Nursing Programs in New Brunswick — What Students Should Know
The short answer
New Brunswick is Canada's only officially bilingual province, and that shapes where you study, where you are placed and how you chart. The regulator for registered nurses is the College of Nursing of New Brunswick (CNNB), which older pages and links may still call the Nurses Association of New Brunswick (NANB). The CNNB publishes a list of approved programs and an approval status for each one.
What the CNNB list shows
When we checked, the approved RN programs included the Université de Moncton's baccalauréat en science infirmière and the University of New Brunswick's Bachelor of Nursing in a regular track, an advanced-standing track and an LPN-to-RN bridging track. The list also named bridging and re-entry programs at the two community colleges. Two private institutions, Oulton College and Yorkville University, appeared with preliminary approval.
That last point is worth understanding. The CNNB uses four approval statuses. According to its page, preliminary approval applies to a new program that meets the criteria but has not yet graduated students, and graduates of preliminary or fully approved programs are eligible for registration. Approved with conditions also qualifies graduates but means the program does not yet meet every requirement. Ask any school which status it holds and read the explanation on the CNNB page.
Exam and registration
The CNNB states that applicants write the NCLEX-RN or the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ) professional exam within three years of completing their program. Check the page for any change before you plan.
Working in two languages
Depending on the region, you may talk to patients in English and French in the same shift and your colleagues may chart in either language. The documentation principles stay the same: factual wording, accurate times, and a clear record of who was told what. Learning clinical vocabulary in both languages early is practical preparation, not an extra.
A fill-in comparison sheet
One column per program; the content below is a fictional placeholder.
| Item | Program A (fictional) | Program B (fictional) |
|---|---|---|
| Credential and length | Direct-entry BN, as stated on the program page | After-degree BN, as stated on the program page |
| Approved by the regulator? | Listed on the regulator page, date checked: ____ | Listed on the regulator page, date checked: ____ |
| Prerequisites (and do any expire?) | Written out course by course | Written out course by course |
| Application deadline and selection method | Date and criteria copied from the admissions page | Date and criteria copied from the admissions page |
| Placement sites and travel | Ask the school where students are placed | Ask the school where students are placed |
| Language and other requirements | As listed by the school | As listed by the school |
| Approval status on the CNNB list | Approved | Preliminary approval (ask what that means for graduates) |
| Language of instruction and placements | Ask for the split in writing | Ask for the split in writing |
Common mistakes
- Treating preliminary approval as a red flag or as a guarantee without reading the definition.
- Choosing a program without asking about placement language.
- Assuming bridging programs are open to everyone; they have their own eligibility rules.
FAQ
Q: Does a program listed by a school automatically qualify me to register?
No. Registration is decided by the regulator, not the school. Check that the program is on the CNNB's approved list and read the registration requirements that apply to graduates.
Q: Should I rely on this page for deadlines or tuition?
No. This page deliberately gives no deadlines, fees or admission averages because they change. Use the admissions page of each school and note the date you checked.
Q: Is this page legal or registration advice?
No. It is educational. Fiabita is a documentation and study tool, not a regulator or an admissions service.
Sources and further reading
- CNNB: Approved Nursing Programs — checked October 2026
- CNNB: Registration Exam — checked October 2026
- CASN accreditation and accredited-programs directory — national accreditation is separate from regulator approval