Simon Fraser University

Overview of university

Established in 1965, Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university, that has developed into one of Canada's leading comprehensive universities with campuses spread across Burnaby, Surrey, and Vancouver. Located on British Columbia's west coast in Canada, the university is named after an early explorer. SFU commenced operations on September 9, 1965, with a 2,500 total headcount. It is also the first Canadian University with U.S. recognition.


SFU is a member of many prestigious associations like the Universities of Canada, the International Association of Universities, and the Association of Commonwealth Universities. Often described as Canada’s most community-engaged research institution, the university now boasts, three campuses, 30,000 undergraduate students, 5,700 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, over 160,000 alumni, and close to 1,000 tenure-track faculty. International students are made up of 21% of the undergraduate students and 32% of the graduate student population.


SFU has with time developed into one of the world’s foremost teaching and research universities. Consistently ranked among Canada’s top comprehensive universities, it has been highly regarded by the Times Higher Education (THE) list of 100 world universities under 50 and has been constantly ranked as Canada's top university, for five years in a row (2015-2019) by Maclean's magazine. SFU has also improved its position in THE's world university ranking from 251-300 in the last 4 years to 201-250 for 2022. In 2023 QS ranked SFU at 13th position in Canada, whereas, THE ranked it at eighth position in Canada.


An open research university, Simon Fraser University houses the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology, Beedie School of Business, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Environment, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, and Faculty of Applied Sciences and, students can choose from a wide variety of courses available under each faculty. SFU offers more than 300 courses and 27 certificate and diploma programs.


Situated atop Burnaby Mountain, the Burnaby Campus of the Simon Fraser University has been designed by noted Canadian architects Arthur Erickson and Geoffrey Massey and is also the main campus of the university. Housing over three dozen academic buildings, the Burnaby Campus is flanked by UniverCity - a flourishing sustainable residential community. Students can enhance their residence life by participating in the various sports and recreational facilities available at the University.


The university has a notable list of alumni. The most popular alumnus of the university is Tery Fox. An 18-year-old boy, who was diagnosed with bone cancer, ran a marathon across Canada, to increase awareness about cancer. Other notable alumni include Mahamudu Bawumia - Vice-President of Ghana, Carol Huynh - Gold Medalist in Olympic Games, and Ed Hill - Stand-Up Comedian among several others.


Simon Fraser University FAQs


Is it difficult to get into Simon Fraser University?

Securing admission to Simon Fraser University is a little difficult and competitive. One needs to have a good academic record to secure admission. Previously, the average for admission has ranged from 2.50 GPA to 3.50 GPA. It varies from course to course.


Is Simon Fraser is an Ivy League institution?

Simon Fraser University is an Ivy League university in Canada that attracts international students from more than 143 nations. SFU offers undergraduate and graduate programs in sciences, business, applied sciences, education, arts, social sciences, and environment.


What is Simon Fraser University best known for?

SFU is Canada's top 15 research university and is known worldwide for its scholarships and research programs. SFU is known for offering great study skills and learning opportunities to students.


What grades do you need to get into SFU?

Applicants are required to present a minimum of 5 approved Grade 12 courses that include English 12 or English 12 First Peoples. Admission is based on an evaluation of all approved Grade 12 courses. Online/distance education courses must be 100% complete by January 31, 2019.


Is Simon Fraser University accredited?

SFU has been granted formal accreditation, effective September 1, 2015, by the prestigious Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), an independent, non-profit agency. As Canada doesn't have a comparable institutional accreditation body SFU is accredited by the U.S.


Is Simon Fraser University a private university?

Simon Fraser University is a public university that was established in 1965. Its setting is suburban with a campus size of 430 acres and a total undergraduate enrollment of 25,720 for fall 2020.


What is the cost of studying at Simon Fraser University?

The tuition and expenses for one academic year are based on 2020-21. Tuition and fees (including public transit pass) are $31,460, Textbooks and supplies cost $2,350, a Single residence room with a meal plan cost $11,105, Medical insurance cost $850. This comes to a total amount of $45,765 for one session for an international student.


Do grade 11 marks required to get into SFU?

Individual programs focus on courses that are relevant to their discipline. This includes specific grade 11 and grade 12 courses that are needed to succeed in the first year at SFU.


Do you need French to get into SFU?

Apart from the admission and academic requirements, candidates applying to the Professional Development Program (PDP) French module need to demonstrate a certain level of French language proficiency.


Do universities see all your marks?

Most universities use candidates' overall grades for class 12 while calculating the average for the admission process. In certain cases, universities also consider grades for class 11 for early admission where class 12 results are not immediately available.


What is a passing grade at SFU?

Students are graded on a pass (P) or withdrawn (W) basis. Although this grade has no numerical equivalent and does not affect the cumulative GPA.


Reference: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/canada/universities/simon-fraser-university

Official Website: https://www.sfu.ca/