Simon Fraser University
speciality: Business and Strategy

Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a strong academic institution that excels in its course offerings, co-op program, and diverse student body. Unlike many larger universities where professors and TAs can feel distant, SFU stands out for its faculty’s accessibility. Professors and TAs are eager to help, frequently offering additional office hours, guiding students through assignments, and even being flexible with deadlines when valid reasons are provided. This level of support creates a more personalized learning experience, which is invaluable for academic success.

What I Like About SFU
One of SFU’s biggest strengths is its co-op program, which offers students hands-on experience and strong job prospects post-graduation. Additionally, certain programs and courses at SFU are even stronger than those at more well-known universities like UBC. The university also fosters an inclusive environment, with a diverse mix of students from different cultural backgrounds.

What Could Be Improved
Being a commuter school, SFU lacks the vibrant campus life found at other universities. Socializing can be difficult, and for an international student without family nearby, this can be an isolating experience. Despite its stunning location on Burnaby Mountain, the campus architecture feels outdated, and student amenities are limited. The social scene also isn’t as open and engaging as UBC’s, making it harder to form friendships outside of familiar cultural circles.

Would I Recommend SFU?
Absolutely—especially for students who prioritize academic success and career opportunities. While it may not offer the most exciting social life, SFU provides an environment where students can focus, take advantage of top-tier academic programs, and build a strong foundation for a great job after graduation. If you’re willing to trade a bit of traditional campus experience for long-term career rewards, SFU is a solid choice.

I’m a third-year student, and there are many excellent professors and courses I like. Most of the courses are useful, and the professors are interesting. Besides the courses, there are many clubs in the university for students to participate in to gain hand-on experience.

I love SFU’s Business program because it allows me to challenge my intellectual abilities. I am able to learn new concepts in the classroom with experienced professors who are always willing to help. Making new friends and interacting with people has made me step out of my comfort zone and shaped my confidence.

The main highlight for me about SFU is its campus. My upbringing was in India and I have never seen a beautiful campus like this. It is so fun to meet new students here who got the same mindset as me which motivates me to work hard.

Simon Fraser University is an excellent institution providing some of the best education in the industry. Their clubs and Co-op programs are considered to be one of the best in country. Where the university falls short is on its grading scale. Students are unfairly judged on their performances. The curved grading system is not the best way to determine the hard work a student has put in to a given course that semester. It is very inaccurate and misleading. Despite achieving a decent score such as 80, if the curve is not in your favour you may end up getting a B as your grade. A fixed grading system would undoubtedly exponentially boost the student experience, and would genuinely improve and inspire students to do better.

So far I love SFU, but I believe there is room for growth when it comes to its organizational skills. Other than that, I think SFU has a friendly environment. I also think the health services at SFU should improve a lot more when it comes to communicating with students.

My personal opinion rates above average among the schools I have heard and known. The strengths of this program speak about the quality the school has to provide. The subjects cover all important topics expected from a person in a management role. It includes courses related to Finance, economics, ethics, leaderships and Analytics. The student environment is very inclusive and many bodies are formed within the school to support women through JEDI and Women councils. This school is good campus wise with good architecture and has locations in Surrey, Burnaby, Downtown- Business School.
It can provide you a platform to take part in many school games across the country. For example, it recently won the BC MBA national games, and I must say the school administrators have helped the student emotionally and educationally in winning this. They are now going to take part in many case competitions with inside personal training and national MBA games. It’s inclusive environment with friendly students is a positive aspect to be highlighted.
Despite its pros, the major problem I had with this school was that too many subjects were included to complete in one year with a lot of academic pressure. But, this was already notified and can vary with students. I would suggest the school to have more people from all continents to encourage diversity, rather than selecting students from two major countries of same continent (India and China). I did not experience international exposure yet.

I’m in the business program and I think that the courses cover a pretty broad range of topics, which is a bit stressful but adds a lot of value to the degree. I do think they could add some more components that show how the industry actually works, since my degree so far has been theory based. The co-op program somewhat fulfills this though. SFU admin can be unsupportive though, if you need help with tuition adjustments or applying for immigration papers, etc. Advisors can be very hard to reach, enrolment tends to be difficult for upper level courses. Essentially if your journey has larger bumps, be prepared to fight a bit.

The university gives a great learning experience to the students. It’s been a pleasure experiencing my learning journey with them. The quality of connections I have been able to form with my professors, peers and all of the people I have met up until now is something I will treasure forever.

It is a good Business School except the grading system. Scaling the grades based on your classmates sucks as it prevents students from helping and learning from each other. The curve ruins some students’ abilities to land a job after graduation.