Registering Your Child for School in Lévis

Une école primaire à Lévis.

1. The school system in Lévis

In Quebec, public school is free and mandatory from age 6 to 16.

The Centre de services scolaire des Navigateurs runs the French public schools. English schools fall under the Central Quebec School Board.

2. Who can attend English school

The Charter of the French Language — Bill 101 — restricts access to English public school. Generally, one parent must have received the majority of their elementary education in English in Canada. If you arrive from abroad, your child will almost always go to French school.

3. The welcome class

If your child does not yet speak French, they will be placed in a welcome class. This is an intensive French-language program lasting from 10 months to two years. The program is free.

4. Required documents

Birth certificate of the child
Proof of residence in Lévis
Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) or other immigration document
Vaccination record
School report card from the previous year
Copy of passports

5. Quebec school levels at a glance

The Quebec school system has three main levels before post-secondary. Understanding this structure helps you know where your child will be placed based on their age and previous school year.

Your child's initial placement (regular class, welcome class, or with adaptations) depends on the evaluation done by the Centre de services scolaire des Navigateurs. Age is the main criterion, but French level and home-country grades count.

For post-secondary in Lévis, Cégep Lévis-Lauzon is on site, and Université Laval is across the river in Quebec City, accessible by 12-minute ferry.

Level	Typical age	Duration	Notes
Preschool (kindergarten)	4 to 5	1 to 2 years	4-year-old kindergarten optional, 5-year-old common
Primary	6 to 11	6 years	Grade 1 to Grade 6
Secondary	12 to 16	5 years	Secondaire 1 to 5
Cégep	17 to 19	2 to 3 years	Quebec-only post-secondary step
University	18 and over	Variable	Bachelor, master, doctorate

Common mistake: waiting until back-to-school to start registration

Many families newly arrived in Lévis wait until late August or early September to visit the Centre de services scolaire — thinking you register a child like you register at the library. That's a mistake.

For newcomers, the process includes a language and academic evaluation that can take several weeks, especially if a welcome class is needed. If you arrive in July or August, visit CSS des Navigateurs in your first week to start the file.

A well-prepared back-to-school — assigned school, confirmed school transport, regular or welcome class identified — radically changes your child's experience. An improvised back-to-school often means a distant school, a default placement, and a lot of stress for the whole family.

6. Steps to register your child

Here are the steps to follow.

Find your neighbourhood school on the CSS des Navigateurs site
Gather all the documents listed in section 4
Book an appointment with the CSS registration office
For children who don't speak French: take the language evaluation
Confirm the registration and receive the schedule
Register your child for school-based daycare if needed

7. Frequently asked questions

The most common questions from immigrant families in Lévis: welcome-class duration, yellow-bus school transport, and public-school cost.

How long will my child stay in the welcome class?

Typically 10 months to 2 years, depending on age, prior schooling and progress in French.

The welcome class is intensive — most subjects are taught while learning French at the same time. The transition to the regular class happens gradually, often with a few hours per week of integration before the full transfer.

Younger children (primary) generally transition faster than teenagers (secondary), since the linguistic load is lighter.

The CSS des Navigateurs reassesses progress at each end of term and decides the next placement with the parents. The goal is integration as soon as the child can follow regular instruction comfortably.

Is school transport free in Lévis?

Yes — school transport by yellow bus is included for children living more than 1.6 km from their assigned school. No registration fee, no monthly bill — it's included in the public-school service.

The CSS des Navigateurs assigns the route and stop based on home address. Children living less than 1.6 km away usually walk or bike, supervised at school crosswalks by adult crossing guards (brigadiers scolaires).

For families who want transport even within the 1.6 km radius, paid options sometimes exist via the school — ask the secretariat.

For after-school daycare, registration is separate and follows Quebec's reduced-rate rules — about $9.45/day in 2026 for subsidized spots.

Is public school really free in Lévis?

Yes — instruction itself is free for permanent residents and naturalized citizens. School transport is included beyond 1.6 km. Welcome classes are free.

What you'll pay for:

School supplies (notebooks, pencils, calculator, gym clothes) — about $100 to $300/year per child depending on level
Optional materials (workbooks, novel collections)
School photos if you wish
Lunchbox or cafeteria meals
Field trips and voluntary extracurricular activities

Total per child: usually $200 to $500/year in primary, $300 to $800/year in secondary — much less than private school ($4,000 to $8,000/year).

Subsidies exist for low-income families — ask the school secretariat or the CSS about the financial-aid programs.

8. See also

To go further on schooling and family life in Lévis:

Read the Quebec school system to understand each step from preschool to cégep.
Check first steps in Lévis for the library and 311 support around back-to-school.
Plan your move with finding housing in Lévis to target a sector near the desired school.