Toronto

Toronto families can consider publicly funded secular and Catholic schools, French-language schools and independent schools. Eligibility, location and available places help determine the realistic options. A school’s reputation or fee alone does not tell you whether it can support your child.

Visit with specific questions about teaching, language learning, additional needs, class organisation and everyday routines. An independent school may offer a preferred curriculum, single-sex environment or boarding, but support must be confirmed individually. Avoid assuming that every public or private school provides the same services.

Toronto city boundaries also matter. A home elsewhere in the Greater Toronto Area may be served by another board. Oakville, for example, is outside Toronto even though schools there often appear in a regional shortlist.

TDSB’s non-resident admission guidance explains the routes for work-permit families, pending applications, parental study permits and other statuses. Work-permit parents must physically reside in Ontario. Pending applications require an admissions-office letter before school registration, with renewal each semester under the published guidance. Study-permit exemptions have their own programme and documentation conditions.

The board’s school locator shows the designated school for an exact address, and the school confirms placement. Out-of-area admission and specialist programmes have separate rules. For a mid-year arrival, contact the board as soon as you know your circumstances; the nearest school is not guaranteed to have a place.

Early French Immersion begins in JK. For September 2027 entry, applications open November 2, 2026 at 9 a.m. and close November 27 at 4 p.m. The current eligibility description covers children born in 2023 and living in Toronto. The board guarantees a programme place for eligible on-time applicants, but may redirect them to another school.

Late applications can join a waitlist until May 31, 2027 at 4 p.m., without a place guarantee. Offers must be accepted by their response deadline. Transport is arranged separately, including the collection point and arrangements after activities.

Middle French Immersion starts in Grade 4 and has a separate application process. French immersion is designed for families who do not speak French at home; it is different from admission to a French-language school board. Discuss language and learning support for your child whichever route you choose.

TDSB offers IB at Monarch Park, Parkdale, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Victoria Park and Weston. Subject choices differ between schools. The board’s IB page lists entry grades, assessment requirements and available subjects; later entry depends on vacancies.

The published charge is CAD 3,300 across Grades 9–12: CAD 550 in each of Grades 9 and 10, then CAD 1,100 in each Diploma year. Fees are non-refundable. Subsidies are available under the board’s income and documentation rules. The schedule contains earlier-cohort payment dates and says charges may change, so confirm the amount and deadlines for 2027 entry.

The current IB assessment is scheduled in person for December 7, 2026, with December 14 as the weather alternative. The board says it will not accommodate travel conflicts. Review eligibility and the central application process before arranging a move around this programme.

TDSB also offers arts, alternative schools and other specialist programmes through its Central Program Admissions Office. Their applications are distinct from ordinary school registration. Ask which process applies to your child’s interests and year group.

TCDSB teaches Ontario’s curriculum in a Catholic setting. Elementary admission has specific religious eligibility and documentation rules, including routes involving the child or parent’s Catholic status. Consult the elementary admission information for the full criteria and exceptions.

Secondary applicants do not have to be baptised Catholic. Space, residence and admission priorities still affect placement. Families should also understand religious education and the school’s daily faith practices before choosing it.

All amounts below are Canadian dollars. Most are 2026–27 figures; TFS’s undated schedule is identified separately. These summaries are starting points rather than complete bills: joining charges, payment plans, included services and support or boarding costs all change the total.

• University of Toronto Schools (UTS) — co-ed, Grades 7-12, affiliated with the University of Toronto and merit-selected by entrance exam; 2026-27 tuition is CAD 40,400 plus CAD 9,500 enrolment. UTS enrols only citizens, permanent residents and children of work-permit holders living in the GTA — no study-permit international students. ↗
• TFS — Canada’s International School — the bilingual French-English school with IB programmes, co-ed, pre-K to Grade 12. Current published schedule: $39,720 (JK/SK), $41,860 (Grades 1-10), $45,140 (Grades 11-12), plus a $10,000 one-time registration fee; the school does not date the schedule on its page, so confirm the year when you enquire. ↗
• Upper Canada College (UCC) — boys, IB continuum, day and boarding, founded 1829. 2026-27 day tuition $44,940 (JK-Year 5), $46,730 (Years 6-10), $48,720 (Years 11-12), plus a $10,000 registration fee; international boarding CAD 87,580–89,570, with CAD 7,500 registration for new boarders. Senior pupils have different qualification pathways; see the profile for details. ↗
• Branksome Hall — girls, IB, day and boarding on a ravine campus. 2026-27 day $45,140 (JK-Grade 10) and $49,210 (Grades 11-12); boarding $86,640-90,710; $9,500 initial registration fee. ↗
• Havergal College — girls, day and boarding. 2026-27 day $45,670 across JK-Grade 12; boarding $83,485 (Canadian) / $87,485 (international); $9,500 registration fee. ↗
• Crescent School — boys, Grades 3-12. 2026-27 tuition $46,270 all grades, lunch included, plus a $10,000 enrolment fee. ↗
• Appleby College — co-ed, Oakville (west GTA), day and boarding. 2026-27 day $48,130 (Grades 7-8), $53,070 (Grades 9-10), $58,430 (Grade 11); international boarding base tuition is CAD 96,010. The lump-sum plan lists CAD 97,440 including tuition refund insurance. New pupils pay CAD 8,500 enrolment, and new boarders also pay CAD 1,500 orientation. ↗
• The York School — co-ed, full IB continuum (PYP/MYP/DP) in midtown. 2026-27 tuition $45,065 JK-Grade 12, plus a CAD 10,000 registration fee. The CAD 7,500 first tuition instalment is part of tuition, not an extra charge. ↗
• Bayview Glen — co-ed, Don Mills. We could not load its fee page, so no figure is given here. ↗
• St. Michael’s College School — boys, Catholic independent, Grades 7–12. Its 2026–27 base tuition is CAD 25,400. The published new-student totals are CAD 32,200–34,050 by grade, including the CAD 5,000 capital fee and listed grade-specific charges. Other expenses remain additional. ↗

For 2027 entry, UTS lists a December 1, 2026 application deadline. Its main intakes are Grades 7 and 9, with limited places in some older grades. Applicants must meet its residency and status criteria. Read the UTS profile for the current cycle and source inconsistencies.

UCC’s boarding applications are rolling, while its day process follows grade-specific requirements. Branksome Hall also accepts rolling boarding applications. A mid-year move therefore requires an availability enquiry rather than a blanket assumption that every school is closed. The linked profiles explain their current approaches.

Financial assistance depends on school, entry grade and family circumstances. For example, UCC’s published day eligibility starts with Canadian citizens in Year 5, while Havergal offers support for Upper School entrants and publishes a December 23, 2026 bursary deadline. Eligibility, coverage and renewal terms differ; merit scholarships and needs-based bursaries are different awards. UCC assistance; Havergal assistance.

Ontario’s diploma requires 30 credits, a literacy requirement and 40 hours of community involvement. The compulsory-credit mix depends on when the pupil entered Grade 9. Online-learning requirements have an opt-out process, and a financial-literacy requirement applies to pupils who began Grade 9 in 2025–26 or later. The current provincial requirements set out the rules for each cohort.

Ask the receiving school to assess previous study and provide a graduation plan. Not every overseas course transfers directly, and a senior move may leave too little time to complete prerequisites. University requirements differ by institution and programme.

For learning support, bring existing plans and assessments, and ask what the school can provide from the start. Discuss staffing, classroom adjustments, language support and communication with parents. For IB examinations, confirm the separate approval process for accommodations.