Education system and enrolling in school in Québec
The Québec education system has four levels: elementary, secondary, college (or cegep), and university.
School system
Learn more about the Québec education system and its features on the Government of Québec website. Education is mandatory for children aged 6 to 16.
Enrolling your child in elementary or secondary school
In Québec, there are both public and private elementary and secondary schools.
Public schools
To enrol your child in a public school, contact the school service centre or school board in your area. School service centres are in charge of French public schools, while school boards are in charge of English public schools. Québec City has three school service centres and a school board:
- Centre de service scolaire de la Capitale
- Centre de service scolaire des Découvreurs
- Centre de service scolaire des Premières-Seigneuries
- Central Québec School Board
To enrol your child in school, you will need to provide legal documents like their birth certificate and immigration documents.
See also
- How to enrol in public school (page in French only)
- Contact information for the school service centres and the school board in the Capitale-Nationale region
Private schools
Private schools charge tuition to attend. To enrol your child, contact the school directly.
In-school childcare
Preschool and elementary school children’s schedules rarely line up with their parents’ work or school schedules. For example, schoolchildren sometimes have weekdays off. Most schools offer on-site childcare services that will take care of children before and after school, as well as at lunch. Students in after-school programs can use the time to study or do homework.
There are fees for in-school childcare. Check with your child’s school or reach out to your school board or school service centre to find out which schools offer this type of childcare.