French Schools in Canada

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You will find below a list of the most popular international and bilingual schools for expats in Canada with fee information. It includes nursery schools, primary and secondary (high) schools and you will find the right school to prepare for International Baccalaureate, and other diploma in Canada.

French immersion programs are offered in public schools in all ten Canadian provinces. Early immersion programs begin at age 5, while late immersion programs begin at age 10-13. Students also receive some instruction in English, and can graduate with a provincial Secondary School Diploma and participate in the International Baccalaureate program.

Francophone schools in Canada are operated by province-wide Francophone school boards and are reserved for children from francophone families. Francophone school curricula mirror that of English and French immersion schools in Canada. Students can graduate with a provincial Secondary School Diploma.

There are also many private French schools throughout the country, including lycées and international schools that teach a different curriculum than public and Francophone schools in Canada. These schools generally follow France’s Ministry of Education’s curricula and/or the International Baccalaureate program, combined with provincial curricula. Students who attend these lycées and international schools benefit from a standardized curriculum, allowing them to move freely from one lycée in Canada to another, anywhere in the world.

French Schools in Ontario

French schools in Ottawa

Lycée Claudel
Address: 1635 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 0E5 Canada
Tel: +1 613 733 8522
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

With just over 1,000 students, the Lycee Claude was established in 1962 with the assistance of the French Embassy of Canada. The Lycee Claude offers 43 classes from maternelle (age 3) to terminale (age 18), taught by 68 multinational instructors with backgrounds in the French lycée system. This school offers International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement programs within a French framework, and also instructs students in the history, geography, economy, and literature of Canada. Lycée Claude forms part of an international network of over 400 lycées, 8 of which are in Canada.

French Schools in Toronto

Lycée Francais du Toronto
Address: 2327 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M6E 3S5
Tel: +1 416 924 1798
Tuition Rates: $12,916 to $15,068 + $200 administration fee + $2,000 deposit towards school support

Founded in 1995, the Lycée Francais du Toronto is a French non-profit, non-denominational, co-ed school with over 400 students, including French children and those who wish to study in French. Knowledge of French is not a prerequisite for school entrance. The Lycée Francais du Toronto is governed by France’s Ministry of Education and offers a full range of grades in the French educational system (pre-school to grade 12). Students follow France’s national curriculum, and may also follow the Baccalaureate, French Baccalaureate, and/or Advanced Placement programs. Classes in English, Mandarian, Spanish, and Italian are also offered as extra-curricular activities and part of the school’s curriculum. This school belongs to a global network of schools dedicated to the academic programme of the AEFE (l’Agence pour l’Enseignement Français à l’étranger).

French citizens can apply for financial assistance when registering children at this school. Assistance is granted according to the parents’ income. French families living in Canada can also benefit from full refund of the tuition fees when registering their children in grades 11/ 12.

Toronto French School (TFS)
Address: (Toronto Campus) 306 Lawrence Ave East, Toronto, Ontario M4N 1T7 Canada  (Mississauga Campus) 1293 Meredith Ave, Mississauga, Ontario L5E 2E6 Canada
Tel: (Toronto Campus) +1 416 484 6533 (Mississauga Campus) +1 905 278 7243
Tuition: $10,730-$28,120

The Toronto French School (TFS) is a bilingual, co-ed school for students aged 2 to university entrance. Students may study at the Toronto or Mississauga Campus. TFS follows curricula from the Ministry of Education of Ontario, the Ministry of Education of France, and the International Baccalaureate Program. Prior knowledge of French is not an entrance requirement. At the end of their education at TFS, successful students are awarded the Diplôme National du Brevet des Collèges (France), an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, and International Baccalaureate  Diploma or International Baccalaureate Bilingual Diploma. TFS is a member of AEFE, Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS), the Council of International Schools, the Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario (CIS), and the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).

La Citadelle International Academy of Arts & Science
Address: 15 Mallow Road, North York, Ontario M3B 1G2 Canada
Tel: +1 416 385 9685
Tuition: $10,250-$15,250/year

Established in 2000, La Citadelle International Academy of Arts & Science offers three years of total French instruction at the Kindergarten level, seven years of bilingual education at an elementary level (Grades 1 to 7), and instruction in a third language. As an IB World School, La Citadelle also offers the IB Middle Years Program (MYP) in both English and French to students in Grades 6 to Level II (Grade 10). La Citadelle’s five year secondary program (Grades 9 to 12/Level I to IV) is designed to assist students in achieving acceptance to a university.

French Schools in Alberta

Lycée Louis Pasteur
Address: 4099 Garrison Boulevard SW, Calgary, Alberta, T2T 6G2 Canada
Tel: +1 403 243 5420
Tuition: $10,300-$12,700

The Lycée Louis Pasteur was founded as a non-denominational international school in 1966. At Louis Pasteur 34 teachers instruct 350 students in both English and French programs. Lycée Louis Pasteur is part of a network of over 400 lycées, 8 of which are in Canada. Lycée Louis Pasteur is accredited by both the provincial regulatory body Alberta Education and by France’s Ministry of Education. Both the provincial curricula of Alberta, and the national curricula of France, are followed. At the end of their education at Louis Pasteur, successful students are awarded the Diplôme National du Brevet des Collèges (France), an Alberta Secondary School Diploma, and the French Baccalaureat.

French Schools in Quebec

Stanislas Quebec
Address: 1605, Chemin Saint-Foy, Quebec, Quebec G1S 2P1 Canada
Tel: +1 418 527 9998
Tuition: $2,949 - $4,809

Stanislas Quebec accepts students from maternelle to baccalaureat, and follows France’s Ministry of Education’s curriculum. Stanislas has 2,900 students, 400 of which are at its Quebec City campus. At the end of their students, successful students are awarded the Diplôme National du Brevet des Collèges (France) and the French Baccalaureat. Stanislas is a member of AEFE. Financial assistance, tuition refunds, and scholarships are available for eligible families.

Stanislas Montreal
Address: 780 Dollard, Outremont, Quebec H2V 3G5 Canada
Tel: +1 514 273 9521
Tuition: $2,949-$6,042

Founded in 1938, Stanislas Montreal now instructs over 15,500 students from maternelle to collégial. Stanislas Montreal follows curricula from the Ministry of Education of Quebec, the Ministry of Education of France, and the International Baccalaureate Program. At the end of their education at Stanislas, successful students are awarded the Diplôme National du Brevet des Collèges (France), a Quebec Secondary School Diploma, and French Baccalaureat. Stanislas Montreal is a member of AEFE. Financial assistance, tuition refunds, and scholarships are available for eligible families.

College International Marie de France
Address: 4635 Queen Mary, Montreal, Quebec, H3W 1W3 Canada
Tel: +1 514 737 1177
Tuition: Inquire at school

The College International Marie de France is a non-denomination co-ed school, founded in 1939. CIMF educates over 1,800 students from maternelle (age 4) to collégial. CIMF is a member of AEFE and follows the curricula from the Ministry of Education of Quebec and the Ministry of Education of France. Successful graduates receive a Diplôme National du Brevet des Collèges (France), Quebec Secondary School Diploma, and French Baccalaureat. Financial assistance, tuition refunds, and scholarships are available for eligible French and non-French families.

Académie Lafontaine
Address: 2171 Boulevard Maurice, St. Jerome, Quebec, J7Y 4M7 Canada
Tel: +1 450 431 3733
Tuition: $3,025-$3,423/year

Located in St. Jerome, Quebec, Académie Lafontaine offers classes to students from kindergarten to pre-university. While primarily a French school, Académie Lafontaine also offers instruction to children in English as a second language, beginning in kindergarten. Académie Lafontaine offers International Baccalaureate diplomas to successful secondary students.

French Schools in Vancouver

The French International School of Vancouver / L’École Française Internationale de Vancouver
Address: 3657 Fromme Road, Northern Vancouver, BC V7K 2E6 Canada
Tel: +1 604 924 2457
Tuition: Inquire at school

The French International School of Vancouver opened its doors in 1997. EFIV offers a full-day preschool program starting at age 3, and the five French cycles of education up to a grade 12 equivalent. The EFIV curriculum also reflects Canadian linguistic and cultural reality with advanced English programs and courses in Canadian history and geography. EFIV is recognized by both Vancouver’s Ministry of Education and France’s Ministry of Education. Non-French speaking children are admitted up to the age of 5. EFIV is associated with a network of over 400 lycées worldwide, and is a member of AFSA, AEFE, and the Alliance Française.

For many other schools offering international education (including other languages such as German...) you can read our article on international schools in Canada.

By Jess Gerrow, who traded city life in Canada for island life in the Mediterranean two years ago. She is a postgraduate marketing student, blogger, and freelance writer.