Common Questions
The Private Career Colleges Regulation Act is the legislation which regulates private career college's in Nova Scotia. The Act and the Regulations provide the requirements that must be met to register a college and the operational guidelines that have to be in place to maintain registration.
A copy of the Act and Regulations can be found on the Web site.
You can contact the Private Career College's division by E-mail/phone/fax and request an Application to Register a Private Career College. The package will include the Act/Regulations, all the necessary forms and the Registration Guide which will help you through the process. If you have questions once you have received and read the material you can contact the division for assistance.
Registered colleges are listed on the Web site. For more information please contact a Career College Officer at 424-5636.
Instructors are required to meet specific requirements as set out in the regulations and are registered by the Department of Labour and Advanced Education. You can contact a career college officer in the Private Career College Division to determine if an instructor is registered.
Many colleges are designated for Canada/Nova Scotia Student Loans. Students can apply for a loan by contacting the Student Assistance Office at 424-8420 for further information.
Related information: Funding / Financial Support
The college is registered under the Private Career Colleges Regulation Act and the college must therefore meet specific requirements to be registered. We encourage students to check with prospective employers to determine if the training they plan to take will prepare them for employment opportunities.
Industry is the best source of information on whether a training program is preparing you for employment. Recognition of your certificate/diploma is employer specific.
Colleges are required by law to have a complaint resolution policy in effect. If you have a complaint, you must follow these steps:
1) Go through the college’s complaint resolution process, which includes submitting your complaint in writing to the college, before filing a complaint with the Department of Labour and Advanced Education.
2) Complete the Private Career Colleges Complaint Form. Please submit this with the written complaint that you submitted to the college; any documents submitted or received to or from the college in respect to the complaint, and the written decision by the college.
The Private Career Colleges Division will then review the submitted Complaint Form and decide upon the appropriate course of action. You may or may not be notified of any decision or outcome of action based on your complaint. Incomplete Complaint Forms will not be processed for review. Persons intentionally filing misleading or false statements may be prosecuted.
Each college sets their own policies on such things as attendance, dress codes, completion requirements, hours of attendance, et cetera. These are not regulated by the Department of Labour and Advanced Education. Prospective students will receive a copy of the college policies before they sign the student contract.
