Read our pre-departure guide designed for international students and get tips on how to succeed before, during and after your studies in … This test, which evaluates acquired knowledge of 15 year olds, ranks Canada as 7th in Sciences, 2nd in Reading, and 10th in Mathematics, out of 70 countries in 2016. The university year usually runs from September to April or May, and is comprised of two semesters, or terms. It is presumed that the person asking the question knows that they are referring not to "Grade 3" but "Secondary 3". On the one hand, Canada's top universities find it difficult to compete with the private American powerhouses because of funding, but on the other hand, the fact that the price of private universities tends to exclude those who cannot pay that much for their education could prevent a significant portion of Canada's population from being able to attend these schools. Pre-Primary or Junior Kindergarten (JK, ages 3–5 average age 4) (Nova Scotia and Ontario), Grade Primary or Senior Kindergarten (SK, ages 4–6 average age 5). In 1957, Charles Phillips divided the history of public schooling in Canada into four periods or stages: The first was characterized by church-controlled education and lasted from the early 1700s through to the mid 1800s. Also known as high school, this level runs from Grade 9 (ages 14 to 15) to Grade 12 (ages 17 to 18). Each province deals differently with private religious schools. Alternative formats and transcript. The traditional path to Canadian higher education is typically through university, as it is by far the most prestigious form of higher education in the country. In 2002, British Columbia's Quest University became the first privately funded liberal arts university without a denominational affiliation (although it is not the first private liberal arts university). Paralegal, Dental Hygienist, Nursing, etc. In British Columbia some schools may group together the higher Elementary and lower Secondary Grades. However, private schooling options in English may be available. The federal government's responsibilities in education are limited to the Royal Military College of Canada, and funding the education of indigenous peoples, all other matters of education in Canada falls under provincial responsibility. However, generally speaking, when newcomers to Canada settles in Quebec, their children are required to attend public school in French. Post-secondary education in Canada is provided by universities (research universities, undergraduate universities, and university colleges) and vocational institutions (vocational colleges, career colleges, community colleges, institutes of technology or science, colleges of applied arts or applied technology, and in Quebec, collèges d’enseignement général et professionnel). Generally, Canadian universities base admission around a student's academic performance in senior secondary school courses taken during their grade 11 and 12 years. They adhere to exacting standards and quality assurance in all curriculum development. Students in the Prairie provinces are not required by statute to attend kindergarten. In all other provinces, private religious schools receive some funding, but not as much as the public system. Generally speaking, universities grant degrees (e.g., bachelor's, master's, professional or doctorate degrees) while colleges, which typically offer vocationally oriented programs, grant diplomas, associate degrees, and certificates. Some institutions may offer instruction in both languages, although students do not need to be fluent in both languages to attend school at any level in Canada. Following this is the second stage of education known as the Secondary education. 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