Université Laval

About

Located in Quebec City, Canada, Université Laval is renowned for its strong research intensity, particularly in forestry, geomatics, optics, and health sciences. As North America's oldest francophone university, it offers a deeply immersive French-language academic environment, though it also provides select courses and support for non-native speakers seeking to improve their proficiency. The campus boasts a dedicated international office, the *Bureau de la vie étudiante*, which assists arriving students with immigration paperwork, housing, and cultural integration into the historic provincial capital. A truly distinctive feature of the university is its subterranean network of tunnels connecting most campus buildings, allowing students to navigate comfortably through harsh Canadian winters without stepping outside. International students benefit from comprehensive orientation programs, peer-mentoring initiatives, and numerous student associations that celebrate the university's vibrant multicultural community.

Background

Université Laval is a public research university in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Université Laval traces its roots to the Séminaire de Québec, which was founded by François de Montmorency-Laval in 1663. Université Laval is the oldest institution of higher education in Canada, as well as the first North American institution to offer higher education in French. It is ranked among the top 10 Canadian universities in research funding and holds four Canada Excellence Research Chairs. The Université Laval was originally founded in Old Québec, although it moved to a new campus in the 1950s, located in the suburb of Sainte-Foy. Since Quebec City was amalgamated with many of its suburbs in 2001, the University has been located in Quebec City. At present, Université Laval is located in the suburban borough of Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge in Quebec.

Location

Quick facts

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