Education in Canada: Life in Canadian schools

Depending on where you live, there are many schooling options to choose from.
Canada doesn’t have a federal department or national system of education. Each
province and territory runs its own school system.

Learn about life in Canadian schools

Some private schools accept only boys and others accept only girls.

In most Canadian schools, boys and girls learn together in the same classroom. Students
are taught by teachers, who often have a university education.

Each province and territory has defined a set of skills and classes that students must
learn in each grade. This is called a curriculum.(课程)

Throughout the school year, students get a report card (成绩单)that shows their
progress. Your child must show that they’ve learned the curriculum to go to the next
grade. The province or territory sets the passing grade.

Each school will also provide the textbooks that students need. Parents or guardians
usually provide other school supplies (学校文具用品), like pencils, paper and notebooks.

Many schools have a dress code (着装标准）or require that students wear a uniform.

Getting to and from school

There are many ways children can travel to and from school, including

 getting dropped off by their parents

 walking there on their own, if they’re close by
 taking public transportation
 taking the local school bus

Tell your school about absences (Absence Report) 缺勤报告

Once a student is registered, schools expect them to attend their classes every day.
If your child is sick or can’t attend for another reason, tell the school.

Get help for children with special needs

 Many schools have programs for students with special needs. These programs can
help with many different kinds of challenges that may be

 physical 身体的
 cognitive 认识的
 psychological 心理的
 emotional 情感的
 behavioural 行为的
 linguistic 语言的

School closures

Schools sometimes close for 1 or more days in the winter because of snowstorms or
severe weather. If this happens, you will hear about the closing

 from the school

 on the radio
 on television

Understand bullying （Anti-Bully Day）(Pink-shirt Day)

Bullying(霸凌) is the “wilful, repeated aggressive behaviour with negative intent used
by a child to maintain power over another child.” Bullying is not tolerated. If your
child is a victim of bullying, talk to their teacher or principal.

Other school events and activities

Spirit days

Many schools also designate certain days each year to raise awareness of issues
impacting society, or community issues. Teachers and students are encouraged to
participate.

Orange Shirt Day is a good example of a spirit day. Each year on September 30, many
schools encourage students to wear orange shirts to raise awareness of Canada’s history
with residential schools. The campaign draws attention to the impact these schools had on
Indigenous children and how they continue to affect Indigenous communities.

Extracurricular activities
Many schools host activities outside of normal school hours, called extracurricular
activities. These are scheduled before and after school, or during a lunch break. Some
examples include

 sports
 arts
 hobby clubs

Field trips

Schools organize trips outside the school for students to visit places that are relevant to
their education. These are called field trips. Field trips can be to places such as

 museums
 workplaces
 cultural institutions (for example, The Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, or The
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Heritage Centre in Regina)
 city neighbourhood

Understand the different types of Canadian schooling

There are 3 types of schooling in Canada

 primary (elementary)
 secondary
 post-secondary

Primary (or elementary) school

Primary education is generally for kids 5 to 12 years old. This usually includes

 preschool (optional)
 kindergarten
 grade 1 to 6

Depending on where you live, your options may include

 free public schools

 paid private schools
 at-home education
 English or French schools

School boards
School boards manage all the schools within a certain local area. They can also be
called

 school districts
 school divisions
 district education councils

School boards are run by publicly elected officials called “trustees(理事).” They’re in
charge of

 maintaining school buildings

 managing staff
 general administration
 student enrolment

School boards hold regular meetings so members of the public can express their views
on how schools in their area are managed.

Getting involved in your child’s education

Parents are encouraged to support their child’s education by getting involved with
their school and the school board.

To get involved

 volunteer at your child’s school

 go to parent-teacher evenings hosted by the school
 become a member of the school council

Getting involved is a great opportunity to

 meet new people

 become part of the school community
 express your opinions on what your child is taught in school

Secondary (or high) school

Secondary education is generally for kids 12 to 18 years old. This group usually
includes Grades 7 to 12.

Adult secondary education

Adults without an elementary or secondary school education can take adult education
programs. Some teach how to read and write and others get you a high school
diploma.
Post-secondary

With the right educational credentials, anyone can apply to attend a post-secondary
school.

Types of post-secondary schools

In Canada, there are 3 different types of post-secondary schools

 universities
 colleges
 institutes

At most post-secondary schools, the school year is divided into 2 main terms and an
optional summer term.

 Term 1: September to December

 Term 2: January to April
 Optional summer term: May to July/ August

Each province and territory makes sure each school and its programs meet a certain
set of standards. Schools aren’t officially recognized until they’re certified.

A recognized school can grant

 degrees
 diplomas
 certificates
 other qualifications

Study at a university

Universities offer programs on a wide range of topics at different levels of difficulty

and complexity. When you successfully complete a university program, you’re
awarded with a university degree that reflects the type of program you completed.
There are 3 types of degrees.

 Bachelor’s degree: This is the simplest degree offered by Canadian

universities. It typically takes 3 to 4 years to complete.
 Master’s degree: This is a more advanced degree that usually takes 1 to 3
extra years of study after you get a bachelor’s degree.
 Doctoral degree: This is the most advanced degree offered by Canadian
universities. It can take another 3 to 4 more years of study and research
following a master’s degree.
 In regulated professions, students must complete an internship or pass a standardized
test (or series of tests) after getting the degree. You can’t work in these professions
until you get the degree and pass the tests. Regulated professions include

 medicine
 law
 education

Study at a college or institute

There are many types of colleges and institutes recognized by provinces and
territories, including

 colleges
 community colleges
 colleges of applied arts or applied technology
 institutes of technology or science
 collèges d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEPs) in Quebec
 career colleges

More about “career colleges”

These institutions are privately owned and run. They offer programs that focus on specific
careers like

 personal support workers

 early childcare assistants
 estheticians

While they’re reviewed and recognized by the provinces and territories, they’re not
publically funded. They’re entirely funded through tuition fees.

Colleges and institutes usually offer shorter programs than universities (1 to 3 years).
Instead of degrees, they issue diplomas and certificates that qualify graduates to do
specific jobs in different industries.

These industries can include

 business
 computer and mechanical technologies
 health care
 social services
 agriculture
  trades (such as carpentry, electrical or plumbing)

Many colleges are also starting to offer bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees in
certain industries.

Get your educational credentials recognized

To study at post-secondary school in Canada, you need to have your existing level of
education assessed. The assessment verifies your foreign degree, diploma or
certificate (or other proof of your credential) is valid and equal to a Canadian one.

Contact the post-secondary schools you are interested in to find out what kind of
educational assessment they accept.

The costs of post-secondary education

All post-secondary schools charge tuition fees for their programs. For Canadian
citizens and permanent residents, tuition fees are between $2,500 and $11,400 a year,
depending on the school and program you’ve chosen. Tuition fees can be much higher
for international students.

Students will also have to pay for

 course materials, like textbooks and supplies

 housing
 food
 transportation
 other expenses

Many students depend on financial support programs to help them cover these costs.

Get financial help

The federal and provincial/territorial governments all have programs that provide low-
cost loans, grants and scholarships for students.

There are 2 main types of financial help for students:

1. Student loans from a bank or the federal government: These need to be repaid
according to the terms of the loan.
2. Grants, scholarships or bursaries, which you don’t have to repay.

Registered Education Savings Plans

 A Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) is a tax-free education savings account
that lets parents, family members and friends save money for a child’s post-secondary
education.

When you open an RESP account, the Government of Canada will help you save by
adding money to your RESP through special programs. This encourages people to
save more money for their child’s education.

These programs include

 Canada Education Savings Grants (for children aged 17 or younger)

 Canada Learning Bonds (for children aged 15 or younger)

Enrol in or apply to a school

In Canada, you have to apply or enrol in a school depending on the level of school
you’re interested in and where you live.

Enrol in primary (or elementary) and secondary (or high) school

Documents you’ll need for enrolment

 birth certificate
 proof of guardianship or custody
 proof of residency
 record of immunizations (to prove that your child’s vaccines are up to date)

Contact your local school board to enrol your child in elementary or secondary (high)
school.

School boards usually manage many schools, so you will often have more than one school
to choose from in your region.

The first time a child is enrolled in a Canadian school, the school or school board will

 assess their education level

 decide

o what level they should be placed at

o whether they need free support (like English or French language classes)

Apply to a post-secondary school

 To attend a post-secondary school, you have to apply and be accepted to a program of
study. You can apply to any program that interests you. You’ll only be offered a spot
in a program if you meet the school’s admission requirements.

Language testing

If English or French is not your first language, you may need to take a language test. The
school will give you a list of tests that it accepts and the score you need to get.

Every school and program has its own admissions requirements(招生要求) that you
have to meet. Some programs also have limited space available. If a program is very
popular, it may be harder to get in.

Research the programs that you’re interested in well ahead of the application
deadline, so you have enough time to understand and meet the application
requirements.

Make sure you’re vaccinated

Vaccinations and immunizations(疫苗接种和免疫接种) can help protect you and your

children from serious diseases. Vaccines are important for both children and adults.

Get your children vaccinated for school

In some provinces and territories, parents need to provide proof that a child has been
vaccinated or immunized when enrolling them in public school.

Before school starts, make plans with your doctor to have your children vaccinated.
Your doctor can explain which vaccinations your children need. You can also contact
a public health clinic in your area to arrange vaccinations.