OCAD University

Ontario College of Art & Design University
Logo of OCAD University
Other name
OCAD University
Former names
Ontario School of Art (1876–86)
Toronto Art School (1886–90)
Central Ontario School of Art and Industrial Design (1890–1912)
Ontario College of Art (1912–96)
Ontario College of Art & Design (1996–2010)
TypePublic university
Established4 April 1876; 148 years ago (1876-04-04)[note 1]
EndowmentC$19.9 million (2022)[1]
ChancellorJamie Watt
PresidentAna Serrano
ProvostCaroline Langill
Academic staff
400[2]
Students5,220 (2023)[3][note 2]
Undergraduates4,890 (2023)[3]
Postgraduates330 (2023)[3]
Location, ,
Canada

43°39′11″N 79°23′28.3″W / 43.65306°N 79.391194°W / 43.65306; -79.391194
CampusUrban
AffiliationsAICAD, COU, Universities Canada
Websitewww.ocadu.ca

Ontario College of Art & Design University, commonly known as OCAD University or OCAD U, is a public art university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its main campus is located within Toronto's Grange Park and Entertainment District neighbourhoods.

The university is co-educational and operates three academic faculties – the Faculty of Art, the Faculty of Arts and Science, and the Faculty of Design – which offer programs at the undergraduate and graduate level, as well as certificate programs and continuing education courses. The university is one of four members of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design located outside the United States.

Established in 1876 by the Ontario Society of Artists as the Ontario School of Art, it is the oldest operating school in Canada dedicated to art and design education. The school was renamed twice in 1886 and 1890 before it was provincially chartered under its new name, the Ontario College of Art (OCA), in 1912. With the inception of the college's design department in 1945, the OCA grew and later became the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) in 1996. In 2010, the institution formally adopted its current title, including the university designation in its name to reflect its maturation and change in degree-granting powers.

In 2023, there were 4,890 undergraduates and 330 graduate students enrolled at the university. As of 2022, the university holds an association of over 25,000 alumni.


Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).

  1. ^ "Financial Statements of Ontario College of Art & Design University" (PDF). ocadu.ca. OCAD University. 3 October 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  2. ^ "About OCAD U". admissions.ocadu.ca. OCAD University. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Enrolment by university". univcan.ca. Universities Canada. Retrieved 16 August 2024.