College Bourget

• Location: Rigaud, Canada,
• Year of foundation: 1850,
• Number of students: more than 1600,
• Language of instruction: French, English,
• Type: mixed.

College Bourget is a private boarding school in Montreal that educates students from kindergarten to grade 12.

Almost all classes are held in French, but high school students have the opportunity to study according to the English-language program.

The institution was opened in 1850. After almost two hundred years, the college is the leader in the district in terms of the quality of education, exam results and the level of comfort for not only local, but also visiting students. Basically, most of the students are residents of the districts of Canada, but among them you can meet representatives of other countries.

Every high school student should have a personal iPad. Teachers and counselors use technology to create new didactic methods to help students adapt to a technological and rapidly changing world.

At the elementary level, students also have access to school-based iPads. Applications on them are used in the study of French and mathematics. 

Secondary school provides alternative programs for students with developmental disabilities. Education takes place in small groups with similar students.

The college's residential building offers five- or seven-day accommodation for students between the ages of 13 and 19. Among the total number of tenants, foreigners predominate.  A five-day stay is a stay on campus from Sunday evening to Friday. Residents are provided with three meals a day, laundry services are available to them.

For residents living on campus throughout the week, accommodation is provided from the end of August to the end of July, that is, throughout the academic year, excluding holidays. This option of accommodation will cost 16 350-16 885 $ CAD. The price includes many services: meals, laundry, activities, staff assistance and others.

Residents of the hostel observe a strict daily routine, consisting of timely lifting and rebounding, visiting the shower and dining room. The building also has rules of complete silence and curfew.

For a comfortable stay, students should bring personal belongings: school and sportswear, towels and toiletries. Some students bring pillows and blankets – this is not prohibited, and bed linen is provided.

Thanks to the excellent sports infrastructure, students have the opportunity to develop their skills in professional sports in the following areas:

• Soccer
• Hockey
• Basketball
• Cheerleading
• Cross-country,
• Dancing
• Swimming
• Triathlon
• Volleyball
• CrossFit,
• Mountain biking.

Many events are regularly held on campus. The largest of them are timed to coincide with the holidays:

• Tourist trips to Greece, China, England, Ireland, USA and other countries,
• National Day of The Countries of Origin of Foreign Students. International students should bring some distinctive thing typical of their country and then plan a thematic activity,
• Halloween: costume party with dancing,
• Christmas: Official dinner two weeks before the holiday. Students must come in elegant suits,
• Ski marathon during the winter holidays,
• Valentine's Day,
• Prom.

Smaller events are:

• Going to the movies,
• Attending football (Montreal) and hockey (Laval Rocket) matches,
• Excursions to safari park, museums of Montreal, planetarium, science centers and other public places,
• Cooking classes,
• Day trips to the ski base in Mont Rigot, Montreal, Arbraska, Notre-Dame de Fatima,
• Maintenance of a public garden or greenhouse,
• Karaoke evenings,
• Talent show.

Students are members of hobby clubs and can create their own if the college has not yet supported their idea. Local events are organized in the clubs that develop the interests of the participants and contribute to the personal development of each of them.

• The largest French boarding school in Canada,
• The institution is a member of the UNESCO School Projects Network,
• Among the students more than 40 are representatives of different nationalities and countries,
• 99% successfully graduate from school, receiving excellent marks on the exam,
• From 5 to 7 days a week of accommodation on campus.

The college is located in the small town of Rigaud, which borders Montreal and Ottawa. To megacities, the road will take just over an hour by public transport, taxi or private car.

There are several buildings on campus:

• The main building is the largest school building, which is equipped with premises for preschool and primary departments. There are entertainment, game and sports halls, a cafeteria and an infirmary, a library with a reading room, a shop and the school administration,
• The Querbes Building is a building with classrooms and living rooms for high school students.

College Bourget boasts new sports facilities:

• Semi-Olympic swimming pool,
• Three gyms equipped with high-tech cardio and strength equipment,
• Climbing wall
• Hockey Arena,
• Large gym,
• Outdoor football and baseball fields,
• 12 tennis courts.

Since most college students come from outside Rigaud, the institution provides more than 20 school buses. Cars run on highways through nearby areas, southern Quebec and southeastern Ontario in the morning and afternoon, taking students to educational buildings and homes.

The school year lasts from the end of August to the end of June. In the process of studying, several weeks of holidays are provided, the longest of them are summer, which last almost two months.

The number of weekly classes directly depends on the class: the junior department finishes the school day before lunch, while high school students stay on campus until the evening, attending additional lessons and circles.

Additional costs:

• Accommodation and meals – 16 350-16 885$CAD per year,
• Deposit for the key to the room – 3$CAD,
• Registration fee — 1600$CAD,
• Application fee – 50$CAD,
• Support and guardianship – 1800$CAD per year,
• Extracurricular activities – 470$CAD,
• Refundable deposit – 4000$CAD,
• School uniform (ordinary, without emblems - can be bought on campus) - from 200 to 600 $ CAD,
• iPad – from 800 to 900$ CAD when purchased at school,
• International insurance — 750$CAD,
• Participation in sports programs - from 4,000 to 14,800 $ CAD.

The process of admission to College Bourget:

• Contact an SMAPSE specialist
• Provide the required documents, while paying the registration fee and deposits,
• Attend an interview to meet the admissions office and demonstrate oral proficiency in English or French.

Acceptance of applications for admission begins on September 15.

Foreign applicants must provide:

• Statement of interest in studying at College Bourget and the personal interests of the future student, written in English,
• A copy of the latest school report,
• Copies of the final progress reports for the previous two years,
• Personal documents: recent photo of the applicant, birth certificate, health insurance and visa,
• Receipt for payment of the application in the amount of 50$CAD,
• A conversational video of up to two minutes, where the student will demonstrate knowledge of English or French.

All international students must obtain a study permit in Canada before entering school. There are two options for obtaining it:

• If families decide to apply on their own, they can contact the Canadian Embassy/Consulate in their home country,
• Parents can hire an accredited immigration consultant registered with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Advisors (CICC).

The college provides financial assistance to students from families who are unable to fully pay for the program they need. Two types of assistance are organized: academic and sports.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision