French-language colleges and universities outside Quebec

There are many French-language and bilingual post-secondary institutions outside Quebec. For children of French-speaking families, they are one way to continue studying in Canada.

The post-secondary system

• Colleges, institutes and universities, run by each province.
• According to CMEC, public universities are largely autonomous: they set their own admission standards and degree requirements.
• Average tuition in 2020–2021 was about CAD 6,580 a year for Canadian undergraduates and about CAD 32,000 a year for international students (CMEC).

The Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP)

IRCC's FMCSP, extended to August 2027, is for French-speaking students at institutions in Francophone minority communities outside Quebec, who may qualify for permanent residence soon after graduating. Main requirements:

• citizenship of one of the listed member countries of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie in Africa, the Middle East and the Americas;
• a letter of acceptance from a participating institution, for a full-time program of 2+ years leading to a degree or diploma, with over 50% of classes in French;
• French at NCLC 5 in all 4 abilities;
• a CAD 150 fee.

Note Vietnam is not on the FMCSP list of eligible countries (checked 19/10/2026). Vietnamese students who want to study in French outside Quebec must apply for a regular study permit.

Children of work permit holders

• Minor children coming with a parent who holds a work permit need a study permit before entering Canada to attend primary or secondary school.
• For college or university, they need a study permit and a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution (DLI). Tuition may be at the international rate unless the family has permanent residence or the province rules otherwise; ask the school directly.

Finding French-language institutions

• The list of institutions participating in the FMCSP on IRCC's site is a guide to French-language institutions outside Quebec.
• The Éducation en langue française au Canada (ELF) site, listed by IRCC, has information on French-language education.