Best public schools in Canada 2024

Secondary education in Canada is becoming more and more popular every year, becoming accessible and in demand among children, and teenagers from different countries. Canada ranks second after the United States in terms of the high level of education offered, but the cost of education here is lower compared to Britain or America. However, in terms of the number of investments in education, the local government is ahead of both of these countries — for this reason, public schools in Canada are developed no worse than private institutions, which are always open to foreign students.

The popularity of the studying in schools in Canada among foreign students is stipulated by the following factors:

• Local secondary education institutions offer curricula for primary and secondary classes that are based on the experience of Europe or North America;
• Private schools offer pupils comfortable living and learning conditions;
• The favourable cost of secondary education programs in Canada;
• Graduates of Canadian schools receive a document on secondary education, which will be quoted not only in the student's homeland, but also among universities of countries around the world.

Canadian schools harmoniously combine the traditional approach with innovative teaching methods, so the graduates easily enter the best, leading, prestigious universities in Europe or other foreign countries. Year after year, each educational institution earns its reputation due to its achievements of its students. Most primary schools in Canada are quite small, so the atmosphere here is friendly, almost family-like.

Below there are some interesting facts about the studying in schools in Canada:

• One of the main features of Canada as a country for education: there are officially two official languages, so educational programs are conducted in one of them or are available in both languages. Getting a secondary education here will help foreign students to master English and French;
• Secondary education is compulsory for Canadian citizens from 6 to 18 years of age. Every year, the country's educational institutions accept more than 5 million people for studying;
• Almost 95% of the total number of students chooses institutions of the public school format or Catholic secondary schools. The remaining 5% of students are in private full-time or boarding schools;
• State educational institutions offer mixed form of studying (boys and girls together), and Catholic schools – separate;
• Students of public and private schools strive to pass the control exam as best as possible, since its results are reflected in the certificate of secondary education, which is submitted upon admission;
• The locals are very hospitable and loyal to the flow of tourists or visiting students, even when there are a lot of them. This fact also greatly contributes to the adaptation of foreign students.

School education in Canada includes primary and secondary levels. Primary schools in Canada have a structure that is similar to the American one: children study for five years before reaching the age of 15. Primary education in Canadian schools is free for Canadians, in addition, it is mandatory. At the same time, in accordance with the specifics of the country, the studying is conducted in English and French (depending on the location of the educational institution). Additional language courses are organized for foreign students. In the elementary schools in Canada, both girls and boys study together.

Secondary education in Canada includes three stages and lasts for 11-12 years (grades). Of course, each of the Canadian provinces may have its own structure of secondary education, and therefore the duration of secondary school may be different. The secondary level in Canada can include either grades 7 to 12 (children study from 12 to 18 years), or grades 9 to 13 (children study from 14 to 18 years).

In secondary schools in Canada, students are mainly engaged in disciplines that they choose independently based on the specialization in higher education institutions that they would like to receive in the future. In addition, secondary schools in Canada have opportunities for in-depth study of some specialized disciplines, which are combined into a program called Advanced Placement program.

During the studying, students perform frequent written tests. In some disciplines, such work is provided for several times a semester, in others – once at the end of the academic year. As for exams, they are mostly given in writing: either a test or an essay can act as an exam. If a student has chosen any additional subject from the field of creativity, then he needs to complete some creative task at the end of the studying, depending on the type of creative activity. The final score for each discipline consists of several parts: grades for written assignments for the semester, for an individual project, for passing the exam.

The cost of educational services for students in Canadian schools is lower than in USA private schools and European countries. On average, the foreign students will have to pay about 50,000 Canadian dollars a year for the studying. This amount includes expenses for educational services and accommodation.

In some schools, it is permissible to enroll in studying not from the beginning of autumn, but even in the middle of the school year. Upon admission, the foreign students need to collect a package of documents:

• Passed a test showing the level of knowledge of a foreign language: IELTS or TOEFL (for those who will study in French, you need to pass DALF).
• Report cards with grades for the last two years.
• Certificate of passing the medical commission.
• Passed a test confirming the degree of academic knowledge (Secondary School Admission Test or Canadian Achievement Tests). In some schools, you will need to write an essay or take an internal exam.
• A completed application form (a fee of about $ 200 is paid for consideration).
• You will also need to pass an interview with a representative of the educational institution, which is usually conducted via Skype.

Applications for admission are accepted all year, but it is still better to find out the specific conditions in the chosen institution in advance. At the same time, you should remember that obtaining a visa will also take time, it is important to calculate everything correctly so as not to miss the beginning of the school year.

Nadya Shupta

Regional Marketing & Recruiting Manager at London International Academy (until 2021)

TOP Canadian boarding school rankings - what criteria are they based on? How accurate is it today?

There are no official school rankings (as universities) in Canada; many of the private rankings are paid for by schools that want to be included. I think we need to look at the opportunities that the school provides - living conditions, the number of people in the class, the percentage of admission to universities, the availability of additional programs (STEM, art, etc.), the presence of IB, participation in Olympiads.