McGill University vs Harvard University

McGill University vs Harvard University

Subject Strength & World Rankings (2025/2026)

McGill University, in Montreal, Canada, is well known for Medicine, Life Sciences, Engineering, Law, and Business. In QS World University Rankings 2026, it stands approximately 29–30, while in THE World University Rankings 2025, it stands between the 50–60 band. Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, leads the world in Business, Law, Medicine, Engineering, Social Sciences, and Humanities. Harvard is always ranked better than or equal to the top, ranked 1–2 in QS 2026 and ranked #1 in THE 2025, with it having unparalleled worldwide prestige than McGill. 

General Information

McGill University, established in 1821, has around 40,000 students on its rolls, with a large international student body, and is reputed as Canada's most widely recognized university. It has a robust research culture along with cost-effectiveness for foreign students in comparison to U.S. Ivy League universities. Harvard, founded in 1636, is the United States' oldest institution of higher learning with around 23,000 students. It is an Ivy League member university and offers unmatched academic, research, and networking possibilities globally.

Acceptance Rate & Admission

McGill University's acceptance rate is approximately 47% as it accepts highly qualified applicants with GPAs ranging from 3.7–3.9 and competitive SAT/ACT or equivalent international testing scores. Harvard University is among the most selective universities globally, with an acceptance rate of approximately 3.6%, accepting students with almost perfect GPAs (3.9–4.0), SAT scores over 1500, or ACT scores over 34, in addition to excellent extracurricular experiences. McGill is selective, whereas Harvard is ultra-competitive.

Research Impact & Facilities

McGill is an R1-classified research institution with state-of-the-art facilities in medicine, neuroscience, and sustainability, and is associated with top-ranking hospitals in Montreal. Harvard is at the pinnacle of world research, with massive funding, facilities such as Harvard Medical School, Harvard Law School, and dozens of research institutions in all fields. Harvard's global research influence is far greater than McGill's, although McGill is a force to be reckoned with in Canadian and international academia.

Cost & Financial Aid

McGill costs approximately CAD 30,000–35,000 (USD 22,000–26,000) per year for international undergraduates and is relatively reasonable compared to U.S. private schools. Harvard costs approximately USD 57,000–60,000 per year. Harvard offers one of the most generous need-based financial aid programs on the planet, frequently covering full cost of tuition for families with incomes under USD 85,000. McGill has merit-based and a few need-based scholarships, but it is less generous in its aid than Harvard.

Graduate Studies & Alumni Outcomes

McGill alumni are also well known for medicine, law, academia, politics, and international organizations with mid-career earning around CAD 110,000 (INR 67 lakh). Harvard alumni lead worldwide leadership in business, politics, technology, and academia, with mid-career earnings of around USD 140,000 (INR 1.16 crore). McGill's alumni base is well established in Canada and globally, particularly in medicine and academia, while Harvard's alumni base is possibly the most powerful worldwide, ranging across Fortune 500 firms, leading law firms, government, and academia.