In Canada the education system is overseen by each individual province, who each have their own ministry of education. All schools need to be registered with the ministry of education and meet the standard and the curriculum which has been decided. In addition, the education of first nations children is overseen by the department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. The standard of education in Canada is comparable to that available in the UK and the US. Qualifications obtained in Canada are accepted around the world.

Kindergarten classes are widely available across the country but the funding available is different in each area. In some areas the only option for kindergarten is a private scheme and you will need to pay for this. State run kindergartens are often oversubscribed.

Primary education covers grades 1 – 6 and children will attend from the age of 5 or 6 to the age of 11. In some provinces it may be necessary to begin mainstream education at the age of 4. In secondary schools the education covers grades 7 – 12 in the majority of provinces, although Quebec is different by finishing at grade 11. Children are obliged to attend school until the age of 16, although the mandatory leaving age in New Brunswick and Ontario is 18. Those who graduate with a high school diploma in Canada will find that many countries worldwide will accept this as a qualification.

The vast majority of schools have programmes which offer support to international students, teaching French or English as a foreign language as required. The country has a programme of offering education in both English and French and some schools will have lessons taught in both languages.

There are several public schools in Canada which offer day programmes and homestay programmes. The fees for these are usually a minimum of $10,000 per year. Private schools are also common in Canada and these can be single sex or co-educational. These are usually funded independently. The advantage to private school education is the smaller class sizes. Pupils can be boarders or day pupils and fees normally start at around $25,000 per year.

The school year begins in September and runs until June, with breaks for Christmas and Easter. The school day varies depending upon the province but usually starts between 8 am and 8.30 am and finishes between 2.30 pm and 3 pm. The schools have a wide variety of extra-curricular activities such as sports and crafts. Most schools offer programmes to educate children in native studies, combat racism and involve aboriginal members of the community in educating the children about their history and culture. Some schools may offer courses in Aboriginal languages.

In order to register with a school in Canada you will need to provide documentation and the type will depend upon your status. Children who have permanent residency status will need confirmation of this status and their record of landing. If the child has visitor status the parent will need to produce a passport and the child will need to have a study permit. The child of a temporary resident will need to have their own passport or be listed on their parent’s passport and the parent should have either a study or work permit.

There are places for all children at state-run schools although you may prefer a private school. Some of these institutions are over-subscribed and there are waiting lists. This will depend upon the area that you are in. You will need to produce the same documentation as for enrolment at a state school and some may require you to be interviewed or the child to take an entrance exam.

Canada has a number of schemes in place for adult learners who did not obtain a high school diploma as many jobs now make this the minimum requirement. Most colleges run evening courses for adult learners.

There are more than 150 colleges in the country which offer higher education programmes. These must also be sanctioned by the local authorities. These programmes vary from certificated of higher education and diplomas to degrees and post graduate qualifications. These programmes can take anything from a few months up to four years of study. There are a variety of vocational courses on offer which are aimed at providing students with practical work skills. College courses attract fees and these start at a few thousand dollars per course.