Curriculum at the secondary level includes both academic and vocational programs. The academic program provides students with the credits necessary to meet the entrance requirements of colleges and universities. The vocational program prepares students for the job market following graduation, or continued vocational education at a postsecondary institution. Secondary school diplomas are granted to students who pass the compulsory and optional courses of their programs. The ministries provide most of the funding for their public postsecondary institutions.
Additional funding comes from the federal government, research grants, and tuition fees.
Virtually all postsecondary institutions in Canada have the authority, by charter or local legislation, to grant academic credentials. Colleges offer vocational-oriented programs of study leading to certificates and diplomas, although some applied arts degrees are granted that are equivalent to, or lead to the university level. The postsecondary school year is from September through to the end of April or early May, although some institutions operate on a year-round semester system. Private schools and colleges may operate in any province or territory if they meet the general standards prescribed by that authority. Although they may closely follow the curriculum and diploma requirements of the department or ministry of education, they function independently of the public system and charge fees.