Ensuring that your child attends any of the hockey boarding schools in Canada is a vital role for all parents who want their kids to become hockey players.
These boarding schools help the child become a very special hockey player while also training him or her academically.
Don’t worry, this article will help you with a list of some of the best hockey boarding schools in Canada to pick from.
How much does it cost to go to hockey boarding schools in Canada?
Every school all over the country has a different tuition fee, which they charge their various sets of students. These tuition fees in each school may also be different between local residents and international students.
In addition, it is worth noting that boarding schools are more expensive to source when it comes to tuition. This is obviously because of the accommodations and feeding fees that will be included with the school.
However, as of the date of the publication of this article, the tuition fee for hockey boarding schools in Canada ranges between $10,000 and $50,000 per session.
But it’s best to visit the individual school portal to learn about the school’s official tuition fee and any other necessary fees.
What are the best hockey boarding schools in Canada?
Canada is very popular for housing multiple hockey schools, both day and night. This, in turn, can make it very hard for one to decide which to go to.
Below are listed the hockey boarding schools we compiled as the best ones in Canada for the time being.
1. Ashbury College
Ashbury College, founded in 1891, is a premier private school for all individuals in grades four through twelve.
It is a mixed-gender day and boarding school in Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa, Canada. Its aim is to empower adolescents to be thoughtful, empathetic, and trustworthy individuals in an interactive educational setting.
Ashbury is an IB World School with over 60 nationalities represented, an average class size of 17, and a 100% university placement rate.
More importantly, the school places a heavy emphasis on academics, athletics, and the arts, with the goal of developing well-rounded students who will, therefore, become contributing members of the world.
2. Ridley College
Ridley College is a renowned co-educational hockey boarding and day school that develops students for meaningful and prosperous lives.
It accomplishes this by emphasizing the fundamentals of the mind, body, and spirit, as well as the values required to lead in a global community. It provides a coed, balanced system for athletics and academics.
The school’s location in the sunny peach belt of Ontario provides easy access from the airports of Buffalo, New York, Hamilton, and Toronto.
More crucially, it charges a whopping $25,000–$82,000 for its education, depending on your level and citizenship.
3. St. Andrew’s College
St. Andrew’s College is an all-boys private school in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. The school has a long and proud ice hockey legacy, with a focus on developing student-athletes both on and off the rink.
The hockey program at St. Andrew’s College is regarded as one of the best in Canada, having a track record of producing elite-level players. There is a varsity squad as well as multiple junior teams that compete at various levels at the school.
The Saints play in the Conference of Independent School Athletic Associations (CISAA) and the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA).
Several championships have also been won by the school’s squad over the years, including the CISAA championship in 2018 and the OFSAA championship in 2015.
4. Stanstead College
While this institution provides a number of school-related and recreational programs, its hockey program is famous.
The school’s hockey program is extremely competitive, drawing excellent players from all around the globe. Teams compete in leagues such as the New England Prep School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) and the Canadian Independent School Athletic Association (CISAA).
Stanstead College has a long hockey tradition, with many alumni going on to play professionally and collegiately.
The school has produced over 50 NHL draft picks, with several of them going on to have great NHL careers.
5. Lakefield College
It began operations in 1879 and is one of Canada’s earliest and most prominent independent schools, serving students in grades 9–12.
The school provides an extensive variety of programs, including Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and has an impressive history of student accomplishment, with numerous graduates going on to top colleges in Canada and around the world.
Aside from academics, LCS boasts a robust and comprehensive co-curricular program that includes a wide range of sports teams, clubs, and activities.
The school also values community service and encourages students to participate in local and worldwide causes.
6. Cushing Academy
Cushing is an executive-level, mixed-gender boarding school with a 65% admission rate in Ashburnham, Massachusetts.
This school has an extensive record of achievement in hockey. As such, it can work as a hockey academy. It is certainly one of the greatest boarding hockey schools in Canada, with Steve Jacobs as head coach of the hockey sports squad.
Cushing Academy Penguins have prevailed in the New England Championship twice, despite featuring an average class size of 12 pupils and a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:8.
7. Appleby College
With students from over 30 nations represented on campus, Appleby College has an immense dedication to international cooperation and diversity.
The school also provides a variety of foreign programs, such as exchanges and service missions, with the goal of promoting global engagement and cross-cultural awareness.
Appleby College, in general, provides extensive schooling that emphasizes academic performance, athletics, and extracurricular activity, as well as civic engagement and international understanding.
8. Cranbook Hockey Schools
Cranbrook School is an independent, coeducational college preparatory school in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA. George Booth, who also founded the nearby Cranbrook Educational Community, founded it in 1922.
Cranbrook School provides a rigorous academic program that emphasizes critical thinking, creativity, and leadership development.
The school provides the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum as well as a variety of Advanced Placement (AP) courses and has a good academic track record, with many alumni entering top colleges in the United States and around the world.
Cranbrook School boasts a robust athletics department in addition to academics, with teams playing in a number of sports at the local and regional levels.
9. Branksome Hall
Branksome Hall is a private girls’ school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was formed in 1903 and is now one of Canada’s leading girls’ institutions.
It provides a rigorous academic program that focuses on critical thinking, creativity, and leadership development. The school provides the International Baccalaureate (IB) program and has a solid academic track record, with many students going on to top colleges in Canada and around the world.
Besides academics, Branksome Hall also offers a variety of extracurricular events, such as performing arts, sporting events, and community service.
The school features a cutting-edge arts centre and a robust athletics program, with teams participating at the local and national levels in a range of sports.
10. Lyndon Institute
Lyndon Institute is a higher education prep co-educational school in Lyndon Centre, Vermont, USA. It was established in 1867 and provides a comprehensive academic program for pupils in grades 9 through 12, as well as postgraduate students.
The objective of the school is to provide students with a supportive and challenging educational environment that prepares them for success in college and beyond.
Lyndon Institute provides a variety of courses, including honours and Advanced Placement (AP) subjects, as well as joint enrollment with surrounding colleges.
In addition, the school offers a strong athletic department with a variety of sports teams and a state-of-the-art sporting centre. Lyndon Institute also provides a variety of extracurricular events, including clubs, volunteering initiatives, and artistic programs.
Admission requirements for hockey boarding schools in Canada
It should be noted that admittance to Canadian hockey boarding schools can be quite difficult, and fulfilling the basic standards cannot assure entrance.
To maximize your odds of acceptance, extensively study colleges, attend all educational seminars or campus tours, and communicate regularly with recruitment officials.
In most cases, hockey boarding schools in Canada feature strict entrance standards that applicants have to satisfy. These specifications may differ significantly amongst schools, but they commonly include the following:
1. Age Range
The majority of schools admit students between the ages of 14 and 19, while others might allow younger students.
Just like any other type of school, some hockey boarding schools can be a little strict about their minimum acceptable age.
2. Hockey talent
To be eligible for admission, students must have a particular degree of hockey skills and expertise. This could be determined through auditions or the submission of game footage.
Hence, it is important that you try to participate in any available form of hockey practice for a while before you apply.
3. Academic Record
In order to be eligible for acceptance, learners must normally have a minimum academic average or a specified grade point average (GPA).
This is due to the fact that most of these schools build students not only in hockey but on normal academic grounds too.
4. English Language Proficiency
For foreigners whose first language is not English, an English language proficiency assessment, like the TOEFL or IELTS, may be mandatory.
Therefore, if you’re applying to any of these hockey boarding schools in Canada as an international student, you must pass these English tests.
5. Personal Essay
Applicants may be requested to submit an essay detailing their motivation for attending the institution, their ambitions, and previous experiences or accomplishments.
6. Recommendation Letters
Schools may also request letters of recommendation from coaches, instructors, or anyone else who can attest to the student’s personality, academic abilities, and hockey talents.
7. Financial Capability
Some institutions need confirmation of a student’s capacity to pay for tuition and other fees. Your guardian or parents may have to sign some documents to prove that they can sponsor you.
But the fun part is that some of these schools do offer scholarships to applicants who merit them, and in a few cases, they offer loans or grants.
Is it necessary to attend a hockey boarding school?
Even though this consideration will differ from person to person, there are some things that make boarding schools worth it.
Putting your kid in a hockey boarding school will not only limit the amount of distractions that may come his or her way. It may also aid him or her in paying more attention to the necessary classes and training.
Excuses like bad traffic and distance won’t be a hindrance to training for any child in a hockey boarding school.
Besides, they’ll also be in the midst of their mates more often, helping them develop their personalities and social wellbeing.
Hence, from all these, it feels safe to say that it is quite necessary to attend a hockey boarding school in Canada.