Education in Québec
The education system in Québec is the responsibility of the Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (Ministry of Education, Recreation and Sports), and it is administered by French and English school boards.
The Québec public education system is secular and language-based (French and English), according to the language of instruction in the schools.
School begins at the age of five, with kindergarten, followed by elementary school. Secondary school lasts for five years. Post-secondary education is divided between universities and CEGEP (Collège d' enseignement général et professionel - general and professional education college), often referred to as college.
For students who have obtained a CEGEP diploma, most undergraduate university degrees are only three years in length.
Education is free for all Québec residents, from kindergarten to college. Since Québec subsidises post-secondary education and controls tuition fees, getting an education in the province is not expensive. There are three different tuition levels:
- Québec resident
- Out-of-province Canadian resident
- International tuition (the most expensive level)
School in Québec is mandatory for children aged between six and 16.
