Bylaw 6

College Admissions

Approval history:
Revised and approved by Vanier College Board of Governors: June 18, 2019
Approved by Vanier College Board of Governors: May 27, 2009 

1. General provisions

1.1 Preamble

This By-law is in accordance with Divisions II of the Règlement sur le regime des études collégiales (RREC)/College Education Regulations (RLRQ/CQLR, chapter 29, r. 4) General and Vocational Colleges Act and regulations issued under the said Act (RLRQ/CQLR, chapter 29, a. 18/ s. 18), and the provisions found in the Charter of the French Language (CQLR, c. C-11).

The College admits applicants based on the general and specific conditions of Division II of the RREC.

The modalities of applications of all paragraphs included in Divisions II of the RREC are determined by the College.

The College must administer this By-law within the constraints of its student population, called “devis”, and of available space. Applicants who meet the minimum academic requirements established by the MES may not be guaranteed admission at Vanier as the requested program may have a limited number of entry-level places. In all programs offered at the College, the strength of the applicant’s academic record is determinant.

Once admitted, students are expected to respect conditions outlined in By-Law 8 on Academic Success.

1.2 Definitions and acronyms

ACS: Attestation of College Studies
AEC: Attestation d’études collégiales (Attestation of College Studies)
Applicant: A person who submits an application for admission to a program leading to a DEC or an AEC or Springboard to a DCS (DEC).
CÉGEP: Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel
DCS: Diploma of College Studies
DEC: Diplôme d’études collégiales (Diploma of College Studies)
DEP: Diplôme d’études professionnels (Diploma of Vocational Studies)
DES: Diplôme d’études secondaires (Secondary School Diploma)
Mise-à-niveau (Remedial activities): A high school level course that must be taken and passed, given by a school commission, an adult education centre or other educational institution.
MES: Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur (Ministry of Higher Education)
Quebec Ministry of Higher Education: Ministry responsible for post-secondary education in Quebec.
RREC: Règlement sur le régime des études collégiales (College Education Regulations)
RLRQ: Recueil des lois et des règlements du Québec (Compilation of Quebec Laws and Regulations, CQLR)
Springboard to a DCS (DEC): A pathway designed for students who want to take CEGEP credit courses in order to explore CEGEP studies, complete prerequisites required for admission to a CEGEP program, upgrade their academic record to improve chances of admission or readmission to a CEGEP program, upgrade language skills. Students cannot graduate from Springboard to a DCS (DEC). Students may register in Springboard to a DCS (DEC) for a maximum of three consecutive semesters (excluding Summer).
SRAM: Service régional d’admission du Montréal métropolitain.

1.3 Scope and general principles

The present By-law specifies the conditions for admission that applies to all candidates applying to Vanier College for:

• Programs of studies leading to a Diploma of College Studies (DCS/DEC)
• Springboard to DCS (DEC) (Explorations passages, prerequisites, transition)
• Programs of studies leading to an Attestation of College Studies (ACS/AEC)

The RREC defines admission criteria to be met by students in order to be admitted to a CEGEP. The MEES defines the course prerequisites for the CEGEP programs and may also impose mise-à-niveau courses /remedial activities that are published annually in a document called “conditions particulières d’admission”. The College may also render compulsory activities, training paths and path of studies, determine by MEES, with a view to favouring the success of a person in one of those programs. The MEES determines objectives and standards for each of those activities, and may determine all or part of the learning activities aimed at the attainment of those objectives and standards.

Admission to certain programs may require additional means of selecting a candidate such as letter of intent, tests, interviews, reference letters, auditions, and/or other criteria deemed necessary by the College.

Applications for admission to a regular day division program must be submitted to SRAM and Continuing Education International ACS must be submitted to the designated admission service by the prescribed deadline, and accompanied by all required documents. Incomplete applications may be refused. All applicants’ files and admissions to the College, will be reviewed and evaluated by the Admissions and Academic Advising Offices of Academic Systems-Registrar.

Applications for admission to Continuing Education credit courses, AEC, and RAC must be submitted as indicated by the College and by the prescribed deadline and accompanied by all required documents. Incomplete applications may be refused. All applicants’ files will be reviewed and evaluated for admission to the College by Continuing Education Department, and when required, in collaboration with College Admissions Office of Academic Systems-Registrar.

1.4 The Charter of the French Language (CQLR, c. C-11)

The Charter prescribes specific requirements that apply to English language colleges (articles 88.3 and 88.2); some of which pertain to the admission of students.

Measures to give priority to admitting students declared eligible to receive instruction in English where the number of admission applications is higher than the number of students that may be admitted are found in the Vanier College Language Policy.

Vanier College is committed to increasing access to post-secondary education for Indigenous students. This commitment includes ensuring Indigenous applicants that fulfill admission requirements are offered admissions in a program.

2. Admission to a diploma (DCS/DEC) program and to Springboard to a DCS/DEC: general conditions

To be admitted to Vanier College, a person must comply with the general conditions of admission established in the RREC Regulations and, as required, satisfy the particular conditions of admission defined by MEES to a program.

The College may admit a person who has a Quebec Secondary School Diploma (DES) awarded by the Minister as stipulated in article 2 of the RREC.

The College may admit a person who has a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DEP) awarded by the Minister with the following credits as stipulated in article 2.1 of the RREC:

1. Secondary V credits in Language of Instruction
2. Secondary V credits in Second Language
3. Secondary IV credits in Mathematics

Notwithstanding articles 2 and 2.1 of the RREC, a college may admit to a program of studies leading to a DCS a person who has received instruction that is deemed equivalent by the College.

The College may also admit a person who has instruction and experience that is deemed sufficient and who has interrupted their full-time studies for a cumulative period of at least 24 months as stipulated in article 2.2 of the RREC. The student may be required to successfully complete upgrading activities such as mise-à-niveau courses.

Students without a DES or DEP must demonstrate their potential to successfully complete the program of studies to which they have applied. This may be done through some or all of the following:

1. Letter of intent and curriculum vitae
2. Letter from their employer confirming the nature (job description and duties) and duration of their employment
3. Letters of recommendation/reference from teachers where they have studied
4. Aptitude test results
5. Interview with Vanier College admissions representative, academic advisor, or program committee representative(s)

The College, under certain circumstances, may also admit a person who is missing up to a maximum of six credits to obtain their Quebec Secondary School Diploma (DES) or Diploma of Vocational Studies (DEP). This person would be admitted on condition that they complete the missing credits while in their first semester as per article 2.3 of the RREC. Students who do not successfully complete the missing credits in their first semester will not be permitted to continue.

3. Admission to an attestation program (ACS/AEC): general conditions

Applicants must have a Quebec Secondary School Diploma (DES) or equivalent, or as per article 4 of the RREC, have acquired knowledge and skills deemed sufficient by the College for potential success in the program.

In addition, the applicant must meet one of the following requirements as per article 4 of the RREC:

• The applicant has interrupted his/her full-time studies or pursued full-time postsecondary studies for at least two consecutive semesters or one school year
• The applicant is covered by an agreement entered into by the College and an employer or by a government program of studies
• The applicant has interrupted his/her full-time studies for one semester and completed at least one semester of post-secondary studies
• The applicant has a DEP
• The program of studies enables the person to pursue technical studies in a field for which there is no program of studies leading to a DCS
• The program of studies is covered by an agreement on training entered into between the MEES and a department or body of the Government of Quebec

4. Special conditions for admission to a diploma (DCS/DEC) program or an attestation (ACS) program

As stipulated under 1.3.3 of the present By-law, the admission process for a particular program may include auditions, interviews, references, drawing tests, and a review of letters of intent or portfolios. In addition, testing may be required for language proficiency and/or Math and/or Science.

Immunizations, criminal background checks or other professional requirements may be necessary upon admission to certain programs or registration to certain courses. These requirements are detailed in program prospectus pages of the College website.

5. Applicants educated outside Quebec

Applicants educated outside Quebec, including international applicants, who have the equivalent of the Quebec Secondary School diploma (DES) will be considered for admission to the College. Those applicants can be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, possess a valid study permit or a diplomatic visa or be a citizen of a country whom has an entente with Quebec.

All applicants educated outside Quebec, including international applicants, must submit required academic documents at the time of application and meet specific program prerequisite requirements where applicable. The College reserves the right to request original, official documents. All documents submitted in a language other than English or French, must be accompanied by a certified official translation into English or French. Applicants to Day division and Continuing Education with foreign academic documents (translated into English or French) who do not provide a “Comparative Evaluation for Studies Done Outside Quebec” issued by the Quebec Ministry responsible for immigration must pay the SRAM established fee (By-Law 7 – Student Fees). Applicants to International ACS must pay document assessment fees to the College and the designated admission service in addition to the application fee determined in By-Law 7 – Student Fees.

6. Home-schooled applicants

Applicants who are homeschooled must provide proof of completion of the Quebec Secondary School diploma (DES) or the equivalent in order to be considered for admission.

7. English language requirement

Applicants educated outside Quebec, including international applicants, must demonstrate proficiency in the English language.

Applicants from Quebec Secondary Schools whose language of instruction is not English must demonstrate proficiency in the English language and write placement tests.

8. Space constraints

Applicants who meet the minimum academic requirements established by the Quebec Ministry of Education may not be guaranteed admission to Vanier as the requested program may have a limited number of entry-level places. In such programs, the strength of the applicant’s academic record and/or other program admission requirements may be a determining factor in the admission decision, and the College may have to refuse applicants even if they satisfy the conditions for admission.

Due to limited space, admission to certain programs may be restricted to applicants with a specified minimum of academic results.

The Academic Dean may determine in advance, for certain programs, the maximum number of places available for the different categories of students: those who are coming directly from high school, those who have already completed some or all of their collegial studies, and others.

9. Deferrals

Requests for deferrals by applicants that have been offered admission will not be accepted. Applicants wishing to defer admission to a later semester must re-apply through the designated admission service if they wish to be considered again for admission. For the regular day sector, SRAM is the designated admission service.

In consultation with the Dean of Continuing Education, exceptions may be given to applicants of certain International ACS programs.

10. Change of program

Students registered at Vanier can request a program transfer for a subsequent semester as per the College posted deadlines. Students must meet the admission conditions of the new program and respect the application deadline. Program transfer requests must be accompanied by all required documents.

Students registered in the Springboard to a DCS (DEC) in Continuing Education must submit a new application for admission to be considered for a DEC or AEC program. Students in an AEC program must submit a new application for admission to be considered for a DEC program. Program transfer requests will not be accepted in these cases.

11. Readmission after interruption of studies

Students who have not met the conditions established by the College as defined in the College policies on Standing and Advancement and in By-law 8 - Academic Success, may not be automatically readmitted to the College in a subsequent semester.

DCS or ACS students who are not enrolled in any course during a given semester or term or block must submit an application for admission in order to return to the College. The student file will then be evaluated according to the admission procedures. Students will be admitted to their original program only to the extent that the program is still being offered by the College and/or that the missing courses or acceptable substitution courses that allow the achievement of the same objective(s) and standard(s) are offered.

In Continuing Education, a student who has completed a course in the last 12 months, does not need to reapply and can be given a semester to register courses.

To return to a technical program, the candidates must demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the College that they still meet the competencies covered in previous semesters. To this end, the College may impose proof of competencies using tests, interviews, and may request updating activities.

12. Readmission of expelled

Applicants who have been expelled from Vanier or another college due to unsatisfactory academic standing will be expected to provide sufficient evidence that they have upgraded their academic record in order to be considered for readmission to a DEC program.

Applicants who have been expelled from Vanier on other grounds (e.g. code of conduct, academic integrity, professional conduct, etc.) should refer to their letter of expulsion for details.

13. Applicants from other post-secondary institutions

Applicants with post-secondary studies at another institution will be assessed according to their secondary and overall post-secondary academic performance. Candidates applying to a program in which they were previously registered elsewhere – another CEGEP, may be offered admissions if space is available, and they must have a minimum of four courses left to complete the DEC, including some program specific education courses and the program comprehensive assessment (PCA).

The competencies and standards attained in each of the program specific education courses may vary from one college to another. The continuation of a program of study begun at another college may require the student to repeat certain courses and may extend the length of the program of study.

14. Application and revision of By-law 6

This By-Law and any amendments are effective for the semester immediately following the date of adoption into effect by the Board of Directors, subject to approval by the Minister where required. This By-Law shall have no retroactive effect.

The application and revision of this By-Law are under the responsibility of the Academic Dean’s Office.

This By-Law comes into force upon its adoption by the Board of Governors. It will be reviewed every five years or as required.