Students in Canada attend secondary school until Grade 11 or 12, depending o­n the province in which the school is located. (Education in Canada is a provincial responsibility and there are variations from o­ne province to the next). After completing secondary school, students may attend college, university or Cégep studies.

Secondary Schools

Secondary schools in Canada offer general studies, and university preparation courses for students in Grades 11 and 12. Both public and private schools welcome international students, who can choose to study intensive English or integrated academic and English programs. For those with strong English language skills there are various academic programs that can lead to a Canadian high school diploma. Policies o­n accepting international students and the fees charged vary from district to district.

College

After completing high school, students can attend a college and receive a certificate or diploma after o­ne to three years of study.

University Colleges offer university degrees such as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) as well as certificate programs. They offer a wide range of academic choices, including English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.

Community colleges and technical institutes offer vocationally-oriented curricula as well as general academic concentrations that lead to an Associates Degree after two years of study, whereas privately-owned Career Colleges offer short-term training programs that provide students with practical skills in specific professional areas such as multimedia, film studies, computer/internet studies, graphic design and hospitality.

University

University students can receive a BA after three years of study or an advanced major degree or an Honours Bachelor’s degree after four years. The latter is usually required for admission into graduate school. Some undergraduate universities offer four year single-degree programs and five year double-degree programs. At the graduate level, a Master’s degree (MA) requires o­ne to two years of study and a Doctorate degree (PhD) from three to four years. An undergraduate diploma is the prerequisite for an MA or PhD.

Cégep

Cégep is a French acronym for College of General and Vocational Education, and is two years of general (pre-university) study or three years of technical education between high school and university. Graduates receive a Diploma of Collegiate Studies (Diplôme d'études collégiales – DEC). The province of Québec has the Cégep system.

In addition to these secondary and tertiary education options, Canada offers numerous English and French language schools and summer camps for international students.