Explaining Quebec’s new French requirement for out-of-province university students
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/12/2023 (750 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
MONTREAL – Not only is Quebec hiking annual tuition for out-of-province students at McGill and Concordia universities to $12,000, the government will also require that 80 per cent of them graduate with an intermediate knowledge of spoken French. The new French standard takes effect in the 2025-26 academic year and also applies to students at Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, Que.
According to the province’s “scale of proficiency in French,” the Level 5 oral knowledge demanded by Quebec means the person “understands the essentials of conversations on everyday topics.”
Here are examples from a Quebec government document of the kind of French skills out-of-province students will need by the time they graduate.
Be able to understand:
— Information from a neighbour about activities planned for a neighbourhood party.
— A description in a TV news report of the effects of a flood.
— A colleague’s story about an overseas trip.
— A friend’s explanation of her decision to accept a part-time job offer.
— How to follow a roommate’s instructions for paying the rent with a mobile app.
Speak well enough to:
— Reserve a hotel room over the phone and inquire about the services offered.
— Describe a health issue to a nurse on the provincial health phone line.
— Recount to a friend the high points of an outing.
— Explain to a new work colleague the procedure for filing for overtime
— Offer advice on finding accommodation to someone who has just arrived in Quebec.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 14, 2023