Patrick Arsenal (Avontage Ontario): “In Ottawa, students can write their homework in French or English”

Interview – Patrick Arsenault, Director of the Avantage Ontario Federation, which unites French-speaking colleges and universities in the Canadian province, said studying in Ontario is ideal for learning English.

For many French students, Canada is the American dream. In 2017, nearly 16,000 people went to school there France campus. If most people choose Quebec and you want to speak English, it is a good idea to target Ontario, which is west of Quebec, the homeland of Ottawa or Toronto. Today, only 122 French people are registered with one of the 11 French-speaking Ontario companies. They had 758 young people applying. Patrick Arsenal, Confederation Director Pros OntarioBrings together French-speaking colleges and universities in the Canadian province and offers you its advice.

LE FIGARO STUDENT – Mostly, young French people love Quebec. What is your interest in studying in Ontario?

Patrick Arsenal – Quebec as a whole is more attractive as it is a French speaking region. However, studying in Ontario is much better than learning English. In the area, 95% of the population are English-speaking and 5% are French-speaking. If a student wants to accept the bilingual challenge, I suggest they come to Ontario. Also, in Ottawa, there is the largest bilingual university in the world. Students can sometimes choose in French and English in which language to do their homework. The establishment is tailored to the level of each. Thus, in Ontario, 150 different languages ​​are spoken. Through this the youth can discover the cultures, accents, customs and cuisines of different countries. In Montreal, French students are sometimes difficult to mix because many of them are in France. Here, they take a cosmopolitan bath, especially with the multicultural city of Toronto.

Is teaching different?

In Canada, courses are more flexible, more so than in France. Everyone chooses their courses. Courses outside of one’s specialty are thus encouraged. In psychology, for example, some people later integrate blocks into management or sport if they want to become sports coaches. Our courses are very practical. Young people ask questions and are challenged by teachers. They also have the right to say freely that they do not agree with their teachers. There is a conversation, listening.

How to apply to the University of Ontario?

Everything goes through the internet. Select your field of study and check the required size. Next, Application for admission This is done through the University of Ontario Application Center (OUAC) or the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS). Colleges are equivalent to short courses like IUTs in France. The university is made up of undergraduate (license), postgraduate (postgraduate) and doctoral degrees. Interestingly, we have a centralized system for universities and one for colleges. So, if a student applies to three universities and there are no colleges, it will only be a process, Ouac. But if a young man wants to apply to college and university, he will take two steps via Saco and Ouac. This greatly simplifies things and makes it easier for students to follow. Please note that admission application fee will not be refunded. Do not forget to include the required supporting documents in your file. Once the offer for admission is accepted, you must apply for a study permit. It usually takes two months to get it.

Can French people who come to study in Ontario work there?

Most of the foreign students who come to follow their training stay, and many of them are French. There is a shortage of labor for French-speaking Canadians. Speaking French is becoming a real skill desired not only in Quebec but across the country. We are looking for French speaking young people in careers related to social services, education, health sciences, accounting or marketing.