Education in Quebec

Quebec’s education system is the most distinctive in North America, differing fundamentally from the rest of Canada and the United States by having an intermediate level known as CEGEP (Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel).

The education system inQuebecfollows a 6-5-2-3 structure (primary – secondary – CEGEP – university), while the rest of North America follows a 6-6-4 structure. The province has 48 public CEGEPs, dozens of prestigious universities such as the Université de Montréal, McGill and UQAM, and the lowest tuition fees in Canada for in-province students.

This article gives a panorama of Quebec education across 7 main aspects: the structure of the system, preschool and primary education, secondary education, the distinctive CEGEP system, higher education, the language of instruction and tuition fees, together with the particular features for foreign nationals.

The structure of Quebec’s education system

Theo the Government of Quebec, Quebec’s public education system has been entirely secular since the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s, having previously been run by the Catholic Church. The current system has five main levels:

1. Preschool: ages 4 to 5, not compulsory
2. Primary (Élémentaire): 6 years, ages 6 to 11
3. Secondary (Secondaire): 5 years, ages 12 to 16 (Secondary I–V)
4. CEGEP (College): 2 years for the pre-university programme or 3 years for the technical programme
5. University: Bachelor’s (3 years), Master’s (1–2 years), Doctorate (3–5 years)

Compulsory education in Quebec runs from ages 6 to 16, covering the whole of primary and secondary school. The Government of Quebec invests around 11% of the provincial budget in education, equivalent to nearly 4% of GDP – a high level among developed economies.

An important feature: Quebec students finish secondary school a year earlier than the rest of North America (after grade 11 instead of grade 12), but must then study 1–3 years of CEGEP before entering university.

Preschool and primary education

Kindergarten (Maternelle)

Kindergarten in Quebec is not compulsory but is encouraged. The government provides two main types:

• Kindergarten for 4-year-olds (Maternelle 4 ans): free, for 4-year-olds, expanded significantly from the 2010s
• Kindergarten for 5-year-olds (Maternelle 5 ans): free, and almost universal (more than 95% of children attend)

In addition, the network of Early Childhood Centres (Centre de la petite enfance – CPE) provides childcare from ages 0 to 5 at a specially subsidised rate – one of Quebec’s best-known welfare policies, in place since 1997.

Primary school

Primary school runs for 6 years, divided into three two-year cycles:

• Cycle 1: grades 1 and 2
• Cycle 2: grades 3 and 4
• Cycle 3: grades 5 and 6

The primary curriculum covers French, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, physical education, and in particular the subject “Quebec Culture and Citizenship” (which replaced religious education in 2008). English is taught as a foreign language from grade 1 at French-language schools.

Secondary education

Quebec secondary school runs for 5 years, from Secondary I to Secondary V (grades 7–11). The secondary system has three types of school:

• Ordinary public schools: free, serving most pupils
• Public schools with special programmes: public but with specialist programmes (international, sport, arts, science); free but with entrance examinations
• Private schools: partly subsidised by the government, with fees ranging from CAD 4,000 to 10,000 a year

This three-speed system has been criticised for creating inequality, as ordinary public schools have to compete with state-subsidised private schools, affecting overall quality.

The programmes

Quebec secondary school has two main streams:

1. General education: preparing for CEGEP and university, comprising academic subjects
2. Vocational training (Formation professionnelle): training job skills directly for the labour market, beginning in Secondary IV or V

After completing Secondary V and passing the provincial examinations, pupils receive the Diplôme d’études secondaires (DES) – the secondary school leaving certificate, the requirement for entry to CEGEP.

CEGEP – Quebec’s distinctive system

CEGEP is the most striking feature of Quebec education. Established in 1967 by Education Minister Paul Gérin-Lajoie – the “Father of CEGEP” – this system emerged from the Quiet Revolution with the aim of democratising post-secondary education, giving Quebec students a stepping stone between secondary school and university.

Scale

Theo the Government of Quebec, there are currently:

• 48 public CEGEPs (5 of them English-language)
• Around 70 private colleges (more than a third of them subsidised)
• 4 affiliated public institutions, including the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec

The well-known CEGEPs include Dawson College, Vanier College and Marianopolis College (English-language), together with Cégep de Sainte-Foy, Cégep du Vieux Montréal and Collège Ahuntsic (French-language).

Two types of programme

CEGEPs offer two main types of programme, both leading to the Diplôme d’études collégiales (DEC):

Pre-university programmes:

• Lasting 2 years (4 semesters)
• Preparing for university
• Fields: natural sciences, social sciences, literature, arts, music

Technical programmes:

• Lasting 3 years (6 semesters)
• Leading directly to employment or the option of continuing to university
• Fields: nursing, computer engineering, accounting, graphic design, aviation, tourism and others
• Usually including a paid work placement

Beyond the DEC, CEGEPs also award the Attestation d’études collégiales (AEC) for short professional programmes.

Features

A CEGEP academic year comprises two 16-week semesters (autumn from August to December and winter from January to May). Students at public CEGEPs pay almost no tuition as Quebec residents, only administrative fees of around CAD 200 a semester.

CEGEP plays a key role: the DEC is a mandatory requirement for entry to Quebec universities (other than for mature students or students from outside the province). This makes CEGEP an indispensable bridge in the education system.

Higher education

Quebec has a well-developed university system, with internationally renowned institutions. The province has 19 main universities, divided into two groups by language of instruction.

The French-language universities

• Université de Montréal (UdeM): the largest French-language university in North America, ranked in the world’s top 100. Its affiliated schools are HEC Montréal (business) and Polytechnique Montréal (engineering).
• Université Laval: in Quebec City, the oldest French-language university in North America (1663, originally the Séminaire de Québec)
• Université de Sherbrooke: in Sherbrooke, known for its co-operative education model
• The Université du Québec system: a multi-campus system, comprising UQAM (Montreal), UQTR (Trois-Rivières), UQAR (Rimouski), UQAC (Chicoutimi), UQO (Outaouais), UQAT (Abitibi-Témiscamingue) and TÉLUQ (the open university)

The English-language universities

• McGill University: Canada’s oldest English-language university (1821), ranked in the world’s top 30. Known as “the Harvard of Canada” with outstanding medicine, law and health sciences.
• Concordia University: in Montreal, known for the arts, communications, business and engineering
• Bishop’s University: in Sherbrooke, a small liberal arts university

Programmes and qualifications

Quebec universities award qualifications to North American standards:

• Bachelor’s (Baccalauréat): 3 years (instead of 4 as in other provinces, because of CEGEP)
• Master’s (Maîtrise): 1–2 years
• Doctorate (Doctorat): 3–5 years

Quebec universities are particularly strong in AI research (McGill and the Université de Montréal with Mila), medicine, law, environmental science, engineering and the arts. Montreal is North America’s leading university city, with more than 200,000 university students from around the world.

The language of instruction

Quebec has a distinctive language policy in education, under Bill 101 (the Charter of the French Language):

Primary and secondary level

Preschool, primary and secondary education at public schools must be conducted in French. Only a limited group is entitled to attend English-language public schools:

• Children with a parent who attended primary school in English in Canada
• Children with a sibling who attended English-language schooling at a Quebec public school
• Children with a parent temporarily resident in Quebec (for 3 years, renewable)

The children and descendants of immigrants (including from Vietnam) must all attend primary and secondary school in French – although they may attend an English-language private school where the family can afford it.

CEGEP and university level

At CEGEP and university level, students are free to choose an institution teaching in French or English. However, Bill 96 of 2022 tightened this: capping enrolment at English-language CEGEPs and requiring all English-language CEGEP students to take 3 courses in French in order to graduate.

Tuition fees and financial support

Quebec has the lowest university tuition fees in Canada for in-province residents – a legacy of the Quiet Revolution with its philosophy of mass education.

Tuition fees for the 2024–2025 academic year

• Quebec resident students: around CAD 3,000 a year for a bachelor’s degree
• Students from other Canadian provinces (out-of-province): around CAD 9,000–12,000 a year
• International students: ranging from CAD 18,000 to 45,000 a year depending on the field and the university

The low tuition fees for Quebec residents are a considerable advantage for those settling in the province. After obtaining permanent residence and meeting the residence requirements, families who have settled there may send their children to university at far lower cost than in Ontario or British Columbia.

Financial support

The Loans and Bursaries Programme (Aide financière aux études – AFE) provides loans and bursaries to Quebec students in need. It is one of the most extensive education financial support programmes in Canada.

Studying in Quebec for Vietnamese students

A detailed article onstudying in Quebec.

Quebec is an increasingly popular study destination for Vietnamese students, thanks to high-quality education and reasonable costs compared with the United States and Europe. The main advantages:

• University tuition fees lower than Ontario, British Columbia, the United States and the United Kingdom
• After graduating, the ability to work in Canada with a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
• Quebec graduates can readily apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) through the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ)
• A bilingual English-French environment, particularly in Montreal
• A large Vietnamese community in Montreal

The basic requirements:

• A Vietnamese secondary school leaving certificate or equivalent
• An English language certificate (IELTS, TOEFL) for an English-language institution or French (DELF, TEF, TCF) for a French-language institution
• A letter of acceptance (Lettre d’acceptation) from a designated learning institution
• A Quebec Acceptance Certificate (Certificat d’acceptation du Québec – CAQ) – specific to Quebec
• A Canadian federal study permit
• Evidence of funds

Note: Quebec requires a separate CAQ in addition to the federal Study Permit – a more complex process than other provinces but bringing many settlement advantages after graduation in return.

Conclusion

Quebec’s education system is the most distinctive in North America with CEGEP as its bridge, a high-quality university system with leading institutions such as McGill, the Université de Montréal and UQAM, together with the lowest tuition fees in Canada for in-province residents. The distinctive language policy requires the children of immigrants to study in French at primary and secondary level, but at the same time gives the next generation genuine bilingualism – a valuable asset in the global labour market.

For Vietnamese families interested inCanadian citizenshipor consideringsettling in Canada, Quebec offers an excellent education environment: low cost, high quality, and a clear route from studying to settlement through the Quebec Experience Program. The CEGEP system is particularly suited to students wanting a stepping stone between secondary school and university, or pursuing a technical route straight into the labour market.