French, bilingual or immersion: what are you looking for?
Before choosing a city, decide what role you want French to play in your degree. An institution’s name alone does not tell you the language of all its courses.
| Your goal | Option to explore | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Study primarily in French | A French-language institution or a programme offered in French | Are the required courses available in French through to graduation? |
| Study in both languages | A bilingual pathway | What role does each language play in courses and assessments? |
| Develop your French while studying in English | Immersion in a participating programme | What levels of French and English are required? |
At the University of Ottawa, the French Immersion Stream is added to certain programmes in English. Students must demonstrate advanced proficiency in French and meet the programme’s English requirements, among other things. This is not the same as a fully French-language programme.
For each programme, also ask what languages are used for any placements and which services are available in French. Ask for details specific to your programme, campus and start date.
Universities and programmes in Ontario
Ontario’s 2024-2025 to 2027-2028 Action Plan for Minority-Language Education describes a network that includes French-language or bilingual universities and two French-language colleges. University options include, in particular, Université de l’Ontario français and Université de Hearst.
The University of Ottawa offers a point of comparison: find out about a programme offered in French and about programmes in English to which the French Immersion Stream may be added. You should check the prerequisites and the language of required components for the programme that interests you.
A bilingual institution does not guarantee that every course in every programme is offered in both languages. Similarly, the Ontario plan describes a network; it does not confirm that a particular programme will be available for your start date. The StudyCanada profile introduces the institution but does not replace the programme’s admissions information.
French-language colleges: another pathway
Collège Boréal and La Cité are the two French-language colleges named in the Ontario plan. If you are deciding between college and university, compare the credential awarded, course content, any placements and opportunities to continue your studies.
Boréal says its postsecondary programmes are offered in French, although some require a good command of English. La Cité describes a regular international application process as well as a separate pathway connected to the federal Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot. In both cases, check the campus, prerequisites and programme availability for your start date.
If you plan to attend university later, do not assume that transferring will be automatic. Ask which programme the transfer may lead to, what conditions apply and how credits will be assessed. The possibility of transferring does not, on its own, indicate how long you will still need to study.
Other options outside Quebec
In Alberta, Campus Saint-Jean is an option within the University of Alberta. Its 2026-2027 prospectus describes, among other things, bilingual pathways and pathways with transfer options. Confirm the arrangements for your year of study: a description of a pathway at Campus Saint-Jean does not necessarily apply to the entire university, and a transfer is not guaranteed.
In New Brunswick, the Université de Moncton has three French-language campuses: Edmundston, Moncton and Shippagan. Check which campus offers the programme you want rather than assuming that all three campuses offer the same pathways. New Brunswick is an officially bilingual province, not an exclusively English-speaking one.
In Nova Scotia, Université Sainte-Anne offers university and college studies in French, with some exceptions. These examples are starting points for your research, not a complete inventory of options outside Quebec.
What language proof should you prepare?
Speaking French does not automatically exempt you from providing proof of proficiency. At the University of Ottawa, some previous studies may qualify for a test exemption at the undergraduate level, depending, among other things, on where they took place, their duration and their language. However, the university may still request a test or refuse an exemption.
Prepare your transcripts and ask the admissions office which documents are accepted for your pathway. If English is also used in the programme, check its requirements as well: a programme in English with French immersion has language requirements in both languages, among other conditions.
Keep these three questions separate: What language proficiency must you demonstrate for admission? What languages are used in courses and assessments? What language support is available during your studies?
Scholarships and budget: who is the assistance for?
Assistance linked to French is not necessarily available to every French speaker. Status in Canada, language background and enrolment conditions can make a difference.
| Assistance to explore | Intended recipients | Point to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Partial tuition exemption at the University of Ottawa | Eligible international students in certain French-language or immersion pathways | Check eligibility and renewal conditions, as well as the value applicable to your cohort |
| French as a second language scholarships from ACUFC | Canadian citizens or permanent residents whose first official language spoken is English, subject to other criteria | This is not general assistance for international students who speak French |
At the University of Ottawa, the regular conditions for the undergraduate exemption include full-time enrolment and at least three courses, or nine credits, in French per term. Special rules apply, particularly in spring-summer and during co-op placements. The value varies by programme and cohort: review all the criteria before relying on this reduction.
The French as a second language scholarships from the Association of Colleges and Universities of the Canadian Francophonie are CAD 3,000 and are non-renewable. Their conditions also cover previous studies, the participating institution, full-time enrolment, programme length and the proportion of activities in French.
To prepare your budget, start with the tuition fees that apply to your status and start date, then subtract only assistance that has been confirmed. Add housing, food, transportation, insurance and materials. The University of Ottawa international tuition tables consulted cover 2025-2026 and 2026-2027: do not treat them as a quote for a future year.
International students: admission and permits are separate
If you need a study permit, check the documents required by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Depending on your situation, a provincial or territorial attestation letter may be required; exceptions apply. An offer of admission does not guarantee that a permit will be issued.
The Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot is a specific pathway. Speaking French is not enough to qualify. Among other requirements, IRCC requires applicants to be citizens of a country on its list, to reside outside Canada when they apply, to have an appropriate letter from a participating institution and to meet NCLC level 5 in French in each of the four skills.
The programme must, among other things, be postsecondary, full-time, last at least 2 years, lead to a degree or diploma and include more than 50% of courses in French. These conditions apply to the pilot, not to all study permits.
As a limited example, for a pilot application submitted on or after September 1, 2026, IRCC indicates CAD 23,448 per year for a single person in Group A. Applicants must also show that they have resources for tuition and transportation. Other groups and families have different amounts: this threshold is neither a personal budget nor a universal rule.
This information is general. Consult IRCC for the conditions and financial evidence that apply to your situation when you apply.
A worksheet for comparing your options
To compare a few pathways, prepare a worksheet for each one:
- Credential and campus: What credential are you aiming for, and where is the programme offered?
- Languages: What languages are used for required courses, assessments and any placements?
- Admission: What prerequisites and language-proficiency evidence are required?
- Funding: What tuition fees apply to your cohort, and what assistance has already been confirmed?
- Student life and practical arrangements: What services and housing options do you want to explore? What questions remain to be asked of the institution and, if necessary, checked with IRCC?
The best starting point is not simply to find an institution outside Quebec. It is to choose a pathway whose language, academic and financial arrangements you understand through to graduation.