Academic Evaluation for Quebec, Canada: The DEC Degree, Diplomas and Transcripts

Quebec has one of the most distinctive education systems in North America, and the DEC degree is the reason. Between high school and university, Quebec students spend two or three years at a CEGEP and earn the DEC, a credential that has no exact match in the U.S. or the rest of Canada. If you studied in Quebec and need your DEC, AEC, DEP or university degree recognized in the United States, an academic evaluation explains it in U.S. terms.

This guide is for Quebec graduates and the immigration attorneys who work with them. It covers the Quebec education system, what each diploma means, how the DEC and Quebec degrees are usually evaluated, how to handle French-language documents for USCIS and how MotaWord prepares your report. A standard evaluation costs $65 and is delivered in 72 hours.

Why Quebec Graduates Need an Academic Evaluation

U.S. institutions rarely know how a CEGEP or a three-year Quebec bachelor's degree works, so they ask for an evaluation. The most common reasons are:

• U.S. immigration: H-1B specialty occupation petitions, EB-2 advanced degree petitions and employment-based green cards often depend on the U.S. equivalent of your degree. Evaluations follow the USCIS Policy Manual standard of a credible, logical and well-documented report, and the USCIS officer makes the decision. Learn how our education evaluation for H-1B visas supports a specialty occupation petition.
• Employment: U.S. employers confirm that your degree meets a job's education requirement.
• University admissions and credit transfer: U.S. colleges need to know whether your DEC counts as college credit.
• Professional licensing: state boards for engineering, nursing, teaching and accounting often want course-level detail.
• Military enlistment: recruiters may ask how your Secondary School Diploma and DEC compare to U.S. schooling.

The Quebec Education System at a Glance

Quebec's Ministry of Education oversees elementary and secondary schools, and its Ministry of Higher Education oversees CEGEPs and universities. The path looks like this:

1. Elementary school: six years.
2. Secondary school: five years, from Secondary I to Secondary V. Secondary V corresponds to grade 11, one year earlier than in most other provinces.
3. CEGEP: two years for a pre-university DEC or three years for a technical DEC.
4. University: a bachelor's degree, usually three years after the DEC, followed by master's and doctoral studies.

Because the CEGEP sits between grade 11 and university, Quebec students usually complete a total of 16 years of schooling by the end of a three-year bachelor's degree, the same as a student who finishes grade 12 and a four-year degree elsewhere.

Quebec Diplomas Explained: DES, DEP, AEC and DEC

Quebec's diplomas have French names and abbreviations, and their English versions use different letters. Many people search for what "ACS, DEP, DEC" means on a Canadian job posting or application. Here is what each one is:

• DES (Diplôme d'études secondaires), Secondary School Diploma: awarded at the end of Secondary V. It gives access to CEGEP.
• DEP (Diplôme d'études professionnelles), Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS): a secondary-level vocational diploma in a trade such as electrical work, welding, hairdressing or accounting support.
• AEC (Attestation d'études collégiales), Attestation of College Studies (ACS): a shorter, technical CEGEP program, usually for adults, that focuses on job skills.
• DEC (Diplôme d'études collégiales), Diploma of College Studies (DCS): the main CEGEP diploma, in pre-university or technical form.

AEC vs DEC: What Is the Difference?

An AEC covers only the specialized courses of a technical field, while a DEC also includes general education courses in language, literature, philosophy or humanities, and physical education. That is why a DEC gives access to university and an AEC usually does not on its own. In a U.S. evaluation, an AEC is often described as college-level vocational or technical study, while a DEC may receive undergraduate credit.

Understanding the DEC Diploma: Quebec's Pre-University Bridge

In Quebec, students do not go straight from high school to university. They attend a public or private college known as a CEGEP, short for Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel. CEGEPs exist only in Quebec. At the end of their studies, students earn the DEC diploma, which comes in two types:

• Pre-university DEC: two years, in fields such as science, social science, arts and literature. It prepares students for university.
• Technical DEC: three years, in fields such as nursing, computer science, engineering technology and business. It prepares students to work, although many graduates also continue to university.

The DEC lets students explore a broad range of subjects before choosing a university major, and it shortens most Quebec bachelor's degrees to three years.

The DEC Degree and Its CEGEP Equivalent in the U.S.

Not exactly. The closest comparison is a mix of U.S. grade 12 and the first year of college, or a U.S. community college for technical programs. Evaluators often treat a pre-university DEC as completion of secondary education plus up to one year of undergraduate study. A three-year technical DEC is often compared to a U.S. associate degree. The result depends on your program and transcript, and the evaluation report states it. Get a diploma evaluation that compares your Quebec degree with a U.S. degree. Keep your CEGEP transcript with your university records, because the evaluator needs both.

Degree Options in Quebec: Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorates

Quebec's universities include McGill University, Concordia University and Bishop's University, which teach mainly in English, and Université de Montréal, Université Laval, Université de Sherbrooke and the Université du Québec network, which teach mainly in French.

Bachelor's Degrees in Quebec

The Quebec bachelor's degree is called the baccalauréat, often shortened to "bac". It is a university degree, not the French high school baccalauréat. Most programs take three years (90 credits) for students who hold a DEC, because the DEC covers what would be the first year of university elsewhere. Some programs, such as engineering and teacher education, take four years. Students who enter from outside Quebec without a DEC usually complete an extra year.

Evaluators often treat a DEC plus a three-year Quebec bachelor's degree as comparable to a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree, because together they represent the same total years of study. A four-year Quebec bachelor's degree is usually evaluated as a U.S. bachelor's degree on its own.

Master's Degrees in Quebec

The master's degree (maîtrise) usually takes one to two years. Programs are either thesis-based, focusing on research, or course-based, focusing on professional practice. Quebec master's degrees usually map to a U.S. master's degree.

Doctoral Degrees (Ph.D.) in Quebec

Doctoral programs (doctorat) are research-intensive and usually take three to five years, ending with an original dissertation. A Quebec Ph.D. usually maps to a U.S. doctoral degree. Professional degrees in medicine, dentistry and law are evaluated by their own structure; for example, Quebec law degrees follow the civil law tradition and differ from a U.S. Juris Doctor.

Required Documents for Quebec, Canada Degree Assessment

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How Quebec's Higher Education System Compares to the Rest of Canada

The biggest difference is the extra step. Most Canadian students graduate after grade 12 and go straight to university, while Quebec students graduate after grade 11 and attend a CEGEP first. New Brunswick, Quebec's neighbor to the east, follows the standard Canadian model. See how degrees from New Brunswick compare to U.S. standards.

Because of the DEC, most bachelor's degrees in Quebec take three years, while elsewhere in Canada they usually take four. See how Canadian degrees are assessed for U.S. immigration.

Despite these structural differences, Quebec degrees are recognized across Canada, and credits can transfer between provinces. Anyone comparing a Quebec degree with a degree from another province or country needs to understand the DEC step to make an accurate comparison. Ontario, for example, offers both three-year and four-year bachelor's degrees after grade 12. See how degrees from Ontario compare to U.S. standards.

Transcripts, Grades and GPA

CEGEP transcripts report percentage grades, with 60% as the usual pass mark, and they often show the R score (cote R) that universities use for admission. Quebec universities usually report letter grades, often on a 4.3 grade point scale, while McGill uses a 4.0 scale. The evaluator converts each grade to the U.S. 4.0 scale using the key printed on your transcript.

• General evaluation: states the U.S. equivalent of your DEC and degrees. It is usually enough for USCIS and most employers.
• Course-by-course evaluation: lists every CEGEP and university course with U.S. credits and grades and calculates your GPA. U.S. universities, transfer offices and licensing boards often require it. See how a course-by-course evaluation converts your credits and grades to U.S. terms.

If you are applying to a U.S. college, ask the admissions office which type it accepts. Learn how we prepare academic evaluations for U.S. university and college admissions.

Language and Culture: The French Influence in Quebec Education

French is the language of instruction at most Quebec colleges and universities, and it shapes the province's academic traditions. Students often read, write and take exams in French, although McGill, Concordia, Bishop's and the English-language CEGEPs such as Dawson and Vanier teach in English.

For evaluation, this means your diploma, transcript and any school letters are often in French, and the French names of credentials (DEC, AEC, baccalauréat, maîtrise) appear on them. A good evaluation uses the official French title and explains it in English.

Translating and Evaluating Quebec Academic Documents for USCIS

If you plan to use your Quebec credentials for U.S. immigration, follow USCIS documentation rules closely. USCIS requires every foreign-language document to be submitted with a certified English translation, including diplomas, transcripts and official letters from your school. See our certified translation services for USCIS.

The certified translation must include a signed statement confirming that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate from French into English. Submit copies of the original French documents with the translations. MotaWord's certified translations cost $24.50 per page, with delivery in as little as 12 hours and free digital notarization. See how we provide certified French translations.

For many employment and education-based cases, USCIS also expects a credential evaluation. Because most Quebec bachelor's degrees take three years after a DEC, the evaluation should explain how the DEC adds a year of post-secondary study before university. Without that explanation, an officer may read a three-year degree as incomplete.

For USCIS, remember to:

• Include your DEC transcript, not only your university degree
• Provide copies of the original French documents
• Include certified English translations of every French document
• Use a credential evaluation that explains the Quebec structure

How MotaWord Evaluates Your Quebec Credentials

1. Upload your documents: start a quote online, choose academic evaluation and upload your DES, DEC, university diplomas and transcripts. The system detects French documents and offers certified translation at the quote stage.
2. Document check: our team reviews your files and asks for anything missing, such as your CEGEP transcript.
3. Evaluation: the evaluator researches your CEGEP, university and programs and states the U.S. equivalent of each credential, with credits and GPA for course-by-course orders.
4. Download: your report and translations are delivered to your MotaWord client dashboard, where you can follow your order and download invoices. See everything you can do in your MotaWord client dashboard.

A standard evaluation costs $65 and is delivered in 72 hours, or $115 same-day when ordered before 3 PM ET on a weekday. A course-by-course evaluation costs $120, or $200 same-day. Live chat is available 24/7 for support.

For job offers, the report states your degree in the terms U.S. employers expect. Learn how we prepare academic evaluations for employment in the U.S.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a DEC degree?

A DEC (Diplôme d'études collégiales, or Diploma of College Studies) is the diploma students earn at a Quebec CEGEP after high school. It takes two years in a pre-university program or three years in a technical program. It is a college diploma, not a university degree.

Is a DEC the same as an associate degree?

Not exactly. A three-year technical DEC is often compared to a U.S. associate degree. A two-year pre-university DEC is more often treated as completion of secondary education plus up to one year of undergraduate study.

What is the CEGEP equivalent in the U.S.?

There is no direct equivalent. CEGEP combines what U.S. students cover in grade 12 and the first year of college, or in a community college for technical programs. The evaluation report states how your own DEC compares.

What do ACS, DEP and DEC mean in Canada?

They are Quebec credentials. ACS (AEC in French) is the Attestation of College Studies, a short technical CEGEP program. DEP is the Diploma of Vocational Studies, a secondary-level trade diploma. DEC is the Diploma of College Studies, the main CEGEP diploma.

How long is a bachelor's degree in Quebec?

For students with a DEC, most bachelor's degrees take three years. Some programs, such as engineering and teacher education, take four years, and students without a DEC usually need an extra year.

Is a Quebec bachelor's degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree?

A DEC plus a three-year Quebec bachelor's degree is often evaluated as comparable to a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree. Your evaluation report states the result for your documents.

Do I need certified translations of my Quebec academic documents?

Yes, if they are in French and you submit them to USCIS or most U.S. institutions. Include certified English translations with copies of the originals.

Quebec Degrees on the Global Stage

Keep your DES, DEC, university degrees and transcripts together, along with course descriptions if you have them. With the right evaluation and translations, your three-year degree and your DEC are read as the complete education they are. MotaWord's academic evaluation services can evaluate your Quebec DEC, diplomas and degrees for U.S. use.

Victor Delgadillo - SEO Specialist at MotaWord

Written and reviewed by Victor Delgadillo, SEO Specialist at MotaWord, drawing on the team's experience with Quebec diplomas, degrees and French-language academic records. MotaWord is SOC 2 Type II certified and a corporate member of the ATA and ITI, providing academic evaluations and certified translations in 120+ languages. Every evaluation report explains how your education compares to U.S. standards in plain, documented terms. See our academic translation services →