Eight years strong: Sheridan tops Canadian animation rankings again
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For the eighth straight year, Sheridan is the top animation college in Canada according to Animation Career Review's annual rankings.
Sheridan also placed second in Animation Career Review's 2026 rankings of the top 50 international animation schools and colleges (excluding schools from the United States), behind only Gobelins in Paris, France. Nearly 200 schools from around the world were considered as part of the rankings.
This marks the sixth straight time Sheridan has ranked second in the international category, and the eighth consecutive year it has placed in the top two. Sheridan was one of only three Canadian schools to make the 2026 top 10. Sheridan also claimed the top spot across Canada, affirming its reputation as a global leader in animation education.
Since 2013, Animation Career Review has released annual rankings of international animation schools. The ranking criteria include academic reputation, graduate employment outcomes, admission selectivity, the depth and breadth of programs, and overall value relative to tuition costs and student debt.
"We are incredibly proud to once again be recognized as a global leader in animation education. Being ranked first in Canada and Ontario, and second internationally, reflects the exceptional talent, creativity and commitment of our students, faculty and alumni," says Mark Jones, Dean of Sheridan's Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design. "Animation is a powerful storytelling medium that continues to shape the future of entertainment, culture and communication worldwide. At Sheridan, we are honoured to play a role in preparing the next generation of artists and innovators who are pushing the boundaries of what animation can do."
As Canada's largest and most comprehensive arts school, Sheridan offers a competitive Honours Bachelor of Animation degree – a four-year, hands-on program that emphasizes classical principles of animation in a variety of forms, including 2D digital, 3D and stop motion – as well as a post-graduate certificate in visual effects.
Graduates of Sheridan's animation programs regularly go on to work with globally renowned studios such as Disney, Pixar, Nelvana, Sony Pictures Animation, Guru Studio, Atomic Cartoons, Wildbrain and House of Cool.
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2026 was another iconic year for Sheridan animation grads, as Maggie Kang (‘04) won an Academy Award for her blockbuster KPop Demon Hunters, along with a pair of Golden Globe awards and 10 Annie Awards.
Kang’s success also brought her local accolades. Toronto Mayor Oliva Chow presented Kang with the Key to the City, and the Sheridan grad was recognized with Departure’s Cultural Innovator Award, presented to her by Jones at a ceremony in May.
Kang edged out fellow Sheridan alumna and Oscar winner Domee Shi (Bachelor of Animation ’11), co-director of Elio, which was nominated in the same category. Additionally, more than four dozen Sheridan graduates had credits on this year's Oscar nominated films, with 20 alone having worked on Zootopia 2, which was also nominated for Best Animated Feature, as well as several on F1 and Frankenstein, which were both up for Best Picture. Also nominated for work on Frankenstein was alumnus Brad Zoern (Media Arts ’92), who received the nod in the Sound category.
This year also marked the third year in a row that Sheridan graduates took home Canadian Screen Awards. They won the prestigious CSA for their talented work across multiple genres, from dramatic acting and children's programming to sports broadcasting and reality television.
In addition to the Oscars, Sheridan alumni have received other top honours including the Golden Globes, Emmys and Canadian Screen Awards. FAAD is the top animation school in Canada and continues to find new ways to respond to needs of creative industries, helping students unlock innovation and success. Most recently, FAAD launched Canada’s first master’s in animation, games, and immersive experiences. Last year, Sheridan was named as an Apple Distinguished School, launched the Honours Bachelor of 3D Animation and Emerging Technologies (3DAET), and unveiled Nova, an interdisciplinary initiative designed to explore changes in creative industries.
Sheridan also placed second in Animation Career Review's 2026 rankings of the top 50 international animation schools and colleges (excluding schools from the United States), behind only Gobelins in Paris, France. Nearly 200 schools from around the world were considered as part of the rankings.
This marks the sixth straight time Sheridan has ranked second in the international category, and the eighth consecutive year it has placed in the top two. Sheridan was one of only three Canadian schools to make the 2026 top 10. Sheridan also claimed the top spot across Canada, affirming its reputation as a global leader in animation education. Since 2013, Animation Career Review has released annual rankings of international animation schools. The ranking criteria include academic reputation, graduate employment outcomes, admission selectivity, the depth and breadth of programs, and overall value relative to tuition costs and student debt.
"We are incredibly proud to once again be recognized as a global leader in animation education. Being ranked first in Canada and Ontario, and second internationally, reflects the exceptional talent, creativity and commitment of our students, faculty and alumni," says Mark Jones, Dean of Sheridan's Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design. "Animation is a powerful storytelling medium that continues to shape the future of entertainment, culture and communication worldwide. At Sheridan, we are honoured to play a role in preparing the next generation of artists and innovators who are pushing the boundaries of what animation can do."
As Canada's largest and most comprehensive arts school, Sheridan offers a competitive Honours Bachelor of Animation degree – a four-year, hands-on program that emphasizes classical principles of animation in a variety of forms, including 2D digital, 3D and stop motion – as well as a post-graduate certificate in visual effects.
Graduates of Sheridan's animation programs regularly go on to work with globally renowned studios such as Disney, Pixar, Nelvana, Sony Pictures Animation, Guru Studio, Atomic Cartoons, Wildbrain and House of Cool.
2026 was another iconic year for Sheridan animation grads, as Maggie Kang (‘04) won an Academy Award for her blockbuster KPop Demon Hunters, along with a pair of Golden Globe awards and 10 Annie Awards. Kang’s success also brought her local accolades. Toronto Mayor Oliva Chow presented Kang with the Key to the City, and the Sheridan grad was recognized with Departure’s Cultural Innovator Award, presented to her by Jones at a ceremony in May.
Kang edged out fellow Sheridan alumna and Oscar winner Domee Shi (Bachelor of Animation ’11), co-director of Elio, which was nominated in the same category. Additionally, more than four dozen Sheridan graduates had credits on this year's Oscar nominated films, with 20 alone having worked on Zootopia 2, which was also nominated for Best Animated Feature, as well as several on F1 and Frankenstein, which were both up for Best Picture. Also nominated for work on Frankenstein was alumnus Brad Zoern (Media Arts ’92), who received the nod in the Sound category.
This year also marked the third year in a row that Sheridan graduates took home Canadian Screen Awards. They won the prestigious CSA for their talented work across multiple genres, from dramatic acting and children's programming to sports broadcasting and reality television.
In addition to the Oscars, Sheridan alumni have received other top honours including the Golden Globes, Emmys and Canadian Screen Awards. FAAD is the top animation school in Canada and continues to find new ways to respond to needs of creative industries, helping students unlock innovation and success. Most recently, FAAD launched Canada’s first master’s in animation, games, and immersive experiences. Last year, Sheridan was named as an Apple Distinguished School, launched the Honours Bachelor of 3D Animation and Emerging Technologies (3DAET), and unveiled Nova, an interdisciplinary initiative designed to explore changes in creative industries.
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