Fancy studying in a quaint province with a unique fortified city, cobblestone pathways, and a rich French heritage. Sounds amazing right? This probably explains the growing popularity of universities and colleges in Quebec amongst international students from several parts of the world.
Quebec seems like a truly interesting proposition if you look closely at some of its most unique facets:
Quebec was founded by French explorer Champlain in the early-17th century as per UNESCO. It is the sole North American City to have immaculately preserved its historic bastions, ramparts, defensive works, and gates surrounding Old Quebec.
Quebec City is the capital of the Quebec province and is one of Canada’s oldest cities, being the only walled city north of Mexico in North America. It became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985. Most residents speak French, while English is also widely spoken.
Quebec is home to several leading educational institutions, making it a top study-abroadchoice for international students. These include Laval University (founded in 1852) and the University of Quebec.
The city is also home to cultural institutions like the Grand Theatre, concert hall, Place-Royale Interpretation Centre, Museum of French America, and Chevalier House, to name a few.
When you consider these disparate yet interesting aspects that contribute to the unique vibe of the province and city, Quebec certainly makes for a great place to live, work, and study.
Why Choose to Study in Quebec?
Choosing to study in Quebec is a great decision for several reasons. Here’s looking at a few of them:
Affordable living costs
Studying at top Quebec colleges and universities is a no-brainer for those seeking affordable costs of living alongside. Quebec is known for its comparatively reasonable costs of accommodation for students along with food, groceries, and other basics. Reports estimate that Quebec is 35% cheaper in comparison to Toronto which gives you the picture.
Cultural diversity and lifestyles
If Quebec were a person, then diversity would be its middle name! It offers French, indigenous, and European influences galore, complete with charming neighborhoods, architecture, aesthetics, and lip-smacking cuisine. Staying here is a great opportunity to brush up on French, while also trying delicacies like bagels, iced wine, baked beans, and more. Quebec always has a lot to do, right from carnivals and music festivals to iconic museums, the UNESCO-recognized Old Town, light festivals, and more. It also offers the great outdoors in abundance through skiing, camping, trekking, paddling, cycling, canoe camping, sea kayaking, and more. Exploring the Vallee Bras du-Nord, Mount Tremblant, or the Montmorency Falls will truly be life-changing experiences.
Highly-Ranked Institutions
International students apply to study at the best colleges in Quebec in large numbers every year. The province is home to several top-ranked institutions including Laval University, Universite du Quebec, Montreal College of Information Technology, McGill University, and more. These institutions offer cutting-edge academic infrastructure and resources for students.
Permanent Residency Options
The Quebec Experience Program also enables international students to speed up their pathway toward permanent residency by completing their degrees from Government institutions in the province. The student should have lived in the region for half of the program duration while working full-time for a certain duration after graduation along with demonstrating advanced knowledge of French.
Affordable Tuition Costs
Quebec is known for offering some of the lowest tuition fees in North America. Tuition fees in Quebec are a staggering 51.8% below the national average. This makes Quebec colleges and universities even more attractive propositions for international students.
Best Universities in Quebec
Here are some of the best colleges in Quebec for your perusal:
Architecture, Automobile Engineering, Civil Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Business Management, Languages, Literature and Linguistics, Psychology, Economics and Econometrics
Business and Entrepreneurship, Creative Writing, Communications, Leadership and Management, Digital Marketing, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Aerospace Engineering
C$22,899-32,120 in tuition fees per year
*= topuniversities.com
**=university official website
Québec College Performance Rating (R Score)
While applying to the leading colleges in Quebec, you should also have a brief idea about the R Score or the Quebec College Performance Rating. Here are a few points worth noting about the same:
The R Score is known as the cote de rendement au collegial (CRC). It is a score/number you get for each CEGEP course you take.
It is used for university admissions in the province for evaluating overall academic performance.
An overall R-Score is also worked out, which is the weighted average of the individual R-Scores from each of your courses. The BCI (Bureau de cooperation interuniversitaire) holds responsibility for R-Score calculations.
The BCI makes use of two aspects for calculations, namely the academic performance of a student and also the performance of his/her group or class.
The key values include the grade, class average, standard deviation, and high school average, which are used in this formula for calculation- ( [(Grade – Average)/Standard deviation] + [(High school average – 75)/14] + [5] ) × 5.
How to Apply to Study at Quebec Colleges & Universities
Applying to the best Quebec colleges and universities is a seamless process. The key application aspects include the following:
Quebec universities have different admission requirements at times.
Admission is possible at the undergraduate level after 13 years of school due to the minimum of 2 years of pre-university college studies in the Quebec province.
Undergraduate courses usually require a DCS (Diploma of College Studies) or equivalent. You may also meet other requirements like job experience, university readiness training, or interrupted studies in order to apply.
Other requirements may include the R-Score or CRC.
Non-residents should offer proof of Quebec residency by filling up the Attestation of Quebec Resident Status. Students can also select the University Prerequisites pathway.
For studying in the province, you should have a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution and a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) issued by the province before applying for a study permit.
Other course and university-specific guidelines may include English/French language proficiency, minimum grades in high school or undergraduate programs, letters of recommendation/references, personal essays, and so on.
Conclusion
Quebec is one of the biggest higher education hubs in Canada, and with good reason! From a high quality of life to reputed universities and affordable tuition and living costs, a province is a great option for international students.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quebec cheap to live in?
Quebec is one of the most affordable provinces in the country. Quebec City is one of the few in the country where people spend less than 20% of their monthly incomes on rentals. At the same time, the cost of living in Quebec is estimated to be 35% lower than in Toronto. While accommodation is quite reasonable here, groceries are priced slightly on the higher side.
Does Quebec pay me to learn French?
There is an innovative financial assistance program that is offered in Quebec. You can get C$26 for each day of taking a course of three hours or even more in French. To be eligible for this program, you should sign up for a minimum of four hours of French studies each week.
Neha Uppal is a passionate content creator and editor. She carries 7.5+ years of experience working with leading edutech companies where she worked as a Faculty, Community Manager, and Content Marketeer. At upGrad, she is helping out people keep informed about the scopes and opportunities of studying abroad via informational articles/blogs.
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