It means Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel or College of General and Vocational Education. All public colleges offer two kinds of programs:
- The two-year general programs for students who wish to continue their education at the university level and,
- The three-year specialized career programs designed for students who wish to enter the labour force upon graduation. Marianopolis College offers only pre-university programs.

The public CEGEPS are tuition-free for students who were born in Quebec or who can prove residence in Quebec. Otherwise there is a fee of $832 per semester for non-residents. Generally the only costs to student are the activity and registration fees plus books and supplies. As a private college, Marianopolis charges tuition fees. The International Baccalaureate Program at Champlain, St. Lambert and Vanier charge examination and administration fees.
Students who take courses outside their program will be charged course fees. Foreign students are required to pay tuition fees, which vary from $7,352 to $11,718 per year, depending on the program. This fee is subject to change. Information regarding the fee may be obtained from the individual colleges.

There are two regular semesters in each academic year.
The Fall semester runs from mid-August to late December.
The Winter semester begins in January and runs through to the end of May.
A summer semester is given to allow CEGEP students the opportunity to make up courses they missed during the regular semester.
A special session may be given in July for deferred or accepted applicants who need to take high school equivalent courses in Math, Physics, Chemistry, English or French. These courses cannot be used as high school credits.
Please check with individual colleges regarding schedules and courses being offered.

The following are the English Cegeps of the Quebec Cegep System:
Champlain Regional College (4,650 students) has campuses in St. Lambert, Lennoxville (Champlain-Lennoxville can provide residence facilities.) and Quebec City.
Gaspesie et des Iles - The English sector (150 students) is located on the Gaspe campus.

Dawson College
(7,450 students) has one campus on Sherbrooke Street at Atwater in downtown Montreal.

Heritage College
(800 students) is located in Hull, in the heart of the National Capital Region.

John Abbott College
(5,150 students) has one campus in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue. The campus provides residence facilities for 200 students.

Marianopolis College
(1,700 students) has one campus on Cote des Neiges Road in downtown Montreal.

Vanier College
(5,200 students) has one campus located on Ste Croix Ave in St Laurent