New financial incentives aimed at French-language educators

Students considering the Bachelor of Education, Français langue seconde (French as a second language) at the University of PEI now have extra motivation to choose that path. New financial incentives, supported by Canadian Heritage and administered by the departments of Education and Early Years and Workforce and Advanced Learning, will help reduce education costs and encourage graduates to stay and teach on the Island. Beginning with the May 2026 cohort, students who are Canadians or permanent residents will be offered a $2000 tuition credit if they choose to enter the program at UPEI. If they choose to stay and teach with either the Public Schools Branch or La Commission scolaire de langue française after graduation, they will receive an additional $3000 signing bonus. Recruitment and retention of qualified French teachers is an issue facing jurisdictions across the country. The province, with support from the federal government, has made important investments to attract more French teachers to schools. This includes language development support for teachers and UPEI French language students, recruitment, and retention funding to support school authorities, continued investment in UPEI’s French as a second language B.Ed. program, and the development of an international recruitment plan. Info: upei.ca/programs/baccalaureat-en-education-francais-langue-seconde