International Students

Quebec’s education system is unique. It provides for a step between secondary school and university: Cégep. Cégep is a French acronym that stands for Collège d’enseignement general et professionnel, known in English as a general and vocational college. The vast majority of Quebec students start Cégep at age 17. Depending on their educational objectives, some will then continue on to university while others will enter the workforce with strong practical skills and knowledge following three years of technical studies. More information can be found on the SRAM website.

A pre-university program lasts two years (DEC) and allows students to apply to study at university.

A technical program lasts three years (DEC) and allows students to enter the workforce directly after graduation.

Before applying to Champlain Lennoxville, please make sure you understand the application requirements, which are described here.

When you decide to apply, make sure that you have all the required documents and apply as soon as possible. You will need time to prepare the next steps to get ready to come to Canada!

Application deadlines are normally April 1 for the Fall semester of the following year, and September 1 for the following Winter semester. Please verify these details on the SRAM website.

Have you been admitted? Congratulations! Here are the next steps!

In Fall 2023, amendments to Quebec’s Charter of French Language through Law 14 were implemented in English-language CEGEPs across Quebec. For more information on Law 14, please click here.

International students are considered students without a Certificate Of Eligibility. To graduate, they must now pass the Ministerial Language Exam in French instead of English. To prepare students to write the French Exit Exam, students without COE, including international students, are required to take three preparatory French-language courses:

602-UF0- MQ Oeuvres narratives et écriture

602-UF1-MQ Poésie, théâtre et écriture

602-UF2-MQ Comparaison d’oeuvres littéraires

In addition to the three French-language courses, students without COE must take two program courses in French.

Because of the changes outlined in Law 14, international candidates from a non-French speaking country or those who did not do their schooling in French must submit an international language test with a standard score of C1 or higher, in addition to a language test in English. College – Lennoxville will accept the following tests:

In French:

• Bright 
• TCF tout public  (TCF Québec and TCF Canada are not accepted.)
• DELF tout public niveau B2 
• DALF 
• TEF  (The TEF Express, TEF Québec and TEF Canada tests are not accepted). Required components: written comprehension, oral comprehension, vocabulary and structure.

In English:

• TOEFL  (IBT or PBT. The TOEFL ITP tests are not accepted)
• IELTS Academic 
• Pearson – PTE Academic 
• CAEL   (Canadian Academic English Language)
• Bright Five Star 
• Duolingo

Once you receive the admission letter from Champlain College Lennoxville, you need to apply for a CAQ (Acceptance Certificate for Studies).

After applying for your CAQ, you must apply for a Study Permit .

Important! It is essential for you to have adequate health and medical coverage during your studies in Canada. You must provide a copy of your insurance coverage to our Admissions Office when you arrive to Champlain.

If you are from one of the following countries, you may be covered by a reciprocal social security agreement with Quebec Health Insurance: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania and Sweden. However, you must also purchase additional private travel health insurance, which will cover any repatriation costs to your home country for medical emergencies.

With the exception of certain cases (refugee students, students with French citizenship), international students must pay additional tuition fees, different from students who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.

In addition to the regular full-time student fees paid by Canadian students, international students (except for France) pay an evaluation fee ($85.00) and a tuition fee of $6,796.00/semester in the 2022-2023 school year (fee subject to change by Ministerial directives).

Additional expenses should be expected and provided for: registration fees, certificate of acceptance, study permit, transportation, housing, food, books, insurance, clothing, etc. Please prepare your budget to make sure you can live comfortably in Canada! Luckily, the cost of living is reasonable in Sherbrooke, compared to other Canadian cities.

International students in some technical programs have access to scholarships and financial aid such as tuition fee exemptions (link in French only).

As an international student at Champlain, you are eligible to apply for a room in one of our residence apartments. Though you may also choose to live in Sherbrooke or Lennoxville nearby, living in residence gives you the opportunity to meet new friends and participate in residence community activities. Also, it is only a short walk to campus.

We recommend that you arrive before the start of classes, in August or in January. Each semester there is a New Student Orientation Day, which is mandatory for all new students. It is usually the week before classes start. You will receive more information about this day and orientation activities by MIO. Also, please visit our website and social media regularly for more information and important dates.