Canadian Education System

As in the United States, education in Canada is considered a local responsibility. Provinces have primary oversight over their education systems. 11.4 percent of Canada’s GDP is spent on education, with a heavy emphasis on tertiary education.

The school year in Canada lasts from early September, around Labor Day, to the end of June. Canadian students have 190 days of school each year, except for those in Quebec, who have 180.

Education is compulsory until age 16 in all provinces except Manitoba, Ontario, and New Brunswick, where schooling is compulsory until age 18 or until students have received their high school diploma. Students typically begin school at the age of five (kindergarten) or six (grade one).

Being able to learn in your own language and religion at a public school is considered a right in Canada. You will find some major cities have as many as four school boards – English secular, English Catholic, French secular, and French Catholic. French and English schools can be found in every province, with the most French schools located in Quebec. Additionally, immersion programs and bilingual schools are widespread throughout Canada. Bilingual schools are most often English/French, but in Western Canada especially other bilingual programs, like English/Chinese, have emerged.

The grade levels for all provinces other than Quebec are similar. Early Childhood Pre-Kindergarten (ages 3-5)—unique to Ontario Elementary Kindergarten (5-6) Grade 1 (6-7) Grade 2 (7-8) Grade 3 (8-9) Grade 4 (9-10) Grade 5 (10-11) Grade 6 (11-12) Junior High/Middle School Grade 7 (12-13) Grade 8 (13-14) Grade 9 (14-15) High School Grade 10 (15-16) Grade 11 (16-17) Grade 12 (17-18) Groupings of grade levels may vary by province. Some will have middle schools that comprise grades 6-8, whereas others follow the junior/senior high system. Québec: Pre-school/préscolaire (under age 5) Kindergarten/maternelle (5-6) Grade school/école primaire Grade 1 (6-7) Grade 2 (7-8) Grade 3 (8-9) Grade 4 (9-10) Grade 5 (10-11) Grade 6 (11-12) High school/école secondaire Grade 7 /Secondary 1 (12-13) Grade 8/Secondary 2 (13-14) Grade 9/Secondary 3 (14-15) Grade 10/Secondary 4 (15-16) Grade 11/Secondary 5 (16-17) CEGEP CEGEP 1 (17-18) CEGEP 2 (18-19)

CEGEP, or Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (in English, College of General and Vocation Education), is a pre-college university program unique to Quebec. Students from Quebec wishing to receive post-secondary education either in or outside of Quebec must first enroll in and complete a CEGEP program for at least one year. Quebecois students may not attend university with just a secondary education diploma; they must have completed a CEGEP program as well. Since the pre-university CEGEP programs usually take two years to complete, most bachelor’s degree programs in the province of Quebec require three years. This way, Quebecois students receive the same total number of years of education as students from the rest of North America — they spend a year less in secondary school than students in other provinces do. Currently, 175,000 students in Quebec are enrolled in public CEGEP, and 14,000 students in private programs. The rationale behind CEGEP is proper academic preparation for university and increased accessibility to higher education. CEGEP education is highly subsidized by the government and is almost free to students. Students take their years in CEGEP seriously as helpful steps toward a university education. For more information on CEGEP, visit the Fédération des CEGEPs website.

High School Grading System Grading systems in Canada differ from those in the United States. Each province determines its own system. A comprehensive list of grading systems by province can be found at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Eligibility Center International Directory. Keep in mind the province each of your Canadian applicants comes from, as grading scales vary. In some provinces, such as Quebec and British Columbia, schools do not give “D” grades, making a “C” the lowest passing grade. CEGEP Grading System The grade from a CEGEP is called an R score. The equation to find the R Score is a bit complicated and is explained in detail here. The 90th percentile of students has a 34 or greater. The 50th percentile has 27. University and College Grading System Universities and Colleges are varied in their grading systems, and you need to reference each university’s website to understand their scale. This is not set on a provincial level. For example, the two major universities in Ottawa have different grading scales: University of Ottawa (10.0) and Carleton University (12.0). For a list of all the Canadian universities, visit Universities Canada. For a list of all Canadian Colleges and Institutes, visit Colleges and Institutes Canada.