If you are weighing public school options in the Greater Toronto Area for a child who will study from overseas, the York Catholic District School Board (约克天主教教育局) is one of Ontario’s largest Catholic public boards and runs a dedicated International Education Program (IEP) that handles everything from placement to homestay. The board’s official websites are the only sources used for this guide, which covers programmes, entry requirements, published fees for 2026-27, and the practical support wrapped around an international application, all as of 5 August 2026.
York Catholic District School Board at a Glance
The York Catholic District School Board operates across York Region, north of Toronto, with its main office at 320 Bloomington Road West in Aurora. Its International Education Program site describes the region as one of the fastest-growing areas in North America: close enough to downtown Toronto for its culture and transit, but with the space and community feel of the suburbs.
The board’s own pages report 86 elementary schools and 17 secondary schools spread across nine municipalities (Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, Markham, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Whitchurch-Stouffville and King Township), serving roughly 50,000 students with more than 5,000 instructional staff. The IEP website describes the board as one of the top-performing boards in Ontario, citing results above the provincial average on the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) and EQAO assessments in Grades 3, 6 and 9, provincial leadership in graduation rates, and a claim that over 85% of students from its six ESL centre schools matriculate to four-year university programmes. Those are the board’s own characterisations, useful as a gauge of its track record rather than as a cross-district comparison.
Schools and Programmes
York Catholic District School Board elementary schools run from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8, with placement by year of birth and a school year that runs September to June; families may choose a full year or a single term. Teachers are certified by the Ontario College of Teachers and follow the Ontario Curriculum set by the province’s Ministry of Education. On the elementary side the board reports EQAO results consistently above the provincial average, with particular strength in reading and writing — nearly 9 in 10 students meeting or exceeding provincial expectations in Grade 6.
At the secondary level (Grades 9 to 12), the year is divided into two semesters, September to January and February to June, with four credit courses per semester. Graduation requires 30 credits (18 compulsory and 12 optional), a pass on the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, and 40 hours of community involvement, leading to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Students who need English support choose one of the six designated ESL centre schools, where English as a Second Language is offered at five levels as credit courses. High-achieving, highly English-proficient students may apply to Advanced Placement, Regional Arts or International Baccalaureate programmes (excluding St. Robert CHS), provided they live within the chosen school’s boundaries; specialty programmes carry additional school-level requirements.
Two further options round out the secondary offer of York Catholic District School Board. The Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) lets students apply at the end of Grade 10 and, over their final two years, complete an approved course bundle, a two-credit cooperative education placement, sector-linked learning activities, six to eight industry-recognized certifications and experiential learning. There are also gap-year certificates for students who have already finished secondary school at home — three tracks (ESL/STEM, ESL/Business, ESL/Humanities) worth a minimum of six credits — and customized short-term stays of two to six weeks focused on language immersion and cultural awareness, which do not earn credits.
Entry Requirements and Documents
Applications to York Catholic District School Board are accepted only through its secure online application system, submitted either by a parent or by a recruitment service provider holding a current agreement with the board; mailed, emailed or faxed applications are not accepted. Applicants name three preferred schools in order — secondary applicants choose from the six ESL centre schools — and the board makes every effort to place students at their first choice, subject to space. Secondary international students must be 18 or under.
The required documents are: a scan of the applicant’s passport photo page; a signed Student Success Agreement; transcripts or report cards for the last two years plus the current year, translated into English and uploaded as a single PDF or JPEG; and custodianship paperwork. The published academic threshold is a minimum average of 70% with no failures per academic year. Minor students not living with a parent must have an English-speaking custodian who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident aged 19 or older, with notarized custodianship declarations from both parent and custodian; students living with parents file a waiver instead. Elementary applicants submit a Roman Catholic baptismal certificate if Catholic, or a Non-Catholic Agreement — the board states that fee-paying international students are not required to be baptized, though the Catholicity requirement applies if a student later becomes non-fee-paying.
York Catholic District School Board publishes no single minimum English score for admission. English ability is assessed through the application process and, for secondary students, through mandatory Vital English and Vital Math online assessments after a Letter of Acceptance is issued; elementary students sit proficiency assessments at their school after the first day.
How to Apply and Key Dates
York Catholic District School Board offers two intakes: September (Semester 1) and February (Semester 2). Its application procedures document (revised January 2026) sets the following dates: for a September start, applications are accepted from 15 January with a submission deadline of 15 May; for a February start, from 15 September with a deadline of 15 November; deadlines shift to the next business day if they fall on a weekend or holiday. Processing and response take approximately 10 to 15 business days. Short-term stay requests must be submitted at least one month before the intended start.
Full payment — application fee, tuition and health insurance premium — is due at the moment of online submission; incomplete applications or those without full payment are not processed. The registration page banner is worth checking first: when this guide was written it read that registration was closed and would reopen on 15 September. Applications are reviewed by the International Education Program principal and are subject to space availability.
Tuition and Fees for 2026-27
The published 2026-27 fee schedule for York Catholic District School Board (January 2026 version) breaks down as follows. Full year, elementary or secondary: tuition CAD 16,900 plus CAD 550 insurance and a CAD 300 non-refundable application fee for new students — CAD 17,750 in total; renewal applications carry a CAD 100 fee. One semester: tuition CAD 8,450 plus CAD 265 insurance and the CAD 300 application fee, totalling CAD 9,015. Mini stays (1-2 weeks) and short-term stays (3-6 weeks) are billed at CAD 500 per week of tuition with insurance at CAD 1.75 per day of coverage and a CAD 350 application fee. Tuition excludes after-school, summer or evening programmes, and fees are subject to change without prior notice.
Homestay and custodianship are additional. Students not living with parents, relatives or family friends must arrange both through one of the board’s two approved providers: Canada Homestay Network (CHN) or Muskoka Language International (MLI). CHN lists a full-year (10-month) package at CAD 21,506 and a one-semester (5-month) package at CAD 11,756, including application deposit, registration, orientation, homestay, custodianship and round-trip airport transfers. MLI lists CAD 18,315 for a full year and CAD 9,803 for a semester, including application fee, homestay, custodianship, round-trip airport transfers and the bank fee for one wire transfer. Both providers note prices are subject to change.
Homestay, Custodianship and Student Support
Every international student at York Catholic District School Board must have an English-speaking custodian for the duration of enrolment. Homestay and custodianship must be arranged and the deposit paid with CHN or MLI before the board application is submitted, and the notarized custodianship declarations are uploaded inside the online application. If a student lives with a parent, a signed waiver of custodianship and homestay designation is required; a family member or family friend acting as custodian must be an English-speaking Canadian citizen or permanent resident aged 19 or older.
Health insurance is mandatory and is arranged by the board through StudyInsured, with the cost included in the annual fees; coverage begins on 1 September or 1 February depending on start date. Since September 2025 the insurance has included flexible mental-health support: access to fully qualified counsellors 24/7 in over 100 languages via video or instant messaging, confidential and private. The board’s mental-health department publishes a resource list, high schools have guidance counsellors for course selection and pathways planning, and school chaplains provide spiritual and emotional support.
Study Permit and Registration Steps
A study permit is required for students enrolling at York Catholic District School Board for a full semester or a full year; the board’s guide notes it is the applicant’s responsibility to leave enough time to apply through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and visa conditions should always be checked against IRCC’s official website. The sequence after approval is: the admissions office issues a Letter of Acceptance (LOA); secondary students complete the Vital English and Vital Math online assessments within two weeks of receiving the LOA; and before school starts, the student attends an in-person registration appointment at the board’s main office accompanied by a parent and/or custodian, presenting the registration form and study permit among other documents.
Refund Policy and Practical Notes
The refund policy of York Catholic District School Board: the application fee is non-refundable; no tuition is refunded once a Letter of Acceptance has been issued if the student withdraws for any reason; there is no refund if a student chooses a timetable of fewer than four courses in a semester, is withdrawn for violating school regulations, or changes immigration status during the year (for example by becoming a permanent resident). If a study permit is denied, parents may request either a deferral of the application and fees to a later term or a refund of tuition and insurance less a CAD 500 administration fee, presenting the original IRCC rejection letter and the original LOA. Refund processing takes approximately 6 to 8 weeks from receipt of complete documentation. Transfers of tuition fees to a sibling or another applicant are not permitted.
FAQ
Is baptism required for international students at York Catholic District School Board? No — fee-paying international students sign a Non-Catholic Agreement at the elementary level; the school day emphasizes Catholic values regardless. What if English is still developing? ESL is offered at five levels as credit courses at six designated centre schools, and no single minimum English score is published. When is the deadline? 15 May for a September start and 15 November for a February start, with full payment due at submission. Can a student live with relatives? Yes, with a signed waiver and a qualifying custodian aged 19 or older; otherwise homestay through CHN or MLI is required. What does the OSSD need? 30 credits, the literacy test and 40 hours of community involvement.
This guide is current as of 5 August 2026. Fees, deadlines and policies at York Catholic District School Board change each year — always confirm against the board’s official website before planning, and use the published fee schedule only as a budgeting baseline. If you are comparing school boards across Ontario’s Greater Toronto Area, our advisors can walk through how each district’s programme structure, ESL support and cost profile fits your child’s grade, English level and family situation.