Preparation for the 2025 Ministry Exams

Ministry Exams are official tests given to students in certain grades to evaluate their progress in core subjects like French, Math, and History. Depending on your child’s grade, exams may either be mandatory or uniform (standardized across the province).

These assessments provide the Ministry with a snapshot of academic performance across Quebec and help ensure fairness and consistency in grading. Thanks to the shared content and evaluation standards, all students—regardless of their school—have equal opportunities to demonstrate their learning and move on to the next grade level.

Ministry Exams are administered in the following grades:

• Grade 4;
• Grade 6;
• Secondary 2;
• Secondary 4;
• Secondary 5.

Some Ministry Exams are scheduled on the same day for all schools in Quebec. For others, the school sets its own dates within a given window. Here's a breakdown of the province-wide dates for this year.

There’s no need to register for Ministry Exams that take place during the school year. Teachers provide their student lists to school administrators, who then forward them to the Ministry.

If your child needs to retake an exam due to a failing grade, the school may contact you in early July to explain how to register. You can also register directly through one of our advisors.

In some schools, parents are responsible for contacting the school to find out about retake procedures.

After your child completes a Ministry Exam, their score on it is combined with the grades they've earned on various assignments throughout the year. The Ministry sets a specific weight for the exam score in the final grade for that subject.

For the 2024–2025 school year:

• In elementary school and Secondary 2, the Ministry Exam counts for 20% of the final grade for the assessed competency, while the school grade counts for 80%.
• In Secondary 4 and 5, the Ministry Exam accounts for 50% of the final grade for the assessed competency, and the moderated school grade counts for the other 50%.

In some cases, the value of a result may be adjusted (moderated). This means that the Ministry may, for example, raise or lower school grades for a group of students based on the average and standard deviation (a snapshot of results across Quebec).

Starting in late July, if you haven't heard from the school, you can access your child’s results through a secure Ministry website. If your child has failed, you’ll need to contact the school or school board directly to find out the next steps. Please note there is a fee for each ministry exam retake.

Despite strict confidentiality measures, exam content may sometimes be leaked. Any student who gains unauthorized access to exam content or helps distribute it may be disqualified from the exam.

Similarly, any student found with an electronic device capable of communication, internet access, text translation, or creating, saving, or looking at data during the exam may also be disqualified. Only approved materials are allowed.

If a student plagiarizes during a Ministry Exam, the school will report it to the Ministry, which will decide the next steps. A score of zero may be assigned.

If your child has special needs, they may have an active intervention plan on file that outlines specific support measures.

If these measures apply to one or more subjects, they should also be used during exam periods. In these cases, the school must make sure these accommodations are in place and inform the Ministry about them. It's important to understand that these accommodations should not change the evaluation criteria or the curriculum itself.

To be well prepared for the Ministry exams, it’s important to know what’s coming and how to study smart. Below, you’ll find an overview of each exam by grade level, along with study guides and helpful resources to support your child’s success.

Techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, meditation, and yoga can help reduce pre-exam stress. Your child can practice them at any time, as they only require a few minutes.

It's important to offer a listening ear and encourage your child to express how they're feeling. Verbalizing worries often reduces their impact. Remind your child of their strengths and skills, and focus on the effort they’re putting in, not just the final results. Good self-confidence is key to facing challenges positively.

Although preparing for exams requires time and energy, maintaining favorite physical activities is essential. Combined with a good night's sleep and regular, balanced meals, physical activity provides a healthy and effective way to relieve or at least reduce stress.

Sometimes, a little extra support can go a long way. Tutoring is a great option to help your child feel more confident heading into exams. At School Success, our experienced tutors work with students in a personalized way, adapting to their individual needs across a range of subjects.

If you’re looking for even more tools to support your child, the AlloProf website is packed with helpful resources: practice exams, study materials organized by grade level, learning strategies, and more.If your child needs extra practice in math specifically, Guérin Group offers printed math prep workbooks designed to help students get ready for their exams.

The critical period is just around the corner, and you want to support your child effectively. It can be helpful for them to review class notes and complete short daily review exercises.

Continuing—or establishing—healthy habits is also key so your child feels at their best during exams.

Most importantly, stay positive and show confidence in their abilities. Your encouragement will help them approach exams with a calmer, more determined mindset.

Your first reaction might be anger, disappointment, or sadness. It’s natural to feel this way, but sometimes it’s best to look at the report card on your own or wait for a calmer moment before discussing it with your child.

Children are very tuned in to their parents’ reactions. That’s why it’s important to show that a failing grade doesn’t define who they are. Try to separate school performance from everything else that makes them who they are. To help preserve their self-esteem, try to avoid comparing them to others.

Every parent, consciously or not, defines themselves, at least in part, through their children. Still, it’s essential not to feel guilty or blame yourself if you see failing grades on the report card. Instead, try to stay objective and focus on finding a solution.

Start by identifying the root of the problem.

• Did your child put in enough effort?
• Was the result caused by a temporary challenge?
• Could there be an undiagnosed learning disability?

Your child’s teacher can offer insight and help you understand the situation better. A meeting can be really helpful. If your child just needs to review certain concepts, working with a tutor might be a good solution. If the difficulty seems more complex, the teacher can refer you to the right professional (the principal, remedial worker, etc.).

If your child fails a Ministry exam, they may be eligible to retake it during the summer. The exam will cover the same material as before, but the questions will be different.

That said, retaking the exam without additional support can be tough. That’s why summer courses are often recommended. They provide an intensive learning environment that helps students strengthen their skills and gain confidence, so they’re better prepared for the retake.

It’s up to you as a parent to register your child for a retake exam. The school will let you know when and where to do it. Sometimes, the exam is held at another school. Once completed, the exam is graded by a professional. If the new result is higher than the original one, it will replace it on the report card.

Some schools and private organizations offer summer classes (for a fee) to help students prepare for these retake exams.

At School Success, we offer multiple options: one-on-one tutoring or online group classes.For more information about our offerings and the start and end dates of these courses, please visit the School Success Academy website.

Of course, it’s also possible to register only for the make-up exam and prepare for it independently.