York University is a 5-star rated charity. Like most universities, it is financially transparent and has a high results reporting grade. Its overhead costs are within Ci’s reasonable range. With its current reserves the university can cover five months of annual program costs.

Founded in 1959, York University (York U) is the second-largest university in Ontario and the third largest in Canada. Its vision is to offer a high quality, research-intensive learning environment for a diversity of students. In Ontario, York U runs a Keele Campus and a Glendon Campus. Outside of Canada, York U operates a Hyderabad Campus for MBA programs in India and a Las Nubes EcoCampus for environmental studies in Costa Rica. The university has been in the process of adding a new campus. The new Markham Campus is set to welcome students in Fall 2024.

York U’s main charitable programs are education and research, for which it does not provide a spending breakdown.

Across 11 faculties, York U offers over 200 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. In the 2023-2024 academic year, York University had 47,178 undergraduate students and 6,279 graduate students. This included a total of 15,217 international students. In 2023 the university awarded a total of 12,707 degrees, including 10,119 Bachelors, 2,352 Masters, and 236 PhDs.

York University funds innovative research projects across its faculties and departments. In 2022, York U reported that its students and faculty produced 3,014 research publications. Its researchers had 543 successful grant applications.  York U also holds 35 Canada Research Chair positions.

York University is a Major 100 charity, one of Canada’s largest charities in terms of donations. It received donations of $35.7m in F2023. During the year, it also received $763.1m in tuition and service fees (56% of revenues) and $416.5m in government grants (30% of revenues).

Administrative costs are 5% of revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs were 18% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 23%. For every dollar donated to the charity, 77 cents are available for programs. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

In F2023, York University spent $1.1 billion on its programs, which is 83% of total revenues. The university had a surplus of $135.2m (10% of revenues) and capital expenditures of $139.0m, up $68.4m from F2022.

York U has $1.0 billion in net reserve funds ($1.6 billion in cash and investments less $617.7m in interest-bearing debts). In these reserve funds $548.7m are donor endowed. Excluding donor-endowed funds, the charity can cover around five months of annual program costs with its existing reserves.

Charity Intelligence has sent this update to York University for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on June 4, 2024 by Alessandra Castino.