Explore – For Teens Ages 13-15
This summer, come explore the National Capital Region!
Explore is an intensive language immersion program offered annually by La Cité. If you want to learn English or French and improve your language skills while exploring Canada’s National Capital Region, the Explore La Cité program is designed for you!
Full-time French immersion program. In addition to language classes, take part in interactive and engaging social and cultural activities that will boost your confidence in communicating in French … Oui, vous pouvez vous exprimer en français, et nous pouvons vous aider à y parvenir !
As part of our summer program, you’ll attend language classes, participate in engaging activities on and off campus, and have fun in conversation workshops with people from all over the country. Our language courses are taught by cool, dynamic, and experienced instructors.
Registration coming soon!
Training Dates
July 6th to 24th
July 27th to August 14th
Delivery Method
Come experience student housing with young people from all over the country—in person!
How much does it cost?
The program itself is
FREE
by applying for a financial scholarship with Explore.
$2751 registration feeper participant
1 This fee, which is non-refundable, is to reserve your place at the camp.
What are the eligibility requirements?
To be eligible for the Explore Scholarship, you must meet the following criteria:
Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident
Individuals holding a student visa to study in Canada are not eligible
Must be
13 to 15 years old
as of July 6, 2026
There are no language proficiency requirements.
If you meet the above criteria, you may be eligible for a spot funded by the Government of Canada.
Registration coming soon!
Deadline: May 31, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the housing work?
Participants will be housed in the Collège La Cité student residence. Each unit in the residence consists of two separate rooms, a full bathroom with a shower, and a workspace. Each participant will be paired with another participant of the same gender. It is the participant’s responsibility to clean their room. Parents are financially responsible for any damage caused to the room.
What is included in the residence room?
Each room is furnished with standard bedroom furniture, plus a small refrigerator, a microwave, a trash can, and trash bags. The room does not include bedding or towels—the child must bring their own personal items.
How does room cleaning work in the residence?
The residence staff will clean the common areas of the units twice during your stay, including:
- cleaning the floors in the kitchens and bathrooms;
- cleaning the toilet and shower.
However, participants remain responsible for maintaining their unit and performing various tasks such as managing their trash and recycling, doing the dishes, cleaning their room, and providing their own bedding, towels, and toiletries. Trash bags and toilet paper will be available at the front desk at all times.
Is there a laundry facility on site?
La résidence a un service de buanderie. Chaque participant peut acheter une carte d’usage de buanderie. Il est important de savoir que le solde restant sur la carte est non remboursable. Dans la trousse d’accueil et de préparation, il y aura plus d’information sur le coût pour laver et sécher afin de prévoir un montant réaliste.
How will participants be supervised?
Participants will be divided into groups of 16–17 young people. Each group will have two counselors who will be responsible for their group for the duration of the camp. In addition to their group, each participant will be paired with another participant of the same gender from the same group. This pairing system helps reduce the risk of a child getting lost.
How will meals be handled?
Participants will have full access to the school cafeteria. They will go to the cafeteria as a group for all three meals. There will also be three snack breaks throughout the day, and a snack shop will be available to them. We will also ensure that dietary restrictions are accommodated (halal, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, etc.). We also offer a NUT-FREE camp, given the serious nature of this type of allergy. Camp participants are not permitted to place food delivery orders (e.g., UberEats).
Please note that vegetarian, vegan, and halal options will be served.
What does a typical day look like?
To ensure everyone's safety, here is the schedule for a typical day:
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 7:30 – 8:30 AM | Breakfast |
| 9 AM – 12 PM | Language classes |
| 12 PM – 1 PM | Lunch served in the college cafeteria |
| 1 PM | Afternoon activities begin; they generally end at 6 PM, just in time for dinner. |
| 6 PM – 7 PM | Dinner served in the college cafeteria |
| 7 PM – 9 PM | Time set aside to get ready for bed and spend some time in the residence’s common areas. Curfew is at 9 PM. |
There are no classes on weekends. Participants will therefore spend these days with the counselors, enjoying outdoor activities—and other surprises!
Will there be free time during the week?
We have scheduled free time mainly in the evenings after dinner and exclusively on campus. This free time will be largely supervised by our activity staff, who will always be nearby! For safety reasons, we will not allow unsupervised outings off campus.
What safety measures do you have in place?
Collège La Cité has an excellent security team that patrols the entire campus around the clock. There will also be overnight surveillance of the residence. Access to the residence is limited to camp participants and staff. No one else will be allowed access. A camera system is in operation in the residence’s common areas. In addition, the activity staff will be trained and certified in first aid. In the event of serious injuries, Montfort Hospital is less than two kilometers from the campus.
Will the participants always be supervised by the activity team?
Yes. Participants will always be supervised either by their teacher in the morning or by our activity team for the rest of the day. Members of the activity team will stay in the same residence as the participants so they are always available in case of an emergency.
There will also be a night watch service to ensure everyone’s safety once everyone is asleep.
Who oversees the camp’s staff?
The staff will be well supervised. The project manager (with 30 years of experience in summer camps and youth development) assigned to the Explore program will be present almost all the time. The department manager will also dedicate several hours to supporting the staff.
Who is responsible for transportation to Ottawa?
Parents are responsible for arranging transportation from their home to Ottawa. Collège La Cité will then take over to meet participants at the train station or airport. Shuttles will be organized according to a predetermined schedule. Once your child is enrolled in the program, you will receive instructions regarding the arrival and departure times.
How does local transportation work for off-campus activities?
For all off-campus activities, school buses will transport participants together. Attendance will be taken before each departure to ensure no participant is left behind.
Will there be someone to meet participants at the airport, train station, or bus stop?
Yes! A shuttle service with accompanying staff will be there to meet participants at the train station, airport, or bus stop. Our staff will accompany your child to their residence, so there’s no need to worry about booking a taxi! Our team will also be present on campus, in the residence lobby, for those arriving by car.
Will someone be available to take participants to the airport, train station, or bus stop on the day of departure?
Yes. The same shuttle and escort service provided upon arrival will be available on the day of departure.
What time should participants arrive on campus for the start of the program?
We ask participants to arrive by 5 PM. An orientation session will be held at 5 PM, during which we will provide important information about the schedule for the three weeks. It is important not to miss this session.
What time should I arrive on campus for the start of the program?
We ask participants to leave by 1 PM at the latest for organizational reasons related to the residence and to coordinate with the transportation service to the train station, airport, or bus stop.
What should I pack?
The camp lasts three weeks. Please pack plenty of clothes for the duration of the camp, including warm clothing for cooler evenings and a raincoat. A complete list of essentials is available.
Are there any other expenses to expect?
It depends! There will be outings (for example, Calypso Water Park) that participants must pay for. Once your registration is accepted, you will receive a list of paid activities. For each paid outing, we will provide a free alternative so as not to penalize families who cannot afford to pay extra.
What kinds of activities will be offered?
During the three weeks of camp, a wide range of activities will be offered: sports, sightseeing tours around Ottawa, cultural visits, group games organized by our activity team, college workshops, and more!
A detailed schedule with the list of activities for the three weeks will be provided to participants upon arrival.
Check out our French-language activities in Ottawa with Explore La Cité!
You'll make friends from all over the country!
We offer skateboarding lessons. Bring your helmet!
Guided tours of local museums in Ottawa.
Organized outing to InterZip—a zip-line adventure spanning Quebec and Ontario
Organized trip to Calypso Water Park.
Join the best destination to explore in Canada
Explore La Cité