P.O. Box 5000
Antigonish, NS
B2G 2W5

St. Francis Xavier University was founded in 1853, moving to the seaside town of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, from Arichat in 1855. Two hours away from Halifax, the tight-knit community is brimming with activity and opportunities for social outings to hip boutiques, restaurants, pubs, coffee shops and more. St. Francis Xavier University was named MacClean's top-ranked primarily undergraduate university in Canada from 2002 to 2006, slipping to number three in 2007.

St. Francis Xavier University offers a solid foundation in the arts and sciences and is strong in traditional courses of study, with alumni that include governmental hotshots--a prime minister, supreme court justices and various premiers--as well as noted scientists, leading entrepreneurs, artists and journalists. But St. Francis students can also specialize in fresh fields of study such as Aquatic Resources, Celtic Studies and Jazz.

The St. Francis campus is a collection of historic buildings with upgraded amenities intermixed with new construction. St. Francis Xavier University has committed more than $120 million to new facilities and renovations since 1999, including a cool $11 million to revamp Bishops Hall residence with more single-person rooms and new lounge areas that boast cushy seating, big-screen TVs and large windows. Nearly half of all St. Francis students live on campus--tops among universities in canada.

Quick Facts:

Full-time faculty members teach nearly 95 percent of courses offered at St. Francis Xavier University. It was the first Catholic co-educational university in North America to offer degrees to women.

St. Francis Xavier University's endowment reached $95 million in 2008.

St. Francis has 10 varsity sports teams, including football, rugby, women's hockey and soccer.

About one-third of the student population arrives from outside of Nova Scotia, creating a diverse social and academic community.

About 4,200 full-time and 600 part-time students enroll at St. Francis every year. The student-faculty ratio at St. Francis Xavier University is 1:16, and about 90 percent of professors possess Ph.D.'s.

More than 75 clubs are active on campus, including DJ Society, X Debates, Amnesty-X, Greene Council, Development Studies and Skydiving X.

During the X-Ring ceremony, a tradition that began in 1958, seniors gather in the chapel and rhythmically tap their new X-Rings.

There are a number of ways in which St. Francis Xavier University students can gain international experiences: international internships, Service Learning experiences, international research partnerships, community outreach initiatives and individual departmental agreements.

This school profile has been compiled and updated by The CollegeBound Network. The school is not affiliated with The CollegeBound Network and shall not be considered a sponsor of this program.