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Lower Canada College

Canada, Montreal

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, French
Fees CA$31,065 - 33,520
Ages 5 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 897
Type Co-educational
Opened 1861
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (MYP), IB (DP), Canadian Curriculum
Taught languages French, Spanish, Mandarin
Typical class size 20
Strengths Sport, Performing Arts, Visual and Creative Arts
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Community and Service
Stages Kindergarten, Early Years, Primary School, Middle School, Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

Lower Canada College is a private, coeducational day school in Montreal serving ages 5–18. On a seven-acre campus with five buildings and four mini-schools, LCC offers the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme, alongside the Canadian curriculum, and is the only English-language Quebec school delivering both MYP and DP. The Junior School is bilingual (about 70% French, 30% English) and includes English Language Arts, Français, Culture and Citizenship in Quebec, with a technology focus featuring Scratch Jr, Dash and Dot and The Hour of Code. Technology is integrated across grades, from coding in early years to iPads and Google Classroom in upper grades, with Seesaw as an online portfolio. The Pre-University year (Grade 12) is Montreal's longest-standing Pre-University program, offering an IB/Pre-U pathway with AP options. The DP core (TOK, Extended Essay, CAS) and six subject groups prepare students for universities worldwide; graduates have entered McGill, U of Toronto and UBC. The campus houses the LEED-certified Assaly Arts Centre, Chamandy Arena, Fab Lab, libraries, and a rooftop urban garden opened in 2025.

4090 Av. Royal, Montréal, QC H4A 2L1, Canada

The Essentials

Lower Canada College has 897 pupils, typical class sizes of 20, instruction in English, French.

Location

Lower Canada College is located at 4090 Avenue Royal, Montréal, Québec H4A 2M5. The seven-acre campus is in Monkland Village and houses Junior School through Pre-University facilities, including the Main Building, the Webster Learning Activity Centre, and the Assaly Arts Centre. The school acknowledges the location on unceded, ancestral territory of the Kanien'kehá:ka Nation.

Stages

Junior School: K-6; Middle School: 7-8; Senior School: 9-11; Pre-University: 12.

Type

Private, coeducational day school

Pupil Nationality Mix

In 2019-2020, international students represented 22% of the student population and hailed from Chile, China, Ethiopia, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Uganda, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and the USA.

Additional learning support

LEAD (Learning Enrichment and Development) provides inclusive, research-based supports for diverse learners across all levels; services include one-on-one, small-group or full-class differentiated instruction and classroom accommodations as students move from Junior School through Pre-University.

Country affiliation

Canada

Bus service

West Island bus service with pick-up points at Fairview Shopping Centre and Beaconsfield Shopping Centre; arrangements are made through the school and carry an additional cost.

Fees

Annual tuition at Lower Canada College ranges from CAD 31,065 to CAD 33,520 for 2026/27.

Application & Registration Fees

- Application / processing fee (all new applicants, K–11 and Pre‑U): CAD 50 (non‑refundable).
- Financial assistance (Apple Financial Services) online application fee: CAD 137.50 (includes HST; non‑refundable). An additional CAD 50 applies for a second application in cases such as separated/divorced families.
- Registration fee (annual, levied each spring prior to the new academic year): CAD 200.

Tuition and Accessory Fees — annual amounts by year group (Total Fees shown = Tuition + Accessory Services unless noted)

- Kindergarten
- Tuition: CAD 27,195
- Accessory Services: CAD 3,870
- Total Fees (annual): CAD 31,065
- Typical additional costs: Uniform CAD 770; food services pay‑as‑you‑go.

- Grade 1
- Tuition: CAD 27,195
- Accessory Services: CAD 3,870
- Total Fees (annual): CAD 31,065
- Typical additional costs: Uniform CAD 770; books approx. CAD 240; food services pay‑as‑you‑go.

- Grade 2
- Tuition: CAD 27,195
- Accessory Services: CAD 3,870
- Total Fees (annual): CAD 31,065
- Typical additional costs: Uniform CAD 770; books approx. CAD 110; food services pay‑as‑you‑go.

- Grade 3
- Tuition: CAD 27,470
- Accessory Services: CAD 4,140
- Total Fees (annual): CAD 31,610
- Typical additional costs: Uniform CAD 770; books approx. CAD 150; food services pay‑as‑you‑go.

- Grade 4
- Tuition: CAD 27,470
- Accessory Services: CAD 4,140
- Total Fees (annual): CAD 31,610
- Typical additional costs: Uniform CAD 770; books approx. CAD 120; food services pay‑as‑you‑go.

- Grade 5
- Tuition: CAD 28,060
- Accessory Services: CAD 4,170
- Total Fees (annual): CAD 32,230
- Typical additional costs: Uniform CAD 770; books approx. CAD 130; food services pay‑as‑you‑go.

- Grade 6
- Tuition: CAD 28,060
- Accessory Services: CAD 4,170
- Total Fees (annual): CAD 32,230
- Typical additional costs: Uniform CAD 770; books approx. CAD 150; food services pay‑as‑you‑go.

- Grade 7
- Tuition: CAD 26,050
- Accessory Services: CAD 5,290
- iPad contribution: CAD 800 (covers half the cost; family ownership completed at end of Grade 8)
- Instrument rental (where applicable): CAD 150
- Total Fees (annual): CAD 32,290
- Typical additional costs: Uniform CAD 1,050; books approx. CAD 250; food services pay‑as‑you‑go.

- Grade 8
- Tuition: CAD 26,050
- Accessory Services: CAD 5,290
- iPad fee (continuation; family ownership after payments in Grades 7 & 8): CAD 800
- Total Fees (annual): CAD 32,140
- Typical additional costs: Uniform CAD 1,050; books approx. CAD 320; food services pay‑as‑you‑go.

- Grade 9
- Tuition: CAD 25,780
- Accessory Services: CAD 5,560
- Total Fees (annual): CAD 31,340
- Typical additional costs: Uniform CAD 1,050; books CAD 170–310; students supply their own Apple laptop (school specifications). Food services pay‑as‑you‑go.

- Grade 10
- Tuition: CAD 25,780
- Accessory Services: CAD 5,560
- Total Fees (annual): CAD 31,340
- Typical additional costs: Uniform CAD 1,050; books CAD 130–280; students supply their own Apple laptop (school specifications). Food services pay‑as‑you‑go.

- Grade 11
- Tuition: CAD 25,505
- Accessory Services: CAD 6,650
- Total Fees (annual): CAD 32,155
- Typical additional costs: Uniform CAD 1,050; books CAD 160–400; students supply their own Apple laptop (school specifications). Food services pay‑as‑you‑go.

- Pre‑University / Grade 12
- Tuition: CAD 26,325
- Accessory Services: CAD 7,195
- Total Fees (annual): CAD 33,520
- Typical additional costs: Books CAD 100–780; students bring their own laptop (or lease option available). Food services pay‑as‑you‑go.

International students

- New and returning international students who have resided in the Province of Quebec for less than three years: an additional international fee of CAD 7,500 per student, per year. After three years in the province, this additional charge is reduced to CAD 2,500 per student per year for two further years.

Per‑payment / per‑term breakdown and payment terms

- Payment schedule options (parents choose one):
- One instalment (single payment in September) — a 1% discount applies to the total fees.
- Two instalments (payments due September and January) — equal split of the billed amount (invoices and exact due dates explained below).
- Ten equal payments — monthly or pre‑authorized instalments; a payment plan fee at a rate of 3% of total fees applies.

- Examples (calculated from each grade's Total Fees):
- Two‑instalment example: each instalment = 50% of the Total Fees; due in September and January.
- One‑instalment example: single payment = Total Fees less 1% discount.
- Ten‑payment example: monthly instalment = Total Fees ÷ 10; a separate payment plan fee equal to 3% of Total Fees will be billed.

Billing schedule, invoicing and sundries

- Invoices are mailed in August (for the September payment) and in December (for the January payment). Standard payment due dates historically used by the school are September 1 and January 15; a post‑dated cheque for the January payment has been required with the September payment in the school's billing practice. Overdue accounts are subject to interest and possible holds on registration.
- Sundries (LCC Store charges, co‑curricular trip charges, music fees, yearbook, stationery, online subscriptions, exam fees where applicable, etc.) are billed periodically. Sundries are billed during the school year (monthly/scheduled sundry billing is used for these items).

Boarding fees

- Boarding is not applicable to this school (day school operations and international student tuition surcharges apply; no boarding fee line item is published).

Other costs and recurring extras

- Uniforms: purchased via the LCC Store. Approximate cost for a full set (including gym uniform): Junior School (K–6) approx. CAD 770; Middle & Senior School (7–11) approx. CAD 1,050. Pre‑U students follow a dress code and are not required to wear the school uniform.
- Textbooks/workbooks/softcover books: purchased online from the school's book supplier; book costs vary by grade (examples listed above under each grade). Some book purchases or rentals are billed through the external book supplier; payment options for books include online card payments via the book vendor.
- Dining program: optional; approximate annual cost is CAD 1,530 for the dining subscription. Meal blocks and pay‑as‑you‑go options are available.
- Bus service: additional cost if used (West Island bus service with a separate fee).
- Device contributions / lease options: iPad fees for Grades 7–8 (CAD 800 as noted above); laptop lease or lease‑to‑purchase options for Pre‑U exist and device expectations are noted for senior grades. Students in senior grades are required to supply an Apple laptop meeting school specifications.

Refunds and non‑refundable items

- The application / processing fee of CAD 50 is explicitly non‑refundable. The AFS financial assistance application fee of CAD 137.50 is explicitly non‑refundable. These non‑refund provisions apply to those specific fees.
- Returned cheques (NSF) and stop‑payment requests are assessed a penalty (example: CAD 35 per occurrence) and may require certified cheque or money order thereafter. Overdue accounts may incur interest charges and could lead to financial holds or withdrawal for non‑payment.

Accepted payment methods and processes

- Payment schedule choices (single, two instalments, ten instalments) and related discounts/fees apply as above. Online international payment services recommended for international families: PayMyTuition and Flywire (bank‑to‑bank transfers in a range of currencies).
- For domestic payments: the school accepts cheques (payable to Lower Canada College) and online bill‑payment through major Canadian banks (BMO, CIBC, RBC, Scotiabank, TD). The school has stated it does not accept cash or credit cards for the payment of tuition and compulsory fees; other school charges (e.g., store purchases) may accept card payments. Pre‑authorized payment plans are used for multi‑installment arrangements.

Penalties & account management

- Overdue student accounts are considered past due after 10 days from the due date and may incur 1.5% per month interest (18% per annum) on past due balances; the school may place financial holds, refuse re‑registration, or withdraw students for unresolved delinquent accounts.

Notes on optional fees and variability

- Accessory services cover a range of school services (photocopying, art supplies, counselling, library, co‑curriculars, IT services, administrative services, etc.) and are charged as shown above for each grade.
- Many additional charges can appear during the year (sundries, optional trips, instrument rentals, extracurricular program fees, after‑school care, bus service, etc.). These items are billed separately as applicable.

If you require the figures presented above as plain values for import into a database, they are listed in the grade‑by‑grade sections (currency = CAD).
Academics

Lower Canada College teaches IB (MYP), IB (DP), Canadian Curriculum for students aged 5 to 18.

Curriculum

One Campus. Four Mini-Schools. LCC is an International Baccalaureate World School and the only English-language Quebec school offering both the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP). The Junior School is bilingual (approximately 70% French, 30% English) with English Language Arts, Français, Culture and Citizenship in Quebec, and a technology focus including Scratch Jr and Dash and Dot, with The Hour of Code. Technology is integrated across the grades; Grades 1-2 use coding with Scratch Jr and Dash and Dot, Grades 3-6 use iPads and Google Classroom, and Seesaw serves as an online portfolio. The Pre-University year (Grade 12) offers Montreal's longest-standing Pre-University program with two streams: the IB Diploma Programme Year 2 for IB students and a hybrid IB/Pre-U pathway with AP options for others. The IB Diploma Programme comprises a core (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, CAS) and six subject groups and prepares students for university admission worldwide; DP graduates have entered universities such as McGill, University of Toronto, and University of British Columbia, among others.

Student Teacher Ratio

11:1

Exam Results

IB Diploma Programme results show strong performance: in 2015, LCC's first DP cohort achieved a 100% Diploma pass rate with an average Diploma Points score of 33. In 2016, the DP pass rate was 98%, with an average Diploma Points score around 33. DP graduates have gained admission to universities in Canada (e.g., McGill, University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, University of Ottawa, and others) as well as institutions in the United States and overseas (e.g., NYU, Northwestern, Duke, University of California campuses, University of Edinburgh, and University College London).

Higher Education Progression

Graduates pursue higher education worldwide. The Pre-University destinations list for 2020 includes numerous Canadian universities (e.g., Acadia, Bishop's, Carleton, Concordia, Dalhousie, McGill, McMaster, Queen's, Ryerson, Ottawa, Toronto, Waterloo, UBC, Western, York) as well as U.S. institutions (e.g., Boston University, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Northwestern, USC, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania) and overseas universities (e.g., University of Edinburgh, University College London, Sciences Po, University of Bath). The IB DP class of 2015 and subsequent cohorts have also secured admission offers to a wide range of universities across Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and beyond. These placements reflect the programme's emphasis on university preparation and the global nature of LCC's academic track.

Gifted and Talented

LEAD (Learning Enrichment And Development) provides learning enrichment and development support for students from kindergarten through grade 11 in a dedicated centre designed to help each child reach their potential.

Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

The school supports social and emotional learning through its Health & Wellness program and the Student Wellness Model. Students' physical, mental, social and emotional development is fostered at every grade level. A team including three school counsellors and a full-time onsite nurse provides ongoing support to students. Advisors and homeroom teachers monitor social and emotional progress and intervene when needed. The curriculum covers stress and anxiety management, healthy relationships, digital citizenship, and consent.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

LEAD (Learning Enrichment and Development) enables and supports diverse learners and promotes inclusive practices in collaboration with teachers across Junior School to Pre-University. Neurodiversity is understood as a normal variation, and environments are designed to be inclusive. The LEAD team serves over 150 students and provides a range of supports, including individualized accommodations and targeted instruction. Admission to LEAD requires specialist reports (e.g., psychoeducational assessments) and, when needed, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Services include academic consultation and indirect services with accommodations such as extra time, stop time, text-to-speech, speech-to-text, large print, and other supports tailored to identified needs.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

The school requires English proficiency before enrolling and does not offer ESL instruction. English proficiency is assessed during admissions; Kindergarten through Grade 6 must demonstrate English language proficiency as requested by the Admissions Office, and Grades 7–Pre-University may be required to take TOEFL, IELTS or CAEL if applying as ESL applicants. For international students who do not have a foundation in French, special French-language courses are offered (entry-point dependent and may incur an additional cost). All students must fulfil French-language requirements to obtain the Quebec DES at the end of Grade 11.

Mental Wellbeing

Mental wellbeing is a central focus of the Health & Wellness program. Three school counsellors and an onsite nurse support students' health and wellbeing, with advisors and homeroom teachers monitoring progress. A holistic wellness framework addresses social, emotional, and academic needs, including age-appropriate education on stress management, healthy relationships, digital citizenship, and consent. Wellness teams meet weekly to identify students in difficulty and develop action plans.

Safeguarding

Lower Canada College implements the Protecteur national de l'élève framework, providing province-wide procedures to protect all students. Complaints are handled through the National Student Ombudsman and Regional Student Ombudsmen to uphold student and parent rights. The Ministry of Education's Code of Ethics is referenced, and there are protections against reprisals for individuals who raise concerns.

Admissions

Admissions

1. Decide the entry grade and begin the application process. Applications are accepted year-round, up to one year before the intended year of entry. It is advisable to apply by the Round One deadlines to maximize placement. If you apply in the second round, the candidate may be placed in the wait pool.

2. Note Round One deadlines by grade for 2026-2027 admission. Kindergarten: November 17, 2025; Grades 1-6: January 12, 2026; Grade 7: October 10, 2025; Grades 8-11: January 12, 2026; Pre-University: January 12, 2026. Ensure the application is submitted by these dates to qualify for Round One consideration.

3. Grade 7 applicants may take the Grade 7 Common Admission Test (CAT). For fall 2026 admission there are five possible test dates; registration deadlines are approximately ten days before each date. Registration opens in August, and an inquiry form should be completed to receive reminders and the testing link.

4. Merit awards and financial assistance are available. Financial assistance is available for students in grades 7-12 who have demonstrated need; not available to K-6 or to students with temporary status in Canada. Merit-based awards are offered for 7-12; applicants are considered during the admissions process and need not submit a separate application.

5. Financial assistance and awards process. Financial assistance applications are separate from the admissions process and are handled via Apple Financial Services (AFS); the LCC Student Aid Committee uses the AFS analysis to consider all requests. Any financial assistance is a grant toward tuition (not a loan) and is reviewed annually. The AFS online application fee for 2025-2026 is $137.50, with a $50 fee for separated/divorced families.

Scholarships

Financial assistance and awards overview: Financial assistance is available for students in grades 7-12 who demonstrate need, but not for students in K-6 or those with temporary status in Canada. Applications for financial assistance are separate from admissions and are processed with Apple Financial Services (AFS); the LCC Student Aid Committee uses the AFS analysis to determine awards. Financial assistance, when granted, is a bursary toward tuition and is reviewed annually; the online AFS application fee is $137.50 for 2025-2026, with an additional $50 for separated/divorced families. Merit-based awards are also offered for grades 7-12 and are considered during the admissions process; no separate application is required.

Waitlist

The admissions process accepts applications year-round up to one year prior to entry; however, it is recommended to apply by the Round One deadlines for best placement. Students who apply in the second round may be placed in the wait pool. Round One deadlines for 2026-2027 admission are: Kindergarten — November 17, 2025; Grades 1-6 — January 12, 2026; Grade 7 — October 10, 2025; Grades 8-11 — January 12, 2026; Pre-University — January 12, 2026.

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