It welcomes a diverse student body, many of whom come from the CEGEP network.

Cégep à distance was created in 1991 by the Cégep de Rosemont which had been mandated by the Ministère de l'Éducation to develop a distance education CEGEP.

[1] In 2005, the ministry entrusted it with the mandate to develop distance education for the English-speaking community.

Since 2023, Cégep à distance’s English course selection is only available to visiting students with an authorization to study (commandite) from their college.

[2] As part of that mandate, Cégep à distance may also fulfils the following functions: Cégep à distance accepts two types of clients:[2] [3]