Saint Paul University

What Saint Paul University does

Saint Paul University (Université Saint-Paul) is a non-profit Catholic university located at 223 Main Street, Ottawa, founded in 1848 as Collège de Bytown and the first post-secondary institution in the city. The university is federally affiliated with the Missionaries Oblates of Mary Immaculate (the parent organization) and operates under a 1965 federation agreement with the University of Ottawa, jointly conferring civil degrees while retaining an independent ecclesiastical charter granted in 1889. Academic operations span four faculties (Canon Law, Human Sciences, Philosophy, Theology) and five schools (Social Communications; Counselling, Psychotherapy and Spirituality; Conflict Studies; Social Innovation; and Leadership, Ecology and Equity), delivering certificates through PhD in a bilingual French/English model with a reported 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio and 94% student satisfaction.

The institution's product surface combines credit-bearing programs (bachelor's, master's, doctoral, postgraduate diplomas), professional short-credentials (microprogrammes of 15–18 credits), research institutes (CRID, IPCEV, Mauril-Bélanger Social Innovation Workshop), auxiliary services (counselling centre, pastoral services, Jean-Léon-Allie Library and Archives), and bilingual media content (In Context and L'USP en conversation podcast series). Underlying technology is standard higher-ed infrastructure: the Brightspace learning management system and uOCampus student portal shared with the University of Ottawa, with library services running on the Omni discovery service. The institution holds no patents or proprietary technology platforms; its principal differentiation is the pontifical ecclesiastical charter, which underpins exclusive canon law programs (JCL, JCD, master's, graduate diplomas) governed by the apostolic constitution Veritatis Gaudium and audited by the Congregation for Catholic Education.

Revenue is generated principally through annual tuition subscriptions (international undergraduates $19,955/year and graduate up to $29,965/year for 2025–2026, with domestic tuition ~$1,000 below the Ontario average), supported by donations (including a $50,000 Fiera Capital commitment in November 2025 and an $85,000 Catholic Women's Leadership Foundation donation in January 2026), professional services, and event rentals. The university is directly distributed via an online admissions portal (smapply.ca) and OUAC, a network of articulation agreements with over a dozen Canadian colleges and CÉGEPs (Algonquin, Collège Boréal, La Cité, CÉGEP de l'Outaouais, St. Lawrence, CÉGEP de Victoriaville), and channel-partner delivery of canon law programs through the Broken Bay Institute in Australia.

Name

Saint Paul University

Legal name

Université Saint-Paul

Website

https://ustpaul.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1848

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Saint Paul University is a bilingual (French/English) Catholic university in Ottawa specializing in humanities, theology, canon law, and social sciences. Federated with the University of Ottawa since 1965, it serves Canadian and international undergraduate and graduate students through four faculties and five schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Theological Universities & Pontifical Universities (EDAHAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Divinity Schools (University-Affiliated) (EDAHAKAC), Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ), Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF), Social Sciences & Public Policy Research Universities (EDAHABAD)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Humanities university programs
• Canon law education
• Bilingual academic instruction
• Social sciences research

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Domestic Tuition: Tuition fees charged to Canadian citizens and permanent residents for undergraduate and graduate programs. Rights de scolarité are below the Ontario university average by approximately $1,000/year for Canadian students.
2. International Student Tuition: International undergraduate tuition of $19,955/year (2025-2026); graduate tuition up to $29,965/year. An international scholarship ('Study in French') reduces international tuition to $16,955/year for qualifying students.
3. Professional and Continuing Education Services: Fee-for-service programs including counselling and psychotherapy centre services, canonical services, event rentals, and professional development workshops for religious institutions.
4. Donations and Fundraising: Annual fundraising campaigns including a $50,000 commitment from Fiera Capital and a $85,000 donation from the Catholic Women's Leadership Foundation to support education and leadership initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Saint Paul University is a non-profit Catholic university delivering undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and postgraduate diploma programs in humanities, social sciences, theology, philosophy, and canon law through four faculties and five academic schools. The university operates bilingually (French and English) with an average of 12 students per professor, and confers civil degrees jointly with the University of Ottawa under a federative agreement established in 1965.

Product overview

Saint Paul University (Université Saint-Paul) is a specialized university in Ottawa, Canada, focused on humanities and social sciences. It operates as a federated institution of the University of Ottawa and offers a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs across four faculties (Human Sciences, Theology, Philosophy, Canon Law) and five schools (Communications, Counselling & Psychotherapy, Conflict Studies, Social Innovation, Leadership, Ecology & Equity). The university offers credentials from certificates through doctoral degrees (conferred jointly with the University of Ottawa), alongside microprograms, a summer intensive course program (À la découverte du monde), podcasts (In Context, L'USP en conversation), research institutes (IPCEV, Mauril-Bélanger Social Innovation Workshop), and student services including the Jean-Léon-Allie Library and Archives, counselling, and pastoral services. The academic portfolio spans undergraduate certificates and bachelor's degrees to graduate diplomas, master's, and PhD programs, primarily in French with English options, reflecting the university's bilingual character.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• À la découverte du monde (Intensive Summer Courses)

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% student satisfaction rate
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Algonquin CollegecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArticulation agreement enabling graduates of Algonquin College programs to transfer up to 30 credits toward USP undergraduate programs. Also includes reverse articulation allowing USP graduates to transfer certain credits toward college programs.
• Collège BoréalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArticulation agreement facilitating credit transfers for Collège Boréal graduates into USP undergraduate programs, supporting the Franco-Ontarian student pathway.
• La CitécoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArticulation agreement enabling graduates to transfer credits toward USP degrees, supporting Ontario's French-language college-to-university pathway.
• CÉGEP de l'OutaouaiscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArticulation agreement for Quebec CÉGEP graduates. Students with 12+ general education courses (excluding physical education) can receive up to 30 credits in equivalences toward USP programs.
• St. Lawrence CollegecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArticulation agreement enabling graduates of St. Lawrence College's two-year programs to transfer up to 30 credits toward USP undergraduate programs.
• University of OttawaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal federation agreement since 1965. Both institutions are federated under a shared governance framework. USP degrees (civil) are conferred jointly by the Senate of Saint Paul University and the Senate of the University of Ottawa. The two institutions share infrastructure including the uOCampus student portal, Brightspace LMS, library services, health centre, and sports facilities. USP nominates members to the University of Ottawa's Board of Governors. Students have access to 40+ minor programs at the University of Ottawa.
• The Broken Bay Institute (BBI) — Australian Institute of Theological EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver USP's Maitrise (master's) and Licence (JCL) in canon law in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Uses a combination of online courses and intensive on-campus sessions in Sydney. This is the first time USP's canon law program is offered outside Canada. BBI is accredited as a Higher Education Provider by TEQSA (Australia).
• Association des collèges et universités Catholics du Canada (ACUFC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the national association of Catholic colleges and universities in Canada, contributing to dialogue on Catholic higher education in Canada.
• Société royale du CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional membership since October 2025, recognizing USP's contribution to scholarly research and the advancement of knowledge in Canada.
• Institut canadien pour la résolution des conflits (ICRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Canada's conflict resolution sector. USP's School of Conflict Studies engages with the institute for research and professional development.
• Fédération internationale des universités Catholics (FIUC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the global network of Catholic universities, facilitating international dialogue and collaboration on Catholic higher education.
• Réseau Recherche Impact CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional member of the research impact network supporting community-engaged and socially relevant research in Canada.
• Université Alcala (Spain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational institutional partnership with Universidad de Alcalá in Spain, contributing to USP's international exchange and collaboration network.
• Université Antonine (Lebanon)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational institutional partnership with Université Antonine in Lebanon, supporting global academic exchange.
• Atelier d'innovation sociale Mauril-BélangercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded social innovation lab operating as a service of USP. Develops collaborative solutions to social challenges in partnership with community organizations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Université de Montréal: Large francophone research university in Quebec with a Faculty of Theology and Religious Sciences. Comparable as a French-language Canadian university with established humanities, social sciences, and theology programs targeting similar student segments.
• Catholic University of America: U.S. pontifical university in Washington, D.C., with national pontifical faculties in canon law, theology, and philosophy. Comparable as a North American pontifical university offering ecclesiastical degrees under Vatican authority with similar canonical and theological programming.
• Pontifical Gregorian University: Rome-based pontifical university run by the Jesuits, with canonical, theological, and philosophical faculties. Comparable as a global pontifical university offering ecclesiastical degrees under the Holy See and a benchmark for USP's canon law program.
• Université Laval: Major French-language research university in Quebec City with a long-established Faculty of Theology and Religious Sciences. Comparable as a francophone Canadian university with deep theological and humanities offerings and ecclesiastical degree conferral capability.
• Saint Mary's University: Halifax-based Catholic-rooted comprehensive university with arts, sciences, and professional programs. Comparable as another historic Canadian Catholic-affiliated university operating at a larger scale than USP with a broader program portfolio.

Regional players

• Université de Hearst: Small French-language Ontario university with multi-site delivery. Comparable as a small Ontario francophone post-secondary institution competing for similar Franco-Ontarian student segments, though without USP's theology or canon law specialization.
• Université de Saint-Boniface: French-language university in Manitoba serving the francophone minority community. Comparable to USP as a small bilingual/francophone Canadian university outside Quebec, focused on humanities and social sciences.

Direct peers

• Regis College (Toronto School of Theology): Jesuit theological school federated with the University of Toronto, offering graduate theology and ministry degrees with ecclesiastical accreditation. Directly comparable as a small Catholic graduate theological college sharing a federation model and bilingual/multifaith credentials.
• University of Ottawa: The University of Ottawa is USP's federation partner since 1965; both share infrastructure (Brightspace, uOCampus, library, health services) and jointly confer civil degrees. It is the closest structural and operational peer, operating as a large bilingual research university in the same Ottawa market.
• Saint Michael's College (University of Toronto): Federated Catholic college of the University of Toronto, offering humanities and theology programs with jointly conferred degrees. Highly comparable governance and federation model to USP's arrangement with the University of Ottawa.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/UniversiteSaintPaulUniversity
• Instagraminstagram.com/bibliospu
• Xx.com/ustpaul_ca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saint Paul University