Why study in Montreal ?

It’s the best student city in the Americas!

According to the 2025 QS Best Student Cities ranking, Montreal was ranked the No. 1 university city in the Americas.

A metropolis where North American and European cultures meet, Montreal has everything to appeal to students. The proof: it has been named one of the best cities in the world to study in 2025.

There’s truly something for everyone

Montreal offers a dynamic and exciting backdrop for year-round cultural and sporting events. The city is known for its array of festivals (Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, Festival du nouveau cinéma, Just for Laughs, etc.), as well as its sports teams and events (Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Alouettes, Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix, etc.), which are sure to delight sports, arts and culture enthusiasts alike.

A cosmopolitan city

With North American and European influences, Montreal showcases an incredibly open and inclusive atmosphere. The city welcomes more than 180,000 university students, including more than 39,000 international students. While daily life is lived most often in French, it’s not uncommon to hear many diverse languages being spoken, including English. More than 5,500 students from 97 countries choose to study at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) each year.

The cost of living and housing

The monthly cost of living in Montreal is estimated at between $1,500 CAD and $1,800 CAD. But evidently, that amount will vary depending on students’ individual lifestyles. During their studies at ESG UQAM, students can choose to live on-campus in UQAM university residences or off-campus.

ESG UQAM : an urban campus in the heart of Montreal

Direct access to the school is possible via the Berri-UQAM metro station and the campus is a stone’s throw away from Old Montréal and many parks. ESG UQAM’s buildings are located on the main campus, close to the Bibliothèque Nationale du Québec, the Cinémathèque québécoise, the Quartier des spectacles, shopping centres and many cafés, restaurants and outdoor seating areas frequented by students.

Numerous services and activities accessible to the university community

Students living in Montreal while studying have a wide variety of services and activities available to them within the university itself. UQAM’s Sports Centre will no doubt attract the attention of the more athletic types, as students can practise a variety of sports and fitness activities, including weight training, soccer, football, badminton and much more. ESG UQAM students can also take advantage of several libraries available on campus.