Waterloo Catholic District School Board | Canadian Association of Public Schools - International

Waterloo Catholic District School Board — International Education

Every year, students from around the world choose Waterloo Catholic District School Board for their Canadian education. Our six secondary schools welcome international students into the full life of the school, and virtually every program available to our Canadian students is available to our international students — with no additional fees for co-curricular participation.

We welcome students for a single semester, a full academic year, or a complete Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Short-term students are not visitors on the sidelines: they choose real courses, join teams and clubs from their first weeks, and leave with an official Ontario transcript recognized by schools and universities worldwide. Many arrive for one semester and ask to stay longer.

As a faith-based board, we educate the whole student: mind, character and spirit. Students of all faiths and backgrounds are welcomed into our school communities, where highly qualified teachers, dedicated guidance counsellors and school chaplains support each student personally. Families consistently tell us their children feel safe, known and cared for here.

Individualized academic planning

Each international student begins with a thorough assessment of academic background and English language proficiency, followed by an education plan built around their goals — whether that means a focused semester abroad or a four-year path to graduation. Our schools offer full English as a Second Language support, partial ESL support, or complete English immersion, so students are placed where they will succeed and challenged as their English grows.

Signature pathways

Students can pursue focused certificate programs that build genuine expertise. Requirements are scaled to each student’s length of study, and students enrolled for a single academic year can earn a specialized one-year international certificate.

Engineering Certificate Program — our flagship pathway for university-bound students. Participants complete senior Advanced Functions or Calculus and Vectors along with Chemistry or Physics — precisely the prerequisites Canadian engineering faculties require — and put that theory to work on competitive teams in robotics, e-car racing, precision machining and control systems. Graduates enter first-year engineering already able to think, build and troubleshoot like engineers, and many have gone on to study engineering at the University of Waterloo and other leading universities.
Health Sciences Certificate Program — a structured pathway for future doctors, nurses, researchers and kinesiologists. Senior Biology, Chemistry and mathematics are combined with dedicated Healthcare courses, participation in a health sciences club, and co-op placements in healthcare and community health settings, so students graduate with both the prerequisites and the confidence that comes from working in the field.
Global Leadership Program — international diplomacy, politics and Model United Nations, developing the research, public speaking and negotiation skills that leadership demands.
Elite Athlete Training Programs — structured strength, speed, endurance and recovery training for student-athletes competing at a high level, integrated into the school day.

These sit alongside Advanced Placement courses, Specialist High Skills Major programs, cooperative education placements with local employers, and dual credit courses delivered on Conestoga College campuses.

A well-connected place to study

Our schools sit within one of Canada’s strongest post-secondary communities — the University of Waterloo, St. Jerome’s University, Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College are all located in Waterloo Region. Our students visit these campuses, learn from their faculty, and complete placements with the employers who hire their graduates. Students who go on to graduate with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma apply to Canadian universities and colleges exactly as their Canadian classmates do, with Ontario grades, Canadian teacher references, and guidance counsellors who know the process well.

Welcome to our community

Beyond the classroom, students join athletic teams, arts programs, science and technology clubs, faith and service groups, and student leadership. Carefully screened homestay placements give students a warm Canadian family experience.

Program Established: 2006

Programs Offered: Full Year, 1 Semester, Short Term, Summer Camp

Language(s) of Study: English

Total number of schools: 55

High schools for international students: 6

Total Students: 30,000 K to 12

Total International Students: 225

International Students Accepted for Grades: JK-8; 9-12

Nearest Airport: Pearson International Airport (approx. 45 minut1 hour drive)

Welcome To Our Community…

Waterloo Region is one of Canada’s safest, friendliest and most exciting places to be a student. Made up of the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge and four surrounding townships, our community of nearly 700,000 people is among Canada’s ten largest urban areas — and one of its fastest growing. Ours is a warm, welcoming and multicultural community where newcomers from around the world quickly feel at home, and where students are surrounded by English every day, in and out of the classroom.

Known as Canada’s innovation capital, Waterloo Region is home to Google’s largest engineering office outside the United States, more than 1,500 technology companies, and Communitech, one of the world’s leading innovation hubs. It’s also home to the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and the Centre for International Governance Innovation — places where world-changing ideas are shaped.

Students who study here can continue right at home: the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College are all located within the Region and welcome thousands of international graduates each year.

Getting around and getting away is easy. The ION light rail and GO train connect our cities and link us to Toronto, roughly 90 minutes away. Toronto Pearson International Airport is about an hour’s drive, and Niagara Falls, the Great Lakes and Canada’s ski hills are all within a short trip.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Homestay & Student Care

International students studying in Waterloo Region’s Catholic Schools benefit from a comprehensive homestay program coordinated through the school district’s International Education department. Families and agencies supporting students can arrange every aspect of a student’s placement through our department, including custodianship, medical insurance, homestay accommodation and community engagement.

Our host families are recruited, screened and managed by two locally owned homestay companies based right here in Waterloo Region. Both have partnered with our program for close to twenty years — an unusually long relationship in this field, and one that reflects the trust we place in them. Because their staff live and work in the same community as our schools and host families, support is always local, personal and close at hand.

Homestays are carefully selected, and every effort is made to align the values, routines and expectations of the international student’s family with those of the host family. Placements are reviewed regularly to confirm that the home remains supportive and that appropriate supervision is in place. Where the school district is appointed as custodian or guardian, ongoing communication and reporting to parents is an expectation, so families always know how their child is doing.

A positive homestay experience is central to a student’s success. Students who feel settled and cared for at home arrive at school ready to learn — and many stay in touch with their Canadian host families long after they return home.

Student Life & Activities at Waterloo Region Catholic Schools

Waterloo Region Catholic Schools offer extra-curricular activities in all areas of interest — athletics, arts & sciences, technology, as well as numerous clubs. These activities and clubs are generally supervised and directed by trained coaches and teachers who ensure all students are engaged and developing both their technical and social skills. International visa students are invited and encouraged to participate fully in these opportunities, and no additional international fees are charged to visa students.

Orientation Week — Included in Your Program

Every international student begins with Orientation Week, held the week before classes start and included at no extra cost as part of our program. It’s a great way to make new friends, learn about your school and the wider community, and begin adjusting to a new culture — setting you up for a successful start to the year.

A typical Orientation Week includes:

A half day at your school — meet your guidance counsellor and student ambassadors, receive your timetable, tour the building, and find your classrooms before day one
A day of hiking and canoeing — get outdoors and experience the natural side of Ontario
A trip to Canada’s Wonderland — Canada’s largest amusement park
A tour of our region on the Light Rail Transit system — typically our closing activity, showing you how to get around Waterloo Region on your own

…and much more. By the first day of classes, students already know their way around, have met key staff, and have friendships in place.

Monthly Excursions

Once a month, we take international students on a group excursion with transportation subsidized by our program. International students can invite a local friend to join these excursions. Past and recurring destinations include Toronto, Niagara Falls, Canada’s Wonderland, and winter ice tubing — a mix of iconic Canadian landmarks, big-city experiences, and seasonal adventures that let students see far more of Ontario than a typical school year allows.

Monthly Open Gym Night

Each month we host an open gym night for international students at one of our secondary schools. It’s a relaxed, welcoming evening where students can drop in to play a wide variety of games and sports, stay active, and connect with classmates outside of the school day.

Competitive Athletics

Our secondary schools field teams in all the major competitive sports, and international students are welcome to try out alongside their Canadian peers. Representing your school is one of the fastest ways to build friendships, improve your English, and experience Canadian school spirit first-hand.

Clubs, Arts & School Life

Students can choose from an extensive list of clubs and activities, including Robotics, Electric Car, Outdoor Camping, Climbing, Model United Nations, and many more. Beyond clubs, school life is full of drama productions, school dances, spirit events, and student-led activities throughout the year — with something for every interest, whether a student’s passion is competition, creativity, the outdoors, or building something new.

Entrance Dates: September & February, throughout the year with some restrictions and limitations

Application Deadlines: through the year; recommended four months prior to admission date

Application Fee: $424

Full Year Tuition Fee: Secondary $16,500, Elementary $15,500

1 Semester Tuition Fee: One semester – Secondary $8,250, Elementary $7,750

Annual Homestay Placement Fee: $225

Homestay Monthly Fee: $1,300

Annual Health Insurance Fee: $560

Annual Custodianship Fee: $900

Airport Transfer: $340

Orientation Week Homestay: $325

All funds are in Canadian dollars

Prices are subject to change; please confirm fees during the application process.

General Inquiries Email: info@wcdsb.ca

Website: https://international.wcdsb.ca/

Mailing Address: 35 Weber Street West, Unit A, PO Box 91116

City: Kitchener

Province: Ontario

Postal Code: N2G 4G2

Phone: 519-578-3660 ext 2324

Fax: 519-743-9978

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