English Eligibility Certificates

As of fall 2023, francophone and allophone students, and anglophone students who have not applied for their English eligibility certificate, will have to pass a new French exam to graduate.

Most of these students will have to take three French literature classes to prepare them for the exam.
Students attending elementary or high school in English already have a certificate and are exempt from the French exam. Once a student receives an eligibility certificate, their name is added to a database run by the Education Ministry. CEGEPS will have access to the database by March 1.

Anglophone students attending school in French must have their eligibility certificate before graduating from high school if they want to be exempt from the French exit exam. To obtain a certificate, these students must make an appointment at the English school board for their territory. If you send your children to school in French, your grandchildren and their descendants will maintain their English eligibility, as long as each generation applies for the certificate.

With the issue of eligibility certificates back in the news, here’s a primer on how to apply for a certificate and details on who is eligible to attend English schools in Quebec.

Under the French Language Charter, the following are eligible for an English education in most cases.

— A child living in Quebec qualifies for English eligibility if they or a sibling did the majority of their elementary or secondary school studies in English in Canada. One of the parents must be a Canadian citizen.
— A child whose Canadian parent did the majority of their elementary studies in English in Canada.
— A child who has serious learning disabilities. This is subject to government approval.
— Children of parents residing in Quebec temporarily on a study or work permit.
These are some of the most common cases. If you’re unsure of your situation, contact your local school board.

How to apply:
— The parent or legal guardian of the child should contact the school board or private elementary school the child plans to attend.
— Parents fill out an application and must provide supporting documents, including the child’s original birth certificate with the names of both parents (long form).
— If a parent was educated in Quebec, they must submit their eligibility certificate. If they have lost their certificate, their eligibility can be verified in a database that school board officials have access to.
— If a Canadian parent was educated in an elementary school in other parts of Canada, they have to provide proof that they did the majority of the education in English. In most cases, this is a letter from the school or school board attesting that the majority of their primary education was done in English.
— The school board or private school forwards the application to the Education Ministry. If the child is deemed eligible, a certificate is mailed to the home.

What if I have lost an eligibility certificate?
— Some English school boards have a form on their website that must be filled out to obtain a new copy.
— If you need a duplicate, a form requesting a copy can be sent to this address, along with your child’s long-form birth certificate:
Admissibilité à l’enseignement en anglais
600 Fullum St., 10th floor
Montreal, Que. H2K 4L1