About Trent University

One of Canada's top universities, Trent University was founded on the ideal of interactive learning that's personal, purposeful and transformative.

Consistently recognized nationally for leadership in teaching, research and student satisfaction, Trent attracts excellent students from across the country and around the world.

Here, undergraduate and graduate students connect and collaborate with faculty, staff and their peers through diverse communities that span residential colleges, classrooms, disciplines, hands-on research, co-curricular and community-based activities.

Across all disciplines, Trent brings critical, integrative thinking to life every day. Trent's unique approach to personal development through supportive, collaborative community engagement is in more demand than ever. Students lead the way by co-creating experiences rooted in dialogue, diverse perspectives and collaboration.

In a learning environment that builds life-long passion for inclusion, leadership and social change, Trent's students, alumni, faculty and staff are engaged global citizens who are catalysts in developing sustainable solutions to complex issues.

Trent's Peterborough campus boasts award-winning architecture in a breathtaking natural setting on the banks of the Otonabee River, just 90 minutes from downtown Toronto, while the Durham GTA campus offers a close-knit community with an urban vibe, conveniently located in Oshawa, 40 minutes from downtown Toronto.

We respectfully acknowledge that we are on the treaty and traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishinaabeg. We offer our gratitude to First Peoples for their care for, and teachings about, our earth and our relations. May we honour those teachings.

Trent has been Ontario's #1 undergraduate university 9 years in a row

  • #1 undergraduate university in Ontario; #3 in Canada 1
  • #1 in Canada for Scholarships and Bursaries, 19 years running 1
  • Top 5 undergraduate university in Canada for overall reputation 1
  • #1 undergraduate university in Ontario for highest overall quality 1
  • #1 in Canada for Academic Advising 1
  • #1 in Ontario for Students who have received National Awards 1
  • #2 in Ontario for being the Most Innovative and for producing Leaders of Tomorrow 1
  • Among Top 3.4% Universities in the World 2

Trent graduates get jobs

  • 90% of Trent grads employed six months after graduation
  • 93% of Trent grads employed after two years 3
  • Trent graduates of Nursing and Mathematics reported a 100% graduate employment rate two years after graduation; Physical Science grads reported a 100% graduate employment rate six months after graduation
  • Agriculture and Bio Science students from Trent see a 91% graduate employment rate two years after graduation;
  • Graduates from the Education program at Trent see an impressive 96% graduate employment rate two years after graduation;
  • Humanities graduates at Trent recorded an employment rate of 97% just six months after graduation, higher than the province average.

Trent students are glad they came

  • 95% of students are happy they chose Trent
  • 94% of students are satisfied with the overall quality of their Trent education 4

Trent is a leader in research and innovation

  • #4 undergraduate research university in Canada 5
  • #1 in publication intensity in Canada 5
  • #3 in publication impact in Canada 5

Trent alumni and faculty are recognized all over the world

  • Nobel Prize Winners - we have two at Trent. Alumnus James Orbinkski ‘80 was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with Doctors Without Borders. Professor Chris Furgal was a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize for raising awareness of global climate change.
  • Five Trent grads have the distinction of being renowned Rhodes Scholars at the University of Oxford, having received the Rhodes International Postgraduate Award, which is widely considered to be one of the world's most prestigious scholarships

It's an exciting time to be a Trent student

  • We have recently transformed our Bata Library in the library of the future - features of the new library include: an entrepreneurship and social innovation centre; carefully selected book and non-print collections; three research centres; two visualization labs, Critical Making Studio; educational design research studio; presentation practice room; and a wide variety of interactive student spaces (group and individual)
  • Future Olympians groomed here - Trent was recently selected as a Rowing Canada NextGen Hub in partnership with the Peterborough Rowing Club
  • Trent Durham Greater Toronto Area is expanding - plans are underway to expand our Durham GTA campus; two new buildings complete with a number of features that will ensure the Trent Durham experience is truly personal, purposeful and transformative, including: residence rooms, academic spaces such as classrooms and faculty offices; central outdoor space
  • The vision of Trent students past and present became a reality in 2017 with the opening of the new Student Centre on our Peterborough campus - the breathtaking new space overlooking the Otonabee River offers new places and opportunities for students to socialize, learn, study and engage with life on campus 

About Peterborough

  • 220,000 population Greater Peterborough Area
  • 90 min to downtown Toronto (even faster when the 407 expansion opens) 
  • Top 25 friendliest cities in Canada
  • One of the 21 most active cities in Canada thanks to abundance of biking, paddling and indoor rock climbing options

About Durham in the GTA

  • 608,124 population Durham Region
  • 40 min to Union Station in downtown Toronto
  • Top 10 community for new residents in Canada 
  • City of Oshawa is #1 for employment in Ontario; #3 in all of Canada 
  • City of Oshawa is a Top 10 Intelligent Community worldwide

1 Maclean’s University Rankings 2019 - Primarily Undergraduate Category

2 Center for World University Rankings, 2017

3 Common University Data Ontario (CUDO) 2017

4 Canadian University Survey Consortium, 2012

5 Re$earch Infosource Rankings, 2017