New Brunswick’s ability to compete on a global scale is attributed to our quality education that creates a workforce of well-trained, motivated, and lifelong learners.
Learn more about New Brunswick’s education system in this presentation by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
The Government of New Brunswick is responsible for all levels of education: primary, secondary, and post-secondary. As the only officially bilingual province in Canada, New Brunswick is proud to offer a dual language education system. In New Brunswick, this means that there are two distinct education sectors representative of the two official languages, English and French: one in which English is the primary language of school and one in which French is the primary language of school. This includes all communication from the school. Each official linguistic community is therefore promoted and preserved. In our inclusive education system, all are welcome.
The province has four anglophone (English) school districts and three francophone (French) districts that govern public schools from kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12). About 100,000 children attend public schools.
Education is mandatory for children from age five to age 18 or until they graduate from high school (noting that public schooling ends at age 21). New Brunswick’s public education system is world-class, with the highest high school graduation rate in Canada.
Every teacher is required to have a Bachelor of Education degree, at minimum. Right now, 100% of New Brunswick’s schools are connected to the internet, and all students in elementary, middle school, and high school have access to computer-based learning curriculum thanks to partnerships with private industry.
New Brunswick’s public education system is a successful one, with over 85% of students graduating from high school and with 100% computer literacy.
Both sectors offer quality education. For support, many schools in the province offer:
Languages are celebrated in New Brunswick. Your child’s identity and culture, including their home language, is valued. In addition, your children have opportunities to learn other languages in some of our schools, such as Mandarin, Spanish, Wolastoqey, M’ikmaq, etc.
To register a child for school, contact your local school district. If you have a child going into kindergarten, you may register as early as October of the year before he or she begins.
For your child to go to a public school, you need to prove that he or she has immunizations against several diseases. You may also have your child screened at age three by a public health nurse by contacting your regional health authority. This way, you may find out about any problems that may affect how well your child may fare in school.
Children receive a report card three times a year. Parents are invited to meet the teacher to discuss it. Parents may also be asked to volunteer and help with activities at school such as fund-raising, sports events, and class trips.
Schools are closed on public holidays. Schools are also closed on days when the weather is bad. Most schools will be closed for several days in winter because of snowstorms. These unscheduled school closings are called snow days. The decision to close the school is made early in the morning before school starts. The school closures are announced on local radio stations. You may also ask your child’s teacher if there is a telephone number that you can call to find out about snow days.
You can find out in which school district you live here.
If you have questions or wish to register your child, please contact the school district’s welcome centre for newcomer families:
English
French
If students want to pursue a career after high school, there are many post-secondary institutions in New Brunswick. However, they are not free. You must pay for tuition, books, and application fees.
For more information, visit the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour:
Tel: 1-506-453-2597
Website: Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour – New Brunswick (gnb.ca)
New Brunswick has three major English universities and one French university.
The University of New Brunswick (UNB) offers a wide range of programs including undergraduate, masters, and doctorate programs. UNB has two major campuses: Fredericton (the main campus) and Saint John. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada.
St. Thomas University (STU) offers bachelor’s degrees in liberal arts, social work, and education. STU is in Fredericton.
Mount Allison University (Mount A) offers undergraduate degrees in liberal arts and sciences. Mount A is in Sackville.
Université de Moncton (U de M) offers a full range of French-language programs, including graduate and undergraduate degrees. Campuses are in Moncton, Shippagan, and Edmundston.
New Brunswick has three faith-based universities:
The province has two community college systems. The New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) offers English-language courses at campuses in Fredericton, Moncton, Saint John, Miramichi, Saint Andrews, and Woodstock. The Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) offers French-language courses at campuses in Bathurst, Campbellton, Caraquet, Dieppe, and Edmundston. The New Brunswick College of Craft and Design is based in Fredericton.
Several private training schools offer career training. Programs prepare you for industries such as beauty, tourism, business, computers, and truck driving. Before enrolling, you should think about your skills and talents and the job market. You should also thoroughly investigate the school.
Apprenticeships are offered in many trades that are in high demand in Canada such as carpentry, plumbing, tool and die, and welding. Apprenticeships are a combination of classroom and on-the-job training.
Paying for your education may be very difficult. Even working part-time and getting scholarships are often not enough. So, the government offers loans to help people pay for their education. These loans are easy to apply for either online or by mail. The interest charged is tax-deductible (this means when you do your taxes you can reduce your income by the amount you paid in interest). Amounts of student loans are based on what you need and the situation you’re in. You don’t have to pay and no interest is charged until you are finished your education, even if it takes several years.
To qualify for the Government of Canada portion of the student loan (60%), you must have your permanent residence status or have a Protected Person Status Document (PPSD) and be accepted into a post-secondary program.
To qualify for the New Brunswick portion of the loan (40%), you must have lived in New Brunswick for 12 months in a row.
To apply for student loans and other student assistance:
Toll-free – 1-800-667-5626
Website: www.studentaid.gnb.ca
Let us know your questions and we’ll get back to you with answers.