Like the rest of Québec province, Montréal has two public school systems, one for French speakers and one for English speakers. The Charter of the French Language (1977), known as Bill 101, restricts access to English-language schools and requires children of immigrants to be educated in French. As a result, French-language schools became increasingly multiethnic.

With four universities, Montréal is one of the leading centers of higher education in Canada. There are two English-language institutions: McGill University (1821) and Concordia University (1974). Their French-language counterparts are the Université de Montréal (1876) and the University of Québec at Montréal (1969). Both private and state universities are funded by the province on a similar footing. The metropolitan area also has 16 public community colleges and 15 private institutions that offer some college-level training.

The Education System
The education system in Quebec is comprised of four levels of instruction offered in English and in French: primary, which includes preschool, secondary, college and university.

The system is primarily made up of public institutions, but a number of private institutions also offer instruction at the preschool, primary, secondary and college levels. Public education from preschool to college is free for Quebec residents and for the children of foreign workers with temporary work permits. Tuition fees in the private system may vary from $1,500 to $3,500 per year.

Attendance at school is compulsory for all children from 6 to 16 years of age. The school year begins at the end of August or the beginning of September and usually ends on June 24 for primary and secondary school and in the month of May for college and university students.

Language of Instruction for Children of Foreign Workers
Foreign workers employed temporarily in Quebec may send their children to an English-language or a French-language institution for the duration of their stay. Children registered in the French-language public system who do not speak French benefit free of charge from reception classes in order to facilitate their integration into regular classes.