Ontario’s Top Schools

Find a School

The School and Board Finder provides contact information for Ontario schools and school boards. Using this database, you can perform a simple search on school and board names or an advanced search that allows you to also include city, language, level and type in your search criteria. Ontario has 18 publicly funded universities and 24 colleges of applied arts and technology.

Universities

These universities, as well as the Ontario College of Art & Design, receive funding from the Ontario government. You can learn about Ontario's publicly funded universities on this website. You will also find a list of other educational institutions that can grant degrees in Ontario. Ontario's universities offer many exciting choices for students. You can learn more about each university and its programs by visiting these websites, or by writing or calling for more information. If you have questions about whether the institution has the authority to offer the program in which you are interested, you are advised to contact the Universities Branch, Ministry of Training, College and Universities at 416-325-1953. The top schools in Ontario include, Brock University, Carleton University, the University of Guelph, York University, and the University of Toronto.

Colleges

There are 24 colleges of applied arts and technology in Ontario. These colleges receive public funding from the Ontario government. Many colleges have more than one campus location. That means students can take full-time and part-time courses at more than 100 locations across the province. The colleges include, Algonquin, Centennial, Fanshawe, Sheridan, Humber and Mohawk. In addition, Collège d'Alfred, Kemptville College, and Ridgetown College offer postsecondary programs in agricultural technologies. The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences offers programs to train health care professionals.

Private Career Colleges

A wide range of training programs exist to help Ontarians prepare for the job market or enter the professions. For many occupations, registered private career colleges can provide a suitable alternative to the training offered by colleges, universities, apprenticeship programs and other provincial skills development programs. Private career colleges have been a part of postsecondary education for many years. Today there are over 500 registered private career colleges in Ontario.

Private career colleges are independent private businesses offering a diverse range of postsecondary training and education programs. They share the common objective of providing the student with the skills and knowledge required to get a job in a particular occupation. Programs are usually provided as morning, afternoon, or evening sessions and in some cases through distance education.

Since practical skills are stressed these programs will appeal to those who need specific skills to enter the work force as quickly as possible or those who need specific practical skills in addition to their academic qualifications to become more competitive in the marketplace.

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship is another type of Ontario education opportunity that is offered as an on the job training program for people who want to work in a skilled trade or occupation and includes learning new skills from skilled journeypersons. Apprenticeship training provides access to well paying jobs that demand a high level of skill, judgement and creativity. Apprentices are paid while gaining work experience, and their wages increase with their level of skill. There are currently over 140 apprenticeable trades in Ontario in four sectors: construction, industrial and manufacturing, motive power and service. You've probably heard a lot about the types of college and university programs offered in Ontario’s top schools. But there is also a wide range of interesting career choices available in the world of the skilled trades.

You see skilled workers everyday in construction projects, in manufacturing and in hospitality trades. They're involved in almost every aspect of Ontario's economy. And they're in high demand in Ontario's rapidly changing workforce.

Getting a job in the skilled trades is just the first step in learning new technologies that will let you build a rewarding career. Jobs in skilled trades pay well and challenge your intellect and creativity. Better still, you can earn a pay cheque while you learn.