Are you passionate about the world of wine and spirits? Transform your passion into a career with the Sommellerie program and step into a thriving industry!
Admission
Mid-January to March 1
September 15 to November 1
Course start date
August
January
Duration
5 months full-time (451 h)
Format
In-person
Schedule
Full-time
Language of instruction
French
Internships
No
Diploma
Attestation of Vocational Specialization (AVS)
Overview
This intensive program is intended for graduates or professionals in the food and beverage services industry who want to acquire a solid foundation in sommellerie.
Key elements of the program
- Exclusive training at the ITHQ leading to an AVS in sommellerie in 5 months
- Visits to microbreweries, distilleries and vineyards
- Hands-on learning at the Restaurant de l’ITHQ
- Participation in competitions and major industry events
- Experienced and passionate instructors
Quench your thirst for knowledge!
What you will learn
Tasting, analyzing, advising
Partners
Program structure and courses
Duration and schedule
- Program starting in the fall and winter
- Spread over 5 months on a full-time basis (ministerial program totalling 450 h)
- Daytime courses and practical applications in the evening
- Schedule, dates and course order are subject to change.
- The ITHQ reserves the right to cancel a course or program if there are insufficient registrations to justify its offering. In such cases, program and registration fees will be refunded in full.
Hands-on experience
Practical applications:
- Practical courses at the Restaurant de l’ITHQ
- Participation in sommelier competitions and a gastronomic banquet
Diploma
- Attestation of Vocational Specialization (AVS) in Sommellerie from the Ministère de l’Éducation
- ITHQ Signature certificate in Sommellerie
- Recognition by the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers
All students are required to follow certain basic rules regarding professional image.
Admission
Admission application periods
Québec and Canadian applicants
Mid-January to March 1 (course start date in August)
September 15 to November 1 (course start date in January)
International students
This program is not available to international applicants.
Admission requirements
To be eligible for this program, you must:
- Hold a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS) in Food and Beverage Services or have received equivalent training, OR
- Have a combination of sufficient training and at least 1,200 hours of relevant and recent work experience in restaurant service.
You must also:
- Demonstrate proficiency in oral and written French.
International applicants
- Admission to this program is conditional on obtaining or possessing a valid status in Canada (visitor visa, study permit, work permit, visitor record, etc.) for the duration of the program.
- Although it is not compulsory to obtain a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) and a study permit for a program of less than 6 months, please note that you may apply for one and thereby benefit from a number of advantages (e.g., the opportunity to work on campus).
Applicants with French citizenship
You must have a CAQ and a valid study permit in order to benefit from the tuition fee agreements between France and Québec. Without these legal authorizations, you will be required to pay the same tuition fees as other international students, even if you are studying in Québec for less than 6 months.
Selection criteria
The selection of applications also takes into account the following criteria:
- Academic file
- Related training
- Relevant professional experience, validated by compliant work certificates
To maximize your chances of selection, we strongly encourage you to attach all supporting documents to your application.
Selection interview
If your application file is selected, you will be invited to a selection interview, which will take place either in person or remotely, depending on your place of residence.
In-person interview dates for Canadian applicants:
- Winter 2026 programs: Wednesday, November 26 and Thursday, November 27, 2025
- Fall 2026 programs: Wednesday, April 15 and Thursday, April 16, 2026
Required documents
Here is the list of documents you must include with your application depending on your status:
Application based on studies
- Official transcript (achievement record) and diploma of the DVS in Food and Beverage Services
- Work certificates attesting to work experience relevant to the program, if applicable
- Proof of participation in related training (attestation, diploma or transcript), if applicable
Application based on relevant work experience
- Post-secondary official transcripts and diplomas, if applicable
- Work certificates attesting to work experience relevant to the program
- Proof of participation in related training (attestation, diploma or transcript), if applicable
General documents
- Birth certificate
- Proof of language proficiency in French (language test result or proof of exemption)
Application based on studies
- Official transcripts of studies equivalent to the DVS in Food and Beverage Services for the last 3 years of high school (equivalent to grade 10, 11 and 12)
- Diploma(s) obtained
- Work certificates attesting to work experience relevant to the program, if applicable
- Proof of participation in related training (attestation, diploma or transcript), if applicable
Application based on relevant work experience
- Official transcripts from grade 10, 11 and 12
- Official transcripts for any subsequent years of study, if applicable
- Diploma(s) obtained
- Work certificates attesting to work experience relevant to the program
- Proof of participation in related training (attestation, diploma or transcript), if applicable
General documents
- Birth certificate
- Canadian citizenship certificate OR permanent resident card
- Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ), if applicable
- Proof of language proficiency in French (language test result or proof of exemption)
Application based on studies
- Official transcripts of studies equivalent to the DVS in Food and Beverage Services for the last 3 years of high school (equivalent to grade 9, 10 and 11)
- Diploma(s) obtained
- Work certificates attesting to work experience relevant to the program, if applicable
- Proof of participation in related training (attestation, diploma or transcript), if applicable
Application based on relevant work experience
- Official transcripts of or the last 3 years of high school (equivalent to grade 9, 10 and 11)
- Official transcripts for any subsequent years of study, if applicable
- Diploma(s) obtained
- Work certificates attesting to work experience relevant to the program
- Proof of participation in related training (attestation, diploma or transcript), if applicable
- Not applicable as this program is not available to international applicants.
Admission application procedure
- Applicants must ensure that they meet the program’s admission requirements before submitting their application.
- Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.
- For your admission file to be considered complete, it must contain a copy of all the official documents required by the ITHQ in accordance with your status, as listed above.
- These documents must be legible and saved in PDF format. Documents in a language other than French or English must also be accompanied by a certified translation into French or English.
- Some documents required by the ITHQ may not be requested automatically on the admission platform. It is therefore your responsibility to ensure that all the documents on the list in accordance with your status have been uploaded to your file before submitting your application.
Important
The ITHQ will accept only one application per applicant for its vocational training programs. Although the SRAM admission platform allows you to submit up to 3 applications, only your 1st choice of program will be considered. Your 2nd or 3rd choice will automatically be rejected.
Costs and financial aid
Program fees
Use the program fee calculator to find out about the costs of this program.
Financial aid and scholarships
Looking for financial support for your study project? Find out about the different options available to you.
Future prospects
A short program with big rewards!
Training in sommellerie is a definite asset for anyone working in the food and beverage services industry. With this diploma, you’ll not only be able to give better advice to your customers, but you’ll also have access to better positions in a wide range of establishments, as well as being able to explore new job prospects in the advising or sales fields.
Careers to discover
Info
service