The college traces its origins to the merger of several institutions which became public ones in 1967, when the Quebec system of CEGEPs was created.

The pre-university programs, which take two years to complete, cover the subject matters which roughly correspond to the additional year of high school given elsewhere in Canada in preparation for a chosen field in university.

In addition, the Continuing Education Centre offers a wide variety of credit courses and programs with flexible scheduling.

The college participates in the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) and its athletic teams are known as les Patriotes du cégep de Saint-Laurent, often shortened to Pats.

The school maintains intercollegiate teams in men's ice hockey (Division I & II), women's ice hockey, men's and women's flag football, men's and women's soccer, and women's volleyball, men and woman's basket ball which compete in the Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) Collégial.