The Quebec government has toned down the requirements for English-speaking universities a bit
The tuition increase will not be as drastic as anticipated.
The Quebec government has officially announced the amount that students in English-language programs from other provinces will pay starting in the coming academic year. Such programs are offered in Quebec by three universities that are affected by the change: Bishop's, McGill and Concordia. Instead of the expected increase to CA$ 17,000 per year, students will be charged CA$ 12,000 per year. Previously, non-Quebec students paid just under CA$ 9,000.
Why is the cost being raised in the first place?
The province's new policy on studying in English was announced in October and met with fierce opposition from both students and the universities themselves. The authorities explained the changes by the need to protect the vulnerable position of the French language in the region. Therefore, tuition is being raised only for English-language programs and only for students from other provinces and countries — not for Quebecers.
What are some other updates to the rules?
Tuition fees are going up at three universities — and despite a reduction in the promised price, their administrations are still not happy. McGill University President Deep Saini sees this move by the authorities as a challenge:
"I can only view this as a targeted attack on institutions that have been part of Quebec for hundreds of years."
But the government has found common ground with the Bishop administration by giving the university a break: 825 new students from other provinces (and none more) will be able to study at the old price of CA$ 8,992.
However, these and all other students in Quebec's English-language programs will now have to learn French. The authorities have set a specific target for universities: by the end of their studies (baccalaureate), at least 80% of students from outside Quebec will have to demonstrate a level 5 oral proficiency, which is the ability to hold a conversation fluently. Deep Saini considers this goal unrealistic.
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