Education In Newfoundland And Labrador

Public education in Newfoundland and Labrador is free to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents aged under 18 years. Parents are responsible for providing school supplies, school uniforms are not worn but Band and Sports uniforms are also the parent's responsibility.

For education in Newfoundland and Labrador students are legally required to attend school between the ages of 6 and 16 years, although most students continue until they are at least 18 years to receive a high school graduation. It is extremely important that you find out when the registration period is to ensure that your kids get the places at the schools you want.

The registration normally takes place several months before the year starts (I.E. register in Feb. for September). Contact the particular school to find out the precise details. There may well be an administration fee charged to register your child! Publicly funded elementary and secondary schools are administered by the school boards which are divided into 5 School Districts.

There are a number of different types of schooling options available for education in Newfoundland and Labrador. The choices are Public, English, French immersion, Francophone and Private schools. Parents also have the option of home schooling their children. There are two languages of instruction available, English and French.

The school year usually runs from the beginning of September through to the end of June. However, there may be variations to this from system to system. Most schools close down for the months of July and August as well as breaks at Christmas and Easter.

Elementary and Secondary Schools

Newfoundland and Labrador Kindergarten and elementary schooling generally starts at the age of 5 years. Although some school boards do have different age cut off dates. The student will attend 5 days of either morning or afternoon classes. It is good preparation for full time school.

This age or younger is a very good time to think about saving for your child's post secondary education. Fees for post secondary education are very expensive. There is a savings plan available in which the Federal Government will input a percentage of your contributions. These are called Registered Education Savings Plans (RESP).

Students continue at Elementary from Grade 1 (age 6) to Grade 6 (age 12), Junior High or Intermediate school from Grade 7 (age 13) to Grade 9 (age 15) and High School from Grade 10 (age 16) to Grade 12 (age 18). Most students will continue with their education at high school to receive a high school graduation certificate. This is a necessity for post secondary education institutes and is also recognized by most employers.

Transfer From Abroad

Students who are coming to complete their education in Newfoundland and Labrador from a different school system should submit an official statement of previous standing, such as a report card, to the school they want to enroll in. You should also have the previous school records and transcripts, copies of course outlines and content.

After considering a number of factors including the students age, records and test results they will be placed in the appropriate grade. It will definitely be worth contacting any particular schools before you move to ensure you have everything you need. Even enquire about faxing documents to be sure they meet the requirements.

Post Secondary Education

There is one publicly funded University, the Memorial University which is the largest university in Atlantic Canada. It is made up of the main campus and the Fisheries and Marine Institute in St. John's; Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook; a residential campus in Harlow, England; and the Institut Frecker in St. Pierre, a department of France.

The College of the North Atlantic has 16 campuses throughout the Province. It offers over 90 full time programs and more than 300 part time courses. There are also a number of Private Training Institutions.

Student Loans

As with all of Canada, the Post Secondary education in Newfoundland and Labrador is NOT free. Several years ago, the Canadian Government launched RESP's to help parents save for their children's future education needs. These are great if you start them early, but if your kids are about to start when you land it is too late. (see link above for more details).

The Federal (Canada Student Loan, CSL) and Provincial governments provide loans to supplement, not replace, the financial resources you are expected to contribute. The Newfoundland and Labrador Student Financial Assistance is a scheme that provides financial assistance to eligible post secondary students.

The amount of assistance you receive is based on financial need. Students and their families are expected to provide for post secondary education in Newfoundland and Labrador. There are a number of different factors that will qualify you for a loan, but you must be a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador, a Canadian citizen or Landed Immigrant, demonstrate you have insufficient financial resources to meet your assessed need and you must be enrolled as a full time post secondary student in an approved program at a designated school.

For your convenience, here are links to our other pages for education:

1. Alberta
2. British Columbia
3. BC Post Secondary Education
4. Manitoba
5. New Brunswick

1. Newfoundland and Labrador
2. Nova Scotia
3. Ontario
4. Prince Edward Island
5. Saskatchewan