Montreal International School Fees and Family Cost of Living (2027)

International school fees in Montreal vary by school, grade, and program length. For 2027 planning, compare public school board programs, private K-12 schools, and English or French language courses, while budgeting separately for housing and family living expenses. This guide compares Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB), Kells Academy, and BLI Canada. It also explains the costs and immigration documents families should consider before their children begin studying in Quebec.

Montreal International School Options for Families

Montreal offers three distinct pathways for international K-12 students. Each one suits a different budget, grade level, and family goal.

Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB): Public School Fees

The Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) is Quebec's largest English public school board. It operates more than 30 elementary and secondary schools across the West Island of Montreal and surrounding areas. For international students, LBPSB offers one of the most affordable tuition options in the city.

Fees below are taken directly from LBPSB's official international price lists for 2026-2027 and 2027-2028. The fees are unchanged between the two years.

Additional optional costs include a guardianship or custodianship fee of $1,500 and mandatory English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at $1,500 if required after an English proficiency assessment, unless your child is exempt based on an IELTS or TOEFL score of 6 or higher, or 80% or higher in LBPSB English. Homestay accommodation through LBPSB's approved providers (LAMIMO or MS Homestays) is available separately.

Kells Academy: Private K-12 School Fees

Kells Academy is a private, co-educational K-12 school in Montreal, founded in 1978. It serves students from kindergarten to grade 12 across three campuses on De Maisonneuve West. Kells is known for its small class sizes, individualized learning approach, and strong university placement record. Students graduate with either the Quebec Secondary School Diploma or the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), which is accepted by universities across North America and Europe.

Fees below are the most recently published rates for the Grade 12 international program. Confirm the current fees for your child's grade directly at kells.ca before applying, as these were last confirmed for the 2026-2027 year.

Kells also offers homestay accommodation at $1,900 a month, with a $200 placement fee and a $9,500 deposit due on acceptance. Residence options run from $1,650 a month (triple room) to $2,300 a month (single room), including a furnished room with three meals a day. Sibling discounts are available: 10% for a second child, 15% for a third, and 20% for a fourth or more.

BLI Canada: Language and Pathway Programs

BLI Canada (Bouchereau Lingua International) is a language school in downtown Montreal that has been operating since 1976. It offers English and French immersion programs for students of all ages, from junior summer camps to adult academic programs. BLI is not a traditional K-12 school, but it is a strong option for families who want their child to build English or French skills before or alongside entering a Canadian school.

BLI programs run year-round and range from short intensive courses to multi-month enrollments. Program fees vary by course type and duration; confirm current pricing directly with BLI before applying.

Monthly Cost of Living for a Family in Montreal

Montreal is significantly cheaper than Canada's two most expensive cities. According to Numbeo's cost of living data for Montreal, overall living costs including rent are well below Toronto and Vancouver. For a family in a three-bedroom apartment, that can mean saving CAD $800 to $1,500 a month on housing alone compared with those two cities. For a major bilingual city with strong K-12 schools and direct access to world-ranked universities, that is a meaningful difference.

Numbeo's estimated monthly costs for a family of four in Montreal run about CAD $5,268, excluding rent. Rent for a three-bedroom apartment adds roughly CAD $2,300 to $3,050 a month depending on whether you are in the city centre or a surrounding neighbourhood. That puts a realistic all-in monthly total at roughly CAD $7,225 to $7,975 before school fees.

The table below breaks down the main expense categories using Numbeo's current Montreal figures. All amounts are in Canadian dollars.

Individual costs vary by lifestyle, neighbourhood, and family size. Check current rental listings on platforms such as Kijiji or Zumper for the most up-to-date rent prices in your target neighbourhood, as rental markets change faster than crowdsourced data.

How Much Money Does Your Family Need to Show?

Quebec sets a minimum financial capacity amount your family must show as part of the Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) application. This covers living costs only, not tuition or travel. For 2026 applications, the amounts by family size are:

Study Permit and CAQ Requirements for K-12 Students in Montreal

All international students studying in Quebec need two documents before they can start school: a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) and a Canadian study permit.

• CAQ (Quebec Acceptance Certificate): Issued by the Quebec government. Required before you apply for a study permit. Apply through the Quebec immigration portal (Arrima) as early as possible, as processing times vary.
• Study permit: Issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Required if the program is longer than six months. You apply for this after receiving your CAQ.
• Custodianship declaration: In Quebec, the age of majority is 18. Under IRCC's general rules, children under 17 who study in Canada without a parent or legal guardian must have a custodian in Canada. Custodianship is optional for minors aged 17 and older, but an immigration officer may request it. Quebec also has its own care requirements for certain children aged 16 or younger whose parents are not accompanying them.

All LBPSB and Kells Academy international programs are at Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs), meaning they are approved to host international students and accept study permits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal offers families a strong combination of bilingual K-12 schools, a well-connected public transit system, and living costs that are meaningfully lower than Toronto or Vancouver. Whether you choose the affordability of LBPSB, the individualized approach of Kells Academy, or a language pathway through BLI, ApplyBoard is here to help your family take the next step.