To do business, work, study or immigrate to Québec

Studying in Québec, a World of Advantages!

Studying in Québec means benefitting from a world-class education system and stimulating student life in a unique environment.

Quality education

Throughout your educational path, you will benefit from :

• Québec’s prestigious research and technology transfer centres;
• the expertise of professors and researchers in cutting edge sectors;
• Québec’s modern higher education institutions and vocational training centres.

Affordable tuition fees and living expenses

Tuition fees and the cost of living in Québec are very low. Housing, food and healthcare costs are lower in Québec than in many industrialized countries.

The tuition fees of international students are among the lowest in North America. For an equivalent university education, it generally costs less to study in Québec than elsewhere in North America.

Study in French

Take advantage of your stay in Québec to learn or perfect your French. Québec is home to numerous language schools to help you reach your goal.

Work

Take advantage of your stay in Québec to learn or perfect your French. Québec is home to numerous language schools to help you reach your goal.

Immigration & Citizenship Canada offers a range of programs that allow international students to work during or after their studies, subject to certain conditions.

Obtaining a student work permit

Stimulating student life

You’ll enjoy the opportunity to live in a stimulating, exciting, picturesque, and welcoming environment.

Whether you prefer wide open spaces, or the cultural and culinary attractions of a large, multicultural city like Montréal, there’s so much for students to discover in the beautiful province of Québec!

Learning French

Studying in Québec is also an opportunity to live and study in French

To facilitate the integration of international students, the gouvernement du Québec offers a wide range of options for learning French. It’s about more than teaching. It’s about sharing our culture.

A Francophone environment

A beacon of the French language in the Americas, Québec lets you live and study in French!

Most universities ans colleges offer French courses to students and teachers during the summer period and during reading week.

Integration of immigrants

To facilitate the integration of immigrants, the gouvernement du Québec offers French courses.

French schools (Colleges and Universities)

Some links are only available in French.

• École de langues de l’Université Laval, Québec
• Ateliers de langues du Collège Saint-Charles-Garnier, Québec
• French Language Center de l'Université McGill, Montréal
• École de langues de l’Université de Montréal
• École de langues de l’Université du Québec à Montréal
• Centre de langues de l'Université de Sherbrooke
• École internationale de français de l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
• École de langue française et de culture québécoise de l’Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay
• Centre linguistique du Collège de Jonquière, Saguenay
• École de français du cégep de Rivière-du-Loup

Other French school

• École internationale de langues du YMCA, Montréal

My University Studies

University studies in Québec offer a world of possibilities

In addition to benefiting from world-renowned educational programs, many of which are offered in partnership with international institutions, you will live in a healthy, stimulating environment. The steps to take to study in Québec are also extremely simple.

Studying in Québec in four steps

1. Choose a program of study and an educational institution;
2. Receive confirmation of admission;
3. Obtain a Québec Acceptance Certificate (QAC) for studies;
4. Obtain a study permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

STEP 1 - Choose a program of study and an educational institution

Find out which programs of study are offered by contacting the educational institution of your choice or the ministère de l’Éducation and the ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur.

STEP 2 - Receive confirmation of admission

The best way to find out about admission requirements, processing times and application deadlines is to contact the educational institution directly.

For admission requirements for vocational training programs, contact Éducation international or visit Québec métiers d’avenir to benefit from free, personalized assistance. You can also send your application directly to the vocational training centre you wish to attend.

For admission to a CÉGEP (post-secondary technical education public school), contact the Federation of Cégeps. Applicants wishing to be admitted to a private CÉGEP must contact the educational institution directly.

For admission to a university, contact the university of your choice directly to find out about the application process and deadlines.

STEP 3 - Obtain a Québec Acceptance Certificate (QAC) for studies

As soon as you receive your letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution, submit an application for temporary selection for studies to the ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration. This document is mandatory for anyone planning on studying in Québec for over six months.

The requirement to obtain a Québec Acceptance Certificate (QAC) for studies generally applies to all international students at all levels of education, although some categories of students are not required to get one. To find out more about the list of exemptions and processing times, click here.

STEP 4 - Obtain a study permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

As in the case of the QAC for Studies, you must apply for study permit from the Government of Canada for all study programs lasting longer than six months. Some international students must also obtain a Temporary Resident Visa to enter Canada. This document and the study permit are issued at the same time by a Government of Canada visa office.

The ministère de l’Éducation and the ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur offers merit scholarships to international students with excellent academic records. To be eligible, you must be enrolled full-time in a diploma program at a Québec educational institution.

To find out more about these scholarships and the corresponding eligibility requirements, visit the Éducation international and the ministère de l’Éducation and the ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur websites.

Choosing a university

Québec has 18 universities (15 French-language and 3 English-language) that include several top-ranking academic institutions in Canada and the world.

University degrees

Québec universities offer three levels of study that lead to different degrees.

Undergraduate studies: Bachelor’s degree, diploma or certificate

Graduate studies:

• Master’s degree or a specialized graduate diploma (DESS)
• Doctoral degree

Each course corresponds to a given number of credits. To obtain a degree or diploma, students must accumulate a certain number of credits. One North American credit corresponds to two ECTS credits.

Generally speaking, a Bachelor’s degree requires 90 to 120 credits, a Master’s degree, 45, and a PhD, 90 or more.

Applying for admission

For more information on admission procedures and deadlines for filing an application, contact the university of your choice directly.

For an overview of university admission procedures, consult the Admission à l’université (Admission to University) section (French only).

Make sure you follow the instructions specifically set out for international students.

You may file several applications for admission at the same time, but you must only register with one university.

Required authorizations

Once you have your official letter of admission to a Québec university in hand, you may require one or both of the following documents:

• A Certificate of Acceptance from Québec (CAQ)
• A Study Permit from the Government of Canada (the CAQ is generally required to obtain this permit)

Prepare financially

Tuition fees and the cost of living are very affordable in Québec. However, you should know what to expect before you leave your country of origin.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees depend on your program of study and the education institution. For more information, contact the education institution.

Preferential tuition fees for French and francophone Belgian citizens

French and francophone Belgian citizens can benefit from intergovernmental agreements which set out specific provisions.

Insurance

Stay

You must possess sufficient financial resources to cover the costs of your stay, including tuition fees, transportation costs (return ticket to your country of origin), settling-in expenses for the first year and living expenses for the duration of your stay.

Financial assistance

Merit scholarships

The Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNET) merit scholarships are available for students and researchers from all fields of study or research who wish to undertake or continue their studies or research activities in Québec.

How to apply

FQRNT merit scholarship candidates are preselected by the universities. Applicants must meet all the admission requirements of the Québec merit scholarship program for international students and provide all the required documents stipulated on the FQRNT website.

For more information on financial assistance, contact the Government of Québec Office covering your territory.

Student exchange programs and internships

Student exchange programs allow you to complete part of your studies in a Québec educational institution (host institution) while remaining registered in an institution in your country of origin (home institution).

Learn more about which exchange programs are in place by contacting your educational institution in your country of origin or the Québec educational institution you wish to attend.

My College Studies

The college network includes:

• 48 public colleges (CÉGEPS) across Québec;
• 11 institutions under the responsibility of another government department;
• 61 private colleges.

There are two types of college programs:

• two-year pre-university programs that prepare students for university and lead to a Diploma of College Studies (DCS);
• three-year technical programs that prepare students for the job market and lead to a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS).

For more information on college programs, click here.

Choosing a program and an educational institution

Find out about the study programs available to you by contacting the educational institution you wish to attend directly. Click here to find out more on pre-university and technical programs. You will be also be able to see which colleges are authorized to provide these programs.

Applying for admission

Once you have selected your college and your program, you must submit an application for admission.

Before you submit your application, we recommend that you take the time to explore the various programs and job prospects.

It is important to follow the instructions for international students. The requirements may differ from those for Québec students.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees depend on your area of study. For more information, consult the tuition fees page on the ministère de l’Éducation and the ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur webpage.

Required authorizations

Once you have your official letter of admission to a Québec educational institution in hand, you may require one or both of the following documents:

• a Certificate of Acceptance from Québec (CAQ);
• a Study Permit from the Government of Canada (the CAQ is required to obtain this permit).

Prepare financially

Tuition fees and the cost of living are very affordable in Québec. However, you should know what to expect before you leave your country of origin.

Insurance

You must have health and hospitalization insurance that is valid for the entire duration of your stay. Premiums are determined by private insurance companies and vary according to the coverage offered. You must contact your educational institution directly for more information.

Even if you are insured in your country of origin, you must nevertheless purchase Québec insurance.

Québec has entered into social security agreements with some countries. This agreement allows natives of the signatory countries to benefit from insurance coverage under the Québec Health Insurance Plan. For the list of signatory countries, click here.

Stay

You must possess sufficient financial resources to cover the costs of your stay, including tuition fees, transportation costs (return ticket to your country of origin), settling-in expenses for the first year and living expenses for the duration of your stay.

My Vocational Studies

Undertaking vocational studies in Québec means quickly gaining the necessary skills to join the job market.

Enjoy access to a range of training programs offered in both French and English and state-of-the-art vocational training centres. Thanks to a hands-on approach, you’ll acquire all the tools you need to begin an exciting specialized or semi-specialized trade career. Vocational training in Québec stands out for:

• short training courses (1 to 2 years);
• hands-on internships that allow you to earn on-the-job experience;
• real-world skill acquisition;
• high graduation and employment placement rates.

Vocational training in Quebec is:

• 183 vocational training centres;
• 144 training programs that lead to a Diploma of Vocational Studies or a Skills Training Certificate issued by the ministère de l’Éducation;
• 21 training sectors.

Programs adapted to economic activity

• Vocational training programs are adapted to the economies of the regions where they are offered;
• Developed in collaboration with employers, they are designed to meet job market needs;
• Most programs include workplace internships.

Where we are recruiting : in-demand trades

Applying for admission

Vocational training programs are offered throughout the year across Québec. Program sessions do not only begin in the fall (August-September) and winter (January) but also continuously throughout the year.

The start date of courses, program length and admission requirements vary from one institution to another.

For your convenience, you can consult the list of Vocational Training Programs.

Required authorizations

Once you have your official letter of admission to a Québec educational institution in hand, you may require one or both of the following documents:

• a Certificate of Acceptance from Québec (CAQ);
• a Study Permit from the Government of Canada (the CAQ is required to obtain this permit).

Inquire in advance about the prerequisites for staying in Québec as an international student. You will need health and hospitalization insurance for the duration of your studies in Québec.

Financial assistance

Merit scholarships and vocational training tuition fee exemptions

Merit scholarships and tuition fee exemptions offered by the ministère de l’Éducation provide international students with outstanding grades the opportunity to undertake vocational training in Québec.

Applications from students from French-speaking countries (France, including overseas departments and territories) and from growth-market countries in Asia (China, India, Japan) and the Americas (Brazil and Mexico) are prioritized.

Merit scholarships range from $14,000 to $26,000 and the value is based on the duration of the training program. Recipients are also entitled to an exemption from the differential tuition fees payable by foreign students and are also entitled to healthcare insurance provided by the Régie de l’assurance du Québec (RAMQ).

The differential tuition fees program allows recipients to be exempted from paying tuition fees that are payable by foreign students.

These two programs are financed by the ministère de l’Éducation and managed by Éducation Internationale within the framework of the program Québec métiers d’avenir. Only one selection process is undertaken for both programs.

Want to apply?

Click here to find out more about the application process.

The Québec System: a unique experience

Read on to find out more about the Québec education system and make your dream of studying here come true.

How Québec’s education system works

Québec’s education system is composed of the following levels:

• pre-school (kindergarten);
• primary and secondary school (general and vocational programs);
• college (pre-university and technical programs);
• university.

School attendance is compulsory for children aged 6 to 16.

Québec has a secular language-based public education system. Courses are taught in either French or English, depending on the school’s language of instruction. Mixed-gender (boys and girls) classes are the norm at all levels of the system.

Québec also has a network of private educational institutions that are recognized by the gouvernement du Québec. These institutions offer the same official study programs as the public system.

Québec’s education system

Choosing the right level

Before taking any steps to come to Québec to study, it is important to choose the right level before applying: university, college or vocational.

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