Université Laval
North America's first French-language university, teaching in French on a green campus in Quebec City.
- Students
- 47,000
- Tuition
- CA$28,233
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1663
- QS World Ranking
- #526
- 2027 edition
About ULaval
Université Laval traces its roots to the Séminaire de Québec, founded by François de Montmorency-Laval in 1663, and became a university in 1852. It was the first North American institution to offer higher education in French, and it still teaches mainly in French: assignments and exams are normally written in French. The university moved from Old Québec to a new campus in Sainte-Foy in the 1950s, and today has 17 faculties, more than 60 departments and schools, and about 600 programs.
More than 47,000 students were enrolled in fall 2024, 28% of them in graduate programs, and over 6,000 were international or permanent-resident students in 2024-25. Laval reports more than $470 million in research funding and over 300 research centres, chairs and institutes, including 92 Canada Research Chairs and the CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Centre. Over 90% of its undergraduate programs include internships, often paid.
The campus covers 1.8 km2, 60% of it green space, with 40 buildings linked by footpaths and more than 5 km of underground tunnels. Laval suits francophone students and non-francophones willing to study in French: its French Immersion Pathway builds French classes into a bachelor's degree. Quebec students are admitted on their DEC and R score, while most international applicants need 13 years of schooling or a qualifying year.
Deo favente haud pluribus impar
“By the grace of God, to no one equal” — university motto
Why students choose ULaval
The French Immersion Pathway lets non-francophone students complete a full bachelor's degree in French in 4 to 6 years, with reduced fees for the French classes.
Over 90% of undergraduate programs include internships, often paid.
Québec City is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and full-time students get unlimited public transit in Québec City and Lévis through the university pass.
The Rouge et Or has more than 500 student athletes, and PEPS is one of Canada's largest modern sports complexes.
Admissions
Fall 2027 entry
Selectivity
Laval does not publish an overall acceptance rate. Unlimited-enrolment programs admit applicants who meet the requirements; limited-enrolment (contingentés) and limited-space programs rank Quebec applicants by R score and may add interviews, portfolios or aptitude tests.
Typical entry requirements
| Quebec DEC (Diploma of College Studies) | DEC plus program prerequisites; R score used to rank applicants in limited-enrolment programs |
|---|---|
| Canadian high school outside Quebec | Secondary diploma with 12 years of schooling gives access to non-limited bachelor's programs after a 30-credit qualifying year on campus |
| French baccalauréat, IB Diploma or Belgian CESS | Directly eligible for most undergraduate programs (some faculties, such as Forestry, Geography and Geomatics, have exceptions) |
| GCE A-levels | Three A-levels in subjects that prepare for the chosen program; 12-year diplomas require a 30-credit qualifying year |
| English language | Programs are taught in French, so there is no English requirement. Applicants who did not complete primary or secondary school in French must take the TCF tout public (listening, grammar, reading and writing), no more than two years before applying; depending on the result, French courses may be required. |
Deadlines
- Medicine, Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Sexology, Biomedical Science (university applicants) Non-binding Next deadline · In 26 daysNovember 1, 2026
Deadline for university applicants to these limited-enrolment programs for fall 2027.
- International applicants (fall) Non-binding In ~4 monthsFebruary 1, 2027
For unlimited-enrolment and limited-space undergraduate programs; applications after the deadline are usually moved to a later semester.
- Quebec and Canadian applicants, unlimited-enrolment programs (fall) Non-binding In ~5 monthsMarch 1, 2027
Regular admission; late admission until August 15 (August 1 for Education, Nursing and Pharmacy).
Laval publishes these as standing annual deadlines (the online form opens August 15 of the previous year); the program description prevails if it gives a different date. For fall 2026, French and francophone Belgian students were given until April 1 to apply; check whether the same exception is announced for fall 2027.
How to apply
Apply online to the Registrar's Office, listing up to two program choices per semester (plus a third unlimited-enrolment choice if you pick a limited program), and pay the application fee (C$101.49 for new applicants on the application-fee page; the 2026-27 budget estimate lists C$104.53) by the deadline. Upload documents through monPortail; international applicants then need a CAQ and study permit, which can take 4 to 6 months.
What admissions looks for
- The right diploma level: a Quebec DEC or an equivalent 13-year diploma, otherwise a qualifying year.
- Program prerequisites, such as specific college-level courses, listed in each program description.
- For limited-enrolment programs, a strong R score and, in some programs, interviews, portfolios or aptitude tests.
- Enough French to study in French, shown through the TCF for non-francophone applicants.
Tips for applying to ULaval
- 1 Register for the TCF tout public early if French is not your first language: the result decides whether you must take extra French courses.
- 2 International applicants should apply by February 1, because immigration steps (CAQ and study permit) take 4 to 6 months.
- 3 If you are French or francophone Belgian, check the fee exemption: eligible French undergraduates pay the Canadian out-of-province rate.
- 4 Canadians from outside Quebec should check the exemption scholarship for French-language programs, which can bring fees down to the Quebec rate.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CAD
The Student Awards and Financial Aid Office lists more than 3,000 scholarships each year, covering admission, mobility, leadership, excellence and financial need. Quebec government exemption programs let some international students (including eligible French and francophone Belgian students) and Canadians in French-language programs pay lower tuition.
- More than 3,000
- Scholarships listed each year
- $21,986 to $26,226
- Estimated total annual cost, Quebec undergraduate
- $28,599 to $32,839
- Estimated total annual cost, Canadian from outside Quebec
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (fall, winter, summer)
French Immersion Pathway (bachelor's degrees)
Built-in French as a second language classes so non-francophones can complete a degree entirely in French in 4 to 6 years.
Doctor of Medicine
Linked to the CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Centre, which Laval calls North America's premier francophone health research centre.
Forestry, Geography and Geomatics
Students train in the Forêt Montmorency, which Laval describes as the largest teaching and research forest in the world.
Law
Laval's law faculty trained prime ministers Louis St. Laurent, Brian Mulroney and Jean Chrétien.
Nursing and health sciences
Taught with the Centre Apprentiss, which Laval says is the only interdisciplinary healthcare learning centre of its kind in Canada.
Research
- More than $470 million in research and innovation funding and over 300 research centres, chairs and institutes.
- 92 Canada Research Chairs, plus 6 Canada Excellence Research Chairs secured since 2008.
- Over half of Laval's research publications involve at least one scientist from another country.
- Laval describes itself as Canada's first voluntarily carbon-neutral university.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences
- Faculty of Arts and Humanities
- Faculty of Business Administration
- Faculty of Dental Medicine
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Nursing
- Faculty of Pharmacy
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Faculty of Social Sciences
Student life
Laval's campus in Sainte-Foy is compact and green, with 40 buildings joined by footpaths, 8 km of bike paths and more than 5 km of underground tunnels that make winter easier. About 2,300 rooms are available in four on-campus residences. The Rouge et Or varsity program has more than 500 student athletes, and the PEPS sports complex is one of the largest in Canada. More than 4,000 students work on campus each year, and over 1,000 take part in international mobility programs.
- Rouge et Or varsity sports, with more than 500 student athletes.
- PEPS, one of Canada's largest modern sports complexes.
- More than 5 km of underground tunnels linking campus buildings.
- 830 partnership agreements with about 545 institutions in 61 countries for exchanges.
Housing. Four on-campus residences offer about 2,300 rooms; Laval estimates housing at $5,400 to $9,640 a year for a residence room or shared apartment.
Location
Québec City is the capital of Quebec and a UNESCO World Heritage site, and daily life there is in French. The campus is in the Sainte-Foy area, and Laval still has two buildings in Old Québec. Full-time students get unlimited bus travel in Québec City and Lévis with the university transit pass, and Laval estimates a modest yearly budget at about $22,000 to $26,000 for a Quebec student.
Nearest airport: Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB)
Notable alumni
- LS Louis St. LaurentPrime Minister of Canada; law degree (LL.L., 1905)
- BM Brian MulroneyPrime Minister of Canada; continued his law studies at Laval
- JC Jean ChrétienPrime Minister of Canada, 1993-2003; studied law
- PM Pauline MaroisFirst female Premier of Quebec; studied social work
- SB Sophie BrochuBusiness leader who has headed Énergir (Gaz Métro) and Hydro-Québec; economics graduate
- LG Louis GarneauOlympic cyclist and founder of Louis Garneau Sports; bachelor's in visual arts
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to speak French to study at Université Laval?
Yes. Laval is a French-language university and exams are normally in French. Non-francophone applicants take the TCF tout public, and the French Immersion Pathway lets you build French classes into your bachelor's degree.
How much is tuition at Université Laval for international students?
For 2026-27, a full-time international undergraduate pays about $28,233 for 30 credits plus $900 health insurance. Eligible French and francophone Belgian students pay the much lower Canadian out-of-province rate.
What is the Université Laval application deadline for fall 2027?
February 1, 2027 for international applicants and March 1, 2027 for Quebec and Canadian applicants to unlimited-enrolment programs. Medicine and some health programs close on November 1, 2026 for university applicants.
Can international students with a high school diploma apply to Laval?
Yes, but if your diploma represents 12 years of schooling you complete a 30-credit qualifying year first. A French baccalauréat, IB Diploma, Belgian CESS or three A-levels can give direct entry to most programs.
How does Laval select students for competitive programs?
In limited-enrolment programs, Quebec applicants are ranked by R score, and some programs add interviews, portfolios or aptitude tests.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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