30 Canada Education Facts (all about education in Canada)

The Best Facts About School in Canada

Canada is a country located in North America. It is the second biggest country in the world after Russia, and its capital city is Ottawa, which has a bit less than 1 million inhabitants.

An interesting part of the country that I wanted to tackle is its education. In light of that, I have listed my 30 best facts about the education system in Canada, and I hope you will love them:

1. Canada’s higher education is not that expensive

Generally speaking, Canada’s educational system is pretty good compared to that of many other countries in the world.

When it comes to higher education, it is in fact one of the cheapest ones that still give world-recognized certificates (from CAD $13,000 to CAD $15,000 annually).

2. The Canadian government pranked all students in the country in 2015

April Fool’s Day is a very unique day, and even some very serious institutions like the media and some governments participate in this worldwide event.

In Canada, the government pranked all students in the country by saying they were introducing a year-round school by 2017 at the latest!

3. The vast majority of colleges and universities are managed by the government in Canada

In many countries, the education system is of better quality only in private schools, but almost all other public institutions are quite terrible because of the lack of governmental funding.

In Canada, 80 percent of colleges and universities are managed by the government, which ensures the students are provided with a quality education.

4. International students can become permanent residents through their studies in Canada

Almost everywhere in Canada, there are immigration options for international students. If they choose to follow this path, they can eventually become permanent residents of the country.

This is very interesting for many of them if you compare it to other countries where it feels impossible like the United States.

5. International students can find jobs through a special program in Canada

More precisely, international students wishing to find a job in Canada after their studies can enter the Student Partners Program or SPP. It will provide them with post-study work permits of up to 3 years, which is again a very interesting opportunity for most of them.

6. You only need to study for 2 years in a Canadian university to apply for permanent residency

Canada is probably one of the best countries in the world to quickly acquire permanent residency. If you study in one of the state-recognized universities, you will be able to apply for permanent Canadian residency after only two years of studies.

7. Canadian teachers are very well educated and can transmit their deep knowledge

In a lot of third-world countries, teachers are critically underqualified to decently teach children.

This is absolutely not the case in Canada, where most of them have a higher education, allowing them to be experts in one specific field, and provide quality education to their students.

8. Canada is a very popular destination for foreign students

Canada is one of the best countries to study, and this is why it is so popular abroad.

The majority of international students come from China, Korea, India, Saudi Arabia and the United States. Not only is the education of very high quality, but the country itself is beautiful as well.

9. The number of international students coming to Canada is exploding

Canada is slowly becoming one of the most coveted countries in the world for students coming from all around the globe.

In fact, from 2001 to 2012, the number of foreign students almost doubled to reach 265,000. During the year after that, it increased by 11 more percent!

10. Canadian education is very reputed for its English and French training

Not only is Canadian education in general one of the best in the world, but when it comes to language training, Canada is in fact the world leader. Because the country has two official languages, English and French, it is very capable of teaching these two very spoken languages and requires students to learn both.

11. You can also learn other languages in Canada

Since Canada is such a good country for language training, it is obviously not limited to English and French, even though these two are very interesting options. The most popular other choice is Spanish, but you can basically learn any of the most spoken languages in the world in Canada.

12. Canadian residents are very proficient in foreign languages

With such a good language education, it is not very surprising how proficient Canadian people are in foreign languages.

21 percent of them speak a foreign language as their mother tongue! 40 percent of these people speak a European language, and 56 percent speak an Asian language.

13. Nearly all ethnic cultures are represented in Canada

If I had to describe Canada’s educational system with only one word, it would probably be “equality”. The country is known as a place where all ethnic cultures are represented. No wonder why it is so popular among international students!

14. Every student can feel safe in Canada, as they will never get bullied

Bullying is taken very seriously in Canada, and it is strictly forbidden.

In all Canadian schools, there are bullying prevention programs guaranteeing equality and protection for every pupil. To be honest, everyone should follow Canada’s lead when it comes to protection and safety in schools.

15. Canada’s classes are almost always mixed

Not only different ethnic groups but also different genders are mixed in Canada. Everyone is on equal footing, and almost every class is mixed.

However, if you absolutely need boys or girls only classes, you can still find them.

16. Canadian students take part in a lot of field trips

In case Canadian education was not attractive enough to you, there are still lots of field trips. The government insists on organizing them, and students usually visit places like museums, city neighborhoods and museums. This is a great way to ensure attractiveness and efficiency.

17. There is an official curriculum in each province for Canadian students

Canada is a gigantic country, and it is made of 10 provinces.

In each of them, and in each of the other territories, there is an official curriculum for students. While there are slight variations in the system of education from one province to another, it still remains relatively similar throughout the country.

18. Canadian students need to follow the school dress code

In order to be one hundred percent certain that equality remains in any Canadian school, students are forced to follow the school dress code. In most private schools, students are required to wear a specific uniform.

19. There are religious schools for nearly every religious community

If parents require their children to go to a specific religious school, they can still find some in Canada, even though the country is welcoming anyone in public schools. There are private schools for every religious community, while public religious schools are mainly Catholic.

20. The extreme Canadian weather affects schools, but they always keep their students informed

Obviously, because of how far North Canada is located, its weather is extreme, especially during winter.

In some provinces, daily average temperatures are near -15 °C / 5 °F but they can drop below -40 °C / -40 °F! During these times, schools are closed but they keep their students informed through radio and television.

And that is it for the best 20 interesting facts about Canada education system…. Wait, did I say 20? Oh yes, because there are 10 more of them, coming right up:

More Facts About Education in Canada

There are so many things to say about school education in Canada that I just could not stop after only 20 facts.

Here, have 10 more facts about education in Canada:

21. Every textbook is provided by the school in Canada

Opposite to the United States, Canada offers every textbook for each student for free for the whole year. Therefore, students only need to buy school supplies like paper, pencils, and a backpack. This is an important reason why many students choose Canada over the US.

22. There are special education programs for students with any kind of problem

Unfortunately, a lot of students suffer from very complicated problems.

Whether it is an emotional, psychological, physical, cognitive, linguistic, or behavioral problem, the student will be helped and supported by a special education program provided by every state school in Canada.

23. Private schools also offer specialized teaching to students in need of help

If the student’s problem is very specific and very handicapping, parents can enroll their child in private special needs schools.

These schools are not free, but some provinces provide 100 percent funding to allow these children to attend school and access education like any other child.

24. Canadian students are monitored and parents know about their progress

In Canada, parents are always informed of the progress of their children.

At school, there is a widely used system of report cards, aiming to inform parents of any possible problem with particular subjects. These are given to students several times throughout the school year.

25. School attendance is mandatory until the age of 16 or 18 in Canada

In many countries in the world, school attendance is mandatory until the age of 16. This is also the case in the vast majority of Canada, except for a few ones like Ontario and Manitoba, where the required age is 18.

26. International students recommend Canada as their preferred study destination

With all I have said about the great Canadian education system, it will not come as a surprise that almost every international student in Canada recommends the country as their preferred study destination. According to the CBIE survey, this number is as high as 96 percent.

27. Canada is the only country in the world where the majority of residents are college graduates

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, also known as OECD, conducted a study leading to a list of the ten countries with the highest proportion of college-graduated adult residents. The number one country was Canada, and it is in fact the only country in the world with more than half of the residents being college graduates!

28. Canada is also one of the best countries to live in, not only to work

The quality of life in Canada is very reputed, and it is one of the best in the world.

Both Canadians and international students, because of how welcoming the country is, enjoy a high standard of living. 4 of the top 100 best student cities in the world are also in Canada!

29. Canadian students are guaranteed a very promising future

Canadian degrees are recognized in the whole world, and they offer a strong earning potential. The country as a whole created around 1.6 million new jobs for graduates in the last decade only and sets students up for successful and rewarding careers.

30. There are tons of reasons to study in Canada

Living in Canada is wonderful, studying in Canada is particularly useful and recognized on a worldwide scale, but there is even more than that. The culture of the country is truly unique, as well as its weather and way of life. The Canadian wilderness is something you should definitely witness!

High school in Langley City, Canada

So there you have them, these were all my 30 Canada education facts. I hope you enjoyed them and that you learned something new today.

In case you want to learn more about the rest of the country’s education system, feel free to keep reading, as I still have lots of things to tell you about:

Canadian School Hours

Let’s keep going with our next part, dedicated to Canadian school hours. The typical school schedule in one country can often be very different from your own, and it’s always interesting to have more details on how students go on about their day.

Canada Primary School Schedule

In Ontario and Quebec, children can go to kindergarten at the age of 4. In the rest of the country, they need to be at least 5. The Canadian school year typically runs from August to June of the following year.

There is no federal education department, so each provincial government manages its own public education the way they want. They still receive funding from the government though. In most places, every student can be immersed in French programs.

Canada Secondary School Schedule

Primary and secondary education are often merged with intermediate education, which is referred to as K-12, meaning Kindergarten through Grade 12.

Secondary school is made of different grades which are dependent on the province. It is usually made of two levels though. During these two years, students can adjust to the changes of switching classrooms and teachers throughout the day. This is very important for them to be used for what happens during high school, where the difficulty of courses rises up greatly.

Canadian High School Schedule

High school is the last part of secondary education in Canada. They stay there for 4 years until the age of 16 to 18, depending on the province.

The Canadian high school system is very thoughtful when it comes to the curriculum as schools best prepare students for what comes next: higher education. In some schools, students can even get job training.

General Facts About Schooling in Canada

This last part is dedicated to general facts about schooling in Canada. More specifically, we’ll check 2 key figures that will give you a better understanding of the education level in Canada.

Enrollment in tertiary education for Canada: 22.67%

(Average for regions: Sub-Saharan Africa: 8.6% | South Asia: 20.8% | Arab States: 36.4% | East Asia: 36.5% | Latin America: 43.3% | Europe and Central Asia: 62% | North America: 84%)

Data from World Bank EdStats/UNESCO

Canada literacy rate: 99%

(Average for regions: Sub-Saharan Africa: 65.3% | South Asia: 72.9% | Arab States: 79.4% | Latin America: 93.7% | East Asia: 95.8% | Europe and Central Asia: 98.5%)

Data from World Bank EdStats/UNESCO

More Education Facts!

Do you want even more education facts about other countries?

Check out these facts:

• Education in Mexico
• Education in Colombia
• Education in Brazil

Or click here to see ALL the education facts up on the blog!

The Full List of 30 Canadian School Facts

1. Canada’s higher education is not that expensive
2. The Canadian government pranked all students in the country in 2015
3. The vast majority of colleges and universities are managed by the government in Canada
4. International students can become permanent residents through their studies in Canada
5. International students can find jobs through a special program in Canada
6. You only need to study for 2 years in a Canadian university to apply for permanent residency
7. Canadian teachers are very well educated and can transmit their deep knowledge
8. Canada is a very popular destination for foreign students
9. The number of international students coming to Canada is exploding
10. Canadian education is very reputed for its English and French training
11. You can also learn other languages in Canada
12. Canadian residents are very proficient in foreign languages
13. Nearly all ethnic cultures are represented in Canada
14. Every student can feel safe in Canada, as they will never get bullied
15. Canada’s classes are almost always mixed
16. Canadian students take part in a lot of field trips
17. There is an official curriculum in each province for Canadian students
18. Canadian students need to follow the school dress code
19. There are religious schools for nearly every religious community
20. The extreme Canadian weather affects schools, but they always keep their students informed
21. Every textbook is provided by the school in Canada
22. There are special education programs for students with any kind of problem
23. Private schools also offer specialized teaching to students in need of help
24. Canadian students are monitored and parents know about their progress
25. School attendance is mandatory until the age of 16 or 18 in Canada
26. International students recommend Canada as their preferred study destination
27. Canada is the only country in the world where the majority of residents are college graduates
28. Canada is also one of the best countries to live in, not only to work
29. Canadian students are guaranteed a very promising future
30. There are tons of reasons to study in Canada

Share the knowledge! Click on the buttons below to share these education in Canada facts with your friends, and help them learn more about the world 🙂