Canada outside Quebec
As the education system in Canada is managed by the varying provincial governments in Canada, the way the educational stages are grouped and named may differ from each region, or even between districts and individual schools. The ages are the age of the students when they end the school year in June.
Early childhood education
Junior Kindergarten or Pre-Kindergarten (ages 3-5) (Ontario only)
Grade Primary or Kindergarten (ages 5-6)
Elementary education
Grade 1 (ages 6-7)
Grade 2 (ages 7-8)
Grade 3 (ages 8-9)
Grade 4 (ages 9-10)
Grade 5 (ages 10-11)
Grade 6 (ages 11-12)
Grade 7 (ages 12-13) (outside Ontario, most provinces and territories group grades 7, 8 and 9 into junior high, others include grade 5 or 6 through grade 8 into middle school)
Grade 8 (ages 13-14)
High School
Grade 9 (ages 14-15)
Grade 10 (ages 15-16)
Grade 11 (ages 16-17)
Grade 12 (ages 17-18)
Grade 12+ (ages 18-21) (Ontario only)b
Tertiary education
College: In Canada, the term college usually refers to a community college or a technical, applied arts, or applied science school. These are post-secondary institutions granting certificates, diplomas, associates degree, and bachelor's degrees.
University: A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is a corporation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education.
Graduate school: A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic certificates, diplomas and degrees (i.e. master's degree, Ph.D.)
Quebec
The age on the left side is the age of students in 30 September, and the age on the right side is the age of their birthday after September. Ages are different if the student repeat a year.
Pre-school ((French):maternelle); under 5
Kindergarten ((French):Jardin); 5-6
Grade School ((French):école primaire, literally Primary school, equivalent to Elementary School)
Grade 1; 6-7
Grade 2; 7-8
Grade 3; 8-9
Grade 4; 9-10
Grade 5; 10-11
Grade 6; 11-12
High School ((French): école secondaire, literally Secondary school)grade names
Grade 7/Secondary 1; 12-13
Grade 8/Secondary 2; 13-14
Grade 9/Secondary 3; 14-15
Grade 10/Secondary 4; 15-16
Grade 11/Secondary 5; 16-17
College
Pre-university program, two years (typically Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, or Arts)
Professional program, three years (e.g. Paralegal, Dental Hygienist, Nursing, etc.)
University (Usually requires a College degree (DCS (French):'DEC) or equivalent)
Undergraduate
Three years for most programs (or four years for Engineering, Education, Medicine, and Law) leading to a Bachelor's degree. Non-Quebec students require an extra year to complete the same degree because of the extra year in college.
Graduate (or postgraduate)
One or two years leading to a Master's degree.
three or more years leading to a Doctoral degree.
English schools in Quebec have the same grade system as French schools, but with English names. For example, "elementary school" is not called "école primaire" in an English school, but has the same grading system.
Grade structure by province
The following table shows how grades are organized in various provinces. Often, there will be exceptions within each province, both with terminology for groups, and which grades apply to each group.