Admissions
From anywhere in the world, to a classroom of 18.
OSSD credits in Grades 9 to 12, with ESL and ELD offered as Ontario Ministry credit courses. Classes are capped at 18, and students can join at any point in the school year.
What do international students need to earn the OSSD?
What you need to earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) depends on the year you started Grade 9. You must earn compulsory and optional credits, at least 2 online learning credits and the literacy graduation requirement. If you started Grade 9 in 2024 or later, you must also meet the financial literacy graduation requirement. You also need at least 40 hours of community involvement activities (volunteering). English language learners may count up to 3 credits in English as a second language (ESL) or English Literacy Development (ELD) towards the 4 compulsory credits in English. Your fourth credit must be a Grade 12 compulsory English course. Both campuses run high school programs inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education to grant OSSD credits.
Welcome
An international education with OSSD credits.
Thank you for including Prestige School in your search for an international education. Our two campuses — in Toronto and Richmond Hill, Ontario — both run high school programs inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education to grant Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) credits. All credits earned here are recognized by Canadian universities and colleges.
Prestige School has welcomed students from across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas. Our principal, Olga Margold, has built a school community that genuinely reflects the multicultural character of Toronto — where international students do not stand out, they belong.
Studying in Canada for longer than six months generally requires a study permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Processing times vary by country, so it is worth starting early.
Studying in Canada — General Guidance
How the Canadian process generally works. Your family's circumstances are specific to you.
- A study permit is issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and is generally required for programs of study longer than six months
- IRCC requires a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution as part of the application — ask our admissions team what this means for your family
- Proof of financial support and a valid passport are needed
- Processing times vary by country — begin early
- Some countries require biometric data collection
- Permits must be renewed if the program extends beyond the permit's validity
This is general information, not immigration advice, and requirements change. For country-specific requirements, consult the official Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website at canada.ca.
Support at Prestige School
How we support international students.
ESL & ELD Programs
We offer English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at five levels and English Literacy Development (ELD) for students who need foundational language support. Both are offered as Ontario Ministry of Education credit courses in Grades 9–12.
Small Class Sizes
With a maximum of 18 students per class, international students receive the individual attention they need to transition smoothly into Canadian curriculum and classroom culture.
Multilingual Community
Prestige School reflects the multicultural city of Toronto. Our student body includes international students from across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas, many of whom speak multiple languages — creating a genuinely inclusive environment.
French from Kindergarten
Students at Prestige School study French as a subject from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12 (Core French). This supports language development alongside English.
University Counselling
For high school international students, our university counselling program — which begins in Grade 9 — helps navigate Canadian post-secondary options and supports applications to universities in Canada and abroad.
Learning English
English that earns credits, not English that delays them.
The hardest part of arriving mid-way through a school career is the feeling that language is costing you time. At Prestige, it does not. Our English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development courses are Ontario Ministry of Education credit courses — every level a student completes is a credit on their Ontario Secondary School Diploma, earned while they learn.
Start at the level you are actually at
ESL runs from Level 1 to Level 5, and ELD — for students who need foundational literacy support — runs the same five levels. A student begins where they are, not where a calendar says they should be.
Every level is worth a credit
Each ESL and ELD course carries one Ontario credit and is an Open course, so it counts toward the OSSD alongside the rest of the timetable. Learning English is part of the diploma, not a detour around it.
Academic subjects run alongside, not after
Students take their other Ontario courses at the same time. Nobody spends a year in a language holding pattern before being allowed to study mathematics or science.
A maximum of 18 students in a class
Class sizes are capped at 18 students. A teacher who has eighteen students knows which of them is nodding along and which one has actually understood the question.
And French, from Junior Kindergarten
Prestige students study Core French from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12. Students arriving into the elementary grades join that alongside their classmates.
The student experience
A school where nobody is the only one from somewhere else.
Prestige School has welcomed students from across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. That matters less as a statistic than as a daily fact: a student arriving from abroad is not the only one, is not a novelty, and is not asked to explain themselves. They are one of a group of people who all got here from somewhere.
Arrive when you need to arrive
Prestige School accepts students at any point in the school year. Families whose plans change in October are not told to wait until next September.
Small enough that somebody notices
With a maximum of 18 students in a class, a teacher notices the week a student goes quiet. In a school of this size, a settling-in problem is caught by a person rather than by a process.
Clubs, teams and a full day
Students join clubs and teams alongside their classmates, and the school day runs long, with before-school and after-school care. Friendships tend to get made in the hours either side of lessons.
University counselling from Grade 9
Our university counselling programme begins in Grade 9 and supports applications to universities in Canada and abroad. Families who are not familiar with the Canadian system get guidance from Grade 9 rather than a scramble in Grade 12.
Two campuses, one school
Both the Toronto Campus and the Richmond Hill Campus welcome international students, and both run high school programmes inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education to grant OSSD credits.
Living in Canada
Understanding Canada, not just studying in Canada.
Culture is not a module on a timetable. It is picked up in a classroom discussion, at a club meeting, and in the ordinary business of a school day. What Prestige School can offer is a Canadian school with enough international students in it that the learning goes both ways.
The Ontario curriculum, taught in Ontario
Students follow the provincial curriculum in schools inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education. The history, the literature and the civics are the ones their Canadian classmates are learning — because they are the same classmates.
Canada's other language, from the start
Core French runs from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12. For a student new to Canada, French is not an extra — it is part of understanding the country they have moved to.
Two campuses in the Greater Toronto Area
Our campuses sit in Toronto and Richmond Hill, and the school reflects them. A student is learning Canadian culture in a place where Canadian culture is already made of many others.
Ask us the things a brochure cannot answer
Families arrive with different questions — about their child, their timing, and their own circumstances. A person who can hear the specifics can answer those. Send us the question and our admissions team will talk it through with you.
Talk to admissions
Tell us about your student.
A few details are all we need to start — your name, your email, and the grade your child is in now. Anything else you add helps us give you a more useful answer. If your family has questions about your particular circumstances, tell us and we will talk them through with you directly.
After Prestige
University counselling from Grade 9.
Prestige School reports 100% University/Post-Secondary Acceptance. Our university counselling programme begins in Grade 9 and supports applications to universities in Canada and abroad.
FAQ
International student questions.
Do international students need a study permit?
Yes. International students planning to study in Canada for more than six months require a study permit issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Students studying for less than six months may not require a permit — check the IRCC website for current requirements.
What documents are needed before applying for a study permit?
Before submitting a study permit application, families typically need a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution, proof of identity and financial support, and (in some cases) a biometrics appointment. Requirements vary by country — refer to the official IRCC website for your country-specific checklist, and speak to our admissions team about how this applies to your family.
Can my child enrol during the school year?
Yes — Prestige School accepts students at any point in the school year, once the admissions assessment has been completed. If your family is arriving from outside Canada, please raise your circumstances with our admissions team early so nothing is assumed on either side.
We are moving from another school. Who can answer questions about our specific situation?
Our admissions team. Families' circumstances differ — timing, previous schooling, and the paperwork that goes with an international move. Those are questions for a person who can hear the specifics, not for a web page. Send us your situation using the international student enquiry form and we will talk it through with you.
Is there additional support for international students during the transition?
Our small class sizes mean teachers are aware of their students' situations. ESL and ELD programs provide structured language support. Our school community — which includes students and families from many cultural backgrounds — makes integration genuinely welcoming.
Which campuses accept international students?
Both the Toronto Campus (21 Eddfield Avenue, M2N 2M5) and the Richmond Hill Campus (11 Headdon Gate, L4C 9W9) welcome international students.
Are ESL and ELD offered for credit?
Yes. ESL and ELD are offered as Ontario Ministry of Education credit courses in Grades 9–12.
Get In Touch
We would be pleased to connect with your family.
Whether you have a question, would like to arrange a campus tour, or are ready to begin the admissions process, our team is here to support you every step of the way.
Office Hours
Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM