World University Service of Canada is a 3-star charity with a Fair demonstrated impact. The charity has a B+ Results Reporting grade, which is above average. Its overhead spending is 27%, within Charity Intelligence’s reasonable range. Its reserve funds can cover 1 year and 1 month of annual program costs, which is within Charity Intelligence’s reasonable limit.  

Founded in 1957, World University Service of Canada (WUSC) works to improve education, employment, and empowerment opportunities for youth in 28 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The charity collaborates with partners, volunteers, governments, and businesses to support young people in need. The charity focuses primarily on young women facing sexual discrimination, young refugees, and other marginalized people.  

During F2024, the charity worked with 289 partners who provided direct support to approximately 151,000 people, of which 65% were women, 77% were youth and 10% were refugees.  

The charity runs five major programs: Education, Empowerment, International Volunteer Cooperation, Complimentary Pathways to Resettlement for Young Refugees, and Economic Opportunities. The charity does not provide a breakdown of spending per program. 

The charity ran its Technical and Vocational Education & Training in Kenya, Ghana, and Jordan. WUSC reported that Kenya’s program had a completion rate of 100% in F2024. In Jordan, WUSC stated that 1,089 women participated in the program, which connected 221 young women with employers in F2024. In Ghana, the charity reported that 24 of the 66 participants are engaged in the business registration process as of 2024. The charity stated that 502 Kenyan women graduated from the LEAP project, which helps women earn accreditation in trades, with 20 of the young women pursuing Electrical and Solar installation courses as of February 2024.  

Launched in 2020, the Partner Innovation Fund supports social entrepreneurship, distributing funds and volunteer support. In F2024, eight partners received financial support to implement projects in their communities. There is Hope, a vocational program in Malawi supported by the fund, reported 120 youths trained with an 80% completion rate for the first cohort of 45 students in F2024. With funding from WUSC, Artisans Association of Ghana launched Young Female Businesses Growth and reported that 90 participants are currently engaged in the business registration process in F2024.  

In F2024, the Student Refugee Program added three new institutions to its network of postsecondary sponsors, Cégep de Trois-Rivières, Collège Rosemont, and The King’s University, to increase sponsors to 87. In F2024, WUSC supported initiatives that brought 30 refugees to Mexico and 31 refugees to the United States. Under the HIRES project, the charity reported that it facilitated resettlement and employment placement for 30 Kenyan refugees in British Columbia’s hospitality sector. In Jordan, the charity stated that 15 refugee counsellors provided guidance to more than 770 refugee youths on pathways to resettlement. 

WUSC supported communities in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Guinea to adapt to climate change with improved agroforestry In F2024. It also began a new agricultural TVET project in Ghana and continued its work in fostering sustainability in the Caribbean.  

World University Service of Canada’s audited financial statements follow activity-based costing, a best practice. This means that its expenses are clearly defined between program, administration, and fundraising categories.  

WUSC received $1.2m in Canadian donations and $4.0m in international donations in F2024. The charity recorded $6.5m in donated goods in kinds, in the form of Canadian volunteers working overseas. The charity reported $38.4m in government funding, which accounts for 53% of total revenues.  

Administrative costs are $4.4m in F2024, which is 6% of revenue. Fundraising costs are $255k in F2024, which is 21% of donations. This means that overhead costs are 27%. For every dollar donated, 72 cents are available to go to the cause. This is within Charity Intelligence’s reasonable range.  

In F2024, the charity reported a surplus of $22.2m with gross net funding reserves of $42.3m. Excluding endowed funds, the charity’s reserves can cover 108% or 1 year and 1 month of program costs.  This is within Charity Intelligence’s limit of 300%. 

Profile updated by Leah Holmes on June 19, 2025. This charity report is an update that has been sent to the charity for review. Comments and corrections may be forthcoming.