QUEBEC'S EDUCATION SYSTEM  

•   Public education is free for all Québec residents, from kindergarten to college inclusively. 
• The Québec public education system is secular and language-based (French and English) according to the language of instruction in the schools. Since French is the official language of Québec, children of immigrants, regardless of their mother tongue, are usually required to attend a local establishment of the French school board until the end of secondary studies. 
• There is a total of nine English public-school boards in Quebec. For a full list of Anglophone school boards in Quebec, please visit the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) website.
•  Although there are English School Boards, most programs offered are French immersion or bilingual. Instruction is split between English and French. The percentage of English instruction varies by school board and school. 
• Children can attend school in English, however, there is a very strict criteria that must be met. 
  
•  Students who are in Canada under work permit status will automatically qualify for a Certificate of Eligibility to attend an English school but once they become a permanent resident they will no longer qualify for the Certificate. 
• Students CANNOT attend school until they have received their Certificate of  Eligibility. 
•  Between high school (which ends at grade 11) and university, students attend school called CEGEP. CEGEP is a pre-university (2-years) or technical (3-years) program.
•  Kindergarten is available province-wide for children that are 5 years of age by September 30^th of the school year. 
• Mandatory education starts in grade 1. Elementary school in Québec has six grades divided into three cycles: 

• Elementary cycle 1: grades 1 and 2
• Elementary cycle 2: grades 3 and 4
• Elementary cycle 3: grades 5 and 6
• Secondary school in Quebec has five grades (formally given as roman numerals I-V) corresponding to grades 7 through 11. Upon completion of grade 11, students receive the provincial Secondary School Diploma (SSD).
  

o Secondary cycle 1: grades 7 and 8

o Secondary cycle 2: grades 9, 10 and 11 

•  Private schools that do not receive government funding do not require a certificate of eligibility to study in English. There are very few private schools who do not receive funding. 
•  All students must pass a French proficiency test before they are able to graduate secondary school. There are five province-wide exams: science, history, and math exams at the end of their grade 10 year, and English and French exams at the end of grade 11. They must pass all the exams in order to receive their high school diploma. Should a student not receive a pass, they can rewrite the exams, all of which are offered three times each year. A student with special circumstances who is in Quebec on a temporary basis may obtain a derogation, but this is very rare occurrence. 

ENGLISH SPEAKING SCHOOLS IN MONTREAL

The two main school boards in Montreal are the English Montreal School Board and Lester B. Pearson School Board (West Island). The other boards in the greater Montreal area are; Riverside School Board (South Shore) and the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board (Laval). 

English Montreal School Board English Programs

The English Montreal School Board offers 3 different programs: 

English Core - the English Core Program offers 68% of English Instruction and 32% of French instruction per day. 

French Immersion - All instruction is done in French from Kindergarten to Grade 2. In Grade 3, English is introduced but 68% of instruction is done in French. 

Bilingual - this program offers 50% of English instruction and 50% of French instruction. 

For information on how to register, please visit: How to Register. 

Montreal School Board = Commission scholaire English-Montréal

6000 Fielding Avenue Website

Montreal, QC Phone: 514-483-7200

Lester B Pearson School Board English Programs

Lester B Pearson School Board schools offer a bilingual program. Children are taught approximately 52% of instruction in English and 48% in French. 

In their Early Immersion program, 85% of instruction will be in French for grades Kindergarten to Grade 2. Starting in Grade 3, children have 50% of instruction in French and 50% in English. 

French Plus students learn 92% in French in Kindergarten. 82% of instruction in grades 1 and 2 is in French, and in Grades 3 & 4 77%. In Grade 5 and 6, English instruction represents 55% and French 45%. 

For information on registration, please visit Admissions.

Lester B. Pearson School Board

1925 Brookdale Avenue Website

Dorval, QC Phone: 514-422-3000

FRENCH EDUCATION (Public Sector)

Commission scolaire de Montréal

The mission of the Commission scolaire de Montréal is to ensure that all students receive quality education, while respecting the diverse cultures and economic backgrounds of its entire student population, young and adult, in its jurisdiction.

Montréal welcomes immigrants from the five continents, and according to the latest census statistics, more that 80% of all new immigrants to the province of Québec choose to live in the City of Montréal. As a result, every neighbourhood in the city is multi-ethnic and this is reflected in the schools of Montréal. The majority of new immigrants enroll in the schools of The Commission scolaire de Montréal – because of the language laws in Québec, not all individuals are granted permission to attend English schools.

Right to Choose

All parents have the right to choose where they want their child educated; however, if the school is not within their specified school zone (or neighbourhood), then they must apply to the school of their choice on a yearly basis, and will be accepted only if there is room for their child (after all students within the zone have applied)

Documents Required

Registration must be done directly at the school they will be attending and bring the following documents:

• Proof of address – copy of offer to purchase or lease agreement or copy of a property tax bill

And an original or certified copy of one of the following documents:

• Birth Certificate (short or long form, showing parents’ names)
• Birth Certificate (showing parents’ names) 
• Certificate of Birth Abroad (if born outside the province of Québec)
• Visa, Immigration Card or Permanent Resident Card (issued by Citizenship & Immigration Canada)
• Certificate of Canadian Citizenship

For more information, please contact: n

Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM)

3737, rue Sherbrooke Est Website

Montréal, QC H1X3B3 Phone: 514-596-6000

(Website is in French only)