Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF

Vive le Québec: A distinct Canadian study destination

Editor's Note (29 January 2014) CREPUQ's name has been officially changed to the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire (BCI) and it has left its role as the official voice of university administrations in Quebec in their dealings with the public, the media and government.

Parlez-vous français? Located in one of the world's top English-speaking destinations, the Canadian Province of Québec is just a little bit different. Not only is it a bilingual region, it has its own national holiday (La St-Jean Baptiste Day, every 24 June) and is the biggest producer of maple syrup in Canada. When it comes to higher education though, the key to unlocking the mysteries of this distinct region lies in the Conference of Rectors and Principals of Québec Universities (CREPUQ). CREPUQ is a private organisation comprising, on a voluntary basis, all of Québec’s 17 universities (14 French and 3 English). Together they host over 285,000 students (28,000 of which are international students) and offer an extremely diverse university system with over 1,400 Master’s and Doctoral programmes alone. ICEF Monitor tracked down Julie Benoit from CREPUQ to learn more about the province of Québec and its university system. Benoit has been working in international student recruitment at the University of Montréal for the past ten years. She sits on the CREPUQ International Recruitment Subcommittee which has coordinated Québec universities' efforts regarding student recruitment since 2001. In our exclusive video interview below, Benoit explains CREPUQ's role in the industry as well as what makes Québec an interesting and appealing study destination. She also shares tips on where most foreign students in Québec come from, the admissions and visa process, and the universities' growing interest in agents including what changes may lie ahead. Florian Schäfer from kommod.tv interviewing Julie Benoit from CREPUQ for ICEF Monitor. Filmed at ICEF North America held in Montreal in 2012; in 2013 the event moves to Toronto. Contact CREPUQ to learn how the school system works in the region, the admissions and visa application process, including how to obtain a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ), Canadian study permit and an on-campus and off-campus work authorisation/permit.

Most Recent

  • US Office of Management and Budget grants budget reprieve to key exchange programmes Read More
  • Canada: How is study permit processing taking shape this year? Read More
  • UK study visa grants strengthening in first half of 2025 Read More

Most Popular

  • Which countries will contribute the most to global student mobility in 2030? Read More
  • Research shows link between study abroad and poverty alleviation  Read More
  • Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe Read More

Because you found this article interesting

US Office of Management and Budget grants budget reprieve to key exchange programmes In a highly unusual intervention in an area of Congressional authority, the US Office of Management and Budget...
Read more
Canada: How is study permit processing taking shape this year? There are two important and recurring themes in our conversations with education agents over the last few months...
Read more
UK study visa grants strengthening in first half of 2025 A 21 August 2025 data release from the UK Home Office shows that student visa grants were up...
Read more
Asian destinations show their strength in latest ranking of student cities The QS Best Student Cities 2026 rankings were released last month, and, for the first time ever, Seoul...
Read more
Many foreign students want to stay in Germany but need more help with the transition to life after study Early findings from an extensive survey of international students in Germany finds that two-thirds would like to stay...
Read more
How post-study work rights can make or break the return on investment for study abroad The following is a guest post contributed by Tim O’Brien and Claire Clifford from INTO University Partnerships, where...
Read more
Australia prioritises amendments to ESOS Act in legislative agenda The Australian government has signalled that amendments to the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 are back...
Read more
UK’s stiffening compliance regime already having an impact on international student recruitment It would be fair to say that compliance is top of mind for international educators in the United...
Read more
What are you looking for?
Quick Links