Application period: December 1, 2024 to May 30, 2025.

Steps required to become an international student

Prepare and gather all documents below for your student application submission.

Prepare Documents - Getting Ready to Apply

The documents below are required for the student application.

  1. Student’s original birth certificate including the name of both parents
  2. A certified copy of the student’s birth certificate (translated in English or French)
  3. 3. The students most recent transcripts for current academic year, and previous two years final transcripts (translated in French or English)
  4. Choose a school with the interests of the student in mind (First, second and third choice of school)
  5. Current photos of the student
  6. All the necessary information (home addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, etc.)
    • Student
    • Parent
    • Guardian
    • Custodian
  7. A letter of recommendation
    Please have a teacher, school counselor, or Headmaster/Principal write a letter of recommendation for the applicant. This letter should be on school letterhead and identify the student and their strong points. If this letter is longer than one page, make sure to scan all pages as a single document.
  8. Duolingo English Test Results: If you have completed a Duolingo English Test in the past 12 months, include your official results in the student application or share them with the English Montreal School Board through Duolingo.
  9. Parents, guardian and student must read all sections and sign the Legal International Student Agreement and include it in your student application.
P.S.:All documents must be submitted in PDF or JPEG files only and less than 5MB in size for each document.

Outlines of the EMSB International Youth Student Program Admission Fees

Step 1 - Submitting your Application to the EMSB

Once you have read and agreed with the Outlines of the EMSB International Youth Student Program and Admission Fees, you may start your application process.

  • You will need to create an account using the link below and then submit all the documents mentioned above

Please take note that once you have created your account, you have ten (10) days to finalize and submit your application with the documents mentioned above. Incomplete applications will not be processed.

Submit Application

Step 2 - Receiving the EMSB Acceptance Letters

Once you have submitted your application to the International Student Department, and you have been accepted, the EMSB will prepare the following two documents for you:

  1. Letter of acceptance (L.O.A.) for the Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ)
  2. Letter of acceptance (L.O.A.) for the Immigration Canada Study Permit

In order to receive both documents, a $ 250.00 CAD (non-refundable) fee will be required. See our Admission Fees page for more details.

This process may take up to 3 to 4 weeks to complete.

Step 3 - Apply for the Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) and your Study Permit

Once you have received both Letters of Acceptance (L.O.A.), you may begin the application process for a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) from Quebec, and a Study Permit from the Government of Canada.

  1. Apply for a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) online at Immigration, Diversité et Inclusion Québec
  2. Apply for a Study Permit online at Government of Canada - Immigration

This process may take up to 6 to 20 weeks to complete.

Step 4 - Finalizing your Application

This step is only processed when the student arrives in Montreal

Once you have received both your Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) (Quebec) and your Study Permit (Canada), the guardian/parent of the student will need to visit the English Montreal School Board in person, in order to apply for a Certificate of English Eligibility. They must provide to the school board all the following documents:

  1. The Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ)
  2. The Study Permit from Immigration Canada
  3. The original birth certificate of the student showing both parents’ names
  4. The translated (English or French) birth certificate showing both parents’ names
  5. Most current report card (translated) from the student’s school
  6. Notarized Custodianship Declaration Form

With the above documents, the International Student Department will apply for a Certificate of English Eligibility which is required for the student to attend an English public school in Quebec.

This process may take up to 3 weeks to complete.

Please contact us if you have any questions regarding the process.