Music Schools Worldwide

North America

Music Schools in Canada

32 researched institutions with a campus here, offering 233 music programs. This is the research done to date, not a complete list of every program.

By province

Cities with several researched institutions

Programs by award and subject in Canada

234 programs

How results are ordered: alphabetically by institution, or by most recently checked when you choose that sort. There is no price ranking, because tuition in different currencies, fee categories and bases (per year, per credit, whole program) is not comparable. A program appears under a subject only through a verified link (dedicated degree, major, concentration or documented pathway). A value we could not verify is shown as “not published”, never as “no”. Items marked Sponsored are paid placements; they never change verification or order. Online programs are not counted as physically located in a state or city, and an institution’s location does not tell you whether it enrols students from your country.

About music education in Canada

How music education is organised

Music study in Canada is delivered mainly by universities through a faculty, school or department of music, by a small number of conservatories, and by colleges. University programs run from bachelor's degrees (BMus, BA, and in some places a BFA) through master's degrees, graduate diplomas and doctorates (PhD, DMA or DMus). Quebec has its own French-language pattern: universities offer baccalauréat, maîtrise and doctoral programs, and the provincially run Conservatoire de musique et d’art dramatique du Québec offers conservatory-level diplomas alongside university-level programs. Many performance and composition programs select applicants by audition or portfolio in addition to academic entry. Music therapy degrees are described by their schools in relation to separate professional certification routes, which differ by province and are not guaranteed by a degree alone.

Source: cicic.ca/1262/postsecondary-education.canada

Qualification structures

Names and levels are local to Canada. Similar names in other countries are not interchangeable.

University music degrees and graduate diplomas
McGill's Schulich School of Music lists the Bachelor of Music, master's and doctoral degrees (including a Doctor of Music), graduate diplomas, a post-graduate artist diploma and a graduate certificate on its programs page. Source
Quebec conservatory levels
The Conservatoire de musique et d’art dramatique du Québec describes study levels from preparatory through college and first- and second-cycle university programs, with awards such as a baccalauréat, a diplôme d’études spécialisées, a maîtrise and a diplôme d’artiste. Source
Music therapy and certification
Wilfrid Laurier University states that its music therapy graduates may become eligible for the CBMT examination and CAMT certification after a supervised internship; it does not present the degree itself as the credential. Source

Bodies that matter, and what each one does

Accreditation, validation, education authority and qualification registers are different roles. Do not read a listing by one body as evidence from another.

Provincial and territorial governments (quality assurance)
Education is overseen at provincial and territorial level; the CICIC describes provincial and territorial quality assurance activities for postsecondary programs.
Canadian Association for Music Therapy (CAMT)
Professional association referred to by university music therapy programs in connection with internships and certification.

Credits and qualification framework

Credit systems, degree names and quality assurance differ between provinces and between English- and French-language institutions; this directory records each award as the institution publishes it and makes no equivalence claims.

No degree on this site guarantees admission, funding, employment, a visa or teacher registration, and nothing here is visa or credit-transfer advice.

Languages and admissions

Teaching languages. enfr

Admissions and auditions. Performance and composition programs typically ask for an audition or portfolio in addition to a transcript; the University of Ottawa, for example, states that admission to its Bachelor of Music requires an audition on the main instrument. Always check each program's own admissions page for repertoire, deadlines and language requirements. Source

Official study information

Country information last reviewed 25 October 2026. 5 sources consulted.