University of Prince Edward Island

What University of Prince Edward Island does

The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) is a public, provincially-chartered university established in 1969 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It operates as a comprehensive post-secondary institution offering undergraduate, graduate, certificate, and professional programs across faculties including Arts, Business, Education, Nursing, Science, Sustainable Design Engineering, and Veterinary Medicine (the latter via the Atlantic Veterinary College, a wholly-owned core subsidiary). The institution also operates international and satellite campuses in Cairo, Egypt and St. Peter's Bay, PEI, the latter housing the School of Climate Change and Adaptation. UPEI has launched specialized academic units including IKERAS (Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies) and unique programs such as the Master of Arts in Island Studies (MAIS), MBA in Global Leadership, and BS in Sustainable Design Engineering.

UPEI's underlying technology platform consists of standard educational technology infrastructure: a Moodle-based learning management system, the myUPEI student and faculty portal, and supporting student information systems for campus operations. The university does not disclose proprietary technology, patents, AI/ML capabilities, or API platforms. Distribution is delivered through physical campuses and online/distance learning channels.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: tuition and fees (domestic ~$8,130/year for 30 credit hours; international students pay an additional $9,718/year), recurring federal and provincial government appropriations, sponsored research grants and contracts (UPEI faculty hold grants from NSERC, CFI, and other bodies), and ancillary services (residence, bookstore, conference services). UPEI's customer base is primarily prospective and enrolled students—approximately 90 countries are represented in the international student body—and the institution maintains an 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio while disbursing $14.5M+ in scholarships annually. Recent strategic activity includes federal partnership on the PEI shellfish industry, establishment of the IKERAS faculty, and continued expansion of the Cairo international campus.

Name

University of Prince Edward Island

Legal name

University of Prince Edward Island

Website

https://upei.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) is a public, provincially-chartered university in Charlottetown, Canada, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across multiple faculties to a student body drawn from 90 countries, funded through tuition, government appropriations, and research grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Land-Grant Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate research programs
• Veterinary medical education
• Professional academic programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottetown

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: UPEI generates revenue primarily through tuition fees from undergraduate and graduate programs. Domestic students pay approximately $8,130 per year for 30 credit hours, while international students pay additional fees of $9,718 per year on top of full-time tuition.
2. Government Funding: As a public university, UPEI receives operational funding from federal and provincial government sources, including research grants and sponsored research funding.
3. Research Grants and Contracts: UPEI faculty hold grants from Natural Sciences and Research Council of Canada, Canada Foundation for Innovation, and other research funding bodies. The university ranks #7 in Canada for sponsored research funding.
4. Ancillary Services: Revenue from campus services including residence life, bookstore, conference services, and other student services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UPEI is a public university delivering undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs across faculties including Arts, Business, Education, Nursing, Science, Sustainable Design Engineering, and Veterinary Medicine. The university provides classroom instruction, research training, and student support services through multiple campuses (Charlottetown, St. Peter's Bay, Cairo) and online learning platforms. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition, government appropriations, and sponsored research grants.

Product overview

UPEI is a comprehensive university offering a diverse portfolio of undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs across multiple faculties. The institution's academic offerings include professional programs such as the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine through the Atlantic Veterinary College, various business administration programs including the MBA in Global Leadership, sustainable design engineering, nursing, and unique interdisciplinary programs like the Master of Arts in Island Studies. Supporting infrastructure includes the myUPEI student portal, Moodle learning management system, and Robertson Library services. The university operates multiple campuses including the main Charlottetown campus, Cairo Campus, and St. Peter's Bay Campus focused on climate change studies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UPEI Academic Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 18:1 full-time student to full-time faculty ratio
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Government of Canada (Federal)minorOthers · 16 October 2025Federal government announced support for the PEI shellfish industry with MP Sean Casey and UPEI officials revealing details. This represents a government-university partnership to support regional industry stakeholders.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of New Brunswick: Another Atlantic Canadian public university with comparable program mix (arts, business, engineering, science) and similar tuition/funding structure. Closest geographic and structural peer for benchmarking recruitment, research, and retention.
• Dalhousie University: Atlantic Canada's largest research university, also located in a small Canadian province. Comparable as a public comprehensive university with similar program breadth, tuition model, and provincial funding structure, but at a significantly larger scale.
• Cape Breton University: Small Atlantic Canadian public university with similar international student mix and tuition model. Comparable in size and scale, and direct competitor for international students from India, Nigeria, and Bangladesh.
• Memorial University of Newfoundland: Atlantic Canadian public university serving a small-population province, with similar reliance on government funding and international student recruitment. Comparable in mission and revenue mix though larger in scale.
• Acadia University: Nova Scotia undergraduate-focused university with comparable small-class-size model, primarily undergraduate identity, and Atlantic Canada market. Direct competitor for the same domestic student segment.
• University of Northern British Columbia: Smaller Canadian public university serving a small-population region with comparable reliance on government funding, regional recruitment mandate, and undergraduate teaching focus. Useful peer for budget and operational benchmarking.
• Mount Allison University: Small New Brunswick primarily undergraduate university with similar student-to-faculty ratios and a residential liberal-arts profile. Overlaps with UPEI on personalization, scholarship support, and Atlantic Canada recruitment.
• St. Francis Xavier University: Nova Scotia primarily undergraduate university competing with UPEI for the same Atlantic Canadian high-school graduate pool, with comparable tuition, scholarship aid, and small-class ethos.
• Thompson Rivers University: Small Canadian primarily undergraduate public university with comparable program mix, international student reliance, and a similar position in the small-city Canadian university tier. Useful benchmark for online/distance learning scale.
• Saint Mary's University: Nova Scotia primarily undergraduate university with a comparable business school (Sobey) competing directly with UPEI's McDougall Faculty of Business for Atlantic Canadian and international students.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/upei
• YouTubeyoutube.com/UofPEI
• Facebookfacebook.com/UniversityofPEI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-prince-edward-island
• Instagraminstagram.com/upei

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 University of Prince Edward Island