Pembina Trails School Division
- Why
- Student-athletes · Families who want a managed homestay
- Because
- Four sport academies · Homestay since 1995 · Dedicated team
- Result
- Balance of sport and study · Reliable homestay · Valid diploma
- Benefit
- Strong value · CAD 500 below the median, with AP and homestay
- Cost
- CAD 23,350 (estimated first-year total) · about CAD 2,335 per school month
Why Pembina Trails School Division?
Families of serious student-athletes often want training that does not come at the expense of academics. The division offers four sport academies alongside Advanced Placement courses in one place.
- Student-athletes: those who want academy-level training in hockey, volleyball, soccer or basketball.
- Families who want a managed homestay: parents who prefer the division to run the homestay process directly.
- Proximity to university: students considering studies near the University of Manitoba.
Reasons: Pembina Trails' concrete advantages
- Four sport academies: Hockey, Volleyball, Soccer and Basketball, built into the school program.
- Homestay since 1995: run by the division itself, not outsourced.
- Dedicated team: one full-time homestay coordinator and two assistants.
- Academic options: Advanced Placement, the Program for Gifted Learners and French Immersion.
- ESL support: English as a Second Language help for students who are still developing their English.
- Few extra fees: there is no placement or guardianship fee; homestay costs CAD 1,000 per month.
- Airport access: Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport is about 20 minutes away by car.
Cost analysis: what one school year costs
| Item | CAD | As published on CAPS-I |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition, one school year | 12,500 | $12,500 |
| Application fee | 300 | $300 |
| Health insurance | 550 | $300 for a semester and $550 for a full year |
| Homestay, 10 months at CAD 1,000 | 10,000 | Homestay Placement Fee: 0; Homestay Monthly Fee: $1,000; Custodianship Fee: 0 |
| Homestay placement fee | 0 / included | |
| Custodianship fee | 0 / included | |
| Estimated first-year total | 23,350 | Tuition, the listed fees, insurance and homestay for one school year. |
Tuition alone works out to about CAD 1,250 per school month over a 10-month year. With homestay and the listed fees, the year comes to about CAD 2,335 per month.
The tuition figure comes from the district's CAPS-I page. We could not confirm it, or the school year it applies to, on the district's own website on 11 October 2026; we request the current fee schedule for you before you apply.
The district has also published CAD 13,500 for the 2027–28 school year.
The other items are taken from the district's CAPS-I member page, read on 11 October 2026. Items shown as "see text" could not be read as a single amount and are left out of the total.
How this fee compares
At CAD 12,500, this fee is CAD 500 below the median of CAD 13,000 among 7 public school districts in Manitoba.
Outcome: what families and students gain
- Balance of sport and study: students keep training while working toward a recognised high school diploma. Academy admission requirements and possible extra fees should be confirmed with the division during the application.
- Reliable homestay: more than 30 years of experience and a dedicated team, with homestay kept in-house for faster communication between school and home.
- Valid diploma: recognised across Canada and internationally. Recognition in the student's home country is handled by that country's education authority.
- Broad course selection: computer science, business, Spanish, Japanese, dance, theatre and video production. Students also benefit from living in Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba.
Benefit analysis: what the investment buys
The student works toward the Manitoba High School Diploma plus Advanced Placement (AP), taught and assessed by certified Canadian teachers.
Classes in English every day, with French options that add a second official language.
A screened homestay family provides a private room, meals and daily support, and the district monitors the placement.
Hockey Academy, Volleyball Academy, Soccer Academy and Basketball Academy let the student build a profile beyond grades.
A Canadian transcript, teacher references and extracurricular record that Canadian and international universities review directly.
Cost–benefit at a glance
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Annual investment | CAD 23,350 | Estimated first-year total, from the cost analysis above |
| Per school month | CAD 2,335 | Over a 10-month school year |
| Price position | −CAD 500 | vs. median CAD 13,000 · 7 public school districts in Manitoba |
| Specialty programs | 5 | Advanced Placement (AP), Hockey Academy, Volleyball Academy, Soccer Academy and Basketball Academy |
| Living arrangement | Homestay | Included in the cost analysis where the school publishes it |
| Language support | Immersion | No separate ESL program in our data; we confirm with the school |
| Value verdict | Strong value |
CAD 500 below the median across 7 public school districts in Manitoba, while still offering 5 specialty programs. Families get the full Canadian school experience for less.
Who it suits and what to consider
- Age requirement: the minimum age for homestay is 12. Younger students must live with a parent or close relative. The program accepts students year-round.
- Additional costs: CAD 300 application fee, CAD 550 full-year health insurance and CAD 250 transcript verification fee. Current fees should be confirmed with the school. Tuition for one term is CAD 6,250 and health insurance for one term is CAD 300.
Before the March 1 deadline, plan a free preliminary consultation with Canadian Edu Centre so we can choose the sport academy and high school together.