New Brunswick is Canada’s only officially bilingual province, and you can study nursing there in English or in French. This guide ranks and reviews the province’s approved nursing degrees.
Imagine wanting to nurse in a smaller province where you can know your community and still use both of Canada’s official languages. New Brunswick offers that, but its nursing schools are very different from one another.
How we ranked these schools
Canada has no official national dataset on nursing school outcomes like the US has, so we combined two things. First, schools in New Brunswick that appear in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 for nursing would be placed at the top, in QS order; none of New Brunswick’s schools is in that table this year. Second, we ranked the programmes approved by the Nurses Association of New Brunswick (NANB) on the range of degree routes they offer, how established they are and the clinical training they can provide. Every school on this list leads to a degree that lets you apply to register as a nurse.
New Brunswick nursing schools ranked (2026)
| Rank | School | City | Nursing degree options | QS Nursing 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of New Brunswick | Fredericton | Bachelor of Nursing (regular track), advanced standing and LPN-to-BN bridging | Not ranked |
| 2 | Université de Moncton | Moncton | French-language bachelor’s in nursing (baccalauréat en science infirmière) and a bridging programme | Not ranked |
| 3 | Oulton College | Moncton | Bachelor of Science in Nursing (new programme) | Not ranked |
| 4 | Yorkville University | – | Bachelor of Science in Nursing (new programme) | Not ranked |
Top New Brunswick nursing schools reviewed
1. University of New Brunswick
UNB’s Faculty of Nursing is the province’s main English-language nursing school. It offers the most routes into a nursing degree, including an advanced standing option for students with previous university study and a bridging route for LPNs.
- Degree options: Bachelor of Nursing (regular track), advanced standing and LPN-to-BN bridging
- World ranking: not in the QS nursing table
- Best for: English-speaking students and LPNs who want to become registered nurses
2. Université de Moncton
Université de Moncton is Canada’s largest French-language university outside Quebec. Its nursing graduates are in demand across Acadian and other French-speaking communities.
- Degree options: French-language bachelor’s in nursing (baccalauréat en science infirmière) and a bridging programme
- World ranking: not in the QS nursing table
- Best for: French speakers and students who want to work as bilingual nurses
3. Oulton College
Oulton College is a private college with a new BScN. It has preliminary approval from NANB, which means graduates are eligible to register while the programme completes the full approval process.
- Degree options: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (new programme)
- World ranking: not in the QS nursing table
- Best for: students looking for an alternative to the universities; compare costs carefully
4. Yorkville University
Yorkville is a private university with a new BScN. Like Oulton, it has preliminary approval from NANB.
- Degree options: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (new programme)
- World ranking: not in the QS nursing table
- Best for: students looking for a private option; compare costs and clinical placements carefully
For nurses educated abroad or returning to practice: New Brunswick Community College runs the CRIB re-entry and bridging programme in English, and CCNB runs the TRSI programme in French.
What does nursing school cost in New Brunswick?
Statistics Canada puts average undergraduate tuition in New Brunswick at about $9,938 a year for Canadian students in 2025/2026, among the highest in Canada. Private colleges may charge more, so compare the total cost of each programme. International students pay much more: the national average for international undergraduates is about $41,746 a year.
But is a ranking enough to choose a school?
No ranking can tell you everything. Before you apply, also check:
- Approval: make sure the programme is on the approved list of the Nurses Association of New Brunswick (NANB), so you can register as a nurse when you graduate.
- Accreditation: most Canadian nursing degrees are also accredited by the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN). Ask about the programme’s current status.
- Exam results: registered nurses in Canada (outside Quebec) write the NCLEX-RN. Ask each school for its graduates’ first-time pass rate.
- Admission competition: nursing seats are limited and admission averages are high. Apply to more than one school.
- Clinical placements: where students train, and whether you may be placed far from campus.
Your next step: Shortlist two or three schools from the table, then check each one’s admission requirements and deadlines on its website. Many Canadian nursing programmes close applications early in the year.
Related: Moving to Canada as a nurse: NNAS, NCLEX and immigration steps · Nurse salaries in Canada by province
Sources: QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 (Nursing), the Nurses Association of New Brunswick (NANB), Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing, Statistics Canada Tuition and Living Accommodation Costs survey 2025/2026, school websites. Programmes and fees change; always confirm with the school.
Leave a Reply