Why Montreal is the Perfect City for (Language) Students

We’ve said it before: Montreal is a great place to live, especially for those who are learning a language. And while we think there’s a place for everyone here, the city is especially welcoming to international students—so much so that it has ended up at the top of various rankings of the best student cities around the world. 

Many of these lists cite Montreal’s plethora of CEGEPs and universities (the city has the highest concentration of post-secondary institutions and the most students per capita of any city in North America!), but that’s only the start of what makes it a great place to study. 

Read on to discover why we think Montreal is the perfect city for anyone looking to study languages abroad.

1. It’s linguistically diverse

We’ve written before about Montreal’s linguistic diversity and how it lends itself to language learning, but it bears repeating. More than half of Montrealers are bilingual, and (as of 2016) nearly a million of us (accounting for over 20%) are trilingual, making Montreal the most trilingual city in Canada. 

What does that mean for you? Studies have shown that it’s easier to learn a language when you’re regularly exposed to it. And with allophones (those whose first language is neither French nor English) making up over 20% of Montreal’s population, there’s a good chance you’ll find someone to practice with in Montreal!

2. There’s almost always a festival going on

There’s a reason Time Out recently listed Montreal as one of the best cities in the world. As the Time Out editors note in their piece, “there’s never been a more exciting time to visit Montreal”—thanks in large part to the post-COVID return of all of our festivals, concerts and art exhibitions. Spending time in Montreal means discovering exciting new cultural experiences at every turn. The only downside: deciding between all of the things you want to do! 

3. It’s one of the safest cities in North America

Thinking of coming to Montreal alone? You may (understandably) find yourself feeling a bit nervous, but fear not: Montreal is one of the safest cities on the continent, and is located in one of the safest countries in the world! 

4. You’ll never run out of new places to eat 

Montrealers love good food, and that love has translated into a vibrant, diverse culinary scene, which is already bouncing back from the effects of the pandemic. Give some of the city’s quintessential dishes a try (including poutine, naturally) or explore some of the restaurants deemed to be Montreal’s best. On a student budget? There are plenty of affordable options to be found!

5. It’s a tech hub (with plenty of tech jobs for new grads!)

Montreal is the world leader in artificial intelligence and a leader in the number of information technology jobs available, which makes it a desirable place to settle for those pursuing degrees in tech. Many companies will pay for their employees to learn French and/or English upon their arrival in Montreal at schools like E-QIP. A new job and a new language? As if you needed two reasons to come to Montreal...

Ready to make the move? Check out our Montreal-based classes, including our Connect 15 and Explore 30 English language programs, which were specifically designed for students joining us from abroad!