Canadian Education System
Canada invests significantly in its education system. Canada is one of the world’s top education performers and, in fact, is among the top three countries when looking at spending per capita on public post-secondary education.
The education system in Canada encompasses both publicly-funded and private schools, including: community colleges/ technical institutes, career colleges, language schools, secondary schools, summer camps, universities and university colleges.
Education is a provincial responsibility under the Canadian constitution, which means there are significant differences between the education systems of the different provinces. However, education is important to Canadians, and standards across the country are uniformly high.
Secondary Education
Also known as high school, this level runs from Grade 9 (ages 14 to 15) to Grade 12 (ages 17 to 18). Ontario has a Grade 12+. In Quebec, students attend high school until the age of 16. They may then proceed to CEGEP, a publicly-funded two-year college where students may pursue either a university preparation diploma, or a vocational diploma.
Post-Secondary Education
Canada has a wide network of colleges and universities, offering some of the best post-secondary education worldwide.
Canada has many internationally recognized university programs located in both urban and rural regions throughout the nation. Degrees awarded from Canadian universities are generally recognized as equivalent to those from other universities worldwide.
The university year usually runs from September to April or May, and is comprised of two semesters, or terms. Many post-secondary institutions offer the option of taking courses in a third semester during the summer months. Generally speaking, students may begin a study program at a university in September (in most cases), or in January.
College programs may run throughout the year, and students may be able to begin a course at various points during the year.
