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Adult education offers a group of programs capable of responding to the needs and expectations of adults who want to attain or complete a secondary school diploma or the necessary prerequisites for admission to vocational training or college studies.

The adult education centres offer users particular educational services, such as updating high school subject topics, Francization, social integration, equivalence tests, etc.

Adult education

  • To register for adult education in Quebec, one must be at least 16 years old on June 30 preceding the beginning of studies.
  • Registration can be done via the SARCA (Information on academic and career guidance services) or directly at the adult education centre.
  • Each school board and school service centre has its own SARCA to guide your return to studies.
  • Registration is usually done all year long and certain fees are required.

There is the possibility for adults in adult programs to benefit from financing from Emploi-Québec. For more information you should inquire at your local employment centre (CLE).

In addition, adults who have a medical diagnosis can benefit from special needs allowance special needs allowance during their studies.

Learning services have the objective of helping adults acquire the theoretical or practical knowledge to permit them to achieve their education goals.

Services include

  • Pedagogical support
  • Literacy
  • Pre-secondary
  • Secondary Cycle 1
  • Secondary Cycle 2
  • Social integration
  • Socio-professional integration
  • Francisation
  • Preparation for vocational training and post-secondary studies

Source Régime pédagogique de la formation générale des adultes

The educational services in general adult education are comprised of information of training, popular educational and complementary services.

The services

  • Permit adults to increase their autonomy.
  • Facilitate their social and professional insertion.
  • Promote their entry into and tenacity in the job market.
  • Permit students to contribute to the economic, social and cultural development of their environment.
  • Enable adult students to obtain a certified education sanctioned by the Minister.

Source: Basic adult general education regulation

The education ministry has a list of SARCA by school board, school service centre and administrative region. For more information visit the ministerial SARCA page.

Adult education allows its graduates to move on to all sorts of training and education programs, whether it’s vocational, college or university (under certain conditions).

In addition, a graduate can also register for an Attestation of College Studies (AEC) in cégep. Indeed, if the adult has completed their high school diploma without being in full-time studies (less than 36 credits in the last 12 months), they can then register as specified by the education ministry:

  • The student must have interrupted their full-time studies or pursued post-secondary studies for at least two consecutive sessions.
  • Only fall and winter sessions are considered. What’s more, a combination of interrupting their studies and post-secondary studies is accepted.
  • Studies leading to a diploma of vocational studies (DEP- diplôme d’études professionnelles) are considered as post-secondary studies for the holders of a high school diploma.

Source: Article 2.3.2 of the reference guide– La gestion du dossier de l’élève de l’admission à la sanction, édition de décembre 2016, by the ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur.

Source : ministère de l’Éducation