Students must have passed 2 of the 3courses (603‑101, 603‑102, 603‑103) and be in the process of completing the third (603‑102 or 603‑103) when they register for the examination. Students register for the exam at the college they attend.
The examination takes place 3times a year. The next examinations will be held on the following dates:
August 9, 2023
December 13, 2023
May 15, 2024
August 7, 2024
December 18, 2024
May 14, 2025
August 6, 2025
December 17, 2025
May 13, 2026
August 12, 2026
December 16, 2026
Preparation for the examination
You may contact your college for additional resources or assistance.
Reference Materials
Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. 7th ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1999.
Davis, F., and S. Woodruff. Exit with Success! A Manual for Students Preparing to Write the Ministerial Examination of College English. Sainte-Foy: Les éditions Le Griffon d’argile, 2001.
Cambridge International Dictionary of English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995.
Collins Cobuild English Dictionary. London: Harper Collins Publishers Ltd., 1995.
Hodges, John C., et al. Harbrace Handbook for Canadians. 5th ed. Toronto: Harcourt Brace Canada, 1999.
Langan, J., and S. Winstanley. College Writing Skills with Readings. 2nd Canadian ed. Toronto: McGraw Hill, 2000.
Norton, S., B. Green and N. Waldman. The Bare Essentials Plus. 2nd ed. Toronto: Nelson, 2002.
During the examination
You may use three of the following reference books:
unilingual or bilingual dictionary
dictionary of usage
thesaurus
grammar handbook
style guide
However, it is forbidden to use course notes or personal notes. In addition, the following books are not permitted:
dictionary of proper names
anthology
writing guide
Electronic devices such as smart watches and smart phones must be turned off and must be inaccessible for the duration of the examination.
Passing the examination
Students pass the exam if they have grades of C or better in each of the three criteria:
Comprehension and insight
Organization of response
Expression
Appeals are permitted. The procedures for appeals are explained on the back of the grade report.
Students who fail must rewrite the exam and pass before a DCS can be issued. There is no limit to the number of times a failed exam may be rewritten.
Request for a document or service
Examinations are kept for only one year. You cannot request a copy of your examination or a revision of your mark after one year has elapsed.
The document will be sent to the mailing address of the person making the request, namely the person who wrote the exam.
To request a revision of your mark, you must mail the PDF form Request for a document or service (PDF 232 Kb), with a money order or certified cheque in the amount of $12.50 payable to the Minister of Finance.
You must sign all requests sent by email, post or fax.
If you live outside of Canada, you must send us your document or service request by fax or regular mail.
Keep your confirmation that the form has been sent or submitted.
The following are the standard timeframes for requests:
Copy of the results: 5working days
Copy of an examination: 10working days
Revision of a mark: 20working days
Contact us
Direction de la formation générale et préuniversitaire Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur 1035, rue De La Chevrotière, 12e étage Québec (Québec) G1R 5A5 Télécopieur:418643‑1926