McGill University campus is seen in Montreal on Tuesday, November 14, 2017. Not only is Quebec hiking tuition for out-of-province students to McGill and Concordia universities to $12,000, the government is also requiring 80 per cent of them to have a Level 5 intermediate knowledge of spoken French before they graduate. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
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
