🐾University of Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown, PE, Canada

Home to the only veterinary school in Atlantic Canada, on Canada's smallest and calmest province.

About UPEI

UPEI is home to the Atlantic Veterinary College, the only school of veterinary medicine anywhere in Atlantic Canada, drawing students from across the region for its highly competitive DVM programme. Beyond that specialism, it offers a business administration programme with small classes and a PEI-specific 'Island Studies' niche reflecting the province's distinct culture. Charlottetown is the capital of Canada's smallest province, with a genuinely quiet, small-town island pace of life and living costs among the most accessible of any Canadian province, though flights and ferries to the mainland add travel time relative to mainland universities.

Why students choose it

  • The Atlantic Veterinary College is a genuinely rare regional specialism worth relocating for
  • Canada's smallest province, offering an unusually quiet, low-cost island study environment
  • A compact, walkable campus and capital city with among the most accessible living costs in Canada

🎓 Free application support for UPEI

Submit a free enquiry and Tutopiya's admissions team will guide you through your application to UPEI — personal statement, interview prep and deadlines — at no cost, no obligation. Application fees are typically waived through our university partnerships.

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Typical entry grades

BBB (A Level)  ·  IB 27

Solid tier · indicative for the flagship courses below — always verify per-course requirements directly with the university.

Tuition (international, per year)

<CA$25,000/yr

low tier for Canada — figures are typical ranges, not this specific university's published fee.

Language of instruction

English

Campus

campus campus, Charlottetown, PE

🏆 Scholarships to look into

Informational only — scholarship amounts, deadlines and even which schemes are running change often (sometimes per intake), so treat this as a starting point, not a guarantee. Always confirm current details directly with the scholarship provider or UPEI's financial aid office.

Many Canadian universities offer automatic entrance scholarships for international students based on high-school grades — often no separate application needed beyond the standard admission application.

  • University international entrance scholarships: e.g. University of Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship, UBC's International Major Entrance Scholarship — merit-based, automatically considered for eligible applicants at many universities.
  • Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships: Federally funded, but for doctoral/research study, not undergraduate admission.

Coverage ranges from a one-off award to full tuition for the most competitive automatic scholarships — check each university's international scholarships page for exact criteria.

Want help figuring out which of these you'd actually qualify for? Talk to a free Tutopiya counsellor.

Popular courses

Veterinary Medicine

⏱️ Typical duration: 5–6 years where entered straight from school (UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong); typically a 4-year postgraduate MD entered after a Bachelor's (US, Canada)

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Typical entry: Requires Chemistry + Biology · Not required at Bachelor's entry — Medicine is a postgraduate degree here, entered via MCAT after completing a Bachelor's degree.

Business

⏱️ Typical duration: 4 years

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Typical entry: Mathematics helps but usually isn't required recommended

Nursing

⏱️ Typical duration: 4 years

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Typical entry: Biology recommended

Sciences

⏱️ Typical duration: 4 years

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Island Studies

⏱️ Typical duration: 4 years

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Durations are typical for Canada — always confirm the exact length (including any placement or integrated Master's year) on the course's own page before applying.

Not sure which course fits your grades and interests? Run the full shortlist builder →

How to apply

Main intake(s)
September (Fall), January (Winter, some programmes)
Typical deadline
Rolling from October, with most competitive programmes closing mid-January
Note
High-demand programmes (e.g. UofT Engineering, UBC) fill up fast — apply as soon as the portal opens for the best chance.

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0)

TOEFL: 80–90 iBT

Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.

Read the full Tutopiya guide

A deeper walkthrough of applying to UPEI for international IGCSE / A Level / IB students.

Read the guide →

See where UPEI ranks on your personal shortlist

Enter your grades and budget in the free Canada University Shortlist Builder to see whether UPEI is a reach, target or safety for you — alongside every other Canada university that matches.

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UPEI FAQ

Quick answers about grades, tuition, deadlines and applying to UPEI as an international IGCSE / A Level / IB student.

What grades do I need to get into UPEI?

As a typical benchmark for international entry, UPEI expects around BBB at A Level or 27 points on the IB Diploma. This is indicative for UPEI's flagship courses — competitive subjects like Medicine and Law usually sit above this baseline, and the exact requirement varies by course, so always confirm the specific figure on UPEI's own admissions page before applying.

How much does UPEI cost for international students?

International tuition at UPEI typically falls in the range (low tier for Canada). This is a typical range for the university's tuition tier, not UPEI's specific published fee for every course — confirm the exact figure for your intended programme directly with the university.

When is the application deadline for UPEI?

UPEI follows Canada's typical intake calendar: September (Fall), January (Winter, some programmes), with applications generally due rolling from october, with most competitive programmes closing mid-january. High-demand programmes (e.g. UofT Engineering, UBC) fill up fast — apply as soon as the portal opens for the best chance. Always verify the exact date on UPEI's own admissions page, since deadlines can shift year to year.

What IELTS score do I need for UPEI?

Canada universities, including UPEI, typically ask international applicants for 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0). Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.

What is UPEI known for?

Home to the only veterinary school in Atlantic Canada, on Canada's smallest and calmest province. UPEI is home to the Atlantic Veterinary College, the only school of veterinary medicine anywhere in Atlantic Canada, drawing students from across the region for its highly competitive DVM programme. Beyond that specialism, it offers a business administration programme with small classes and a PEI-specific 'Island Studies' niche reflecting the province's distinct culture. Charlottetown is the capital of Canada's smallest province, with a genuinely quiet, small-town island pace of life and living costs among the most accessible of any Canadian province, though flights and ferries to the mainland add travel time relative to mainland universities.

Can I apply to UPEI with IGCSE, A Level or IB qualifications?

Yes — UPEI accepts applicants from IGCSE-to-A-Level, IGCSE-to-IB-Diploma, and directly from the IB Diploma. Tutopiya's free Canada University Shortlist Builder matches your predicted or actual grades against UPEI and every other Canada university we track, tagging each as reach, target or safety.

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