FAQ

Levels
Québec’s university system has three levels. The undergraduate level comes after 13 years of elementary and secondary education. University program length varies depending on the discipline and level but is generally as follows:  
•    Undergraduate level: Bachelor’s degree (3 or 4 years) and certificate (1 year)
•    Graduate level: Master’s degree (2 years) and graduate studies diploma (1 year)
•    Postgraduate level: Doctorate (3 years)

Terms
The university year has three terms or trimesters:
•    The fall term begins in late August or early September and ends in mid-December.
•    The winter term begins in early January and runs until late April
•    The summer term begins in early May; intensive courses finish in late June and regular courses end in mid-August.

Not all universities offer summer trimesters: ask your host faculty. The summer term may be mandatory for some programs.

Credits
A credit is a numerical value that represents the amount of work required to achieve specific course objectives. Courses in the Québec university system are generally three credits for 45 hours of teaching (classes, practical work, laboratory work, internship, evaluation, etc.) plus homework, spread over a 15-week term.
    The number of credits required to obtain a degree is usually
• 90 to 120 credits for a Bachelor’s degree
• 45 to 60 credits for a Master’s degree  
• 90 credits for a Doctorate  
• 30 credits for a graduate diploma or a certificate.

To have full-time status, a student must be registered for a minimum of 12 credits per term (at least four courses).

The number of credits for a given course or entire study program is provided in the course or program description. Most courses are worth three credits, but some are worth two credits.

As a comparison with the European system, one credit in the Québec university system corresponds to two credits in the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).

Degrees and diplomas
In Québec, university studies are divided into three levels that lead to three main degrees:
•    Bachelor’s degree: undergraduate degree, generally granted after three or four years
•    Master’s degree: graduate degree, generally after two years
•    Doctorate (PhD): postgraduate degree, at least three years
•    Certificate: undergraduate level, 1 year
•    Advanced graduate diploma [Diplôme d'études supérieures spécialisées, DESS], 1 year

For general information about Québec, visit the Québec government’s Québec Portal > International site

For information about university education in Québec, you are already on the right site. Go ahead and browse!

Each Québec university has its own special features, strengths and fields of research.

When planning to study at a Québec university, it is important to learn about the various programs available in your field of interest and compare the programs’ content to find the best match for your aspirations. Then obtain information about student life on the campus where the program you want is offered. You also need to make sure you are proficient in the language used at the university where you intend to study.

If you are currently registered at a university, you can ask your home university’s international relations office about agreements between that university and universities in Québec.

The Pour choisir un programme de maîtrise ou de doctorat Web page (in French only) provides descriptions of the Québec universities’ graduate and postgraduate programs.

For information about undergraduate (Bachelor) programs, visit the universities’ Web sites.

•    Bishop’s University
•    Concordia University
•    Université Laval
•    McGill University
•    Université de Montréal
•    HEC Montréal
•    École Polytechnique de Montréal
•    Université de Sherbrooke
•    Université du Québec à Montréal
•    Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
•    Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
•    Université du Québec à Rimouski
•    Université du Québec en Outaouais
•    Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue
•    École de technologie supérieure

Remember to review the international students’ section on the universities’ Web sites.

For a graduate or postgraduate program, see the CREPUQ directory of masters’ and doctoral programs (in French only).

A directory of Bachelor’s programs will be available in winter 2011. In the meantime, check the undergraduate program catalogues on the Québec universities’ Web sites (Index of universities)

Yes, some programs are unavailable or have a limited number of spaces. Examples are programs in medicine, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, physiotherapy and dentistry.

Read everything very carefully, because program access can vary within the same faculty. Check lots of sites in every department that interests you.

A foreign national who has studied general medicine in their country of origin may study a medical specialty in Québec. However, the person must go through the Collège des médecins [College of Physicians] equivalence accreditation process. If the candidate’s academic record is recognized by the Collège, the candidate will be authorized to apply for admission to a university program.

Note that this process is long and costly and includes a French-language proficiency test. Furthermore, access to residency programs is different for foreign graduates residing in Québec and for those still living abroad.

NOTE: At the beginning of the MD program, 15 spaces per year are reserved for applicants who have a student visa.

People who already have a degree in medicine should consult the Recrutement Santé Québec [Health Québec recruitment] site.

Study in Québec... Sure, but how? If you want to study at a Québec university, you have three options! You can register directly at a Québec university to complete an entire program and obtain a degree, or you can participate in a CREPUQ student exchange program or a program that is covered by an agreement with your home university.

For the procedure to follow to study in Québec, see this section.

Admission application deadlines vary from one university to the next. They also depend on the level and program for which you are applying. Applications are generally required in March for the fall term that begins in September. To check the deadlines, visit the site of the university you want to attend or click here.

Admission requirements vary from one Québec university to another and from one program to the next (some programs have quotas) and depend on the program level. Universities are free to set their own requirements for application processing and for granting admission credits. For example, a student from France who applies to a Bachelor-level program with no quota will generally need an average of 12/20; 16/20 may be required for a Master’s program. It is important to deal directly with the faculty at your host university.

You can take part in a student exchange governed by agreements signed by the Conference of Rectors and Principals of Québec Universities (CREPUQ) with partner universities abroad.  This exchange can last for one term but no more than one university year.

This type of exchange is possible after you have completed at least one year in a program at your home university. Special rules may apply at different universities and only the exchange coordinator at your home university can help you prepare your application. Any questions should be addressed to the exchange coordinator at your home university, not to CREPUQ.

For information about the CREPUQ student exchange programs, visit http://echanges-etudiants.crepuq.qc.ca/ and contact the CREPUQ mobility person at your university.

N.B.: If you participate in a CREPUQ student exchange program or a program governed by a bilateral agreement with your university and you will be attending the host university for less than six months, you are not required to obtain a Québec acceptance certificate (CAQ) or the Canadian government study permit.

The deadline for submitting an application to CREPUQ is usually between the end of January and mid-February. Your home university will set the deadline and help you with the procedure. Ask the international relations officer at your university for information and begin planning your exchange a year ahead of time.

Once again, there is no specific date. It depends on the university, the program, and when you file your application. You can expect to receive a reply about 6 to 8 weeks after the university receives your submission.

For some programs, the university will require you to identify your field of research and a faculty supervisor who accepts to oversee your work in advance. You need to find a research professor who is working in your field of interest and contact him or her by email. Explain your research interests and include a list of your publications, your curriculum vitae, etc.

More information on this topic is available on the Québec university Web sites in the graduate studies sections.

No. To obtain the Québec acceptance certificate (CAQ, or Certificat d’acceptation du Québec), you must be registered full-time at a Québec university. Full-time registration means a minimum of 12 credits per term for undergraduates and 6 to 9 credits for graduate and postgraduate students.

At some universities, it is possible to begin certain programs in the winter term. Most programs, however, begin in the fall term. You will have to ask your host university about this.

First, review this section of our Web site  to determine the admission requirements for a Québec university and degree equivalents.

Note that the universities all have their own methods and criteria for reviewing admission applications and granting equivalencies.

French nationals will find useful information in the Accord-cadre franco-québécois entre la Conférence des Présidents d’Université (CPU), la Conférence des Directeurs d’Écoles et de Formations d’Ingénieurs (CDEFI) et la Conférence des recteurs et des principaux des universités du Québec (CREPUQ) sur la reconnaissance des diplômes et la validation des études.

English universities generally use the TOEFL to evaluate knowledge of English.

For more information:

• Concordia University
• Bishop's University
• McGill University

Most French universities do not require foreign students to submit language test results with their application. Oral and written language proficiency is assessed upon arrival at the host university. Depending on the score obtained on the French test, the student may be required to take remedial French courses at the university’s language school.

All the information for international students about temporary immigration to Québec and Canada can be found on the Ministère de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles Web site [Québec Immigration and Cultural Communities Department]  and Citizenship and Immigration Canada Web site.

Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ)

Québec has agreements with several countries that allow students from those countries to obtain the same health insurance as Québec students. The Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) [Québec health insurance board] provides free health insurance for Québec citizens.

The countries that have an agreement protocol with Québec are Denmark, Finland, France, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Belgium, Greece and Sweden. If you are from one of these countries, ask your social security agency about joining the Québec health insurance plan.

Note that this insurance does not cover dental expenses, eye examinations, or ambulance costs. The insurance is only valid in Québec, so you are advised to obtain additional insurance coverage when travelling outside Québec.

When you receive your RAMQ health insurance card, inform your university so that it will stop billing for the group health insurance plan.

Group health insurance for international students (Desjardins Financial Security)

Foreign students who are not covered by the above agreements must join the group health insurance plan for international students (Desjardins Financial Security). To join, students should contact their host university directly (student life office, student services).

The cost of the Desjardins Financial Security health insurance for 2011-2012 is $924. This premium is subject to annual increases.

The Québec government grants under the Program for Exemption from Supplemental Tuition Fees are administered by foreign organizations under partnership agreements with Québec, so you must contact the organization in your country about the selection criteria and completing the application form (in French only).

To find out if you are eligible for this Program, visit the Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) [Québec Department of Education, Recreation and Sports] Web site.
 
In Québec, undergraduate scholarships are rare. However, some organizations, such as the Offices jeunesse internationaux du Québec, can provide financial assistance, such as paying transportation costs. It is therefore important for students to investigate funding in their own country first and approach various organizations.

For graduate and postgraduate studies, ask your faculty supervisor and your host university in Québec for information.

CREPUQ does not have any student funding programs. Students must obtain funding on their own. Here are some resources you can investigate (this list is not exhaustive).

General information on funding sources

• Financial aid office, student services, or international relations office of the university where you are currently registered
• International students’ section on the Québec university Web sites
  
• International relations offices at the Québec universities
  
• Canadian embassies, high commissions, trade offices or consulates abroad
  
• Québec  offices abroad
  
• Your country’s national Department of Education
  

Programs for graduate and postgraduate studies, postdoctoral and research fellowships

• Agence universitaire de la francophonie (AUF) (in French only)
• Association Bernard Gregory (in French only)
  
• International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
  
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
  
• National Research Council Canada (NRC)
  
• Fonds de recherche sur la société et la culture (FQRSC) (in French only)
  
• Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la nature et les technologies (FQRNT)
  

 
Other programs

• Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE)
• International Council for Canadian Studies (ICCS)
  
• DestinEducation.ca
  
• Government of Canada - Programme canadien de bourses de la Francophonie (in French only)
  
• Government of Canada – International Scholarships program 
  
• Government of Québec – Program for Exemption from Supplemental Tuition Fees 

Québec has a lower cost of living than the rest of Canada, the United States and Western Europe. Housing costs in the province are low, and are even more reasonable away from major cities. The average cost in 2009 for a two-bedroom apartment with kitchen, living room and bathroom is $600 per month.

The Québec Ministère de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles (MICC) [Department of Immigration and Cultural Communities] currently recommends that foreign students who come to study in Québec plan to budget at least $11,000 per year for living expenses. A student who lives alone (not sharing accommodation) should plan on a higher amount.

Arrival and settling in involve major expenditures, including start-of-term costs. You are advised to prepare a budget before you leave home and adjust it after the first month. The following section will help you.

The currency used in Québec is the Canadian dollar ($C, CAD).

For international students, tuition ranges from C$12,000 to C$16,000 per year, depending on the university, level and program.

Under a government agreement, students from certain countries, such as France, can pay the same tuition as Québec students. Tuition fees for these international students are about C$2,000 per year, or about 1,500 euros per year (based on exchange rates in July 2010). For information about exemption from the tuition fees international students are normally required to pay, visit the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) [Québec Department of Education, Recreation and Sports] site.

In addition, you must prove that you have sufficient funding to cover your transportation costs, settling-in costs for the first year (C$500) and living expenses for your entire stay. Living expenses for 2010 are about $11,000, roughly 7,000 euros.

Current exchange rates are available at http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/rates/converter.html.

Who better to talk about university life in Québec than the students themselves? Here are a dozen blogs by foreign students who are registered at Québec universities. Don’t be afraid to ask them your questions, they will be happy to answer them between courses, studying, seeing friends, going on outings, student association activities, and homework!

All Québec universities have student residences on their campuses. Of course, a place in residence is not guaranteed to all international students, but if you send your application quickly—as soon as you receive your admission acceptance—you will increase your chances of obtaining a room in a university residence.

Living in an apartment near the campus may be a good option if you plan to obtain your degree in Québec or if you already have a roommate to share costs with. Apartment rental in Québec is relatively affordable compared with the rest of Canada, North America and major European cities.

When you rent an apartment, here are some things that it is important to ask about:
•    Does the rent include heating, electricity and hot water?
•    Are there laundry facilities (washer and dryer) in the building?
•    Is the apartment furnished, partly furnished or not?
•    Is there access to public transit and are there grocery stores nearby?

Your university’s Web site and the student life site can direct you to a list of available apartments, and you can search the local newspapers and classified ads on the Web.

Of course! Every university has a student life office that provides support for foreign students, including orientation, social and cultural activities. (http://www.accueilplus.ca/)

Québec universities also offer a wide range of services to all students (health services, psychological aid, academic and career counselling, French, housing, etc.), as well as student associations.

All the universities have many sports teams: football (American style), soccer (European football), volley-ball, track and field, swimming, alpine skiing, etc. Ask the sports department at your host university about training camp dates and the possibilities available to you.

You can also play recreational sports or join a sports team that plays weekly just for fun, train in the fitness rooms, or take various courses at the university sports centre. The university Web sites will give you all the information you need.

A number of Québec universities offer English as a second language (ESL) programs. To find out about these programs and the admission criteria, see the following Web sites:

•  English Language Summer School at Bishop’s University
  
• Centre for Continuing Education at Concordia University
  
• École de langues de l’Université Laval
  
• English and French language programs at McGill University
  
• Faculté de l’éducation permanente at the Université de Montréal 
  
• Centre de langues at the Université de Sherbrooke
  
• Language immersion programs at the Université du Québec à Montréal
  

The Télé-université Service d’évaluation linguistique (SEL) [language assessment service] tests students’ proficiency in French or English and their learning needs.

A number of Québec universities offer programs in French as a second language (FSL). For information on these programs and the admission criteria, see the following Web sites:

• Centre for Continuing Education at Concordia University (click on Part-time Programs)
• École de langues de l’Université Laval
  
• English and French language programs at McGill University
  
• Faculté de l’éducation permanente at the Université de Montréal
  
• Centre de langues at the Université de Sherbrooke
  
• Summer Language Immersion programs at the Université du Québec à Montréal
  
• École internationale de français (International French School) at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
  
• École de langue française et de culture québécoise at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
  

The Télé-université Service d’évaluation linguistique (SEL) [language assessment service] tests students’ proficiency in French or English and their learning needs.

It is possible to have a job on the university campus without a work permit, as long as you have a valid study permit and you are a full-time student.

You can also obtain an off-campus work permit. For this you must:

1. have completed, within the past 12 months, a minimum of six months of full-time study at your host university (the university must participate in the off-campus work program)

2. be a full-time student (minimum of 12 credits per term)

3. maintain a satisfactory academic record.

The off-campus work permit will allow you to work a maximum of 20 hours a week during the regular term and full-time during scheduled vacation periods.

Some study programs offer internships or are cooperative programs that alternate study and work. If you are eligible and register for such a program, you are required to obtain a work permit. You can apply for this permit at the same time as your study permit.

For more information about the off-campus work program, consult the following sites:

• http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work.asp
  
• http://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/immigrate-settle/students/finding-out/working-studies/index.html
  

CREPUQ and the Québec universities do not have any bank of internships for foreign students. You should contact the international relations office at the university where you are registered to see if there are any agreements with organizations in Québec that offer internships. You can also consult the following organizations:

• Canadian embassies, high commissions, trade offices or consulates abroad
• Québec offices abroad
  
• Les Offices jeunesse internationaux du Québec (LOJIQ) (in French only)
  
• Office franco-québécois pour la jeunesse (OFQJ) (in French only)
  
• Office Québec-Amérique pour la jeunesse (OQAJ)
  
• Office Québec Wallonie Bruxelles pour la jeunesse (OQWBJ) (in French only)
  
• Espace Emploi International
  
• Association France-Québec (in French only)
  
• Service des échanges et des stages agricoles dans le monde (SESAME)
  
• Volontariat international (in French only)
  
• Council on International Educational Exchange
  
• Agence française pour le développement international des entreprises (for the addresses of French companies with subsidiaries in Québec)
  

PLEASE NOTE: An internship is considered to be employment, even if it is unpaid or short-term; therefore a temporary work permit is required. Be sure to learn about the necessary administrative formalities for what you are planning to do. More information on this topic is available on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada site.

It is possible to enter the Québec labour market after you finish university. The procedure for remaining in Québec permanently after completing your education is explained on the Québec government’s official Web site: http://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/immigrate-settle/students/stay-quebec/index.html.

For the Canadian government’s procedure, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp.

In the coming years, hundreds of thousands of jobs will be available in Québec, particularly because of the upcoming massive retirements. These jobs will be in many fields.

For more information about the Québec labour market, click here.

For information on the Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ) [Québec experience program] – Québec graduate, see http://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/immigrate-settle/students/stay-quebec/application-csq/students-peq/index.html and consult the Living in Québec After Your Studies brochure.

You should arrive in Québec about two weeks before term begins so that you will have time to find an apartment, if necessary, visit the area, get settled, purchase what you need, deal with some formalities and participate in the orientation activities organized by the university, the student life office or a student association. The fall term begins in the last week of August or the first week of September. The winter term begins in the first week of January.

In conjunction with various organizations, CREPUQ offers reception services for foreign students at Montréal-Trudeau airport, generally during the three last weeks of August. The exact schedule is announced in early summer.

The international students’ reception booth at Montréal-Trudeau Airport is usually set up in the international arrivals hall near the Aéroport de Montréal (ADM) general information counter.

For more information about this activity, consult the Accueil Plus Web site: http://www.accueilplus.ca/

The people in the booth will be able to tell you about available means of transportation to your university or housing. They will also be able to help you search for temporary accommodation and find your way around the airport and the city. They can also assist you in making a brief telephone call to a family member.

Students are responsible for their own transportation from the airport to their housing or to the university. However, some universities provide this type of service. You should contact your host university for this information.

For students arriving in Montréal who wish to spend the first night in the city, three types of transportation are available to you:

1. A shuttle service, the Aérobus, is available between Montréal-Trudeau Airport and downtown Montréal (terminus at the bus terminal, 505 De Maisonneuve Blvd. East). More information is provided on the following Web site: http://www.admtl.com/passager/acces_et_stationnement/home.aspx

2. You can also take a taxi downtown. More information can be found on the following Web page: http://www.admtl.com/passager/acces_et_stationnement/taxisAndLimousines.aspx

3. The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) (Montreal transit company) operates a city bus and metro system on Montreal Island. Line 204 Cardinal serves Montréal-Trudeau Airport from the Dorval train/bus station. The bus schedule is limited, however, and the trip takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to get downtown. More information is available on the following Web page: http://www.admtl.com/passager/acces_et_stationnement/STMbuses.aspx

The "Equivalent" section of this website adresses this question but you will have to complete one more year of preperatory school before entering your program.

Greetings,

Any questions regarding immigration will be best answered by going directly to the ministère de l'immigration website.

By consulting the CREPUQ directory of graduate and postgraduate programs, you will find the list of Québec universities that offer masters in mathematics and applied mathematics.

Here is the summary of the results:

• Université McGill : MA, Mathematics and Statistics et MSC, Mathematics & Statistics
• École Polytechnique : Maîtrise (recherche) en mathématiques appliquées
•  Université du Québec à Montréal : Maîtrise en mathématique
• Université de Montréal : Maîtrise en mathématiques
• Université de Sherbrooke : Maîtrise en mathématiques
• Université Laval : Maîtrise en mathématiques avec essai
• Université Laval : Maîtrise en mathématiques avec mémoire
• Université Concordia :  Master of Arts in Mathematics and Statistics et Master of Science in Mathematics

No, the DEC is obtained after a minimum of two years of studies after the high school in Quebec. Normally, to be admitted to a university in Quebec, the Ontario student must have completed one year of university studies (undergraduate) after the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).

However, check directly with your university to know the admission requirements.

You will find on this Website a lot of information about university studies in Québec, Québec universities, procedures to follow and so on.

To join a university sports team, we invite you to communicate directly with the universities who have a basketball team. Therefore, you will learn about the draft and the training camp, but also about the programs offered by the universities in your field of studies.

The Québec universities with basketball teams are:

• Bishop's University
• Concordia University
• Université Laval
• McGill University
• Université du Québec à Montréal

It is possible that some canadian universities will ask to do a semester of initiation courses including some french or english lessons before accepting your request. You first have to subscribe to enroll in you university and while they study your demand, they will evaluate if and additionnal preperatory year is needed.

This site adresses this question in the "Studying in Québec" section.

For any question concerning the immigration process in Québec, go to the Ministère de l'immigration website.

Each university is responsible for their own admission process and criterias. The best way to know is to provide a complete student file that will be examined by the university and they will determine wether your portfolio is good enough or not.

The "Working in Quebec" section of this FAQ answers this question.

If you're thinking about studying in Québec, visit the "steps to studying in Québec" section of the site. It contains all the information you need to know in order to complete the process.

Quebec's diplomas are amongst the most recognized diplomas in the world and exceeds the highest standards. 

Certain fields of study (Law, engineering, psychology) requires you to be part of a professional order. You must contact them to know about your profession's needed qualification.

Yes, Phd student can get very interesting grants. Certain organisations, your research director or your country's governement are good place to go look for a grant.

The financial assistance section of this site can also help you look for grants and loans to pursue your education.

To get your master's degree in Québec, you must first choose your university. You can look in the programs directory of this site to find out if the program you are looking for is available at your univeristy.

All the necessary steps are explained in the "Studying in Québec" section of this site.

It depends on your university. Contact them directly to know if you qualify.

The “Cote R” is the performance rating of Quebec colleges. It measures the performance of students enrolled in Quebec colleges (CEGEp), according to the results, the group average, etc. International students are not concerned about this criterion.
 

TELUQ offers courses by correspondence (www.teluq.uquebec.ca). The costs are approximately $ 1,800 per course. Contact directly the university to see if courses are offered in your field of study, what are the criterias for admission, etc.