Secondary 5 ministry exams
Secondary 5 is not harder than Secondary 4, but it counts more: the marks end up in the R score that decides CEGEP admission, and the ministry exams are worth 50% of the final mark for the competencies they evaluate. At the heart of the year: the French writing exam and the second language exam.
The ministry has published the 2026-2027 schedule: French writing takes place on December 3, 2026 or May 6, 2027, depending on the session. Every date is on our exam calendar.
The exams of the year
French, language of instruction: writing (uniform exam)
3 h 15 · on December 3, 2026 or on May 6, 2027The exam of the year in the French sector. Students receive a preparatory dossier (3 to 5 texts on a theme) a few days ahead, then write an argumentative text of about 500 words defending a clear thesis based on the dossier. Reference works are allowed. The mark feeds directly into the R score used for CEGEP admission.
English as a Second Language (core or enriched)
several components · in January or in May and June 2027French-sector students write it in the core or the enriched program. Core program: a preparatory task and an oral interaction, then a written production. Enriched program: a preparation booklet, listening to an audio document followed by a discussion, then a written production. It is less a knowledge exam than a fluency exam: short conversations in English in the preceding weeks prepare better than hours of grammar.
Three sessions a year: January, May and June, then the August retakes. Exact dates and times are on the ministry exam calendar.
Practise under real conditions
For French writing, nothing replaces practising the exact format: a dossier, 3 h 15, one complete argumentative text. Our practice exam follows the official format and evaluation criteria, answer key included.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Secondary 5 French writing exam?
In 2026-2027 it takes place on December 3, 2026 in the January session and on May 6, 2027 in the May and June session, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. (3 h 15). The preparatory dossier is handed out one week before: November 26, 2026 or April 29, 2027. Ask the school which session your child is registered for.
Why does the French exam matter for the R score?
According to the ministry, the exam counts for 50% of the final mark for the competency evaluated, writing. That result weighs in the Secondary 5 French mark, and that mark follows the student into CEGEP admissions. A few points on the argumentative text can echo into selective program admissions, well after high school.
My child is in an English school. Which exams apply?
In the English sector, Secondary 5 students write the English Language Arts and French as a second language ministerial exams, and the Secondary 4 exams (history, science, mathematics) exist in English as well. The exact list varies with the pathway, so confirm it with your school or school board.
Does my child have to write the English exam? And the math one?
English, yes: the ministry schedule includes a Secondary 5 English as a second language exam in French-sector schools, core or enriched depending on the program. Mathematics, no: the official 2026-2027 schedule has no Secondary 5 ministerial mathematics exam. The ministry math exams take place in Secondary 4.
What happens after a failed Secondary 5 exam?
The August 2027 session offers these exams again: French writing on July 27 (preparatory dossier handed out on July 20), English as a second language written production on July 30, and in the English sector, English Language Arts on July 27 and 28. For a graduating student, the retake can condition the diploma and fall CEGEP entry: targeted preparation between the two sessions is not optional.
If the French mark worries you, it gets fixed before the exam, not after: five or six targeted sessions on the structure of the argumentative text can raise a final mark by several points. Our packages and prices are on the pricing page, and online matching with a tutor takes 24-48 h.