Quick answer: In Canada, English and French classes for eligible newcomers are free: the federal LINC and CLIC programmes outside Quebec and Francisation Québec inside it. Other language courses cost roughly $329–$525 for an evening or continuing-studies course of 20–40 hours in our sources, $175–$375 at an Alliance Française, and $1,949–$6,985 for a university intensive English programme. All prices are in Canadian dollars.
Language course cost checker
Pick a course type to see the typical Canadian price range and where the figure comes from.
Prices change and depend on the size of the job, the property, access and location. Figures were last checked . Always get a written quote before work starts.
Request a free quoteCanada has two price systems. Government-funded language training, paid for by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or, in Quebec, by the provincial government, is free, but it is limited to English and French and to people with the right immigration status. Everything else, from Spanish evening classes to intensive academic English, is sold by school boards, universities, cultural institutes and private schools at their own prices. The table shows both. Every figure comes from a named source, checked in September 2026. Where we could not find a published price, such as typical private tutor rates in Canada, we have left the item out rather than guess.
Canadian language course prices
| Course type | Price | What you get | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| LINC or CLIC (federally funded) | Free | English (LINC) or French (CLIC) for permanent residents and protected persons; levelled on the Canadian Language Benchmarks. Metro Edmonton adds free childminding. | Improve your English or French: classes (canada.ca); LINC (settlement.org); LINC Program (metrocontinuingeducation.ca) |
| Francisation Québec | Free; $230 a week allowance for eligible full-time learners | Full-time 25–30 hours a week for about 10 weeks, or part-time 6–20 hours a week; childcare up to $25 a learning day per child | Learn French; Financial assistance for full-time French courses (quebec.ca) |
| School board adult English (ESL/EAL) | $0–$2,790 a term | TDSB (Toronto) and OCDSB (Ottawa) run free adult ESL for eligible learners; Metro Continuing Education (Edmonton) charges $2,790 plus $280 books for 15 weeks full-time (375 hours) | Adult ESL (tdsb.on.ca); LINC/ESL Program (ocdsb.ca); EAL/ESL Program (metrocontinuingeducation.ca) |
| School board evening language class | $329–$369 | Calgary Board of Education (Chinook): eight evening Spanish classes; textbook about $30 extra | Beginner Spanish – Level 1; Spanish for Parents – Level 1 (chinooklearningservices.com) |
| University continuing studies course | $479–$525 | UCalgary FRE 105 French 5, 40 hours online, $479; U of T French: Level I, $495 plus tax; McGill French@Work, 30 hours, $525 | FRE 105 French 5 (conted.ucalgary.ca); 0667 French: Level I (learn.utoronto.ca); French@Work (mcgill.ca) |
| University credit course | $100.89–$420.24 a credit | McGill continuing studies, summer 2026: Quebec rate $100.89, Canadian non-Quebec rate A $420.24, plus compulsory fees | Continuing Studies fees (Summer 2026) (mcgill.ca) |
| University intensive English | $1,949–$6,985 | uOttawa English Experience 3 weeks $1,949; uOttawa English Intensive Program $6,985 a term; UAlberta EAP 500 $4,958.16 plus fees | Session dates and fees (uottawa.ca); Academic English for Graduate Admission (ualberta.ca) |
| Cultural institute group course | $175–$375 | Alliance Française d’Edmonton: 12 hours $190, 16 hours $280, 24 hours $375 (early bird $175–$345); $25 membership | Pricing (afedmonton.com) |
| Library language apps | Free | Mango Languages and similar tools with a free library card in Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto and, for Quebec residents, through BAnQ | Mango Languages (epl.ca); Apprendre une langue à la maison gratuitement (banq.qc.ca); Mango Languages (biblioottawalibrary.ca) |
Per teaching hour, the paid options in our sources run from about $7 (Metro Edmonton’s 375-hour EAL/ESL programme) to about $18 (a 20-hour CBE Spanish course), with university continuing studies at roughly $12–$18 and the Alliance Française d’Edmonton at about $16. For who qualifies for the free options, read free English and French classes through LINC and CLIC and free French courses for newcomers to Quebec.
What drives the price
Immigration status. LINC is free for permanent residents and protected persons, but Settlement.Org lists citizens, refugee claimants and temporary residents such as international students as ineligible in Ontario. The OCDSB in Ottawa does not take visitors or people on work or study permits, and Metro Edmonton charges visitors $4,365 for the same EAL/ESL course that costs others $2,790.
Province. Quebec runs its own francisation system, open to residents aged 16 and over, with a participation allowance; elsewhere, French for newcomers comes through the federal CLIC programme.
Residency for credit courses. McGill charges $100.89 a credit at the Quebec rate and $420.24 at the rate for Canadians from outside Quebec admitted since fall 2024.
Booking early. The Alliance Française d’Edmonton knocks $15–$30 off each course for early registration, and the CBE’s Chinook prices some courses for two people ($609 for two on its Beginner Spanish course).
Extras to budget for
- Books. Chinook’s Spanish textbook is about $30; Metro Edmonton’s EAL/ESL books and materials are $280.
- Registration, membership and admission fees. Alliance Française de Toronto charges new students $25; the Alliance Française d’Edmonton $25 a year; UCalgary certificates a $105 admission fee; uOttawa’s language centre $100 for new students.
- Placement tests. The Alliance Française de Toronto charges $20.
- Cancellation charges. The Alliance Française de Toronto deducts $75 from refunds; uOttawa keeps a $200 administrative fee on English Experience refunds.
- Test fees. Immigration tests such as CELPIP, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada are booked and paid for separately: see language tests for Express Entry.
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How to keep the cost down
- If you are a permanent resident or protected person, start with a free language assessment and LINC or CLIC; in Quebec, apply to Francisation Québec.
- Use your library card: Mango Languages is free through Edmonton, Ottawa and Toronto public libraries, and BAnQ membership is free for Quebec residents.
- Keep receipts. Alliance Française Ottawa says its training fees qualify for the tuition tax credit; check your own position with the Canada Revenue Agency.
- Compare the hourly cost, not the headline price, and read tutoring vs group classes before paying for one-to-one lessons.
Local detail is in our guides for Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa and Edmonton. You can also compare course types.
Are English classes free in Canada?
For eligible newcomers, yes. IRCC funds LINC (English) and CLIC (French) at no cost for permanent residents and protected persons, and school boards such as the TDSB and OCDSB run free adult ESL.
Are French classes free in Quebec?
Yes. The Quebec government offers free French courses to residents aged 16 and over, and eligible full-time learners can receive $230 a week.
How much does a French evening course cost in Canada?
In our sources, $175–$375 for 12–24 hours at the Alliance Française d’Edmonton, and $479–$525 for a 30–40-hour university continuing studies course.
Can international students take LINC?
No. Temporary residents, including students and workers, are generally not eligible, so they pay for courses at colleges, universities or private schools.
Do I need a certificate as well as a course?
Only if an employer, university or immigration programme asks for one. For permanent residence, IRCC accepts five approved tests: see language tests for Express Entry.
Sources
- Improve your English or French: classes (canada.ca)
- LINC – Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (settlement.org)
- Learn French; Financial assistance for full-time French courses (quebec.ca)
- Adult ESL (tdsb.on.ca)
- LINC/ESL Program (ocdsb.ca)
- LINC Program; EAL/ESL Program (metrocontinuingeducation.ca)
- Beginner Spanish – Level 1; Spanish for Parents – Level 1 (chinooklearningservices.com)
- FRE 105 French 5; Certificate in French Language and Culture – FSL Foundations (conted.ucalgary.ca)
- 0667 – French: Level I (learn.utoronto.ca)
- French@Work; Continuing Studies fees (Summer 2026) (mcgill.ca)
- Session dates and fees (uottawa.ca)
- Academic English for Graduate Admission (ualberta.ca)
- Pricing (afedmonton.com)
- General Policies (alliance-francaise.ca)
- French group courses (af.ca)
- Mango Languages (epl.ca)
- Apprendre une langue à la maison gratuitement (banq.qc.ca)
Last checked: September 2026. Course fees change each term, so confirm the price when you enrol. All prices are in Canadian dollars.
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