By Neshat Tehrani
As you know, in the province of Quebec both French and English are recognized as a formal language. Usually Iranian immigrants are more familiar with English (except for the few who have applied for immigration to Quebec) and it seems that a good understanding of English versus French as a second language is easier for Farsi-speaking people. That is why those who hope of continuing their studies after immigration usually remove Francophone universities from their list of options and resort to just one of the two English-speaking universities of the province of Quebec, namely McGill and Concordia. Although in many cases it is not only possible for Anglophones (those who are more familiar with English) to study in Francophone universities, it nevertheless seems to be a more suitable and appropriate choice. In this article we will begin to discuss some of those reasons.
Limitation in the variety of fields of study
As said before, the University of McGill has a more extensive range of fields of study compared to the University of Concordia. For instance, at the moment Concordia does not provide any fields of study in the groups of medicine or paramedics. On the other hand, it is not that easy to receive admission in some of the fields of study in McGill, therefore, the applicants for some of the fields of study will be refrained if they cannot receive an admission from McGill. In such situations, studying in Francophone universities can be one of the alternative choices.
An opportunity for learning French quickly and inexpensively
For those who live in the province of Quebec, it is an advantage and an undeniable must to speak French. For that reason, studying in Francophone universities has an important upside as it allows you an opportunity to learn or improve your French while studying. Usually Francophone universities provide an opportunity for their students to take their French to a significantly higher level in a short time and with a somewhat low cost. There are many cases when even those who are only a little familiar with French start studying in Francophone universities and finish successfully.
Ease of movement to better universities
Thanks to an extensive relationship among the universities of the province of Quebec, there is always a chance for you to move to McGill or Concordia after passing a few credits or a semester in a Francophone university. So if for some reasons (such as a low average) you do not manage to receive admission from an Anglophone university, you can still have a chance to move to a university you are interested in after spending a certain period of time in a Francophone university.
Using English in French-speaking universities
Many students of Masters or PhDs in Montreal University and other French-speaking universities pass at least one-third of their courses in English and present their theses in English as many professors of these universities are familiar with English and allow their students to do so.
However it should be noted that in Francophone universities, particularly those in other cities of Quebec other than Montreal, bureaucratic affairs and examination of documents pertaining to enrolment and study are done solely in French and the students who do not possess enough familiarity with French may initially feel uncomfortable in such environments. They would especially feel uncomfortable if they encounter staff in the education department of the universities who do not speak English at all. On the other hand, these limitations will provide a good opportunity for the students to learn French.
Study in French and the matter of grants
Perhaps there is no written rule in this regard, but French-speaking universities are better supported by the government of Quebec. Experience has shown that grants or gratuitous aids, as well as loans and grants which are given to the students of these universities are higher. This is of high importance to married students who need to be able to afford the expenses of their families during their studies.
French-speaking universities of Montreal
The city of Montreal incorporates the biggest French-speaking universities of North America and the world. Among them, having more than 60,000 students and a network of universities all over the province of Quebec, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) is the biggest and the most well-known French-speaking university of Quebec. The central branch of the university is located at the center of the city of Montreal, established in 1969, and is considered as one of the earliest universities of the province of Quebec.
The second French-speaking university is the University of Montreal, having 55,000 students. Laval and Sherbrooke are other French-speaking universities in the city of Montreal which will be discussed in detail in the future articles.
Final words
All in all, it is worth noting that from the time you decide to immigrate to Canada, you should give a high priority to learning French or English so that when you enter Canadian soil, you will know at least one of the two languages very well and the other one at an average level. Keep in mind that even if you are going to live in a province other than Quebec, it will be a great help for you to find a job or study if you know French as well as English. If you are planning to live in Quebec and know French better than English, you should note that English is a language of science and you will be living in the North American continent, meaning even if you study or work in a Francophone environment you should still have familiarity and command on English. Keep in mind that it will be much more difficult to learn a language after immigration and arrival in Canada than in the mother country.