Moving to Montreal to study French?

It's worth noting that Quebec's legal system is based on "droit civil" (civil law) instead of common law as is practised in the rest of North America, meaning that you don't by default graduate with a juris doctor, but an LL.B. (Bachelor of laws) and LL.M. (Master of laws) in stead. Many universities also teach common law and grant J.D.s, but that means spending an extra year in school, and often you would be transferred to a partner university in Ontario for 1 or 2 semesters. The biggest law schools in Quebec are at McGill University (English) and Université de Montréal (French).

I live in Montreal, I didn't come here for one year. I came here for CEGEP, then stuck around for University, then never left. but I say do it. Montreal is very transient, there are many students who come here for a semester or a year on exchange, or, like you, to learn languages. The key to learning a language is to immerse yourself, which you obviously know or you wouldn't be coming here. Your best option, given your limited budget and your desire to learn French, is to live in the Eastern part of the city. It's more Francophone and you'll be more heavily immersed in the language, in the bars, in the restaurants, with other students. It may even be worthwhile to find an apartment with French roommates rather than living on your own. It's cheaper and you'll have consistent practice partners. Around Parc Lafontaine or Papineau/Mont-Royal, I would recommend. If you live downtown or in the Western part of the city you will find that you barely use your French because there are more Anglophones. It's also cheaper to live in the Eastern part of the city and you can find some very nice apartments. That's the best advice I can give. Also, 20k is certainly enough to live off of if you are frugal, but if you want to go out and enjoy the city, you may want to think seriously about how you are going to work. Int'l students can only work off-campus after their first year in Montreal, and only if they are given a special permit. Otherwise, you will be required to work on campus. In that light, you will need to get a job under the table, or sell your services (translation, copyediting, labour) on Craig's List. Make sure that you have a realistic plan for how you intend to make money while you are here. PS--- with regard to Law programs, McGill offers a joint Civil/Common law program. It may take longer, but you do not have to go to Ontario to complete it. At all. PPS Also, keep in mind that you will not always be exposed to high quality French in Montreal. The Quebecois have a unique way of speaking that your teachers may not always be happy to see you replicating.