Education

All schools must accept Ukrainian Nationals. You will need to bring both your and your child’s passport, any information you might have from their education in Ukraine, your entry Visa, proof of address (even if it is temporary), and contact information to register your child. More formal paperwork will be completed at a later date.

• Pre-School: Junior Kindergarten (JK), which begins at age 4 and Senior Kindergarten (SK), which includes children who are 5 years old up until December of that school year.
• Elementary or Primary School: grades 1-8 (ages 6-13)
• Junior High School: grades 7-9
• High School: grades 10-12 (generally includes ages 14-18) However, high schools are open to all students 14-21 years of age.

Education is free in Alberta. Most schools have a school bus service that transports children from home to school and back. Transportation is paid for by parents. See your school board website for details.

In pre-school and elementary school, children bring their own lunches and snacks. In junior high and high school, students may be able to purchase food at school. Schools do not provide meals to children for free.

Alberta has two school systems: Public and Catholic. Both school systems will accept students regardless of their faith. The difference is Catholic schools teach religion as a subject.

Edmonton Public School Board: https://www.epsb.ca/

Calgary Public School Board: https://www.cbe.ab.ca/Pages/default.aspx

Lethbridge Public School Board: https://www.lethsd.ab.ca/

Elk Island Public Schools (rural east of Edmonton): https://www.eips.ca/

Red Deer Public Schools (central Alberta): https://www.rdpsd.ab.ca/

Edmonton Catholic School District: https://www.ecsd.net/

Calgary Catholic School District: https://www.cssd.ab.ca/

Holy Spirit School Division (Lethbridge):    https://www.holyspirit.ab.ca/

Elk Island Catholic Schools (rural east of Edmonton): https://www.eics.ab.ca/

Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools: https://www.rdcrs.ca/

View a full list of school boards in the province of Alberta

Alberta also has Ukrainian bilingual schools. To register your child in the Ukrainian bilingual program, you can call the schools directly and speak with the secretary. They will guide you through the process. Ukrainian Language Playschools and Heritage Language schools are also available.

Bilingual Schools: 

Directory of Ukrainian Bilingual Schools and Heritage Language Schools

For more information on Ukrainian Bilingual programs, educational resources, and welcome packages and backpacks for newcomers, contact Lidia Simcisin at One World One Centre (780) 944-2001.

Edmonton:

Elementary School: St. Matthew (780) 473-6575 and St. Martin (780) 434-4848

Jr. High School: St. Brendan (780) 466-1281

High School: Austin O’Brian (780) 466-3161

Edmonton also has several Ukrainian pre-schools and Saturday heritage language schools.

Pre-School at St Josephat’s and Kalyna Kids

Ridna Shkola Ukrainian Heritage School (for children in elementary school)

Ivan Franko School of Ukrainian Studies (for children in Jr. High and High School)