FAQ

Cegeps, costs and financial assistance

• What is a merit scholarship?

  Ce programme permet à des étudiants internationaux (inscrits à une formation technique menant à un diplôme d’études collégiales) d’être exemptés des droits de scolarité supplémentaires exigibles.

  • Vous devez être citoyen de l’un des 44 pays de l’espace francophone détenant un Indice de développement humain (IDH) faible, modéré ou élevé,
  • Vous devez étudier dans un cégep situé hors de la Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal
  • Vous devez présenter un excellent dossier académique.

  Pour soumettre votre candidature, vous devez être admis ou inscrit dans un cégep et c’est le répondant du cégep qui vous fournira le formulaire de candidature.

  Learn more about merit scholarships

• What is a tuition fee exemption?

  This program allows students in a technical program (DEC) to be exempt from additional costs charged to international students.

  To submit your application, you must be accepted to or enrolled at a cégep; the international student advisor at your cégep can provide the application form.

  Learn more about tuition fee exemptions program

• Is there any financial assistance available?

  Depending on your citizenship and place of residence, you may have access to tuition exemptions, merit scholarships, or financial aide in partnership with your region of origin.

  • If you have French nationality and you do not live in another Canadian province at the time of your application, you will be exempt from international student tuition fees when you enroll at cégep.
  • If you have another nationality, you could benefit from one of the programs.

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• How to communicate with a cégep?

  Our network brings together 48 cégeps, including some with that have several campuses or a specific vocational school (for example École du meuble et de l’ébénisterie (furniture and carpentry school) and École nationale de l’aerotechnique (National aviation technology school). Be sure to read the information sheet for each school – it’s there to help you make an informed choice.

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• What does the cégep academic calendar look like?

  In Quebec’s cégeps, the academic year begins around mid-August and ends at the end of May. The academic calendar is usually made up of two semesters:

  • Fall: from mid-August to the end of December
  • Winter: from January to the end of May

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• What is the difference between cégep and university? How does the Quebec school system work?

  While cégep is a Québécois word, post-secondary technical education is taught around the world. 

  Cégeps primarily offer two types of education:

  • Technical programs last three years (six terms) and allow graduates to enter the job market. Most technical programs include practical internships in a workplace; oftentimes, these are paid internships. If a student wishes, they can continue their studies at a university level after this type of education.
  • Pre-university programs last two years (four semesters) and lead students to university studies. Pre-university programs can be an interesting alternative for international candidates who currently lack the necessary prerequisites to reach university, but who would like to do their university studies in Canada.

  After completing either type of cégep program, students obtain a Diploma of College Studies (DCS or DEC from the French Diplôme d’études collégiales), which is a government-sanctioned degree.

  • There is also a third type of cégep program: a short-duration program that leads to an Attestation of Collegial Studies (ACS or AEC from the French Attestation d’études collégiales). More details on the ACS.

  In Canada, university studies are divided into three levels:

  • Bachelor’s (not to be confused with the baccalauréat in France). A bachelor’s degree is the equivalent of the French license.
  • Master’s
  • Doctorate

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• How to choose my cégep?

  If the program you want to do is offered in twenty different cégeps, how do you decide which school is the best fit for you? Here are a few elements to consider.

  • Geographic location
  • Student residences
  • Activities
  • What’s distinctive about the program at this cégep

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• What is a cégep?

  What is a cégep, anyway? It’s an acronym from the French term Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel, which means General and professional teaching college. In Quebec, Canada, it’s a public school that provides the first level of post-secondary education. All of the pre-university and technical programs offered by cégeps are recognized by a government-sanctioned diploma: the Diploma of College Studies (DSC), better known by its French name and acronym, Diplôme d’études collégiales (DEC).

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• How much do studies cost at a cégep?

  Depending on your citizenship and place of residence, you may have access to tuition exemptions, merit scholarships, or financial aide in partnership with your region of origin. In cégep, international students must pay tuition fees every semester. Tuition fees vary depending on programs of study

  Learn more about tuition and fees that apply to your situation

Admission and immigration

• Do I need health insurance?

  À titre d’étudiant international, vous devez obligatoirement détenir une assurance valide pour la durée de votre séjour, car le gouvernement du Canada n’assume pas les frais médicaux des étudiants étrangers*. Selon votre pays d’origine, différentes options s’offrent à vous.

  En savoir plus

• Can I work during my studies?

  Under certain conditions, you could be eligible to work on your cégep’s campus, to work off-campus, or to have a paid or unpaid internship as a part of your Quebec study program. To learn what conditions apply, visit the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website.

  Cégeps offer placement services to help you in your job search.

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• How to find accommodation?

  When studying in Quebec, you may choose to live in a student residence or in private accommodations off-campus.

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• How to get my study permit?

  Before you can request a study permit, you must have applied to and been accepted into one of the programs of study offered by our cégeps. You are responsible for completing the following immigration procedures to be able to come to Quebec to study. IMPORTANT: Plan up to five months to complete all of the required procedures.

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• How can I submit my application from abroad? What is the deadline?

  There are three different admission services; each cégep is represented by the service for its geographical region: SRAM (Service régional d’admission du Montréal métropolitain), SRACQ (Service régional d’admission au collégial de Québec) et SRASL (Service régional de l’admission des cégeps du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean). You must complete your application on the website of the admission service that processes applications for the cégep you wish to attend. To find out, please fill out the short form above.

  For the fall semester beginning in August, submit your application before February 1st.
  For the winter semester beginning in January, submit your application before September 1st.

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• Is there an age limit to submit an application in a cégep?

  No, there is no age limit to submit an application in a cégep.

  Learn more about the Québec school system

• What are the admission requirements for the cégeps?

  To be accepted to a cégep, you must have passed eleven years of study in your country of origin. Certain cégep programs have prerequisites, that is, subjects or courses you need to have studied and passed. The information page about each program of study will tell you what these prerequisites are.

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Study programs

• What is the “short-duration program”?

  Cégeps also offer short programs, so called because they take 6 to 18 months to complete. Their exact length varies depending on the program and the school.

  Usually, the students who choose short technical training are adults who have already acquired work experience or who have completed other training in the past. For them, the short program often consists of courses to bring up their skill level, and requires specific prerequisites.

  The diploma granted upon successful completion of a short program is the Attestation of Collegial Studies (ACS), also known by its French name, Attestation d’études collégiales (AEC).

  Learn more
  

• What is the short-term mobility program?

  Hundreds of students from around the world come here for professional or observation internships, thanks to the international mobility agreements our cégeps have signed. These internships allow students to acquire or perfect the skills necessary to succeed in their chosen professions. It is also possible to study for a semester and do an internship afterwards. The cégeps facilitate the administrative process and guide international students through their choices of internship, classes and accommodation.

  In order to prepare for a short period of study in a cégep (internship or study), you must first contact your institution’s international relations office to find out whether there is an existing collaboration agreement with our cégeps. You will then be able to communicate directly with the cégep of your choice.

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• Can I take French or English courses in a cégep?

  Do you want to be accepted at a cégep where the language of instruction is not your own native language? You should know that many options are available for you to perfect your French or English.

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• How long do cégep study programs last?

  The total duration of your study program varies according to its type:

  • Technical programs last three years (six terms)
  • Pre-university programs last two years (four semesters) 
  • There is also a third type of cégep program: a short-duration program (AEC) last between 6 to 18 months. 

   

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• What is the difference between “technical program” and “pre-university program”?

  Souhaitez-vous intégrer le marché du travail le plus rapidement possible? La formation technique est la solution pour vous. Après trois ans (pour la majorité des programmes), vous serez qualifié pour occuper un poste d’entrée dans votre domaine d’études.

  Souhaitez-vous aller à l’université? La formation préuniversitaire (durée de 2 ans) est le meilleur choix.

  How to choose your study program

• What are the programs of study offered in the cégeps?

  As an international student, you have access to more than 125 programs (technical and pre-university) offered in nearly 48 schools across Quebec. Explore the many possibilities and find the perfect program for you from our expansive offering!

  Learn more