Applying for admission to a school, college or university

Preschool, elementary and secondary school

French is the official language of Québec. Therefore, the Charter of the French Language stipulates that French is the language of instruction in preschool, elementary and secondary school, with some exceptions. Children of immigrants, regardless of their mother tongue, are usually required to attend a local school under the French school board until the end of secondary school.

	USEFUL INFORMATION
	French learning support If your child does not speak French, he or she will need help to attend classes in this language. That is why non-francophone students in the preschool and elementary and secondary school system can take advantage of French learning support measures provided by the Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport. By helping students to master the language of instruction, these measures ease and accelerate student integration into ordinary French classes. While these measures may vary depending on the school, each school is responsible for offering students the most appropriate support.

Procedure for applying for admission

In order for your child to attend a school, you must first apply for admission at your local school board. You will be required to provide originals or certified copies of the following documents:

• Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ - Québec Selection Certificate)
• confirmation of permanent resident status (issued by Canadian authorities)
• passport
• birth certificate
• report cards, if any.

Depending on the situation, either the school board or the parents register the child. If you are required to register your child, the school board will provide you with the necessary registration forms and the contact information for the school.

Each year, school boards issue a public notice regarding admission applications. The registration period begins in February or March, for the school year beginning a few months later, usually at the end of August. Although you can apply at any time, it is generally recommended that you register your child for preschool (kindergarten) before the end of June.

College and university

Procedure for applying for admission

To apply for admission to a college, contact the institution you wish to attend. If it is a member of a Service régional d'admission (regional admissions office), you will be referred there.

For the fall term (beginning at the end of August), the application for admission must be submitted before March 1^st. For the winter term (beginning in January), the deadline is November 1^st. Colleges may ask that you pay an application fee.

To apply for admission to a university, you must submit an application for admission directly to the institution you have chosen and pay the appropriate fees. The deadlines vary depending on the institution and study program. However, the deadline for application for admission to regular study programs is March 1^st for the school year beginning the following September.

	USEFUL INFORMATION
	Only Québec educational institutions have the authority to grant candidates, after examination of their school files, equivalencies in order to admit them to their program of study. The Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport provides a search tool to help you find a particular school board, public or private educational institution, college or university.

Useful links

• Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport:
  • Inscription à la maternelle (public sector)
  • Inscription à l'enseignement primaire
  • Inscription à l’enseignement secondaire
  • Admission au cégep (college) et à l'université