Law 14 (Bill 96): What does it mean for you?

How amendments to the Charter of the French Language impact English-language CEGEPs

Background

Since 1977, under the Quebec Charter of the French Language (commonly known as Bill 101), 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.

Under Law 14 adopted by Quebec鈥檚 National Assembly in May 2022, there are new amendments to the Charter that impact English-language CEGEPs.

Today, at the CEGEP level, all Quebecers regardless of their status can still attend English-language CEGEPs.听 However, whether they hold a COE can mean different admission, course, and graduation requirements.

Certificates of Eligibility

For more information on who has a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or how to obtain one, 听You must apply for your COE before completing your high school education, otherwise the Ministry will not grant you a certificate even if you are qualified to receive it under the law.

Important: All English CEGEPs have been granted access to the provincial government鈥檚 records to see who has been granted a COE, so you do not need to submit a copy of your Certificate with your application. However, if you have not been granted your COE from the Ministry of Education by the application deadline, the College is obligated to treat your application as that of a non-certificate holder.

How English CEGEPs are impacted听

Four aspects of the Law impact English CEGEPs and come into effect at different periods outlined below. They relate to:

A fixed cap on the total number of students who can be enrolled at English CEGEPs in the province
The prioritization of in admissions
A requirement for all students to take three program courses in French OR three French as a second language courses (applies as of Fall 2024)
Exit tests of French language skills required to graduate for those without a COE

1. Fixed Cap on Enrollment听

The law sets limits on the total number of students English-language CEGEPs can enroll. In concrete terms, at 成人黑料, this means we can enroll a maximum of 7,915 full time students, which is similar to our student population in recent years.

2. Priority admission 听

成人黑料 in which the number of applications for admission is higher than the number of spaces available, priority will be given to certificate holders as follows:

For first choice program applications, priority will be given to certificate holders based on college-determined standards that will vary depending on the program. These standards might consist of, for example, a certain overall average and/or score on audition, interview, drawing test, portfolio, etc. As these standards may vary from one year to the next, they will be made public at the start of the recruitment period. In all programs, there will still be space to admit those without a COE.
For the Fall semester, for second choice program applications, admission priority will be given to certificate holders who meet the minimum requirements. This may result in admission to a different program or to a Springboard pathway.
For programs leading to an Attestation of College Studies (ACS), admissions priority will be given to certificate holders based on program-specific admission requirements.

Important:听

Priority of admission should not be interpreted as a guaranteed admission into an applicant鈥檚 first choice program/CEGEP and all applicants must meet the minimum admission requirements.
Dawson will collaborate with other English-language CEGEPs to ensure all qualified on-time applicants who are certificate holders are admitted to an English-language CEGEP for the semester to which they applied.
Based on the number of applications we historically receive from certificate holders we do not expect the current ratio of certificate holders versus non-certificate holders in our student population to alter dramatically.

3 and 4.听 Courses in French and Exit exam

Students beginning a NEW DEC program must meet the requirements of Law 14 as follows:

Students who hold the Certificate of Eligibility for English Instruction (COE) that are attending an English CEGEP will need to pass the English Exit Exam (EEE) to graduate. Students will also have to take three program courses in French OR three additional French language courses to improve their French language skills, depending on their level of ability. In both cases, these courses are in addition to the two French second language courses required as part of General Education requirements, for a total of five courses.
Students who do not hold a Certificate of Eligibility for English Instruction (COE) and are educated outside of Quebec, MUST provide proof of French proficiency to be admitted to the DEC program.Students who do not hold a Certificate of Eligibility for English Instruction (COE) attending an English CEGEP will need to pass the French Exit Exam, known as 鈥溍塸reuve Uniforme de Fran莽ais鈥� (EUF). 听To prepare for the EUF, students must complete three French literature courses. 听They will also have to take two of their program courses in French. These are in addition to the three French literature, for a total of five courses.
Students without a COE in the evening division (in the Springboard to a DCS program – 081.25/28) that are intending to apply to a DEC program either in the Day or Evening division MUST be eligible to take the 602-RF1 course or higher to be admitted to the DEC.听 Students who place at a lower level, can continue their studies through the evening division Springboard to a DCS program (081.25/28) to take addition courses to attain this level.

French Placement information can be found at: /registrar/english-french-placement-tests/

Program Transfers

Current Dawson DEC Student requesting a program transfer may be subject to Law 14:

Students requesting a change of profile within the same program (ex.: 300GP -> 300GA, 200HE -> 200HR, 500G6 -> 500.G1, 410GM -> 410GA), will not be subject to any additional Law 14 requirements then in their original program.
Students requesting a program transfer to a completely different program (ex.: 300* to 200*, 500* to 300*, pre-university program to technical program or vice versa, or Technical program to Technical program) will be subject to the requirements of Law 14 as mentioned above.

For more detailed information on French courses visit our French department webpage.听

Dawson already has many supports in place to practice and improve French language skills, including CL脡O (Centre de langue 茅crite et orale), a free French tutoring service offered to all 成人黑料 students, as well as credit and non-credit French language courses offered in Continuing Education. The College is strengthening support due to the law changes.

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