Secondary Education in the Provinces and Territories of Canada: A Student Transfer Guide 2023–24 – updated version now available.

The purpose of Secondary Education in the Provinces and Territories of Canada: A Student Transfer Guide 2023–24 is to assist receiving schools in placing secondary students who have recently moved from one province or territory to another, with a goal to ensuring their education is as continuous as possible.

Each section in the guide, organized by province and territory, provides individual and specific information pertaining to the secondary-education system of each of Canada’s 10 provinces and three territories. Each section is composed of two parts: a summary statement and a summary of course content.

Part 1 – Summary statement

This section provides information about secondary education for each province and territory. In this section, teachers, guidance counsellors, and school administrators will find definitions of specific terms, systems of course numbering, credit requirements, examination and grading practices, structures of school organization, curriculum organization, and requirements for graduation.

Information specific to each province/territory is presented under the following headings:

  1. Introduction
  2. Organization of School System
  3. Explanation of Terms Used (including special-education/student-services terms)
  4. Course Designation
  5. Time Allotments and Course Load
  6. Curriculum Organization
  7. Prerequisites and/or Co-requisites
  8. Assessment and Evaluation Practices; and Transcripts (including issuing authority)
  9. List of Graduation Credentials (including credentials giving access to postsecondary education), Requirements for Graduation, and Issuing Authorities
  10. Other Types of Programs
  11. Assessment of Out-of-Province/Out-of-Territory and Foreign Studies

Part 2 – Summary of course content

This section contains descriptions that facilitate the comparison of secondary-education courses provided in each province and territory. These descriptions assist teachers, guidance counsellors, and school administrators in assessing the proper placement of students who have moved from another province or territory. Outlines are provided for both required and elective courses in core academic subject areas for the 2023–24 school year. The name of each course is followed by the abbreviation and course code, as they would appear on a student’s transcript. Because curriculum is constantly evolving, the courses described are subject to change during a given school year.

Course organization and categories of subject areas vary across provinces and territories. Credits obtained in one province or territory may not have a direct equivalency in another. Nonetheless, the curriculum content covered in individual subject areas over the course of secondary school may be very similar across provinces and territories. Where a lack of course or credit equivalency prevails, the person placing a student may have to assess whether the student would be better served by a placement involving some gaps in course content or by one that would result in some duplication.

Course-content information for each province/territory is generally organized under the headings given below. Headings for language courses may vary slightly among provinces/territories.

  1. English (First Language)
  2. French (First Language)
  3. Indigenous Language Education
  4. English (Second/Additional Language)
  5. French (Second/Additional Language)
  6. French (Immersion)
  7. Other Languages
  8. Mathematics
  9. Sciences
  10. Social Studies
  11. Physical Education
  12. Arts
  13. Technology
  14. Guidance and Career Education
  15. Vocational and Applied Education and Training
  16. Other Courses

Part 3 – Contact information for each province and territory

Some provinces/territories are still updating their respective sections, which will be integrated into the Student Transfer Guide as soon as they become available. To download Secondary Education in Canada: A Student Transfer Guide 2023–24, click on the relevant province or territory according to your needs:


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