Learning Accounts
Last Revised: October 14, 2025
Program overview
Increasing access to higher education: Learning Accounts is a post-secondary financial aid program implemented in New Brunswick, Canada. It aims to increase low-income students' ability to pay for post-secondary education and thereby raise their educational achievement.
Leveraging public-private collaboration: The program, which was funded by the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation in partnership with provincial governments, offered a total of $8,400 (USD) in educational funding to students whose family income was below the New Brunswick median. Students were recruited to the program beginning in ninth grade. Eligible individuals received packets via mail outlining the program and terms and conditions associated with the funding. This process was managed by local government offices set up to run educational and scholarship programs.
Rewarding educational milestones: Beginning in tenth grade, participating students received $2,100 in their account for each year of high school they completed in New Brunswick and $4,200 upon graduation (assuming they completed high school within 4 years of starting tenth grade). If participants enrolled in an approved post-secondary education institution, they could withdraw $2,100 per semester for two years to help pay for educational expenses. All funds had to be spent within six years of when the student entered tenth grade.
- Strategies
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College access and readiness supports
- Cost per Participant
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Approximately $3,300/per student
- Location
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New Brunswick (Canada)
A single study with a rigorous design provides some evidence for Learning Accounts as a strategy for increasing high school graduation and post-secondary education completion rates.
A 2019 randomized controlled trial tracking students for ten years after the start of the program (seven years after their intended high school graduation) found that Learning Accounts participants graduated high school at a rate 6.5 percentage points higher than non-enrolled students. Additionally, they completed postsecondary education at a rate 6.8 percentage points higher than the comparison group.
Gradual payment structure: Learning Accounts was designed so that funds were dispersed slowly as students progressed through high school (as opposed to a system in which all funds were paid upon graduation). This structure was adopted to reward continued educational commitment and provide short-term motivation for students to reach educational milestones. Providing an early commitment to finance post-secondary education: By 9th-grade, low-income students may know that it will be difficult to finance post-secondary education and they may be discouraged from planning for higher education or putting significant effort into earning their high school diploma. By guaranteeing financing early in high school, Learning Accounts aimed to motivate lower income students by making post-secondary education more financially accessible and allowing students to factor Learning Accounts funds into their longer term planning.
Implementing a flexible spending schedule: Students were required to spend all Learning Account funds within 6 years of entering the program. This schedule gave students grace by allowing them an extra year to complete high school, if necessary, or the opportunity to take a gap year before starting or while completing higher education. This meant that if students experienced an external hardship or needed to take time off for any reason they were not punished and could still take advantage of Learning Account funds.