How do you register your child at school or apply to cégep (first step)?

This page covers two procedures, read on two Québec.ca pages. For public school (preschool, elementary, secondary), you contact the catchment-area school or your school service centre, which tells you the procedure; for a first registration, you are generally asked for your child's birth certificate and proof of residence. For cégep, the application for admission to a program leading to the DEC is made with the form of your regional admission service (SRAM, SRACQ or SRASL), before March 1 for the fall session and before November 1 for the winter session. This page does not cover private schools, eligibility for English-language instruction, or admission to private colleges or to programs leading to an AEC.

Key facts

Documents (first school registration)

Generally the child's birth certificate and proof of residence. The list and procedure can vary slightly from one school to another.

Kindergarten

5-year-old kindergarten: age 5 on September 30 of the school year. 4-year-old kindergarten: age 4 on September 30; being rolled out gradually, access may be limited and reserved for certain schools.

Compulsory school attendance

Every child who resides in Québec must attend school from the start of the school year in which they turn 6, until the end of the school year in which they turn 16 or until they obtain a diploma from the Minister of Education.

Cégep: deadlines (programs leading to the DEC)

Before March 1 for the fall session; before November 1 for the winter session.

Help for people with an immigrant background

Free help with the school registration process by signing up for Accompagnement Québec services.

Cost

The two pages read do not specify registration or admission-application fees; check with the school or the cégep.

Steps

1. Public school: find the school service centre (or school board) that covers your territory. It assigns catchment-area schools; you can contact it or visit its website to find out your catchment-area school.
2. For kindergarten (4 or 5 years old), contact your catchment-area school or your school service centre, which gives you a registration form. Registration generally takes place between January and March for the following school year, often by appointment.
3. For a first registration in elementary school, go to the school according to the schedule set by your school service centre. Generally prepare your child's birth certificate and proof of residence, and confirm the exact list with the school.
4. For secondary school, registration is done with your school service centre, which sets the terms. If your child continues at the same school, it will tell you the re-registration procedure.
5. If you want a school that is not your catchment-area school, fill out the schooling agreement form provided by your school service centre.
6. Cégep: for a program leading to the DEC, fill out the form of your regional admission service (SRAM for the Montréal area, SRACQ for Québec City, SRASL for Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean). For Dawson and the two Champlain campuses named on the page, send your application directly to the cégep.
7. Respect the deadlines on the page: before March 1 for the fall session, before November 1 for the winter session.
8. If your child or you do not yet have a permanent code, it is assigned at first registration: contact the admission service of the educational institution.