Bill 96/Law 14

The Loi sur notre langue officielle et commune, commonly referred to as Bill 96 or Law 14, is a law that came into effect in Quebec in 2022 and has certain impacts on English colleges.

All students, no matter their backgrounds, are welcome to apply to Vanier and can get accepted regardless of their status.

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 demonstrate French language proficiency before obtaining their Attestation of College Studies, unless covered by any of the following exemptions:

  1. You started your program before July 1, 2023 (Exemption by continuity of studies)*. *If you are an existing student transferring to a new program after July 1, 2023, then Law 14 applies. If you were a former student and you had to re-apply to a program of study, then Law 14 then Law 14 applies.
  2. You completed a Secondary School Diploma (DES) in French in Québec.
  3. You completed a Secondary School Diploma (DES) in English and passed the Secondary 5 French as a Second Language course.
  4. You completed a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DEP) in French in Québec.
  5. You completed an ACS program in Québec entirely in French.
  6. You completed a Diploma of Collegiate Studies (DCS) or university diploma entirely in French in Québec.
  7. You completed a program outside of Québec given entirely in French that is equivalent to a DCS or university diploma.
  8. You completed a minimum of three years of full-time secondary or postsecondary studies in French in Canada.
  9. You passed the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) examination leading to an attestation of a French level appropriate to practice your profession.
  10. You Reside or have resided on an Indigenous or First Nations reservation, an establishment where an aboriginal community lives, or on Category I and Category 1-N within the meaning of “Loi sur le régime des terres dans les territoires de la Baie-James et du Nouveau-Québec (chapitre R-13.1)” 

Non certificate holders who do not meet any of the above exemptions must demonstrate they have attained Level 7 in Oral French and Level 4 in Written French before graduating (consistent with the Quebec scale of French proficiency levels). This involves passing one of the following qualifying tests, which are recognized by 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.

 

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