Postsecondary education in Manitoba is delivered primarily through eight public institutions and four religious institutions, all of which have degree granting authority, with the exception of the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT). All 12 post-secondary institutions are English-language institutions except for the Université de Saint-Boniface (formerly Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface) which is a French-language institution.

The University of Manitoba, the province's largest degree-granting institution, has four affiliated colleges — St. Andrew's College, St. John's College, St. Paul's College, and University College. Additionally, the University of Manitoba maintains an affiliation with theUniversité de Saint-Boniface (USB) focused on facilitating transfer between the two institutions.

In 1998, the province of Manitoba passed legislation (the Mennonite Colleges Federation Act) to create a new university (Canadian Mennonite University [CMU]). The university began operations in September 1999 and is a federation of three existing Bible colleges -- Concord College, Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC), and Menno Simons College. Concord and CMBC have ceased to exist as entities, while Menno Simons College continues as a federated college of CMU.

Most of the province's postsecondary institutions are situated in the provincial capital of Winnipeg. This includes: the University of Manitoba, Université de Saint-Boniface, the University of Winnipeg; Red River College, Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT), and École technique et professionnelle. Assiniboine Community College and Brandon University offer select programs in Winnipeg, mainly focused on the health professions. Canadian Mennonite University,, and Booth University College are each located in Winnipeg. Red River College operates five regional campuses in the Interlake, Portage-la-Prairie, Steinbach, and Winkler communities. Through the Eastman Education Centre in Steinbach, several institutions offer a variety of courses. Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT) operates three Winnipeg campuses. Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College are located in the southwestern Manitoba community of Brandon. Assiniboine operates a satellite campus in Dauphin and regional centres in Russell, Neepawa and Swan River. University College of the North [UCN] is located in the northern communities of The Pas and Thompson, and also operates regional centres in 12 communities across northern Manitoba: including Churchill, Flin Flon and Swan River (public access centres), as well as in nine First Nations reserve communities. UCN offers college and university-level programming. Two other degree-granting institutions — Providence University College and Steinbach Bible College — are located in Otterburne and Steinbach respectively. Both these colleges are private religious colleges.

Postsecondary education in Manitoba is the responsibility the Minister of Education and Training. The Department of Education and Training is responsible for approving new programs, allocating funds to the institutions, approving college budgets and ensuring that the education system is well coordinated and serving the needs of Manitobans and the labour market . The four religious institutions also receive an annual grant in support of their operations, but at a lower amount than the public institutions. Government has a correspondingly lesser role in the operations of these institutions.

Postsecondary education in Manitoba traces its history to a number of religious denominational colleges founded in the nineteenth century, beginning in 1818. In 1877, three of these colleges — Saint Boniface, St. John's, and Manitoba College — were brought together by government as constituent parts of the University of Manitoba. The colleges continued to offer instruction, while the examinations for degrees and the granting of degrees was performed by the University of Manitoba. In 1900, an Act of the provincial legislature changed the university's statute to permit it to offer instruction also.

Brandon University and the University of Winnipeg also trace their histories to religious denominational institutions -- the former founded in 1898, the latter in 1877.

Manitoba's community college system grew out of three vocational institutions — the Brandon Vocational Training Centre, the Northern Manitoba Training Centre, and the Manitoba Institute of Technology. Respectively, these became Assiniboine, Keewatin, and Red River Community Colleges. Along with École technique et professionnelle, the three English-language colleges provide vocational and technical training across the province. In 1998, Red River Community College changed its name to Red River College. In July 2004, University College of the North assumed the operations of Keewatin Community College, while also receiving a broader mandate for university education in northern Manitoba. In 2011, Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface became the Université de Saint-Boniface (USB). In 2014, the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (formerly a public regional vocational school known as Winnipeg Technical College) was established as a separate institution through passage of theManitoba Institute of Trades and Technology Act.

Programs and credentials offered by degree-granting institutions

The University of Manitoba offers a broad range of undergraduate (bachelor), graduate (master and doctoral), and professional degree programs in more than 90 disciplines. These include: agriculture, architecture, environmental studies, the arts and sciences, commerce, education, engineering, fine arts, human ecology, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and social work.

In addition to its public programming, the University of Winnipeg and St. John's College at the University of Manitoba also offer courses in theology and divinity through a theological consortium that includes several institutions across Manitoba.

The University of Winnipeg, Brandon University and Université de Saint-Boniface (USB) maintain a strong focus on undergraduate education, while offering limited numbers of master level programs in specialized areas. University College of the North offers a variety of certificate, diploma and undergraduate degree programs, but not graduate programming.

In addition to degree programs, Manitoba universities offer a variety of other credentials, including at the certificate and diploma levels.

In addition to on-campus programming, Manitoba post-secondary education institutions offer a variety of programming online. All institutions post their online program offerings on a common Web site called eCampusManitoba.com. This Web site allows students to browse all the online programming being offered by Manitoba's public post-secondary institutions to find programming that fits their educational goals. In addition to these distance offerings, the four public degree-granting universities (University of Brandon, University of Winnipeg, University of Manitoba and the University College of the North) cooperate through Inter-Universities Services, a distance education program that brings university courses to Manitoba communities north of the 53^rd parallel.

Programs and credentials offered by colleges and institutes

Assiniboine Community College, Red River College and the University College of the North offer a broad range of certificate and diploma programs, as well as apprenticeship, adult basic education, and a variety of professional and technical courses. Red River College also offers two baccalaureate degrees with an applied focus in construction management and in nursing. École technique et professionnelle also offers certificate and diploma programming similar to the other colleges, but in the French language. Additionally, some integrated programs are provided jointly between colleges and universities.

The Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT) offers a unique hybrid learning environment by providing technical career education opportunities to both high school students as well as postsecondary learners. MITT is authorized (under provisions of The Public Schools Act of Manitoba) to offer courses towards fulfillment of provincial high school graduation requirements, as well as a variety of adult postsecondary programs leading to the granting of certificates and diplomas.

Programs and credentials offered by the International College of Manitoba (ICM)

Established in September 2008, ICM is a private institution that serves as a pathway for first year undergraduate international students who seek admission to degree programs at the University of Manitoba (UM). ICM students receive a completion certificate and transfer credits for all UM equivalent university courses. Normally, students intend to seek full admission at the UM after completing their required first year courses. For entry to UM upon completion of ICM courses, every ICM graduate must meet regular admission requirements established by the UM.

Programs and credentials offered by Private Vocational Institutions

Private Vocational Institutions are establishments that offer employment training in a wide range of occupational fields, including business and administration, technology, cosmetology, health care, transportation and many others. Unlike public institutions, Private Vocational Institutions are not eligible for direct financial support from government as they are typically privately owned and operate as for-profit businesses.

Credentials offered by Private Vocational Institutions operating under The Private Vocational Institute Act in Manitoba are limited to one and two year certificates and diplomas in vocational programming. Each of the occupations included in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) Index of Titles is designated as a vocation for the purpose of The Private Vocational Institutions Act, except those exempted by regulation.

The Province of Manitoba regulates Private Vocational Institutions under the authority of The Private Vocational Institutions Act. The Act is designed to provide a degree of consumer protection for students attending registered Private Vocational Institutions by maintaining an insurance fund for registered students and by ensuring programs provide the skills and knowledge that are required to gain entry-level employment in the field of instruction.

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship is one of the longest-established methods of skill development and training. In Manitoba's apprenticeship training and certification model, an employer and an employee enter into a formal training agreement in which they agree to participate in a structured, accredited, workplace-based and technical skills training program that ultimately leads to journeyperson certification for the apprentice employee.

Through apprenticeship training, employees acquire relevant skills and knowledge while earning a wage, and employers gain highly skilled employees.

It is an industry-driven training system. The Apprenticeship and Certification Actestablishes an Apprenticeship and Certification Board (the Board). The 14-member Board is appointed by the Minister of Jobs and the Economy to represent the interests of employees, employers and the public. The Board designates trades for apprenticeship training and trades certification. For each designated trade, the Board establishes the training and journeyperson certification standards, and-with the approval of the Minister-establishes the regulatory framework through which training and certification programs are delivered.

The Board appoints industry representatives to Provincial Advisory Committees (PACs) to provide trade-specific advice on training and certification standards, and regulation content for each trade.

Apprenticeship Manitoba (“the Branch”) coordinates and facilitates the Board's regulation and program standard setting and provides other technical, administrative and financial support to the Board and the PACs.

Operationally, the Branch administers and monitors apprentice training delivered under apprenticeship agreements and administers certification examinations. Branch staff also oversees the network of training support programs, accreditation of technical training programs, community-based training partnerships with rural, northern and Aboriginal communities, essential skills assessment and upgrading, prior learning assessment and recognition programs, certification examination preparation workshops, and the communication and marketing of career opportunities in the skilled trades.

To become an apprentice, a person must meet basic eligibility standards (normally, high school standing or equivalent) and have a sponsoring employer. Persons who do not meet minimum academic standards may be able to access upgrading or prior learning assessment options in order to enter into an apprenticeship.

An employer and an employee sign an apprenticeship agreement. This agreement outlines each party's roles and responsibilities. This agreement takes effect when registered with Apprenticeship Manitoba. With an agreement in place, the apprentice learns the skills in his or her chosen trade by working under a certified journeyperson. The apprentice is paid a wage, which is set out in regulation, for the work performed.

About 80 per cent of the apprentice's training occurs on the job. The other 20 per cent is technical training, taken once per year in a block of time away from the workplace. Apprenticeship Manitoba arranges for the delivery of the technical (in-school) aspect of apprentices' training. Once the apprentice has completed all required levels of technical training and practical on-the-job training he or she is eligible to write a certification examination. If successful, the apprentice receives a Certificate of Qualification and becomes a certified journeyperson in the trade. In most trades, a Red Seal may be affixed to the certificate, which is acquired through the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal program. The Red Seal program is a pan-Canadian Interprovincial standard, which is recognized across Canadian jurisdictions. The holder of a Certificate of Qualification that bears a Red Seal endorsement may work in that trade anywhere in the country.

Manitoba is a member of the pan-Canadian Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program. For trades designated under the Red Seal Program, the Manitoba Certificate of Qualification bears the Red Seal endorsement. The endorsement is recognized by all Canadian jurisdictions. The holder of a Certificate of Qualification that bears a Red Seal endorsement may work in that trade anywhere in the country.

It may not be necessary to apprentice in a trade if a person can show that he or she has significant previous experience working in that trade. In this situation, if a person can demonstrate sufficient scope and experience in the trade, it may challenge the examination and, if successful, acquire a Certificate of Qualifications in the trade (including a Red Seal, if applicable). This examination-only process is called Trades Qualification.

There are nine compulsory certification trades in Manitoba. All persons who wish to work in a compulsory certification trade must apprentice to become eligible to write the certification examination. The compulsory certification trades are: Construction Electrician, Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator, Electrologist, Esthetician, Hairstylist, Industrial Electrician, Refrigeration and Air conditioning Mechanic, Sprinkler System Installer, and Steamfitter/Pipefitter.

University and college admission requirements vary from program to program. In general, direct entry to each institution often requires proof of successful high school completion/graduation, with specific high school course and academic achievement requirements. Certain programs also require successful completion of admissions/entrance qualification examinations, work /professional experience and/or other requirements. Institutions may also establish special admissions provisions for persons who continue to be enrolled in secondary school (who are often less than 18 years of age), as well as for mature applicants (persons who are at least 21 years of age) who do not meet direct entrance requirements.

All persons interested in applying to postsecondary programs or institutions in Manitoba are encouraged to consult with an appropriate admissions officer/academic counsellor concerning the program/institution to which they wish to apply and may also wish to refer to the institution's course calendar for specific admission and programmatic information.

Tuition fees at Manitoba colleges and universities are among the lowest in Canada for both domestic and international students. Each institution charges different rates depending on the program of study. Also, most institutions charge international students a differential fee to study at their institution. Institutions should be contacted directly for more information.

The Manitoba Student Aid Program provides loans to provincial residents only. The province's universities and colleges offer a variety of scholarships to qualifying and/or eligible students. External scholarships and grants may also be available depending upon the institution in which a student is enrolled.

All persons in need of financial support are encouraged to consult with an appropriate admissions officer/academic counsellor concerning available financial support and assistance for the program/institution to which they wish to apply.