The newest university rankings are out, highlighting some of Canada's top academic institutions. One small-town institution is dominating the top spot.

Maclean’s magazine has released its ranking of the best undergraduate universities for 2025, stating, "These universities are largely focused on undergraduate education, with relatively fewer graduate programs and graduate students."

You can check here for the latest list of the best doctoral and comprehensive universities.

The universities on this list offer students various experiences, from participating in a student-run farm to earning their commercial pilot license. If you're taking the next step as an undergrad, here are the top choices.

Mount Allison

For the second year in a row, Mount Allison in Sackville, New Brunswick, a town with around 6,000 residents, remains at the top for undergraduate education.

According to Maclean's, Mount Allison is a solid choice for undergrads in liberal arts or science.

Established in 1839, it is the epitome of charm, with ivy-coloured brick buildings, and offers convenience, as it's just walking distance from the town's downtown core.

Its standout programs include health studies, museum and curatorial studies, and aviation. The school partnered with Moncton Flight College, which allows students to earn a commercial pilot licence.

Annual tuition for Canadian students costs $11,447. The yearly flat cost for international students is $20,810.

University of Northern British Columbia

Between panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains and its wood and glass buildings, it's hard to imagine a more picturesque setting for higher education.

The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), located in Prince George, BC, retains its second spot once again. Established in 1994, some of its top programs include education, engineering, and nature-based tourism management.

Annual tuition, including fees, costs $6,898.

Saint Mary's University

The third top spot for undergraduates in Canada retains its rank for the second year and has been around for a long time — Halifax-based Saint Mary’s University was founded in 1802.

With an average of just 35 students per undergraduate class, students can be sure they get the attention they need while being part of a close-knit community.

In addition, 98 per cent of the school's full-time professors hold PhDs, and standout programs include accounting, public humanities and heritage, and forensic science.

Yearly tuition costs $9,230 for students in Nova Scotia and $10,513 for out-of-province students.

Acadia

Last year's fifth-top contender, Acadia University, climbed to number four. It was founded in 1838 in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.

The school is remarkable for various reasons: it focuses on environmental and sustainability studies and even has a student-run farm. Undergraduate students can learn through hands-on research in a lab, in the field, or investigating in the library.

Standout programs include community development, computer science, and law and society.

Students can expect to pay $10,182 in tuition (including compulsory ancillary fees), while tuition for out-of-province students is $11,465.

Lakehead

Ontario-based Lakehead has made a remarkable jump from the 11th spot in 2023 to the fifth spot this year.

It boasts two campuses: a main campus in Thunder Bay and another in Orillia. The Thunder Bay campus is ideal for outdoorsy students — it has an artificial lake, and fox, beaver, and deer sightings are common. Meanwhile, the Orillia campus is a 90-minute drive north of Toronto.

Lakehead offers 20 programs, and some standouts include forestry, engineering, and criminology.

Including fees, annual tuition will cost you $7,384.

This year, two universities share the seventh spot, and the other universities in the list include:

• Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario
• Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, Ontario
• University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
• Bishop's University, Lennoxville (Sherbrooke), Quebec
• St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia