StudyCanada guide · reviewed October 2026
Choose a study pathway
Start with the qualification and skills you want to gain. Compare the subject, teaching language, delivery format and location before choosing an institution.
University, college, vocational, secondary and language programs serve different goals. A familiar school name does not establish whether a particular campus or program fits your project.
- Write down your goal
- Compare at least three programs
- Check the institution’s own admission pages
Official resources
My study plan →Read the current guide on this topic →Historical record
The original text is preserved below.
The education system in Canada encompasses both publicly-funded and private schools, these include: universities and university colleges, community colleges and technical institutes, career colleges, secondary schools, language schools, and summer camps.
Education is a provincial responsibility under the Canadian constitution, which means there are significant differences between the education systems of the different provinces. However, standards across the country are uniformly high.
In general, Canadian children attend kindergarten for one or two years at the age of four or five on a voluntary basis. All children begin Grade One at about six years of age. The school year normally runs from September through the following June but in some instances, January intake dates are possible. Secondary schools go up to Grades 11, 12 or 13, depending on the province. From there, students may attend university, college or Cégep studies. Cégep is a French acronym for College of General and Vocational Education, and is two years of general or three years of technical education between high school and university. The province of Québec has the Cégep system.
High Quality Education
Education institutions are not officially ranked in Canada, as all Canadian institutions offer high quality programs. When choosing your school in Canada, consider the type, size and location of the institution. If you are interested in a particular area of study, investigate which schools have more to offer in that discipline.
More about the Canadian education system