Schools/Programs

International Student Program Banner

Edmonton Catholic Schools follows the world-recognized Alberta curriculum. Alberta has scored first place in Canada for meeting the academic needs of its students. It has received national recognition for its leadership in assessment and instruction, based on Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).

Edmonton Catholic Schools promotes the values, traditions and compassion of Catholic teaching. Catholic education is complete education addressing the needs of the whole child - spiritual, academic, physical, emotional and social.

Edmonton Catholic Schools Offers:

Alberta High School Certificate
ESL programming for all grade levels as needed
Customized Short Term Programs
University Preparation or 4th Year Program
Focus programs in International Baccalaureate Program (IB), International and Second Language Programs, All Girls Leadership Academy, Fine Arts, Sports and Science Academies
Superb International Student Program

Our International Student Office Provides:

School and grade placement, counseling, support and assessments
Student orientation and newsletters
School support visits and monitoring of academics, attendance and behavior
Translation and interpretation services where required
Health insurance provider
Assistance with student permit renewals
Post secondary information sessions

The International Student Program office is the first point of contact for all international students and staff work hard to ensure that students gets the best care possible.

Customized Short Term Programs

The goals of the short term programs are to enhance students’ language skills and improve communication strategies. Programs are offered in the sunny month of July or in the snowy month of January. Students will spend 2 – 4 weeks studying English while experiencing a variety of cultural activities.

Sample of Short Term Summer Program

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7
ARRIVAL DAY	First Day of School	English Study	English Study	English Study	Free Day with Host Families	Free Day with Host Families
Meet Host Families	Orientation	Action English Activity	White Avenue and University of Alberta Tour	Action English Activity
Day 8	Day 9	Day 10	Day 11	Day 12	Day 13	Day 14
English Study	English Study	English Study	English Study	English Study	Free Day with Host Families	DEPARTURE
Action English Activity	Action English Activity	Provincial Legislature and Downtown tour	Action English Activity	Action English Activity

COME JOIN ECSD AND RECEIVE A FIRST CLASS EDUCATION!

Overview of Alberta’s Education System

Excerpts from the Alberta Education website .

The school system in Alberta is from kindergarten to grade 12. The grades are divided into kindergarten, elementary, junior high school and senior high school students.

Grades	Age	Category
Kindergarten (K)	4-5 years	Early Learning
1-6	6-12 years	Elementary School
7-9	12-15 years	Junior High – also known as Secondary or Middle School
10-12	15-18 years	Senior High also known as Secondary School

Required Courses: All senior high students must complete the following:

English or French Language Arts	Mathematics
Sciences	Social Studies
Physical Education	Career and Life Management (Calm)
Religion

Optional courses (Electives) vary from school to school and may include:

Second Languages	Fine Arts
Music	Health
Home Economics	Personal and social skills training
Vocational Training	Computer and Technology Studies
ESL Support

Graduation

Alberta grants secondary diplomas to students based on a credit system
To complete senior high, students must be awarded 100 credits
Students are awarded credits for each course they complete with satisfactory results.
Grade 12 students must write and pass diploma examinations in core subject areas to graduate
Diploma examinations are provincially administered and account for 50 percent of the students' final grade in the course.

For more information on graduation requirements, visit Alberta Education’s Guide to Education .