Levels of Study

Canada is among the top countries in the world in terms of quality education available to international learners. To understand which program is right for you first, you need to comprehend the level of education in Canada.

Elementary & Secondary Education

By law, all children in Canada are required to attend school. Education begins in children between the ages of 5 or 6 and continues until at least 16 years of age. The Canadian children’s school system begins with elementary school and continues to high school. This system consists of twelve levels. At the end of the 12th grade, the person receives a high school diploma, which makes them eligible for college and university

Features of the Canadian school system include private and public schools. While private schools may offer specialized courses, programs, and resources, they usually charge an annual tuition rate for students. Public school funding is fully funded by the Government of Canada, and government-mandated curricula are taught to students.

A Canadian student qualifies for college or university only after receiving a high school diploma. If a foreign national wants to attend a college or university in Canada, they must be able to show that he or she also has a high school diploma.

 

 Types of Post-Secondary Education

Any educational program that takes place at a higher level than the system of twelve elementary and high schools is deemed as post-secondary education. There are different types of post-secondary education, each with different goals

University

The university, as a post-secondary educational establishment, is allowed to grant degrees. Each university offers bachelor’s degree program and many others offer master’s degree program and a doctorate program.

College

The college is a post-secondary educational institution that, apart from some exceptional examples, is not able to offer a degree. Instead, the programs they offer usually lead to a certificate or diploma. In general, college programs are directly job-oriented. A college graduate may complete practical training in a usable skill such as graphic design or cooking skills. Offering courses to improve skills and employability, such as language teaching, is another feature of most colleges. Also, many of these colleges offer training or internship programs in skills-based occupations such as carpentry or welding.

Trade School/Apprenticeships

The skill-based trading specialty usually emphasizes a type of manual labor that requires practical and formal training. In skill-based trading, a bachelor’s degree is rarely needed, so business schools usually provide the training needed for the profession. Most of these programs are smaller programs available in colleges or vocational schools. Also, when an aspiring tradesperson has sufficient training, they may undertake an apprenticeship. As an apprentice, the student works with an experienced tradesperson to improve his or her trade skills.

Vocational School

The training programs of a vocational school may be for high school or post-secondary, so having a high school diploma is not always necessary to attend. In these programs, students are taught the technical skills needed to perform tasks related to a specific job. These programs also prepare students for direct entry into the workforce, both in high-skilled jobs and in jobs that require less skill.

It should be noted that despite the different terms for different types of post-secondary schools, there are different meanings for these terms in different parts of the world, so the college may refer to one type of school in Canada but in France point to something different. Also, sometimes these schools overlap or share. For example, colleges that are affiliated with universities or trade schools that is located within colleges.

What is an Associate Degree in Canada?

In some countries, a college or university awards students an associate’s degree after completing a two-year course. In Canada, the province of British Columbia is the only province to offer an associate’s degree. In this province, students can complete a two-year associate degree and then be allowed to enter a bachelor’s degree in the third year of study.

As mentioned, an associate’s degree is not available outside of British Columbia. However, other provinces offer one- and two-year certificates and diplomas, which can sometimes be extended to undergraduate programs.

Understanding Undergraduate vs Graduate Education

There are different degrees within the university. An undergraduate program, compared to other programs, is a more general training course that focuses on a specific field but does not necessarily address a specific subject in a specialized way. On the other hand, there are master’s and doctoral programs that are part of graduate education. Graduate programs are usually more intensive and more specialized programs that are based on research.

Understanding Certificate vs Diploma

The length of the course is the main difference between a diploma and a certificate. Both training courses are designed for students to enter a specific occupation. Usually one year of full-time study at a college or vocational institute leads to a certificate, while a diploma generally requires two years of full-time study at the same type of institution. It also takes at least three years of full-time study to obtain an advanced diploma offered by some special schools.

Levels of Education in Quebec

Primary and secondary schools in all Canadian provinces have a twelve grade system except for Quebec. Students graduate from high school after the twelfth grade and receive a high school diploma. The condition for being allowed to study post-secondary is to finish high school. Quebec’s education system operates differently from other Canadian provinces.

One of the exclusivity of Quebec province is that its primary and secondary schools have eleven grades. Each person must complete the 11th grade to receive their high school certificate. On the other hand, Quebec has placed another level of education between high school and undergraduate programs, which is called CEGEP (Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel) education. Through CEGEPs, which are in fact a number of educational institutions, students have the opportunity to choose a specialized program that ultimately leads to a DEC (Diplôme d’études collégiales). There are two types of programs in the CEGEP system:

1-Pre-university: This program is a two-year program aimed at preparing students to continue the university program.

2-Technical: These programs aim to prepare a graduate for immediate entry into the workforce over a period of three years.

After completing the CEGEP course in Quebec, students are only allowed to start one undergraduate university course. It should be noted, however, that obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Quebec usually requires three years of full-time study, while the rest of Canada requires four years of full-time study to obtain a bachelor’s degree.

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