Studying in Canada: a complete guide for francophone families

Canada is one of the most relevant destinations for a francophone family wanting to combine international academic quality with a realistic budget. It’s also one of the most misunderstood: many families talk about « Canada » and « Canadian universities » as if it were a single system. It isn’t. Canada has no federal university system: each province manages its own universities, fees, and application platforms.

This fact sheet therefore makes a clear distinction between the two worlds a francophone family will encounter: Quebec on one side, the rest of Canada on the other.

1. Two university countries in one

Quebec: a case of its own

Quebec has its own logic. Quebec higher education is split between CÉGEP (a 2-year preparatory level after secondary school) and the university itself (Bachelor’s, often 3 years long because the CÉGEP has already covered the first university year of the other provinces).

The main Quebec universities: McGill (anglophone, top 30 worldwide), Université de Montréal (UdeM, francophone), Université Laval (Quebec City), Concordia (anglophone, Montreal), HEC Montréal (business school).

The rest of Canada: classical anglophone system

In the other 9 provinces, the Bachelor’s degree lasts 4 years, in English (with a few exceptions like the University of Ottawa, which is bilingual). The references: University of Toronto (top 25 worldwide), UBC (Vancouver), McGill (a hybrid case, Montreal), University of Waterloo (excellence in science / engineering / computer science), Queen’s University (Kingston).

2. Why it’s especially relevant for francophone families

a. The Franco-Quebec agreement: reduced tuition

This is the point most families are unaware of. Since 2015, an agreement between France and Quebec grants French students at the Bachelor’s level tuition fees aligned with out-of-province Canadian rates instead of full international rates. Concretely:

The degree itself is identical. A French student doing a Bachelor’s at UdeM or Laval pays ~€6,500 per year instead of ~€17,000, subject to meeting eligibility requirements. It’s one of the best value-for-money international study options in the world, and very few French families know about it.

b. The French language is an asset, not an obstacle

The francophone universities of Quebec (UdeM, Laval, UQAM, Université de Sherbrooke, etc.) generally do not require a language test for French Baccalaureate holders, with a programme entirely in French. This is rare internationally. Usually, studying abroad means learning a new language of instruction. In Quebec, you can step straight into class.

c. The academic quality is real

McGill, UdeM, UBC, Toronto regularly appear in the top 50 worldwide rankings (QS, Times Higher Education). These aren’t second-tier universities: the teaching quality is comparable to the best French or British universities.

3. The real differences for the candidate

For anglophone universities (outside Quebec)

• Provincial platform: OUAC for Ontario, EducationPlannerBC for British Columbia, ApplyAlberta for Alberta, etc. Each province has its own portal.
• Mandatory English test: IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 90 minimum (sometimes 7.0 for very selective programmes)
• Full international fees: 25,000 to 60,000 CAD/year depending on university and field (medicine and engineering are the most expensive)
• Personal statement and recommendation letters required for selective programmes
• Deadline: usually January for the September intake

For Quebec universities

• Direct application: there is no centralised platform in Quebec. You apply directly to each university (McGill, UdeM, Laval, the Université du Québec network), each with its own admission portal
• Generally no language test for French Baccalaureate holders in francophone universities of Quebec
• Reduced fees for French students (see the table above)
• Deadline: variable, usually between January and March
• Direct acceptance of the French Bac: no prior credential assessment needed

4. The visa: studying in Canada

To study in Canada, two successive steps:

Step 1: The CAQ (Quebec only)

If you study in Quebec, you must first obtain a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ), issued by the provincial government. Cost: ~120 CAD. Processing time: 4-6 weeks.

Step 2: The Study Permit

Issued by the federal Canadian government. Cost: 150 CAD. Processing time: variable, often 6-12 weeks from France.

Since 2024, Canada caps the number of study permits. Direct consequence for applicants: most undergraduate applications outside Quebec must include a Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL), obtained through the institution that admits you. For 2026, IRCC targets 180,000 permits for PAL/TAL-required applicants. In Quebec, the CAQ serves this purpose. Concretely: capped places per province and one more administrative step to factor into the timeline.

Common conditions:

• University admission letter
• Proof of sufficient funds: 22,895 CAD/year for a single applicant outside Quebec, excluding tuition and transportation (IRCC amount in force since September 1, 2025, indexed annually; Quebec applies its own thresholds, set by the Quebec immigration ministry). Check the current amount on the IRCC website when applying.
• Medical exam for some provinces
• No criminal record

Good news: the Study Permit allows you to work part-time during term (the number of hours is periodically revised by IRCC) and full-time during holidays, with no extra paperwork. That’s better than the UK and much better than the USA.

5. Who is Canada right for?

In our experience, Canada (and especially Quebec) is the right choice for families whose child:

• Wants to study internationally at a realistic cost: it’s probably the best value-for-money option in the world for a French student at the Bachelor’s level
• Prefers French but wants a North American experience: Quebec is uniquely positioned for this
• Aims for an international career: a Canadian degree is read without difficulty by European, American, and Asian recruiters
• Wants a structured academic environment: Canadian universities have a real culture of student support, unlike the French university

Anglophone Canada additionally suits a student who:

• Already has an excellent level of English (B2-C1 minimum)
• Targets specific fields where anglophone Canada excels (computer science at Waterloo, medicine at UofT, engineering at UBC)

6. Three questions to ask before targeting Canada

1. Quebec or the rest of Canada? This question must be settled early, as these are two different projects (language, culture, platforms, costs).
2. If Quebec: have you fully understood the Franco-Quebec agreement? Without this information, many families rule out Quebec on budget grounds when it’s actually cheaper than a French private Bachelor’s or even a post-bac business school.
3. Do you know the provincial calendar? Deadlines vary by province. OUAC (Ontario) is mid-January. McGill is early January. Laval is more flexible.

7. Standard timeline for an application targeting September 2027

Key takeaways

• Canada is not a single system: Quebec and the rest of Canada are two parallel worlds.
• The Franco-Quebec agreement brings Bachelor’s tuition to ~€6,500 per year for a French student in Quebec: probably the best value-for-money international offer that exists.
• The francophone universities of Quebec (UdeM, Laval, Sherbrooke) generally do not require a language test for French Baccalaureate holders.
• The Study Permit allows part-time work during term (the number of hours is periodically revised by IRCC), more generous than the UK or the USA.
• Since 2024, Canada caps study permits: a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) is required for most undergraduate applicants outside Quebec (in Quebec, the CAQ serves this purpose), and the proof of funds has risen to 22,895 CAD/year (excluding tuition, since September 2025).
• Outside Quebec, plan for 25,000 to 60,000 CAD/year in fees, close to UK post-Brexit rates.

Going further

• EduCanada: official Canada study portal
• Gouvernement du Québec: Franco-Quebec tuition agreement
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada: Study Permit

Fact sheet written by Constantin Mardoukhaev, co-founder of Axiom Academic. Constantin leads the support of francophone families with their international study projects.