Updated 2024
Founded in 1959 as a non-denominational interdisciplinary higher education institution, York University has always offered equal access to all sexes and gender identities. Today, York - in accordance with its institutional governance and the Ontario Human Rights Code - continues to offer equal access to education regardless of citizenship, race, colour, ancestry, ethnic origin, place of origin, religious and/or spiritual beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability martial status, family status, age and another other protected grounded. York is proud to have one of Canada’s highest levels of participation, enrolment, and graduation in Canada. Through additional scholarships, mentoring, and access schemes, York strives to boost female representation across all eleven faculties.
York has a long history of promoting gender equality and accessibility in Canadian higher education, especially by promoting female representation in disciplines in which they have been historically underrepresented. Indeed, the first female faculty members at York—one of the first professors hired—Alice Turner, was a mathematician. York was one of the first universities to offer courses in women’s studies and officially established in 1983. York was the first university in Canada to begin offering a PhD Graduate Program in Women’s studies in 1992.
Tracking and Promoting Access
In addition to the institutional commitment to tracking and assessing the accessibility of the university to diverse communities, York University works to develop and compile data for the Common University Data Ontario (CUDO) System, which makes a swath of information about each university in the Province of Ontario freely available to the public. This data is compiled by York's Office of Institutional Planning and Analysis.
Student Equity and Diversity Census
Enrolment Rates by Gender
| Undergraduate Enrolment | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female headcount | 26339 | 26762 | 27551 | 27096 | 26861 | 25890 | 24875 | 25169 |
| Female percentage | 56.9% | 56.3% | 55.5% | 54.7% | 54.2% | 53.6% | 53.4% | 53.3% |
| Male headcount | 19961 | 20597 | 21604 | 21833 | 21815 | 21409 | 20737 | 20971 |
| Male percentage | 43.1% | 43.3% | 43.5% | 44.0% | 44.0% | 43.3% | 44.5% | 55.5% |
| Graduate Enrolment | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female headcount | 3285 | 3298 | 3395 | 3465 | 3567 | 3675 | 3558 | 3592 |
| Female percentage | 56.6% | 56.9% | 56.7% | 57.0% | 56.8% | 57.0% | 57.4% | 57.2% |
| Male headcount | 2515 | 2496 | 2564 | 2582 | 2670 | 2700 | 2557 | 2583 |
| Male percentage | 43.3% | 43.0% | 42.9% | 42.5% | 42.5% | 41.9% | 41.2% | 44.1% |
Graduation Rates by Gender (2019 - 2023)
Graduation rates are defined by the CSRDE methodology the percentage of first-time, full-time students who have graduated by those years by gender within six years.
| Graduation Year | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 66.1% | 57.3% |
| 2020 | 69.4% | 55.6% |
| 2021 | 69.3% | 55.9% |
| 2022 | 69.6% | 57.0% |
| 2023 | 70.2% | 59.3% |
Scholarships and Resources
York is committed to achieving equity and gender parity in all fields of study and disciplines at the university and beyond. The following scholarship opportunities, mentorship schemes, programs, start-up funding, and supports are in place to boost female representation in disciplines in which they have been historically underrepresented in.
WiWC focuses on bringing together female students at YorkU pursuing health, science, and medicine-based careers. Our community-based goal is to foster relationships between students, increase accessibility of resources to break barriers as well as provide opportunities for networking and volunteering to expand student experience.
Based in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, the Advancing YU offers streams supporting black and female students. The Advancing Women program matches successful York University women alumnae with women students to mentor them as they prepare to enter the workforce.
Girls' Studies Research Network
The GSRN is a network intended to bring together academic researchers, practitioners, and graduate and undergraduate students working in girls’ studies in all disciplines and interdisciplinary fields. We are based at York University in Canada and are open to members from any part of the world. Our aim is to contribute to the development of the field of Girls’ Studies, at York, in Canada, and internationally, through sharing information and resources and encouraging discussion, especially between academics and community members outside the university.
Helen Carswell STEAM Bursary for Women
The Carswell Family Foundation has created an undergraduate bursary to benefit female students entering their first year of study at the Lassonde School of Engineering who are alumni of the Helen Carswell STEAM Program for Women.
York is a proud partner of the Daughters of Life Foundation, which supports underprivileged but excellent female scholars from the Middle East travel and study at top tier partner institutions around the world.
ELLA was created by York University’s YSpace with funding from the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES). We believe every woman entrepreneur should have access to the community, knowledge, and resources they need to scale their business. mission is to reduce the gap of gender inequality in entrepreneurship. We believe every woman entrepreneur should have access to the community, information, and resources they need to scale their business.
EmpowHER Launchpad is a transformative 6-week program designed to support women and women-led businesses. This program aims to accelerate growth, foster innovation, and empower participants to scale their ventures effectively.
- Up to $60,000 in business resources to help scale their ventures
- Pitch coaching and investor readiness support
- Expert-led workshops covering essential business building blocks
- Personalized 1:1 mentorship and coaching tailored to their specific needs
- A supportive network of like-minded female founders
Visa is empowering women entrepreneurs across Canada, offering ten $10,000 grants and access to an accelerated mentorship program through YSpace, York University. Additionally, our mentorship program offers you personalized guidance through a one-to-one matching system. You will be paired with an experienced mentor who can provide valuable insights, advice, and support tailored specifically to your business needs.
Policies Protecting from Gender Discrimination
York University has substantial regulatory and governance frameworks to protect students, staff, and community members from gender-based discrimination and harassment in academic studies, the workplace, and campus. The following policies apply to all York community members including students, staff and faculty in accordance with the protected grounds within the Ontario Human Rights Code.