Yes, you can get around easily speaking English or French. Montreal is a very unique bilingual city where you can speak both languages comfortably.

Temperatures in Montreal vary according to the seasons. Please see this site to find out more about the weather:
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/cities/can/pages/CAQC0363.htm

All our houses have central heating. You will never be cold inside. The average temperature in our homes is around 20 Celsius.

Spring / Summer: (From March 21st to September 21st)
Montréal can be surprisingly hot and humid, so dress accordingly. On the warmest summer days, it doesn't really cool down at night. Early spring and late summer, though, be sure to bring along something extra to put on if it cools down during the day or later in the evening.

Fall / Winter: (From September 21st to March 21st)
Montréal can be cold, but you'll be fine as long as you've got warm, dry feet, so pack your boots. Layered outerwear is the best way to go. Don't forget your scarf, gloves, and especially a hat - it can make a big difference.

Montrealers have a great sense of fashion, from funky hats in winter to breezy sandals in summer, so you might want to pack something besides jeans and sneakers. This unique Montréal style also makes the city a great place to shop, so leave some room in your suitcase! Please see : www.tourisme-montreal.org for more details.

Canada has its own currency, the Canadian dollar. Please follow the link to find out the exchange rate for your currency : www.tourisme-montreal.org

It's always good to have some pocket money when arriving in a new city. You may need it for a taxi or to make a phone call. Once you arrive, you can easily exchange your money at a money exchange office or a bank.

Montreal is a very safe cosmopolitan city but we always remind students to be cautious.

Montreal is one of the least expensive cities in Canada.

Montreal offers an incredible array of outdoor activities. In the warmer months there are hundreds of miles of bicycle paths to explore. In the winter there are many ski resorts nearby and many parks to play hockey, go ice skating, etc. With all its vibrant culture and year-round festivals you will undoubtedly experience an exceptional quality of life.

Please see the following link for more activities : www.tourisme-montreal.org

Please consult the Government of Canada website where you will find complete visa information.

=> http://www.livelearnandsucceed.gc.ca/LLSHome.aspx?LLSAction=DetermineEntry

We will send an official letter of acceptance to all students who are planning to study for any length of time at our school once the school fees have been paid. If your intended study period is more than six months, in addition to our letter of acceptance, you will also have to apply for the CAQ.

International students who have to apply for a visa will need an acceptance letter. The International Language School of the YMCA of Greater Montreal will provide an acceptance letter to all international students who have paid their course fee.

To be able to work you must have a work permit. Unless your country has a special agreement with Canada or Québec, you'll need to apply for a work permit.

For more information, please check the website : www.cic.gc.ca

Our school can organise homestay with English or French speaking families. If you wish other types of living arrangements we can help you.

Homestay
Student Residence
YWCA Hotel

Our families are well-screened and their homes are located within 30 to 40 minutes by metro or bus from the school.

If you are planning to stay with one of our homestay families, you can be picked up at Montreal-Trudeau Airport and driven to your homestay family at a cost of $100.

You can fill out our registration form.

We offer twelve 4-week courses a year. Please check our calendar for starting dates.

If you are a beginner student you cannot arrive after the beginning of a course. In some cases, you can join one of our classes after the beginning of the course. However, we strongly suggest that you try to respect our starting dates.

We have an average of 10 students per class. Our minimum is 5 students and our maximum 15.

Our students come from different countries. We are always working to maintain a good mix of nationalities.

See our statistics :

   - French department
   - English department
   - Spanish department

Our "Beginner 1" students know the alphabet, can read English a little, and have some very basic vocabulary. For people with no knowledge of English private lessons can be arranged.

Our Level 1 students know the alphabet in French, and have some very basic vocabulary. For people with no knowledge of English private lessons can be arranged.

If you are a Canadian Citizen or a Permanent Resident of Canada you’ll need to pay only the course fees. If you’re not, you must also pay a one-time only non-refundable registration fee of C$115.

We offer a membership to our sports centre to all students who register for our intensive program. This means that all the courses offered such as dance, yoga, aerobic, tai-chi, etc. are free of charge with your membership. This sports centre is located in the same building and the members come from the local community. The centre is open early in the morning until late at night during the week and on the week-ends. All the classes are offered in English or French which will give you extra language practice for free. Moreover, we have 2 swimming pools, saunas and a jacuzzi.

Every month we organise an international lunch where students and staff bring a dish from their country to share with others. We also celebrate Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day etc.. All these activities are greatly appreciated by everyone involved. See photos.

We work in partnership with agencies specialized in organizing student activities and trip so if you wish to go away for a week-end to visit Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto, Niagara Falls, or New York, or go skiing or kayaking etc.., we will be able to help you.

During the school year, our interns in Tourism will help you discover Montreal and its surroundings.

We strongly suggest that you buy some health insurance (not only travel insurance) before coming to Canada. Otherwise, health care costs can be very high without insurance coverage.

If you don't have health insurance, you may purchase it directly through the YMCA Language School upon arrival.

The gym membership is a gratuity that we offer for those programs. If you don't want to use it, there won't be any discounts to the price.

If you are an International Student you should: call us and come to the school as soon as you arrive in Montreal to have your test done. We also offer free tests every Wednesday from 12:30 to 6:00pm. Please check our annual calendar for the dates and times of the placement tests.