CEGEP Admission for Winter 2027: Deadline, Rounds and Fees
To start CEGEP in winter 2027 in Quebec, your Round 1 application must be submitted and paid by November 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., whether you apply through SRAM, SRACQ or SRASL. You pick one program at one CEGEP per round, and the first answers arrive in mid-November 2026.
Already in CEGEP and aiming for a limited-enrolment university program next? Check where you stand with our R score calculator — that score, not your CEGEP application, is what university admission will use.
What is the deadline to apply to CEGEP for winter 2027?
The Round 1 deadline is November 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. for all three Quebec regional admission services: SRAM (metropolitan Montreal), SRACQ (the Quebec City region) and SRASL (Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean). Regular applications for winter 2027 opened on September 15, 2026, at SRAM, which handles 32 public CEGEPs and more than 100 programs.
As of October 21, 2026, you have 11 days left. Your application must also be paid to be processed, and an incomplete file may only be reviewed in the next round: file a few days early. Contrast with fall 2027 (Round 1 on March 1, 2027, every program open): in winter, the list of open programs is shorter, which makes the Round 1 choice more strategic.
Which service do you apply through: SRAM, SRACQ or SRASL?
You apply through the regional service your target CEGEP belongs to: SRAM for 32 CEGEPs, mostly in metropolitan Montreal, SRACQ for CEGEPs in the Quebec City region and eastern Quebec, and SRASL for Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. Each service runs its own application site, its own applicant file and its own answer dates.
In each round, you make a single choice: one program, at one CEGEP, per admission service. You can, however, apply through more than one service if you are torn between two regions — one SRAM CEGEP and one SRACQ CEGEP, for example — but each application is managed separately, with its own fee.
| Regional service | CEGEPs covered | Apply online |
|---|---|---|
| SRAM | 32 CEGEPs, metropolitan Montreal and beyond | admission.sram.qc.ca |
| SRACQ | Quebec City and eastern Quebec | sracq.qc.ca |
| SRASL | Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean | srasl.qc.ca |
So check your CEGEP's own site first to see which service it belongs to: using the wrong portal burns the last few days before the deadline.
How do the winter 2027 admission rounds work?
Admission runs in successive rounds: in Round 1, you submit your first choice; if you are refused, you can submit a new choice in the next round, without rebuilding your file or paying the fee again within the same service. With every round, the list of programs still open gets shorter, because seats fill up.
| Service | Round 1 | Round 1 answer | Round 2 | Round 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRAM | November 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. | November 17, 2026 | November 25, 2026, 11:59 p.m. | To come, per SRAM |
| SRACQ | November 1, 2026 | November 18, 2026 | December 1, 2026 | January 2, 2027 |
| SRASL | November 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. | Per SRASL | Per SRASL | Per SRASL |
Original worked example — the real cost of an SRAM refusal. You are refused on November 17, 2026: you have exactly 8 days, until November 25 at 11:59 p.m., to submit a new Round 2 choice. Eight days is short to compare the programs still open, so build your plan B now, while you file your first choice — not after the answer lands. At SRACQ, a Round 1 refusal (answer on November 18) leaves you until December 1, and a Round 2 refusal can still be followed by a Round 3 until January 2, 2027, with late admissions from January 3 to 11, 2027, at some CEGEPs.
Which programs are open in winter, and which are closed?
In winter, only some programs take new students, and the list varies from CEGEP to CEGEP: Natural Science, Social Science, Nursing and Springboard to a DEC often come back, but other programs are closed for the term, or open only to people who have already completed a term in that same program. In the fall, by contrast, every program is open in Round 1.
So check the winter 2027 open-programs table on your service's site before you build your plan: a closed program cannot be chosen, even in Round 1. If yours is closed, two real options: start in winter in an open program close to your goal (Springboard to a DEC, to complete prerequisites), or wait for fall 2027. Also note: several CEGEPs warn that a winter start can stretch the pathway beyond the planned duration, since course sequences assume a fall start — worth planning for if you later aim at a limited-enrolment university program where your R score in your DEC program will count.
What requirements do you have to meet to be admitted to CEGEP?
The general requirement, set by the College Education Regulations, is a Secondary School Diploma (DES), or a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DEP) together with Secondary 5 language of instruction, Secondary 5 second language and Secondary 4 mathematics. A CEGEP can also admit someone whose education it deems equivalent.
On top of that come program prerequisites — specific high school mathematics or science courses, for example — and sometimes a test, interview or audition. Conditional admission is possible with at most 6 missing units toward the DES, to be completed in the first term. Selection rests mainly on the school record: Secondary 4 results and Secondary 5 results compiled at application time (plus college results, if you have already attended CEGEP). Your high school grades open the door — no R score yet at this stage.
How much does a CEGEP application cost?
At SRAM, the application fee is $30 for the term, and that amount covers your participation in the other rounds of the same term within the same service: if you are refused, you do not pay again for Round 2 or Round 3. Your application is only processed, however, if the payment has been received by the deadline.
Original worked example — two regions, two applications. If you are torn between a CEGEP in metropolitan Montreal and one in the Quebec City region, you can file one application with SRAM and another with SRACQ: budget each service's fee separately, up front, instead of discovering a second payment to make on the evening of October 31. Also keep in mind the fees that follow admission — registration and per-term charges, which are specific to each CEGEP — once your seat is confirmed.
Payment is made online when you apply, by credit card depending on the service. Do not let a payment problem turn an on-time application into an unprocessed file.
Does the R score get you into CEGEP?
No: the R score plays no role in CEGEP admission. It comes later, for admission to limited-enrolment university programs, where it compares students coming from different CEGEPs. For winter 2027 CEGEP admission, what decides is your high school record, your prerequisites and the seats available.
The two rankings simply follow each other: first the high school record for CEGEP, then the R score — from your grades in each college course, your Z score and your group's strength — for university. If you aim at medicine, your R score will be built at CEGEP; our guide to the R score for medicine lists published thresholds, and you can test scenarios with the R score calculator. One more myth: a "stronger" CEGEP gives no R score advantage, since the calculation levels the field. Pick the setting where you will succeed.
What should you do if you are refused in winter 2027 Round 1?
A Round 1 refusal is not the end of the road: you take part in the next round within the same service, with no new file and no new fee, choosing the same program at another CEGEP, a different program at the same CEGEP, or a new program at a new CEGEP. The refusal letter placed in your file states the reason — no seats left, or a missing prerequisite, for example.
Your room to manoeuvre depends on the calendar: at SRAM, only 8 days separate the Round 1 answer (November 17, 2026) from the Round 2 deadline (November 25, 2026). So prepare, in October, a short list of realistic plan Bs among the programs that will still be open, instead of improvising under pressure.
If no winter round works, two doors remain: January late admissions, based on remaining seats, and fall 2027 Round 1, on March 1, 2027, when every program reopens. A one-term delay is not lost if you complete a prerequisite or work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CEGEP application deadline for winter 2027?
Round 1 closes on November 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. for SRAM, SRACQ and SRASL. Round 1 answers arrive in mid-November: November 17, 2026, at SRAM and November 18, 2026, at SRACQ. Your application must be paid to be processed, and an incomplete file may only be reviewed in the following round, so file a few days ahead of the deadline.
How much does a CEGEP application cost?
At SRAM, the application fee is $30 for the winter 2027 term, and it also covers your participation in Rounds 2 and 3 of the same term within the same service: if you are refused, you do not pay again. If you also file with a second regional service, such as SRACQ on top of SRAM, a separate fee applies to each service, payable by each service's deadline.
Can you pick more than one program or CEGEP in your application?
Not within the same service: in each round, you submit a single choice — one program at one CEGEP. That is what makes Round 1 strategic, especially in winter when fewer programs are open. You can, however, file a separate application with another regional service, for example one SRAM CEGEP and one SRACQ CEGEP, if you are torn between two regions.
Is the R score used for CEGEP admission?
No. CEGEP admission is based on your high school record — Secondary 4 results and the Secondary 5 results compiled at the time of application — on your prerequisites and on available seats. The R score comes later: it is calculated from your college courses and is used for admission to limited-enrolment university programs, such as medicine or law.
What happens if you are refused in Round 1?
You can take part in the next round within the same service, without rebuilding your file or paying the fee again: the same program at another CEGEP, a different program at the same CEGEP, or a new program at a new CEGEP. At SRAM the window is tight: the answer lands on November 17, 2026, and your new choice is due by November 25, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Prepare your plan B before the answer arrives.
Which programs are open for winter 2027?
The list varies by CEGEP and admission service: Natural Science, Social Science, Nursing and Springboard to a DEC are often open, but many programs are closed for the winter or reserved for students already enrolled in the program. Check the open-programs table on your service's site (SRAM, SRACQ or SRASL) before you apply: a closed program cannot be chosen, even in Round 1.
What are the general CEGEP admission requirements?
You need a Secondary School Diploma (DES), or a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DEP) with Secondary 5 language of instruction, Secondary 5 second language and Secondary 4 mathematics. Program-specific prerequisites, such as certain high school mathematics or science courses, come on top. Conditional admission is possible with at most 6 missing units toward the DES, to be completed during your first term.