Education & Training in Canada

In Canada, there is no federal or national ministry of education. The provinces and territories are responsible for all levels of education, and each province and territory has its own educational system. In considering career options, you may wish to undertake further education and training beyond elementary and secondary school. Here is a brief description of some of the common education and training options that are available across the country.

Colleges

The term “college” in Canada encompasses a range of institutions, including colleges, institutes of technology, university colleges, polytechnics and cégeps(colleges of general and vocational education in Quebec). Canada’s 150 colleges offer post-secondary apprenticeship, certificate, diploma, and post-graduate diploma education in a wide variety of professional fields

All curriculum in Canadian colleges is created in partnership with experts in the field so that all college graduates have up-to-date, employment-ready advanced skills and qualifications. Colleges are known for their innovation, and applied research and development in various fields offers students opportunities to acquire leading edge advanced skills required by employers.

Click here to learn more about colleges.

Universities and University Colleges

Canada’s universities and university colleges are located across the country, with at least one in every province. Universities offer bachelor's, master's and doctoral (usually a PhD) degree programs. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered in Canada as well as professional degree programs and certificates.

Universities range from large, research-intensive campuses to small liberal arts institutions that focus on undergraduate education. In certain provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Ontario), university colleges combine university and college traditions to offer students both degree programs and college diplomas and certificates.

For more information: contact the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

Private Career Colleges

Private career colleges provide specialized training that help their clients to get and keep a job in their selected careers. Career colleges are noted for their ability to get the training done and not to spend a lot of time teaching things that are not required. They respond quickly to the changing needs of business and industry by developing new courses and by updating courses to comply with specific job requirements. Job search is a central part of career college programs. Students are considered clients whose occupational success determines the success of the college. Most colleges offer several starting dates during the year for programs of varying lengths.

For more information: contact the National Association of Career Colleges