Bill 96/Law 14

Bill 96 impact on English colleges

There are four major items that specifically impact English colleges in Bill 96 :

1. Fixed cap on admissions
2. Language Exit Exam
3. Priority admissions to certificate holders
4. Additional French language courses OR program courses in French

Additionally, Attestation (ACS) students in Continuing Education that do not hold a certificate of eligibility are subject to new language requirements.

Certificate holders

Depending on your status, the law will impact you differently.

"Certificate holder" refers to a student that has a Certificate of Eligibility to receive instruction in English in Quebec. This certificate is required for any primary and secondary school students to study in English schools in Quebec.

The certificate is NOT required to study in a cegep. However, if you have one, the courses you will take as part of your DCS program will differ slightly from those without a certificate. 

To find out whether you qualify for a certificate, see the governmental criteria. You may also confirm your status with the college.

French courses

All DCS programs include a total of five French courses. Which courses you take will depend on whether or not you hold a certificate. 

Certificate holders take two French as a second language classes plus a mix of second language courses and courses taught in French based on their program and level of French. 

Non-certificate holders take three Français langue commune courses, in preparation for the Exit Exam, and two content courses in French.

Visit the course list of your program of interest for more details.

Exit Exam

All DCS students in Quebec must pass a language exit exam to receive their diploma.

Certificate holders must pass the English Exit Exam (EEE) at the end of their studies to graduate.

Students who do not have a certificate must pass the Épreuve uniforme de français (EUF) at the end of their program.

Priority admissions

The law requires that for programs receiving more applications than spaces available, priority admissions be given to certificate holders. 

This means:

• The majority of admission offers (50 + 1%) in Round 1 are given to certificate holders that fulfill all admission requirements for programs receiving more applications than spaces available. Once the majority is attained, remaining admission offers are given based on academic merit.
• In subsequent rounds, all qualified certificate holders are admitted before non certificate holders, space permitting, for programs receiving more applications than spaces available.

Priority of admission does not equal guaranteed admission into a college or program of choice. Applicants will still have to respect admission requirements in order to be admitted into any given program.

Continuing Education: ACS graduation requirements

Certificate holders are not subject to additional graduation requirements under this law.

Attestation students who do not hold a certificate (including international students) must prove French language proficiency before obtaining their Attestation of College Studies. Specifically, they must demonstrate they have attained Level 7 in Oral French and Level 4 in Written French, consistent with the Quebec scale of French proficiency levels.

This involves passing a qualifying test before graduating. The following tests are recognized by the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration: 

• Test de connaissance du français from France Éducation international: TCF-QUÉBEC / TCF CANADA / TCF
• Test d’évaluation du français from the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie Paris Île-de-France (CCIP-IDF): TEF / TEFAQ for Québec / TEF CANADA
• Diplôme d'études en langue française (DELF) from France Éducation International;
• Diplôme approfondi de langue française (DALF) from France Éducation International.

Non certificate holders wishing to improve their French language skills are welcome to explore courses offered through our Language School.

Exemptions

You may be eligible for an exemption if you completed previous schooling in French or reside or have resided on an Indigenous reservation. For a complete list of exemption cases, see the Gazette Officielle du Québec (pdf).