School Age Calculator Canada
You can use our international grade comparison chart for age and grade comparison by popular countries.
School Admission Age Canada
In Canada, school-age levels and admission cut-off dates can vary by province and sometimes by school district.
If a child's birthday falls after the cut-off date for the school year, they will typically have to wait until the following school year to start. For example, if a child turns 5 years old in January, and the cut-off date for Kindergarten is December 31, the child would not be eligible to start school until the next school year.
However, there are general guidelines and some standard practices across the country.
School Admission Age by Grade Level Canada
Kindergarten (K): Children who are 5 years old on or before the cut-off date for the school year. Some provinces, like Ontario, offer both Junior Kindergarten for 4-year-olds and Senior Kindergarten for 5-year-olds. In remaining provinces, Kindergarten is a single grade level for children turning 5 during the school year.
Grade 1: children are 6 by a certain cut-off date)
Grade 2–12: As children progress, they generally follow the typical age range of 7–17 years depending on their grade level.
Cutoff Dates for School Admission (By Province)
The cut-off date is the specific date by which a child must turn a certain age to be eligible for admission to school. This date can vary depending on the province or territory:
Province | cut-off date | Remarks |
Ontario | Cut-off date for Kindergarten is December 31 | Children must turn 4 years old by December 31 to enter Junior Kindergarten, and 5 years old to enter Senior Kindergarten. |
British Columbia | cut-off date for Kindergarten is December 31 | Children must turn 5 by this date to begin Kindergarten in that school year. |
Alberta | cut-off date for Kindergarten is December 31 | children must be 5 years old by this date to be eligible for Kindergarten |
Quebec | cut-off date for Kindergarten is September 30 | children must turn 5 by this date to attend Kindergarten |
Nova Scotia | cut-off date for Kindergarten is December 31 | children must be 5 years old by that date |
Manitoba | cut-off date is December 31 for Kindergarten | children must be 5 years old by the end of the calendar year to start Kindergarten |
Saskatchewan | cut-off date is January 31 | children must turn 5 years old by this date to enter Kindergarten |
School Admissions Age Calculator
Select country to determine school grade level and year of entry based on child age.