The Ministerial Examination of College English, commonly referred to as the English Exit Test, is a four-hour examination that takes place twice a year, in May and December, with a make-up test in August. All students completing a program of studies are required to pass the examination in order to obtain a D.E.C. (AEC programs are exempt from this examination).

The Comprehensive Examination (CE) is a ministerial requirement that all students must complete in order to graduate. To pass the CE, a student must demonstrate a mastery of the objectives of his or her program. The format of that evaluation is determined by the individual programs. The CE is your opportunity to be creative – to apply what you are learning in class to what interests you. It is your opportunity to extend your learning beyond the classroom and to express your individuality on a related project. The CE should give you a taste of what it is to “practice” your subject.

In order to enroll at a university in Quebec, you must obtain your cegep diploma. If you fail a course in the winter semester, you may be able to take the course in the summer, if it is offered, and still go to university in the fall. If your final semester is in the fall and you fail a course, you may return in the winter to take the course, assuming it is offered. You should contact the university to which you have been admitted to discuss your situation.

Academic Advising offers various workshops on applying to university. This is a good starting point. Go to room 2D.4 or log onto MyDawson to see what’s coming up. You can also book an individual appointment with an advisor once you have done some research into your university program choices and have specific questions to ask.

The quickest way, if your registration is finalized for the current semester, is to check the final column (“courses left to take”) on your progression chart or grad profile. If you see zeros everywhere, you have no courses left to take. In addition to passing all of your courses, you must pass the English Exit Test and Comprehensive Examination for your program. Please see an advisor at Drop-in (room 2D.4) if you have questions.

Yes, you can. You must inform the university(ies) in Quebec to which you are applying of which courses you will be taking in summer, and of the fact that you will get your diploma in August. As you do not need to complete your DEC to apply to universities outside of the province (you need only 12 academic courses on your record to qualify), they tend to be less concerned with when you will complete your diploma.

To be admissible to a Quebec university, you must complete your cegep diploma (unless you already qualify for university studies based on high school studies completed elsewhere). You do not need to complete your DEC to apply to universities outside of the province of Quebec (you need only 12 academic courses on your record to qualify to study at a university outside of Quebec).

It depends on the university and the program; please contact the schools to which you hope to apply.

In Quebec, the application deadlines are March 1st (to begin studies in the fall) and November 1st (to begin studies in January). Not all programs are open in January. For universities outside of Quebec, you should be applying before the end of the calendar year to begin studies in the fall.

Outside of Quebec, many universities employ a rolling admissions policy. Unlike a regular admission process with firm application deadlines, applicants are often notified of their acceptance or refusal within a few weeks of applying. The application process typically opens up in the early fall, and it may continue right through the summer. In the case of rolling admissions, your chances of being admitted can be better if you apply early.

In the case of most programs in Quebec universities, however, there are fixed application deadlines (March 1st for fall time studies and November 1st for winter studies), and decisions are typically made after the deadline has passed.

You generally apply online, either to the university directly or to an application centre that farms out your application to your chosen university(ies) – as is the case for Ontario. In the case of competitive university programs, supplemental (or program-specific) applications may also be required, along with official transcripts. Supplemental applications may involve essays, letters of intent, references and/or short-answer questions. Testing is sometimes required for highly-competitive programs. Consult the universities to which you plan to apply.

It is important that you review the information provided by the university/program to which you are applying to see if they offer options for the submission of such documents. Usually, you have the option of uploading documents with your application but this can vary by program.

Yes. University application fees vary by university; consult the website of the university to which you are applying. In the case of local universities, Concordia, McGill and the Université de Montréal all charge approximately $100.

Payment by credit card is generally required for online university applications.

Quebec universities generally obtain your grades directly from the Ministry of Education, using your permanent code. In the case of supplemental or program-specific applications (if required), you may need to send an official transcript directly to the program/department as well. Official transcripts can be requested from the Registrar’s Office (2D.6) or online (from the College homepage, click on “Services” and then “Registrar” in the pull-down menu; from the right-hand menu, click on “Online Services” and then “Transcript and Other Document Requests”). For out-of-province universities, you generally need to send official transcripts.

Admissions decisions are usually communicated by email.