Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario
- Why
- Short-term experience · Diploma goal
- Because
- Small international group · Flexible duration · Wide course range
- Result
- Fast language progress · Controlled start · Predictable costs
- Benefit
- Budget-friendly · CAD 1,500 below the median, with homestay
- Cost
- CAD 14,750 (total of the published items, without homestay) · about CAD 1,475 per school month
Why Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario?
Families who want to stay close to the capital without living in a large city often look at this region. The board serves about 13,000 students across 42 schools in Eastern Ontario. Its international program began in 2015, and international students are accepted at eight high schools.
- Short-term experience: Families who want to test life in Canada with a 3- or 5-month program.
- Diploma goal: Students who want to study for several years and earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
- Calm environment: Students who want a place with few international students, where English is spoken all day.
Reasons: small scale, flexible duration and a wide choice of courses
- Small international group: About 75 international students attend, so they use English with Canadian classmates both in class and outside school, which speeds up language development.
- Flexible duration: Programs run 3, 5 or 10 months, with a multi-year diploma path. Students can start at any point during the year.
- Wide course range: Beyond the standard Ontario curriculum, courses include ESL, international business, accounting, robotics, computer science and communications technology.
- Arts and sports: Musical theatre, band, digital arts and photography courses, plus football, volleyball, basketball, hockey and ski teams.
- Homestay: Students are placed with an English-speaking host family through Muskoka Language International, so they use English at home too.
- Travel: The nearest airport is Ottawa International. The region is also within reach of Toronto and Montreal, making family visits easy to plan.
Cost analysis: what one school year costs
| Item | CAD | As published on CAPS-I |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition, one school year | 14,000 | $14,000 Secondary and $13,000 Elementary |
| Application fee | 250 | $250 non-refundable |
| Health insurance | 500 | $500 |
| Homestay, full year | see text | varies by homestay provider; please confirm directly with them. |
| Total of the published items, without homestay | 14,750 | Homestay is priced by the homestay provider and is not included in this total. |
Tuition alone works out to about CAD 1,400 per school month over a 10-month year.
The tuition figure comes from the district's CAPS-I page. We could not confirm it, or the school year it applies to, on the district's own website on 11 October 2026; we request the current fee schedule for you before you apply.
The other items are taken from the district's CAPS-I member page, read on 11 October 2026. Items shown as "see text" could not be read as a single amount and are left out of the total.
How this fee compares
At CAD 14,000, this fee is CAD 1,500 below the median of CAD 15,500 among 32 public school districts in Ontario.
Outcome: a gradual start in Canada with plenty of language practice
- Fast language progress: Students study alongside English-speaking peers, which quickly builds speaking and listening skills.
- Controlled start: A family can begin with a short term and move into the diploma program if the outcome is positive. The board also offers a French Immersion option and clubs for environment, theatre and technology.
- Predictable costs: High school tuition is CAD 14,000 per year or CAD 7,000 per term, so the budget can be planned from the outset.
- Recognized diploma: Graduates with an OSSD can apply to Canadian universities and colleges. Recognition in the student's home country is handled by that country's education authority.
Benefit analysis: what the investment buys
The student works toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), taught and assessed by certified Canadian teachers.
Classes in English every day, with French options that add a second official language.
A screened homestay family provides a private room, meals and daily support, and the district monitors the placement.
Clubs, teams and community activities let the student build a profile beyond grades.
A Canadian transcript, teacher references and extracurricular record that Canadian and international universities review directly.
Cost–benefit at a glance
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Annual investment | CAD 14,750 | Total of the published items, without homestay, from the cost analysis above |
| Per school month | CAD 1,475 | Over a 10-month school year |
| Price position | −CAD 1,500 | vs. median CAD 15,500 · 32 public school districts in Ontario |
| Specialty programs | Core program | Standard provincial curriculum |
| Living arrangement | Homestay | Included in the cost analysis where the school publishes it |
| Language support | Immersion | No separate ESL program in our data; we confirm with the school |
| Value verdict | Budget-friendly |
CAD 1,500 below the median across 32 public school districts in Ontario. Families get the full Canadian school experience for less.
Who it suits and what to consider
- Additional costs: There is a CAD 250 application fee, a CAD 350 program fee and a CAD 500 annual health insurance fee. Accommodation costs vary by provider. Families should confirm current fees with the school before applying.
- Location: The schools are in small communities, which may feel quiet to students expecting a big-city pace. Airport transfers cost CAD 400 from Ottawa and CAD 600 from Montreal.
Let us assess together whether CDSBEO is the right fit for your child.