Study in Waterloo, Canada

About Waterloo

Waterloo is a university city in southwestern Ontario, about an hour's drive from Toronto. Together with Kitchener and Cambridge it forms one urban area: Statistics Canada estimates the population of the Kitchener - Cambridge - Waterloo census metropolitan area at 701,568 on 1 July 2025.

The city is known for its universities and for co-operative education (co-op, paid work terms built into a programme). For international students it offers a student-centred city with lower density than Toronto and easy access to the Greater Toronto Area.

Studying in Waterloo

Our directory lists three institutions in Waterloo, all teaching in English:

• Wilfrid Laurier University traces its roots to the Evangelical Lutheran Seminary, opened in Waterloo in 1911, and took its current name in 1973. The Waterloo campus has more than 18,800 undergraduate and graduate students in arts, music, science, education, graduate studies and the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics. The campus covers one large city block, so classes and residences are close together.
• St. Jerome's University was founded in 1865 and became a university in 1959. It is a public Roman Catholic university federated with the University of Waterloo: its students are co-registered in the Faculty of Arts and receive their degree from the University of Waterloo.
• Conestoga College is a polytechnic college with more than 20,000 students in eight cities, over 250 career-focused programmes and more than 70 co-op programmes. Its Waterloo campus has training centres for masonry, roofing and heating, refrigeration and air conditioning, and a restaurant, Bloom, run by hospitality and culinary students.

Cost of living for students

No official figure for typical student rents is published. Laurier and St. Jerome's offer residences, and Conestoga has student housing a short walk from its Waterloo campus; compare prices on each institution's website.

Grand River Transit (GRT) runs the buses and the ION light rail across the region. A single fare costs $3 with an EasyGO fare card and a monthly pass $104. Full-time students at Conestoga College, the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University use the U-Pass, priced at $124.91 from 1 September; GRT also sells a four-month college pass for $325 to students at eligible colleges.

Most foreign nationals need a study permit for a designated learning institution (DLI); the application fee is CAN$150, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Students whose permit allows it can work off campus up to 24 hours per week during regular terms.

Getting around and daily life

Most students get around on foot, by bike or with GRT buses and the ION train. Toronto, and with it Toronto Pearson Airport, is about an hour away by road. Winters in southern Ontario are cold and snowy, so plan for winter clothing.

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Waterloo?

Our directory lists Wilfrid Laurier University and St. Jerome's University, which is federated with the University of Waterloo, as well as Conestoga College.

How much does public transport cost for students in Waterloo?

Full-time students at Conestoga, the University of Waterloo and Laurier use the GRT U-Pass, priced at $124.91 from 1 September. Without it, a GRT fare costs $3 with an EasyGO card.

How far is Waterloo from Toronto?

Laurier states that all its campuses are an hour's drive or less from Toronto.

Can international students work while studying in Waterloo?

Students with a study permit that allows off-campus work can work up to 24 hours per week during regular terms, according to IRCC.