Bishop's University: What it's really like

Keen to study at a Canadian university close to the big cities, but set on a small campus? Bishop’s could be the one for you!

Bishop’s University at a glance:

Saad, Bishop’s alumnus and Recruitment and Admissions Officer, tells us what it’s like to study there.

What is Bishop’s University?

Bishop’s is located in the French province of Quebec, in the beautiful Eastern Townships, close to the US-Canada border.

It’s a small, mostly undergraduate university, with a population just shy of 3,000 students. We teach over 100 programmes here.

Over 25% of our students are international, with 50% from Quebec, and the remaining students from the rest of Canada.

Why apply to Bishop’s University?

I think the best way to answer this question is from experience! One of the reasons I applied to Bishop’s is because of its unique character.

Bishop’s is a small, English school, in a French province, just 30 minutes from the US border. It’s also close to many cultural hubs - cities like Boston, Montreal, Toronto, and New York City. There aren’t many universities out there that can provide that combination of a small size, with connections to such popular places.

It’s also attractive to international students in particular, with the international student body making up almost 30% of the entire student population. No ethnicity makes up more than 7% of the international population here, which represents over 80 different countries.

 

Who isn’t the right fit for Bishop’s University?

No university can be for everyone, and Bishop’s is no different. Students who are looking to live in a big city, or at a big university where they can meet new people every day, might be disappointed at a small university like Bishop’s.

Students who want to hide in the back of classes, who don’t want to interact with their professors, or who want to be a number in class, will also find it hard to succeed at Bishop’s.

Any application tips? 

The application process for Bishop’s is fairly simple. You can apply by going to Ubishops.ca and filling out an online application, which takes no more than 20 minutes.

Bishop’s generally requires an 80% or 3.5 GPA with five senior level - that is, grade 12 or equivalent - courses, including English. Applicants to the business programme need grade 12 level maths, whereas applications to a science programme need two grade 12 level science courses.

We take a holistic approach to applications. That means if someone doesn’t have the required GPA, we’d still encourage them to apply, because we’ll take a look at their application as a whole and they may still be considered.

We don’t need reference letters, or a standardised test like the SAT or ACT, though it can boost your application to include these.

What’s the location like?

Bishop’s University is based in a small town of 5,000 people called Lennoxville. Close by is the city of Sherbrooke, which is much bigger, at 160,000 people.

Both are in the region of Eastern Townships, which is a scenic area with lots of mountains, rivers, lakes, and outdoor activities to get involved in.

Skiing is a big part of the local culture at Bishop’s. There are six different skiing hills within a two-hour radius of the university, including Mont Bellevue, about a 15-minute drive away; and Jay Peak in Vermont, one of the best skiing hills on the East Coast.

What facilities does Bishop’s have to offer?

Bishop’s has a beautiful campus which spans over several acres of land. Facilities at Bishop’s include our six different halls of residence, and our Library Learning Commons, which was renovated in 2019 and is a hot spot to hang out on campus.

We also have our sportsplex, which is a great spot to get a bite to eat, work out, or even access study spaces; and our student union building, which includes our on-campus bar, The Gait.

 

What is the accommodation like?

97% of our students live within walking distance to campus – ten minutes or less.

We have three different styles of residences here at Bishop’s: traditional, bog style (which have a shared toilet and shower between rooms), and suite style.

New students are guaranteed a spot in halls of residence, as long as they apply by the deadline of 15 June. First year students usually choose to live on campus, in the traditional or bog style halls, which have a more communal feel; whilst upper years tend to live in suite style halls.

The cost of living in Sherbrooke is super low compared to bigger Canadian cities. If you choose to live off-campus, a three-bedroom apartment will cost only around $400 CAD.

How does the university meet the needs of students with different accessibility requirements?

Bishop’s strives to meet the needs of students with a range of accessibility requirements. Some of the areas for support include: mental health, career and transition, and leadership and academic success; as well as support for indigenous students, and support for international students.

On campus, there’s a writing, physics, and maths help centre for academic support in these subjects in particular. 

Our student services team accommodates the needs of neurodivergent students, in the form of reasonable adjustments, like extra time for exams.

Want to explore more Canadian universities? Remember, Unifrog’s Shortlisting tool can help you put together a list of great potential courses.