Post-Secondary Education

#Explore your future with our featured Post-Secondary Education Facilities

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In Canada, there are 3 different types of post-secondary schools:

universities
colleges
institutes

At most post-secondary schools, the school year is divided into 2 main terms and an optional summer term.

Term 1: September to December
Term 2: January to April
Optional summer term: May to August

Each province and territory makes sure each school and its programs meet a certain set of standards. Schools aren’t officially recognized until they’re certified.

A recognized school can grant

degrees
diplomas
certificates
other qualifications

If you’re not sure if a school is officially recognized, contact your ministry or department of post-secondary education.

The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) also maintains a directory of recognized schools in Canada.

University vs College

Study at a university

Universities offer programs on a wide range of topics at different levels of difficulty and complexity. When you successfully complete a university program, you’re awarded with a university degree that reflects the type of program you completed. There are 3 types of degrees.

Bachelor’s degree: This is the simplest degree offered by Canadian universities. It typically takes 3 to 4 years to complete.
Master’s degree: This is a more advanced degree that usually takes 1 to 3 extra years of study after you get a bachelor’s degree.
Doctoral degree: This is the most advanced degree offered by Canadian universities. It can take another 3 to 4 more years of study and research following a master’s degree.

In regulated professions, students must complete an internship or pass a standardized test (or series of tests) after getting the degree. You can’t work in these professions until you get the degree and pass the tests. Regulated professions include

medicine
law
education

Get help choosing a program

Universitystudy.ca can help you plan for your education. Learn about

universities in Canada
programs of study
how to choose a program
application and admission requirements
financial planning information

Study at a college or institute

There are many types of colleges and institutes recognized by provinces and territories, including

colleges
community colleges
colleges of applied arts or applied technology
institutes of technology or science
collèges d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEPs) in Quebec
career colleges

Colleges and institutes usually offer shorter programs than universities (1 to 3 years). Instead of degrees, they issue diplomas and certificates that qualify graduates to do specific jobs in different industries.

These industries can include

business
computer and mechanical technologies
health care
social services
agriculture
trades (such as carpentry, electrical or plumbing)

Many colleges are also starting to offer bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees in certain industries.

Find out more about the available degrees.

Assiniboine College

Assiniboine College has been providing exceptional learning experiences for more than 65 years, offering unparalleled learning environments and responding to the demands and requirements of the Manitoba labour market. Following the philosophy of “learn by doing,” programs combine theory with hands-on learning inside classrooms, labs, kitchens, shops, fields and the college’s Sustainable Greenhouse.

Assiniboine offers more than 75 certificate, diploma and post-graduate programs across a variety of disciplines including culinary arts and hospitality, business, agriculture and environment, health and human services, and trades and technology. The college also delivers apprenticeship programming in a range of skilled trades disciplines.

Brandon University

Brandon University offers big opportunities at a small-sized campus! Our university offers Faculties of Arts, Science, Health Studies, Education and our School of Music.

Brandon University is located within the City of Brandon and has an enrollment of approximately 3,400 students. BU is student-focused, offers personalized learning, strong Indigenous engagement, and community partnerships. It is recognized as a regional university that offers quality teaching, research, and small class sizes, fostering an inclusive learning environment.

Brandon University also offers students Pre-Professional options, so students can start at a smaller school with more personalized programs and teaching before applying to larger universities.

Jennifer Lockwood
Academic Program Coordinator, MAP
jennifer.lockwood@uregina.ca
1-306-585-5576

Elizabeth Dow
Administrative Assistant, MAP
elizabeth.dow@uregina.ca
1-306-585-5570

Campus Manitoba

Unlocking Manitoba’s potential by empowering students and educators.

**Campus Manitoba is your shortcut to figuring out school without the stress.**

We bring together all of Manitoba’s public colleges and universities to make it easier for you to find the right program, take the classes you actually want, and build the future you’re aiming for.

For over 35 years, we’ve been helping students move between post-secondary institutions, try online learning, and get clear info.

Our main platforms make it simple:

eCourses Manitoba – grab online classes across the province
Set Your Course – explore careers and programs that match your goals
OpenEd Manitoba – free learning resources you can actually use

Whether you’re still figuring things out or already planning your next step, we’ve got tools to help you explore options, compare pathways, and make confident decisions.

By teaming up with Manitoba’s seven public post‑secondary institutions, Campus Manitoba helps you access the courses you need, when and where you need them—so you can focus on what really matters: building a future that feels like you.