English CEGEPs in Montreal: the Official List and the Rules to Know

We don't rank these institutions. We use the Quebec government's list of CEGEPs and private colleges, Montreal region: every institution it classifies as an English-language CEGEP or as a subsidized private English-language institution. They are presented in alphabetical order. The information about each institution comes from its own website.

Two other groups are left out: the non-subsidized private schools, which the same list shows separately, and Champlain College Saint-Lambert, which the list places in Montérégie, on the South Shore (see the questions below).

Independence: none of the institutions on this list reviewed or paid for this guide, and the alphabetical order favours no one.

The table summarizes what each institution says on its website. Check the website before you apply: programs and admission rules can change.

Dawson, John Abbott and Vanier are public CEGEPs. Marianopolis and TAV are subsidized private colleges: according to Québec.ca, private colleges may charge tuition and other fees, and the amounts vary from one institution to another. On its website, Marianopolis describes itself as Quebec's only private English college specializing in pre-university studies.

Places are limited by law. Under section 88.0.5 of the Charter of the French Language, the minister sets each English-language college's total enrolment every year; the total for these colleges may not exceed the previous year's share, nor 17.5% of enrolment across all colleges. Holders of a certificate of eligibility for instruction in English may get priority for admission, depending on each institution's rules; Dawson says so on its admission page.

To obtain a DEC in English, you must pass the Épreuve uniforme de français, the French uniform exam. Its content is the same for students taught in English and in French. Three 45-hour courses created for English-language programs prepare you for it. You take the English uniform exam instead if you hold a certificate of eligibility, if you are continuing without interruption a program you began in English before fall 2023, or if you have resided on certain Indigenous territories.

Since fall 2024, you must also pass three courses given in French: courses from your program, such as chemistry or history, not language or physical education courses (section 88.0.2). Certificate holders may replace them with French-as-a-second-language courses, if the institution allows it. If you are continuing without interruption a program you began in English before fall 2024, this requirement does not apply.

For an AEC given in English, you must pass a standardized French test, oral and written, unless you are exempt: a certificate of eligibility, a school record that already meets the requirement, a pass on the OQLF exam for a professional order, or residence on certain Indigenous territories.

Who holds a certificate of eligibility? It is requested during elementary or secondary school, through an English school board or a private school; according to Québec.ca, any request is refused once secondary studies are over. Our guide to Bill 101 explains who can get one.

According to Québec.ca, for a program leading to a DEC in Montreal, you apply through SRAM, the Service régional d'admission du Montréal métropolitain: that is the case for John Abbott and Vanier. Dawson is the exception: you apply directly to the college. For a private college, such as Marianopolis or TAV, or for an AEC, go through the college's website.

The deadlines set by Québec.ca: March 1 for the fall term, November 1 for the winter term. Vanier notes that two more rounds follow the March 1 one, but very few places are left by then. Private colleges set their own dates: TAV, for example, posts them on its admission page.

To be admitted to a DEC program, you usually need a secondary school diploma, or schooling the college considers equivalent; the college may also admit a person who has interrupted full-time studies for at least 24 months and whose schooling and experience it considers sufficient (admission requirements). Some programs add their own prerequisites.

According to Québec.ca, full-time students receive free tuition; for part-time students, some fees may apply. Canadians who are not Quebec residents and foreign students pay tuition fees called lump sums. If you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, prove your Quebec resident status with the attestation form provided for this.

Other fees are added: at most $30 per application, at most $20 for registration per term and at most $25 per term for other related fees, such as the student card, plus miscellaneous fees with no maximum and the student association fee. In a private college, tuition fees may also apply.

If you are coming to study from abroad, you also need a CAQ and a study permit: see our guide to the study permit.

Here are the concrete steps to prepare your application. Check each box as you go — your progress is saved if you're signed in.

The most common questions about English CEGEPs in Montreal: studying there without a certificate of eligibility, the case of Champlain College Saint-Lambert, and admission with schooling from outside Quebec.

These related guides may be useful:

• Quebec's school system — where CEGEP fits between secondary school and university.
• Bill 101 and the Charter of the French Language — who can get a certificate of eligibility for instruction in English.
• CAQ and study permit — the documents you need if you come to study from abroad.
• In-demand jobs in Montreal — to choose a career program with good job prospects.

For official, up-to-date information, see these sites:

• Gouvernement du Québec — CEGEPs and private colleges
• Service régional d'admission du Montréal métropolitain (SRAM)
• LégisQuébec