Université Laval

Overview

Université Laval grew out of the Séminaire de Québec, founded in 1663 by Bishop François de Montmorency-Laval. In 1852 a royal charter gave the Séminaire the right to confer degrees, which led to the founding of the university, and Laval describes itself as the first French-language university in North America. Today it is a public French-language research university in Quebec City; its main campus, begun in 1950, is on the Sainte-Foy plateau.

Laval offers a wide range of programs, including forestry, agriculture and food sciences, all taught in French.

How to apply

As with other Quebec universities, there is no shared application: you apply through Laval's admission site. To be considered you must submit your program choices (up to two for the same session) and pay the application fees before the deadline; documents can follow, but they also have deadlines. Admission sessions vary by program, so confirm the 2027 dates on the application page and your program's page.

CEGEP graduates are mainly ranked by R score (see our R score explainer). Students from other provinces and the US are assessed on their high school or college record, and Laval's program pages describe what a diploma from outside Quebec must include. Check that page before you apply, because the courses Laval expects can differ from what your school offers.

French language requirements

Courses are taught in French, and Laval's French proficiency rules apply to applicants for most certificates and bachelor's programs. If you studied in Quebec (for example, passing the CEGEP French exit exam), at the Université de Moncton or Université Sainte-Anne, or hold certain French-language diplomas from listed countries, you may already meet the requirement. Otherwise you take a test: the TCF tout public including its written expression component (valid for two years), or the Test de français Laval-Montréal (TFLM). Depending on your result and program, you may be admitted outright, admitted with required French courses, directed to French immersion study, or refused.

Costs and funding

Quebec charges different rates to Quebec residents, students from other provinces and international students, with special arrangements for some countries, including France. Laval publishes current tuition by profile on its official fees and budgeting page; under the agreements with France and the French Community of Belgium, eligible undergraduates pay the same as Canadian students from outside Quebec. International students need a Quebec acceptance certificate (CAQ) as well as a federal study permit; the starting point is the Government of Canada page on studying in Canada.

Getting ready with StudyBrix

• Work on academic reading and writing in French with our French learning guide.
• Science and agriculture programs: review biology readiness and chemistry readiness.
• Keep a steady routine with the university study skills deck.

Compare Quebec with other provinces in our guide to universities in Canada.