Frequently Asked Questions

Under the Quebec Charter of the French Language, only certain people holding a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) have the right to attend publicly funded English-language elementary schools or high schools in Quebec. Everyone else must attend French-language schools, with very few exceptions.

At the college level, all students can attend English-language institutions, including Marianopolis. In fact, approximately half of our students do not have a CoE. Whether they hold a CoE or not means different admission, course, and graduation requirements.

For more information on the CoE, visit the Ministry of Education’s website. If you wish to obtain your CoE, you must do so before completing high school, otherwise you will be considered a non-CoE holder at the time of admission to college.

You must write a French language proficiency test only if:

You are completing your high school studies outside of Quebec (including francophone countries or programs) and do not have a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE).

You attend an English high school in Quebec but do not have a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE).

You attend an English high school in Quebec and are applying to the Arts and Sciences program (even if you have a CoE).

French language proficiency test results should be submitted by June 1 for Fall admission and by December 20 for Winter admission. See the Entrance Requirements page for details on which tests are accepted. Please note that Marianopolis College does not administer French language proficiency tests. These tests are conducted externally, and schedules and availability may vary. The Admissions Office recommends scheduling an appointment to take the test while completing your application.

The number and type of French courses you take depends on whether you have a certificate of eligibility for English-language education, and if so, how strong your level of French is. There are many pathways and sets of courses that can accommodate different levels of French proficiency.

If you have a certificate of eligibility, you will take two French second-language courses, and, either three additional French second-language courses to improve your French skills, or three program courses in French.
If you do not have a certificate of eligibility, you will take three French courses to help you prepare for the French Exit Exam (Épreuve uniforme de français) and two program courses in French.

Applicants who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents must submit two documents to study at the college level: a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) and a study permit. Valid copies of both documents are required to begin classes. The College encourages applicants to apply for these documents as soon as they receive their letter of acceptance. Please consult the International Documents Application Guide for more information on how to apply for these documents.

It is important to note that both Science programs have identical entrance requirements, so if you do not meet the requirements for one, you will likely not be admitted to the other. If Science is the only program you are interested in, we recommend selecting Honours Pure & Applied Science or Honours Health Science as your first choice and either Pure & Applied Science or Health Science as your second. If you have academic interests other than science, we recommend selecting Health Science or Pure & Applied Science first and then selecting a second-choice program with lower requirements.

It will most likely be higher, precisely because at Marianopolis you are surrounded by strong students who had strong grades in high school. The R-Score is calculated using your marks in relation to the marks of the other students at the college, and the average strength of all your group’s secondary grades. Since Marianopolis has high admission standards, then, all other things being equal, its students tend to have higher R-Scores. This fact contributes to the overwhelmingly successful placement rate of Marianopolis graduates in the universities of their choice.

Applicants who want to transfer from another Quebec college or CEGEP must demonstrate satisfactory academic standing and meet all entrance prerequisites for their chosen program at Marianopolis.

Transfer students must have completed no more than 50% of their course requirements at another college or CEGEP, provide an interim evaluation for their current semester and submit a brief letter of intent explaining their reasons for transferring.

Access the Transfer Student Interim Evaluation form.