Having skills acquired abroad recognized by an educational institution

If you wish to undertake a program of study in Québec, the skills you acquired abroad could reduce the length of your training. This may allow you to earn your diploma more quickly. It is not always necessary to have a diploma from Québec to work in your field of expertise, however.

Educational institutions recognized by the Gouvernement du Québec offer competency recognition services, which allow you to obtain recognition for some of the studies and experience you have acquired abroad.

The educational institution to contact to have your skills recognized depends on the diploma you hope to earn:

• Secondary vocational diploma
• College diploma or
• University diploma

The Qualifications Québec website  can direct you to a training program and an educational institution in any region of Québec, based on your interests and your competency profile.

Educational institutions may ask you for a Comparative evaluation of studies taken outside Québec.

If you want to study at the vocational secondary or college level, you may benefit from the competency recognition process.

The competency recognition process identifies the competencies you already have and those you need to acquire in order to earn a diploma or attestation of studies in Québec.

Competency recognition programs offer a number of benefits:

• They take into account the skills you have acquired in your occupational and personal history.
• They offer a variety of training options that are suited to your reality.
• They reduce the time required to earn your attestation or diploma.

Competency recognition programs differ in different regions of Québec and depending on the target study area.

Recognition of competencies for vocational secondary studies

For vocational secondary studies, the competency recognition process leads to:

• A Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS)
• An Attestation of Vocational Specialization (AVS), or
• An Attestation of Vocational Studies (AVS) related to your competencies

Recognition of competencies for college studies

Check first whether a competency recognition process is offered by the college in the field you want. To find the program that suits you, you can look for information at Back to cégep . This website provides information about over 600 programs offered in Québec’s 48 colleges.

For college studies, the competency recognition process allows you to earn an Attestation of College Studies (ACS) or a Diploma of College Studies (DCS).

In general, Québec universities have a recognition of competencies policy.

The information is available on each university’s website and presents:

• Study programs offered
• Study regulations
• Services offered to students

If you want to earn a Québec university diploma, you must:

• Be admitted to a program
• Apply for competency recognition course by course, based on your prior education or professional experience

Ask the university for details about the steps to take.

To find the program that suits you, please see the list of universities in Québec .