About us

Brescia is Canada’s only women’s university. We were founded in 1919 by the Ursuline Sisters, strong women of faith who are committed to social justice, community service, and the development of women. While our roots are in the Catholic faith, we are open to – and embrace – women of all faiths.

Brescia is affiliated with Western University, the third-largest university in the province. That means you’ll benefit from the small, supportive atmosphere at Brescia while still enjoying the resources Western has to offer.

In addition to Brescia, you may take classes with men and women at Western’s main campus, Huron, and King’s University Colleges. When you graduate, your degree will be granted by Western.

At Brescia, you’ll:

Have endless opportunities to enhance your leadership skills
Benefit from an exceptional education that is tailored to you and the way you learn best
Learn from compassionate professors who will mentor – and empower – you
Feel comfortable to openly share your opinions and ideas – in the classroom and beyond
Bond with women who share your desire to be truly educated and to make a difference in the world

Brescia University College was founded in 1919 by the Ursuline Sisters of Chatham, Ontario. The Ursuline Sisters are strong women of faith who are committed to social justice, community service, and the development of women. Their vision and values continue to help shape the policies and procedures at Canada’s women’s university.

Originally, Brescia was located in a converted house downtown near Victoria Park. Seven young women comprised the first class of students. Land was later purchased and, in 1923, construction began on what is now Brescia University. Classes began on the new campus in fall 1925.

Since its inception, diversity has been important to Brescia. In the early days, women came from the Caribbean, Latin America, and Asia to study at Brescia. Today, Brescia welcomes and embraces women of all faiths from all over the world.

The Ursulines ensured that all women, regardless of financial circumstances, could pursue a Brescia education. To this day, Brescia is known for our outstanding scholarship program.