To receive Continuing Education Program funding for the 2025/2026 fiscal year (ending March 31,2026), applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. The applicant must be a permanent resident of Nova Scotia (temporary foreign workers, international students, or any person in Canada on a temporary resident visa do not qualify).
    
2. The applicant must be be staff working directly with children as an early childhood educator, a director or assistant director, inclusion staff in a licensed child care setting or Pre-primary program, FHCC agency consultant, or FHCC provider approved by a licensed FHCC agency.
    
3. The applicant must be complete courses on a part-time basis towards obtaining:
   • Level 1 coursework and practicum (approved for a Level 1 classification)
   • ECE diploma (approved for Level 2 classification)
   • Bachelor of Applied Arts in Child and Youth Study Degree (BA CYS) at Mount Saint Vincent University
   • The Early Childhood Administrator-Continuing Education Certificate Course at Mount St. Vincent University
   • Early Childhood Leadership Training Program at NSCC
   • Leadership en petite enfance at Universite Sainte-Anne
4. All courses must be completed from one of the following approved Early Childhood Education training institutions:
   • CBBC Career College, Early Childhood Education
   • Island Career Academy, Early Childhood Education
   • Jane Norman College, Early Childhood Education
   • Mount Saint Vincent University, Bachelor of Applied Arts (Child and Youth Study)
   • Nova Scotia Community College, Early Childhood Education
   • Nova Scotia College of Early Childhood Education
   • Oxford International College, Halifax
   • Université Sainte-Anne, Early Childhood Education
5. For reimbursement, courses must be successfully completed with verification provided by the institution.
    
6. Professional Development Workshops are not eligible for reimbursement.
    
7. The applicant will be eligible for reimbursement upon agreeing to fulfill the commitment to work in a Nova Scotia regulated child care or Pre-primary program, or a FHCC approved by a licensed FHCC agency.
    
8. The applicant must submit the Continuing Education Application for the Reimbursement form, and all required documents, within 60 days of the completion of the course.
    
9. The applicant cannot be receiving any other form of funding through the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (a fully funded program, or the Excellence in Early Childhood Education Bursary).

Eligible staff can qualify for reimbursements totaling:

• up to a maximum of $1000.00 per year if working part-time (70 – 119 hours per month)
• up to $5000.00 per year if working full-time (more than 120 hours per month)

Staff and family child care providers taking advantage of this reimbursement will be required to commit to work in a Nova Scotia regulated child care program for 750 or 1500 hours depending on the amount reimbursed and the timing of the reimbursement.

For more information on the program’s new requirements, criteria, and funding allocations please read the 2025-2026 Continuing Education Program Terms and Conditions. (English | Français).

If you have any questions, please email ecetraining@novascotia.ca