At the crossroads of French and North American cultures, Montréal, Canada, is a truly international and bilingual city. If you’re relocating to Montréal with school-age children, you should know that French is the official language of instruction in public schools. But as a foreigner or expat, you may prefer to enroll your kids in an international school, or a private school where they can study primarily in English.
International schools provide a different type of education, often promoting a more global curriculum and including a more diverse student body. International schools frequently use the curriculum of a different country or one based on the International Baccalaureate, Edexcel or Cambridge International Examinations. Two schools in Montréal belong to the AEFE (French Agency for French Education Abroad) and follow the official curriculum of France.
Students can also receive multilingual education from international schools, as well as special assistance with English or French as a second language. Foreign students who attend these schools will have an easier time adjusting to life in their new country, and Canadian students can gain a competitive edge with greater language proficiency and a broader worldview.
NOTE: Be sure to read about Eligibility for English Language Instruction in Québec if you plan to attend an English school in the French-speaking province.
A Directory of International Schools in Montréal (in alphabetical order)
Beurling Academy
Located near the Saint Lawrence River in Verdun, Beurling Academy has been open since 2003, offering primarily English instruction for middle school and high school students. Current enrollment is roughly 380 students. The school has three distinct academic programs, including French as a Second language, French immersion, and the International Baccalaureate curriculum. Beurling also puts a strong emphasis on arts, athletics and other extra curricular activities. Their motto is “Believe and Succeed.”
Mailing address: 6100 Boulevard Champlain, QC H4H 1A5
Phone: (514) 766-2357
Tuition / Fees: Contact the academy for tuition details
College International Marie De France (CIMF)
A member of the French Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE), CIMF follows the full French curriculum (from France) as outlined by the French Ministry of Education. Programs are available for pre-school, kindergarten, primary school, secondary and college level. CIMF strives to foster global citizenship by training students to recognize and address the problems of our changing world.
Mailing address: 4635, Chemin Queen Mary, Montréal, QC H3W 1W3
Tuition / Fees: annual fees range from $4,200 to $5,400; nursery fees for pre-schoolers are $8,300 a year
College Prep International
An English private, non-sectarian, co-educational school, serving grades 5-11, and founded in 1944. There are no language restrictions with regards to registration. CPI has more than 25 languages and ethnicities within the community of 125 students. Passionate and highly trained teachers use traditional teaching methods and modern practice methodology to engage students in the learning process, with no more than 15 pupils per class.
Mailing address: 7475 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal QC H4B 1S3
Phone: (514) 489-7287
Tuition / Fees: elementary students $12,500 a year; secondary students $13,500 a year
Collège Stanislas
Established in 1938, Stanislas offers private, non-sectarian, French language education for kindergarten through college level students. The college offers the equivalent of a provincial Secondary School Graduation Diploma (DES), Diploma of Collegial Studies (DEC), and the French Baccalaureate based on the AEFE standards.
Mailing address: 780 Dollard, Outremont, QC H2V 3G5
Phone: (514) 273-9521
Tuition: varies from $4,100 a year for elementary; $5,300 for college level; and $7,900 for pre-schoolers
École internationale de Montréal
The International School of Montreal is a small French public school located in Westmount, an upscale neighbourhood of Montreal. ÉIM (or ÉIMS) opened in 1988 and offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum for primary and secondary students. The school accepts about 120 new students a year, and they must pass an entrance exam.
Mailing address: 11, chemin de la Côte-Saint-Antoine, Westmount, QC H3Y 2H7
Phone: (514) 596-7240
Tuition / Fees: free public school
École Montessori International
ÉMIM’s mission is to awaken each child’s potential, develop intellectual curiosity, promote intrinsic motivation and encourage eagerness to discover, in a trilingual learning environment (French, English, and Spanish). The school welcomes children aged 18 months to 12 years old from all cultural backgrounds. A truly diverse community, the majority of students speak a language other than French or English at home.
Mailing address: 10025 Boul. Acadie, Montréal, QC H4N 2S1
Phone: (514) 331-1244
Tuition / Fees: $8,400 a year
John Paul I Junior High School
John Paul I High School is a Cycle One Secondary school consisting of year I and II students – twelve to fifteen years old. It is an IB World School which offers the first 2 years of the International Baccalaureate-Middle Years Program (MYP). Enrollment is approximately 435 students; 250 Secondary I students and 185 in Secondary II. The majority of students at John Paul 1 come from families where one or both parents are of Italian descent. Students must pass an entrance exam to attend. In order to qualify for English Instruction in Quebec Public Schools, students must meet certain eligibility criteria under the Charter of the French Language as set out by the Quebec government.
Mailing address: 8455 rue Pré-Laurin, Montréal, QC H1R 3P3
Tuition / Fees: contact the school for details
Laurier Macdonald Senior High School
Most graduates of John Paul I Junior High School end up transferring to Laurier Macdonald, an English-language public school in the east end of Montréal, where they can continue with the International Baccalaureate Programme. The student body is disproportionately Italian, Catholic and middle-class, reflecting the generally homogeneous make-up of Saint-Léonard’s English-speaking population.
Mailing address: 7355 Viau Blvd., Saint-Leonard, Montréal, QC H1S 3C3
Tuition / Fees: public school
Michelangelo International Elementary School
Highly regarded in the community, Michelangelo School offers a bilingual program to address the needs of students living in a nation with two official languages. Michelangelo Elementary School follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme, and most students will go on to John Paul 1 Junior High School upon graduation.
Mailing address: 9360 5e Rue, Riviere-des-Prairies QC H1E 1K1
Telephone: (514) 648-1218
Tuition / Fees: public school
St George’s School
St. George’s School of Montreal is a co-educational, non-denominational school committed to providing a progressive, student-centered education of the highest quality within a spirited, engaging, creative and cooperative environment. The school puts a priority on the mutual respect that exists between students, instructors and colleagues. The school also welcomes international students. Twenty-seven nationalities were represented in the St. George’s student body during the 2017/2018 school year.
Elementary campus: 3685 The Boulevard, Westmount, QC H3Y 1S9
High School campus: 3100 The Boulevard, Montréal, QC H3Y 1R9
Telephone: (514) 937-9289
Tuition / Fees: tuition and fees vary from $18,500 a year for kindergarten to about $22,000 for middle school and high school; international students will pay about $40-50,000 a year including all room and board expenses
English Language Private Schools in Montréal
Centennial Academy
Centennial is the only high school in the province of Quebec that helps student master their learning challenges and graduate on time. Because every individual learns differently, Centennial provides students with many different pathways to learning and maximizes their chances of success.
Mailing address: PO Box 23083 CSP Vendome, Montréal, QC H4A 3V4
Tuition / Fees: $19,750 per year; international students must pay an additional foreign student fee of $4,771
Kells Academy
A private, co-ed, English language academy with programs for elementary, middle school, high school and pre-university grade 12 students. Kells first opened in 1978 with a commitment to academic excellence in a stimulating learning environment with small class sizes. Fewer than 200 students are enrolled in the high school. Students do not require a Certificate of Eligibility for English instruction to attend. Average class size is 15 students.
Elementary campus: 2290 Boulevard de Cavendish, Montréal, QC H4B 2M7
Phone: (514) 487-2345
High school campus: 6865 Boulevard de Maisonneuve O, Montréal, QC H4B 1T1
Phone: (514) 485-8565
Tuition / Fees: contact the school for details
Kuper Academy
Kuper Academy offers a challenging English academic program along with French courses suited to individual ability, as well as a rich co-educational school life in a safe, suburban setting. The academy’s preschool and elementary schools include a half-day preschool option, a government subsidized full-day K-4 program, a full-day five-year old kindergarten and all cycles of the Quebec Elementary Program from grades one through six. High school instruction is available to students in grades 7-11.
Elementary campus: 2 & 4 Aesop, Kirkland, QC H9H 5G5
Phone: (514) 426-3007, ext. #322
High school campus: 2975 Edmond, Kirkland, QC H9H 5K5
Phone: (514) 426-3007, ext. #235
Tuition / Fees: K3 (half-day): $5,121 a year; K4 (government subsidized program): $1,759 a year; grades K-11 are $11-14,000 a year
Lower Canada College
Established in 1909, LCC offers private co-ed education for grades K-12, based on the International Baccalaureate curriculum. The school’s motto—Non Nobis Solum/Not For Ourselves Alone—means instilling a sense of responsibility and accountability in students, and ensuring that everyone has the chance to make a difference in the lives of others, locally or on a global level.
Mailing address: 4090, avenue Royal, Montréal, QC H4A 2M5
Telephone: (514) 482-9916
Tuition and accessory service fees: from $18,695 for kindergarten to $23,124 a year for pre-U grade 12
Language Schools in Montréal
As a bilingual city, it’s no surprise to find a wide array of language schools operating in Montréal.
Bouchereau Lingua International (BLI)
Offering a wide range of French and English programs for youths, adults and international exchange students.
Address: 70, rue Notre-Dame O., suite 400, Montréal, QC Canada, H2Y 1S6
Telephone: (514) 842.3847
Languages Across Borders (LAB)
Sharing a modern campus with LaSalle College in downtown Montréal, LAB is a member of the LCI Education network, which manages 23 educational institutions around the world. On-campus accommodations are available for international students.
Address: 2000 Sainte-Catherine Street West, Suite 1300, Montréal, QC H3H 2T2
Telephone: (514) 939-4463
CLC Montreal
A variety of language programs for English, French, Spanish, and Japanese.
Address: 980 Rue Sainte-Catherine O #600, Montréal, QC H3B 1E5
Telephone: (514) 903-8897
Goethe-Institut Montréal
Specializing in German language immersion courses and intercultural events.
Address: 1626 boul. St-Laurent, Suite 100 Montréal, QC H2X 2T1
Telephone: (514) 499-0159
International Language School of Canada (ILSC)
ILSC-Montréal’s campus is set in the heart of Old Montréal, close to the Old Port, and near public transit, parks and shopping. They offer course and bilingual activities in French and English.
Address: 410 Rue St-Nicolas, Montréal, QC H2Y 2P5
Telephone: (514) 876-4572
Montréal International Institute of Language Arts (MIILA)
French and English classes and summer camp programs for international students in a uniquely colourful and engaging setting.
Address: 8255 Mountain Sights – Suite 150, Montréal, QC H4P 2B5
Telephone: (514) 509-4242
Additional References
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