International schools in Canada

Search for the best international schools in Canada; you can find a list of selected schools at the bottom of this page. Use the search filters to select only girls' or boys' schools, prep schools, senior schools or sixth forms; or you can search for schools that offer a particular curriculum, such as the International Baccalaureate, the UK national curriculum, a US-style model or the International Primary Curriculum.

Vast and sparsely inhabited, Canada is one of the world’s most highly educated countries as well as having one of the highest immigration rates. Not surprisingly, it is also a magnet for international students. Between 2008 and 2015, international enrolments soared by 92 per cent to 353,000, with nearly one in 10 students admitted to an elementary or high school.

Education in Canada is rich and diverse. There are private and public, religious and secular, day and boarding, coeducational and single-sex schools, as well as English-medium, French-medium and bilingual ones. All types of school admit international students, with one-year pre-university programmes a particular growth area. Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal are major centres.  

There are 377 IB World Schools and 184 of these are authorised to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Students are taught in English at 188 schools, while 134 schools teach in French, and 52 offer bilingual instruction in English and French, Canada’s two official languages.

The Canadian Accredited Independent Schools group has over 90 member schools, all of which commit to undergoing a reflective and collaborative school improvement process, meet National Standards, and participate in research and professional development. Many provinces provide financial support to private schools, so fees can be lower than in some destination countries.

Public day schools also charge fees to international students and some school boards provide them with a centralised admissions system. 

Education is compulsory for 12 years from about age five to 16, with some variation between provinces, which oversee both state and private schools. Year groups and curriculums also vary but standards are tightly regulated by provincial authorities. Parents can check whether schools are accredited with bodies such as the Canadian Educational Standards Institute. 

If you are looking specifically for International Baccalaureate World Schools in Canada, you can find selected schools on our sister website: www.ibyb.org.