Declaration of Services to Citizens

Values

The following values support the ideals we would like to attain for the benefit of individuals, communities and Québec society as a whole. They underlie the Ministère’s mission and vision as well as the orientations of its strategic plan.

Personal and social values
Inclusion, openness to diversity both of people and their needs, perseverance and the desire to excel
Values inherent in the Québec education system:
Universality, accessibility, equity and equal opportunity
Values in Québec public administration:
Competency, loyalty, impartiality, integrity and respect
Values relating to ministerial action:
Transparency, citizen participation, community involvement and the mobilization of the stakeholders and partners from various sectors of society, as well as ministerial leadership.

Main services

The Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur offers the following services directly to citizens:

General information Services

General information on the entire range of services provided by the Ministère in the area of higher education, and on all of its client groups.

Requests for student financial assistance
issuing of proofs of studies at the college level

Commitment to quality services

Since an ongoing concern for quality is a key principle motivating the staff of the Ministère as they carry out their duties, special attention is devoted to all those who make a service request. Offering quality services that meet the needs of citizens is a constant concern of the Ministère, and this is why it is proud to make a commitment to serve them well.

When you request a service from the Ministère, in person or by some other means, the Ministère undertakes to:

serve you in a polite and respectful manner
ensure that your personal information is treated confidentially
process your request in an equitable, impartial and transparent manner
communicate with you in clear language
help you to complete any necessary forms, or to make a request
send you a prompt acknowledgment of receipt of any requests you made online
redirect you to the appropriate authority if the Ministère is not responsible for the service in question

Commitment to accessible services

To ensure that you have ready access to all of its services, the Ministère undertakes to:

offer you its services from Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon, and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on statutory holidays
provide you with access to toll-free telephone lines for the full range of its services
provide you with up-to-date information on its website
provide you with access to online services
provide you with access to an Indigenous Affairs advisor who can answer your requests for information pertaining to the education of First Nations and Inuit students
provide you with adapted documents and services for people with disabilities, particularly in the provision of accommodation measures
ensure that its website is accessible to people with disabilities
ensure that its offices are accessible to people with disabilities

Commitment to handle service requests within specific time periods

The Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur undertakes to diligently follow up all the service requests it receives and to process them within specific time periods, once it has all the necessary information. These periods are calculated in working days, Monday to Friday, exclusive of statutory holidays and the time required for postal delivery services.

Services offered	Waiting periods	Details
General information
Providing answers to general information requests submitted in writing	10 days	Requests that do not concern general information will promptly be passed on to the sector concerned. Requests that do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Ministère will be redirected to the appropriate authority.
Providing answers to general information requests made by telephone	5 days
Student financial assistance
Responding to initial applications for student financial assistance	40 days
Responding to applications for the renewal of student financial assistance	5 days
Responding to telephone calls pertaining to student financial assistance	5 minutes	From the time a citizen asks to speak to a student financial assistance agent
Responding to requests for a review of a decision pertaining to student financial assistance	20 days
	10 days	In response to requests for reprints of official documents, the Ministère issues a duplicate original.
Attestations of college studies
Issuing a duplicate of a diploma or attestation of college studies	10 days	For attestations of college studies issued by an educational institution, contact the institution directly.
Confirming the validity of a diploma issued by the Ministère	5 days	Written permission to issue the document must first be granted by the holder.
Providing a duplicate copy of a transcript or attestation of college studies when this document has been issued by a private college that has closed	10 days	If the document is available.
Complaints
Studying your complaint	2 days	When complaints do not concern the Ministère, citizens are redirected to the competent authorities.
Responding to your complaint	20 days

Citizens’ responsibilities and recourses

Responsibilities

In order for the Ministère to respect its commitments and to offer you the services to which you are entitled, it relies on you to provide complete and precise information, including all relevant documents pertaining to your request, and to do so in a timely manner. You also need to advise the Ministère of any changes of address without delay.

Recourses

Lodging a complaint

If you are dissatisfied with a service you received, a program in which you participated or a decision made by the Ministère, you can file a complaint.

To file a complaint, please use the online form This hyperlink will open in a new window. or contact the Direction de l’accès à l’information and des plaintes.

If necessary, one of the Ministère’s staff will contact you to obtain further details. If it is unable to process your complaint within 20 working days, it will notify you in advance and indicate the date by which your complaint is likely to be processed.

Complaints pertaining to services provided by public and private educational institutions (colleges, universities) are not processed by the Ministère. If you are dissatisfied with a service you received from one of these organizations, we invite you to contact the organization directly.

For additional information, go to the Complaints page on the Ministère’s website.

Requesting a review of a decision rendered by Aide financière aux études

If you are dissatisfied with a decision rendered in your student financial assistance file, you can submit a written request to have the decision reviewed. Please send your request to the Bureau des recours de l’Aide financière aux études.

Requesting a review of a decision rendered by Aide financière aux études

Follow-up on commitments

The Ministère de l’Enseignment supérieur conducts regular follow-up to ensure compliance with the commitments set out in its declaration of services. Each year, the Ministère publishes its findings in its annual management report (PDF 3.34 Mb) (in French only).

Last update: December 4, 2020

The organization and its commitments