Admission requirements for each type of applicant

If you obtained your secondary school diploma in a province other than Québec and you have a total of 12 years of education, you can apply for admission to Université Laval in a non-limited enrolment bachelor’s program. You will be required to complete a qualifying year on campus. The year counts for 30 credits with the possibility of taking six credits in your chosen university program, spread out over two semesters.

• Hold a bachelor’s degree or have successfully completed a level of education deemed equivalent by the admissions committee.
• Certain programs have specific admission criteria. These requirements are listed in the program descriptions.

• Hold a master’s degree or have successfully completed a level of education deemed equivalent by the admissions committee.
  
  Doctoral fast-track program:
  In Québec, a master’s degree usually requires two years of specialized study beyond the bachelor’s level (undergraduate degree). However, if you have successfully completed your master’s degree with thesis course work at Université Laval and are able to demonstrate your abilities, you may, under certain conditions, be admitted to a PhD program in the same discipline or field of study. You may be granted a master’s degree at a later date, under certain conditions.
• Certain programs have specific admission criteria. These requirements are listed in the program descriptions.

• Hold a diploma attesting to 13 years of education equivalent to the Québec Diploma of College Studies (DCS). Examples:
  • French baccalaureate
  • General upper secondary education certificate from the French community of Belgium
  • Baccalaureate from institutions in most French-speaking African countries
  • General Certificate of Education (GCE) from an English-speaking country with 3 “A Levels” in subjects preparing for the desired university program

For more information:
Equivalence for Quebec education by country

• If your final pre-university diploma attests to 12 years of education, you will need to take a qualifying year totalling 30 credits. The qualifying coursework you will need to successfully complete will vary depending on your intended program. The list will be sent along with your offer of admission.
• Some programs have specific admission requirements, such as the successful completion of prerequisite college courses. These requirements are listed in the program descriptions.

• Applicants with a French secondary baccalaureate, a general or technological baccalaureate, an international baccalaureate (IB), or a general upper secondary education certificate (CESS) from the French Community of Belgium are directly eligible for undergraduate programs, except for those in the following faculties:

  • Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics (except certificate programs and bachelor’s degrees in geography and sustainable land development)
  • Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences (except bachelor programs in agronomics and consumer sciences)
  • Faculty of Science and Engineering

  A qualifying year is required for programs in these faculties.

• Hold an undergraduate degree (North American BA, licence or master’s, depending on the system of education) or have successfully completed a level of education deemed equivalent by the admissions committee.
• Some programs have specific admission criteria. These requirements are listed in the program descriptions.

• Hold a graduate degree (North American master’s degree, French DEA) or have successfully completed a level of education deemed equivalent by the admissions committee. 
  
  Doctoral fast-track program: 
  In Québec, a master’s degree usually requires two years of specialized study beyond the bachelor’s level (undergraduate degree). However, if you have successfully completed your master’s degree with thesis course work at Université Laval and are able to demonstrate your abilities, you may, under certain conditions, be admitted to a PhD program in the same discipline or field of study. You may be granted a master’s degree at a later date, under certain conditions.
• Some programs have specific admission criteria. These requirements are listed in the program descriptions.

To be admitted as a mature student you must:

• be over 21 years old when you start your studies
• hold a Secondary School Diploma (SSD) or equivalent, or a Diploma of Vocational Studies
• do not hold a Diploma of College Studies (DCS, or DEC in French) or equivalent (13 years of education)
• have been out of the school system for a period of at least two years (continuous or discontinuous)
• be a Canadian citizen or a Permanent resident
• never have been enrolled in a university OR have not obtained more than 11 undergraduate credits

If you meet the 6 above criteria and wish to begin the application process as a mature applicant, we invite you to follow the steps to plan your return to school at Université Laval.