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Quirky Quebec

What is a cégep? The school level that exists only in Quebec

What is a cégep? The school level that exists only in Quebec

Between high school and university, Quebec has a level found nowhere else in Canada: the cégep. Two pre-university or three technical years, tuition-free.

Vieauqc TeamAugust 25, 2026 • Updated September 9, 2026
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Key points

  • A word you hear everywhere, without knowing what it means. In Quebec, everyone talks about "cégep," and newcomers often wonder what it is.…
  • A school level unique to Quebec. This is the most surprising part: the cégep exists only in this province.…
  • Why it matters for an arriving family. If you arrive with a teenager, know that after Secondary 5, their path to university will normally go through cégep.…

A word you hear everywhere, without knowing what it means. In Quebec, everyone talks about "cégep," and newcomers often wonder what it is. The word comes from Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel (College of General and Vocational Education). It is a public institution offering the first level of higher education, according to the Government of Quebec.

A school level unique to Quebec. This is the most surprising part: the cégep exists only in this province. Elsewhere in Canada, you go straight from high school to university. In Quebec, high school ends a year earlier (at Secondary 5), and the cégep bridges the two.

Two possible paths. The cégep offers two main streams: pre-university education, lasting two years, which leads to university; and technical education, lasting three years, which leads directly to a trade — or, if you wish, on to university afterward. You choose based on your plan.

No tuition for Quebec residents. At a public cégep, residents of Quebec pay no tuition fees; there are still registration and other related fees, usually a few hundred dollars per term. Students from outside Quebec or from abroad do pay tuition.

Why it matters for an arriving family. If you arrive with a teenager, know that after Secondary 5, their path to university will normally go through cégep. And for an adult, the cégep is also an affordable gateway to technical training recognized in the job market.

Good to know for newcomers. "Cégep" is not a synonym for university or high school: it is a level of its own, between the two, and it is tuition-free for residents. If you or your child come from another system, our guide to recognition of diplomas explains how to place your studies within the Quebec system.

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