Photo #1: The CEGEP Heritage College is one of the few schools in Gatineau which offers college education in both French and English. English students are required to obtain a COE in order to be able to take English courses for their program. (DD) Photo: Cégep Heritage College. G
Understanding the new rules for attending CEGEP in English
Djeneba Dosso
The new Bill 96 which will come in effect during Fall 2023 will bring changes surrounding English language CEGEPs and its students.
With French being the first language of 80 per cent of the population, attending an English speaking school in Quebec can be challenging. Students are usually required to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and meet certain criteria to gain access to English instruction. Now, that Bill 96 which will be effective as of September as been passed, significant changes surrounding admissions, courses and graduation requirements will come into place for COE holders.
Bill 101, otherwise known as The Quebec Charter of French Language states that the right to attend publicly funded English language schools is exclusively reserved for COE holders. In terms of eligibility, Quebec’s Ministry of Education says attending an English school is restricted to three types of students.
The first being those who reside in Quebec permanently and qualify for a COE. Those students usually have received the majority of their education in English along with their siblings and/or parents. However, in order to be eligible to receive a certificate under those circumstances both the parents and siblings must be Canadian citizens and have received their education in Canada.
Certificates are also issued to those who are entitled to English instruction under special authorization and students living in Quebec temporarily who qualify for a temporary authorization to receive instruction in English.
The application process itself is simple — a form is issued by the CEGEP and must be returned with all the supporting documents which includes a birth certificate that encloses the names of both parents.
Obtaining a COE is the most common way to receive education in English and the new Bill 96 intends on prioritizing certificate holders when it comes to admissions amongst other changes such as exit tests and required French language courses.
As of Fall 2023, requirements to be met to graduate for COE holders and students without a certificate will differ. While COE holders will continue to be required to take and pass the English Exit Test under Law 14, English-speaking students without a COE will now be expected to pass the French Exit Test instead of the English one that was allocated in previous years. This will be mandatory in order to receive a Diploma of Collegial Studies (DCS).
In Winter 2024, the main change coming into effect will be the prioritization of COE holders during the admission process — which should not be rendered as a guaranteed admission as applicants will still need to meet the minimum requirements.
Lastly, in the Fall of 2024, COE holders will be required to take three program courses in French while students without a COE will have the option to take three program courses in French or three additional French language courses.
As the school year progresses, the effects of the changes brought by Bill 96 will be observed.