from this, 7 post-baccalaureate diploma programs are also available for UG students.
Carleton University Campus
Carleton University campus is situated south of Ottawa's city center beside the official historic UNESCO World Heritage Site - Rideau Canal. The campus of university is spread across 62 hectares of land. There is a Canada-India center at the university established for excellence in science, technology, trade, and policy between the 2 countries. Some of the facts about university campuses are mentioned below:
- Transportation: Students can commute across campus through Public transit, taxi services and carpool.
- Restaurants: Some of the restaurants around campus are Kettleman's Bagel, Taj Mahal, The grand, Thali. Indian students feeling home-sick can eat at restaurants like Roast n Curries; Haldi East Indian Cuisine; Dosa n Curries.
- Clubs: University has 200 active students’ clubs, societies, and organizations for students' entertainment.
- Party School: According to Canada’s Top Party School ranking done by Macleans, Carleton ranks at #14. Students spend around 4.8 hours each week by partying and enjoying themselves.
- Sites to Visit: Students can visit various areas like Parliament Hill; Château Laurier; Bank of Canada Museum; Supreme Court of Canada.
Carleton University Accommodation
The university offers both on-campus and off-campus accommodation for students. There are two types of living styles at the Residence Complex- traditional style and suite-style. Carleton University on-campus accommodation costs 9 lakhs for a year. 3,600 students choose to stay on-campus. University's Places4Students strategy helps students find off-campus housing.
On-Campus Accommodation
Carleton University offers a variety of on-campus accommodation options for students, including traditional dormitories and apartment-style residences. These accommodations provide easy access to campus resources and a vibrant community atmosphere. Mentioned below are are the average annual cost of on-campus accommodation at Carleton University
Accommodation Type | Annual Cost in CAD | Annual Cost in INR |
---|---|---|
Single Room / All Access Meal Plan | 15,185 | 9.21 lakhs |
Single Room / All Access Plus Meal Plan | 15,485 | 9.40 lakhs |
Single Room / Reduced Plan | 13,577 | 8.24 lakhs |
Room Only | 9,380 | 5.69 lakhs |
Off-Campus Accommodation
Carleton University has formed a partnership with Places4Students.com, a reputable website specializing in off-campus housing solutions. Through this collaboration, students are granted access to a comprehensive and reliable rental property listing service, ensuring they find high-quality accommodation options to suit their needs.
Accommodation Type | Monthly Cost (CAD) | Monthly Cost (INR) |
---|---|---|
Shared apartments | 600-1000 | 36 thousand- 60 thousand |
Studio apartments | 1000- 1500 | 60 thousand- 90 thousand |
1-Bedroom apartments | 1200- 2000 | 72 thousand- 1.21 lakhs |
2-Bedroom apartments | 600- 2500 | 36 thousand- 1.51 lakhs |
Houses and Townhouses | 2000- 3000 | 1.21 lakhs- 1.81 lakhs |
Carleton University Admissions
Carleton University admission process is quite selective. For the class of 2021, the university only accepted 21% of students, out of all. Carleton admission intakes are in Fall, Winter and Summer semesters. To secure smooth admission into the university follow below-mentioned details.
Carleton University UG Admission
Category | Requirements |
---|---|
Application Portal | OUAC Portal |
Application Fee | 110 CAD (6,678 INR) |
GPA Requirement | GPA equivalent to 70%. |
English proficiency test scores | IELTS: 6.5 (minimum of 6.0 in each band) |
Additional Requirement | Letters of Recommendation | Statement of Purpose | Interview |
Carleton University PG Admission
Category | Requirements |
---|---|
Application Portal | Carleton 36 |
Application Fee | 100 CAD (6,071 INR) |
GPA Requirement | Grade B or 83-86% |
English Proficiency Test Scores | IELTS: 6.5 (minimum of 6.0 in each band) |
Standardized Exam Score | 600 |
Additional Requirement | 2 Letter of Recommendation | SOP | Resume | Interview |
Carleton University Acceptance Rate
Carleton University's acceptance rate is 21%. For the class of 2025, 7,915 applications are received. Among them, only 567 students are enrolled. The class comprises 12% international students representing 29 countries. The university currently houses 31,000+ students with 26.2% international students in graduate programs and 12.3 % in undergraduate representing 46 different countries. Some of the top programs chosen by international students in the 2021 academic year are tabulated below.
Level of Degree | Programs | International Students Enrollment |
---|---|---|
Undergraduate | Engineering | 850 (18.9%) |
Computer Science | 492 (20.8%) | |
Commerce | 350 (18.1%) | |
Master’s | Engineering & Design | 405 (53.6%) |
Management Studies | 156 (52%) | |
Computer Science | 45 (54.9%) | |
PhD | Engineering & Design | 135 (50.4%) |
Carleton University Cost of Attendance
Carleton University fees depend on the program and the lifestyle preference of the student. The table below presents an estimated range of fees.
Type | UG Cost (INR) | PG Cost (INR) |
---|---|---|
Tuition | 22.58 lakhs- 33.36 lakhs | 11.69 lakhs- 17.88 lakhs |
Books | 1.08 lakhs | 0.93 lakhs |
On-campus Housing | 8.83 lakhs | 6.46 lakhs- 10.39 lakhs |
Off-Campus Housing | 6.38 lakhs | 6.22 lakhs- 7.78 lakhs |
Personal | 1.55 lakhs | 2.33 lakhs |
Carleton University Scholarships
The university offers 12,000+ scholarships and bursary programs, worth 24 million CAD, to incoming students. Presently, international students are eligible for Carleton University Entrance Scholarship and two other scholarships only. Students with an admission average of 80% or above in the previous qualification are auto-considered for entrance scholarships in Canada; applicable for the Fall term only. The benefits of the Carleton Entrance Scholarships are mentioned:
Number of Scholarships | Award value | Admission Average |
---|---|---|
Unlimited @16,000 CAD | 4,000 CAD x 4 years | Renewable* 95-100% |
Unlimited @12,000 CAD | 3,000 CAD x 4 years | Renewable* 90-94.9% |
Unlimited @8,000 CAD | 2,000 CAD x 4 years | Renewable* 85-89.9% |
Unlimited @4,000 CAD | 1,000 CAD x 4 years | Renewable* 80-84.9% |
International students are eligible for two additional one-time awards along with the Carleton Entrance Scholarships. These are –
- International Award of Excellence - Grants 3.09 lakhs
- International Award of Merit - Grants 2.17 lakhs.
In addition to Carleton University scholarships, international students can explore external scholarships such as Ontario Trillium Scholarship and Ontario Graduate Scholarship.
Also Check: Scholarships for International Students to study in Canada.
Carleton University Alumni
Carleton Alumni's body has a robust membership strength of 165,000 members from over 150 countries around the world. Members of the alumni body benefit in various ways including:
- Career and employment counselling services
- Conferencing, meeting services, and summer accommodation
- Reduced rates for annual athletics memberships
- Confucius Institute Summer Program
- Free borrowing privileges and online journal access in the Carleton University Library
- Up to 10% discount on selected programs from over 100 professional programs of the Sprott School of Business
- Life, Home, and Auto Insurance
Carleton University Notable Alumni
Name | Profession | Achievement |
---|---|---|
Michèle Maheux | Film Executive | Co-founded the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and was its Executive Director for over 30 years |
Shane Smith | Media Executive | Co-founded Vice Media and was its CEO for over 25 years |
Maral Mohammadian | Human Rights Lawyer | Founded and directed the Canadian Centre for International Justice, and has worked on high-profile human rights cases such as the Omar Khadr case |
Dan Aykroyd | Actor/Comedian | Co-created and starred in the classic comedy sketch series "Saturday Night Live", and has had a successful career in film and television |
Norm Macdonald | Comedian/Writer | Known for his work as a writer and performer on "Saturday Night Live", as well as his own television shows and stand-up comedy performances |
Carleton University Placements
Carleton's Career Services provides students with job search support and on-campus career counselling. Furthermore, it includes workshops, peer mentorship programs, career exploration network events, job shadow programs, career cycles, etc. Carleton has an employment rate of 90.3% within 6 months of graduation and 93.3% after 2 years of graduation. The placement rates for academic year 2021 by programs at Carleton University are tabulated below.
Program | Average Annual Salar in CAD |
---|---|
Executive Management & Change | 191,000 |
Engineering | 93,000 |
Financial Services | 84,000 |
Marketing, Product & Communications | 80,000 |
IT & Software Development | 75,000 |
Public Sector & Not For Profit | 68,000 |
Carleton University’s flexible curriculum allows students to add a minor to their program. A student at Carleton can pursue a concentration, specialization, or stream, together with his/her degree program. Online programs are also available at Carleton. The university is one of Canada's best universities and is a vibrant, research-intensive university that ensures its students an excellent learning experience.
Carleton University's innovative, interdisciplinary, and international approach to research and discovery has earned it an impressive reputation, and it has played a huge role in the ongoing increase in external funding invested in Carleton research.
FAQs
Ques. Is Carleton University good?
Ans. Carleton University is ranked #20 in Canada University Rankings by THE in 2022. The university also ranked #18 among Global Universities in Canada by U.S. News and World Reports in 2022.
Ques. What is Carleton University famous for?
Ans. Carleton University is the first institution for a graduate degree program in Public Administration. The university possesses the oldest Journalism program in Canada. Carleton is also known for its Arts and Humanities programs.
Ques. Is Carleton or Ottawa U Better?
Ans. Compared to the University of Ottawa, Carleton University’s location is a bit isolated. Carleton lacks convenience and accessibility whereas Ottawa U’s location is easily accessible and near to the market. On top of that, Carleton University’s acceptance rate is also lower than University of Ottawa. Check Out: Carleton University vs University of Ottawa
Ques. Which is better Concordia or Carleton?
Ans. Carleton University’s acceptance rate is significantly lesser than Concordia University. Also, the national rankings for Carleton are better than Concordia. While Carleton is at #18, Concordia is at #21 in National University rankings by U.S. News in 2022. Check Out: Carleton University vs Concordia University
Ques. What marks do you need to get into Carleton University?
Ans. To be eligible for Carleton University admission, students must have an overall average of at least a GPA equivalent to 70%. However, this is the minimum requirement to fill up the application form. Students need to be competitive to secure admission.
Ques. Is Carleton University expensive?
Ans. Carleton University is quite affordable with graduate program tuition fees at 15,265.20 CAD (9.36 lakhs) per year. MBA tuition fee is a little bit higher than that at 31,117.20 CAD (19.08 lakhs) per year. Carleton is cheaper than most of the other Canadian Universities like – University of Windsor and University of Ottawa.
Ques. How long does it take to get offer from Carleton University?
Ans. Carleton University admission decisions are released within 1-2 weeks after submitting applications. The applicants will be notified via email if they are selected. The university also sends an acknowledgement of a successful admission via email.
Ques. Is Carleton University cheap for international students?
Ans. The university charges around 9.36 lakhs on average for graduate programs per year. MBA tuition fees are higher than that at 19.08 lakhs per year. The total cost of attendance at Carleton University is a minimum of 26.33 lakhs per year.
Ques. Where is Carleton University located in Canada?
Ans. Carleton University is located in Ottawa, Canada. The college address is - 1125 Colonel by Dr, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
Ques. Does Carleton College require IELTS?
Ans. Carleton College requires a minimum score of 6.5 in IELTS as proof of English language proficiency. The college also accepts TOEFL and PTE test scores. However, Canadian colleges prefer IELTS over other ELP scores.
Ques. What is the application deadline for Carleton University?
Ans. Application deadlines for undergraduate programs at Carleton University are October 15. The graduate programs have different deadlines. The MBA program deadline for the Fall semester is 1 March 2023.
Ques. How does Carleton calculate entrance scholarships?
Ans. Candidates who have academic scores of 80% and above are automatically considered for the Carleton Entrance Scholarships. The marks aggregates are calculated based upon the documents submitted by the candidates at the time of application. The scholarships grant up to 16,000 CAD (9.87 lakhs) in total.
Ques. Does Carleton University offer full scholarships?
Ans. Carleton University provides only 3 scholarships to international students presently. These 3 include - Carleton University Entrance Scholarship, International Award of Excellence and International Award of Merit. The entrance scholarship is with the highest grant amount but none of these offers full tuition fees.