Enrol your children in school
In Ontario:
- all children between the ages of 6-18 must attend school (either a publicly-funded, private or home school)
- most children can attend a publicly-funded school for free regardless of their immigration status or the status of their parents (contact your local school board for more specific information)
- private schools charge a fee or tuition to attend
Public schools
The publicly-funded education system is broken down into three stages:
- Elementary school
- choice of English, French and/or Catholic education
- typically begins in kindergarten and ends in Grade 8
- students will:
- learn and understand the foundations of reading, writing and math
- Secondary school
- choice of English, French and/or Catholic education
- typically begins in Grade 9 and ends in Grade 12
- students will:
- focus on their interests and prepare for graduation and beyond
- Post-secondary school
- for college, university and post-graduate students of all ages
- you must pay for your tuition and books but you can apply for grants and loans to help you pay for university or college through the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
Learn more about:
- how to enrol your child in school
- find elementary and secondary schools in your community
- full-day kindergarten for children aged 4 and 5
- key dates in the school year, including holidays (for elementary and secondary schools)
- going to college or university in Ontario
Private schools
The government does not pay for private schooling. You must pay for that on your own.
Learn more about private:
Some private career colleges are approved for OSAP (help with paying for school). Find out if your school is approved.