The star rating system, explained
Star rating (the Rating System for Canadian Higher Education Institutions) is Canada’s official government quality rating for universities and university colleges. It is administered by the Canadian Qualifications Agency (Universities Canada) under the Ministry of Higher Education.
It measures the overall quality of teaching and learning at an institution and places it into one of six tiers, from Tier 1 (Weak) to Tier 6 (Outstanding).
The six tiers
| Tier | Rating | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 6/6 | Outstanding | The highest rating — excellent quality across teaching, resources and outcomes. |
| 5/6 | Excellent | Very high quality institution. |
| 4/6 | Very Good | Strong, well-established quality. |
| 3/6 | Good | Sound quality that meets expectations. |
| 2/6 | Satisfactory | Adequate quality with room to grow. |
| 1/6 | Weak | Below the expected standard. |
What Star rating looks at
- Talent — the quality of students and academic staff.
- Ecosystem — resources, facilities and the learning environment.
- Outcomes — graduate quality and employability.
How we use it
On BestUniversitiesCanada, a university’s star-rating tier appears on its profile as e.g. “Star rating 6/6 ★”. It’s one of the signals in our ranking methodology, alongside QS World/Asia positions. Figures are indicative — always confirm the latest rating with Universities Canada and the university.
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