English Montreal School Board
- Why
- City · Language goal
- Because
- Scale · International Baccalaureate · STEAM
- Result
- Bilingual skills · City experience · Academic focus
- Benefit
- Mid-market price · CAD 400 below the median, with IB and homestay
- Cost
- CAD 14,250 (total of the published items, without homestay) · about CAD 1,425 per school month
Why English Montreal School Board?
Families who want big-city life at a lower tuition than Toronto or Vancouver consider Montreal. The board suits parents who want their child to study in English while living in a cosmopolitan, French-speaking city.
- City: Montreal, founded in 1642, is a metropolis where English and French culture meet.
- Language goal: students earn an English-language diploma and build a strong foundation in French.
- Programs: the board offers a clear academic focus, such as the IB or STEAM.
Reasons: what makes English Montreal School Board stand out
The board has 33 elementary schools, 16 high schools, and adult and vocational education centres. Its international program began in 2004 and admits about 100 students each year.
- Scale: as Quebec's largest English public board, it offers a wide range of programs and schools. Eight of its 16 high schools accept international students.
- International Baccalaureate: students follow an internationally recognised curriculum that prepares them for university.
- STEAM: the program combines science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics, encouraging interdisciplinary work.
- Arts and sport: Fine Arts Core Education and Sport-Études let talented students train in their discipline alongside regular classes.
- Enriched French: enriched French is one of the languages of instruction, so students can take advanced French while studying in English.
- Central location: schools are in the central part of the Island of Montreal, close to the city's cultural and transport options.
- Duration options: families can choose a full ten-month year, a five-month term or a short three- to four-month program.
Cost analysis: what one school year costs
| Item | CAD | As published on CAPS-I |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition, one school year | 13,400 | $14,000 (2026) |
| Application fee | 250 | $250 (non-refundable) |
| Health insurance | 600 | $600 |
| Homestay, full year | see text | Verify with the homestay provider |
| Total of the published items, without homestay | 14,250 | Homestay is priced by the homestay provider and is not included in this total. |
Tuition alone works out to about CAD 1,340 per school month over a 10-month year.
The district's own website lists CAD 13,400, without stating the school year, while its CAPS-I page shows CAD 14,000. This page uses the figure from the district's website.
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 13,400, this fee is CAD 400 below the median of CAD 13,800 among 6 public school districts in Quebec.
Outcome: what it means for the student and family
Together these features offer students a rich academic and cultural high school experience, and give families access to big-city opportunities on a more balanced budget. The nearest airport is Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Dorval. Recognition in the student's home country is handled by that country's education authority.
- Bilingual skills: students finish high school proficient in both English and French.
- City experience: living in Montreal builds independence and cultural knowledge.
- Academic focus: the IB, STEAM or arts programs support university planning.
- Affordable tuition: at CAD 13,400, the fee is budget-friendly among big-city boards.
Benefit analysis: what the investment buys
The student works toward the Quebec Secondary School Diploma (DES) plus International Baccalaureate (IB), STEM / STEAM and Engineering, taught and assessed by certified Canadian teachers.
Every lesson, club and team runs in English, which turns English into a working language rather than a school subject.
A screened homestay family provides a private room, meals and daily support, and the district monitors the placement.
Fine Arts and Sports Academies 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 14,250 | Total of the published items, without homestay, from the cost analysis above |
| Per school month | CAD 1,425 | Over a 10-month school year |
| Price position | −CAD 400 | vs. median CAD 13,800 · 6 public school districts in Quebec |
| Specialty programs | 5 | International Baccalaureate (IB), STEM / STEAM, Engineering, Fine Arts and Sports Academies |
| 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 | Mid-market price |
Priced in line with the median across 6 public school districts in Quebec. The decision rests on fit: IB and homestay rather than price.
Who it suits and what to consider
- Cost: full-year tuition for 2026 is CAD 13,400 and a single term costs CAD 7,000. Families also pay a non-refundable CAD 250 application fee and CAD 600 per year for health insurance. Accommodation is arranged through host families, and the fee should be confirmed with the provider. Current tuition should be confirmed with the school before applying.
- System difference: in Quebec, high school ends at Secondary V (grade 11), so families should plan the next educational step early. Places are limited, and students under 17 who travel without a parent need a guardian.
Does an English-language high school in Montreal fit your child's goals?