Professional Ballet-Academic Program | Canada's National Ballet School

As one of the only schools in North America to offer Olympic-calibre dance training, academic instruction and residence care all on one campus, our Professional Ballet-Academic Program is home to students in grades 6 to 12 from across Canada and around the world.

Our progressive dance curriculum emphasizes students' physical and emotional well-being, and has put NBS at the forefront of dance training. Our internationally-recognized program pursues cutting-edge innovations in training practices to support the new generation of ballet artists.

Our dance training pedagogy is unique to NBS, integrating elements from the best in progressive and acclaimed classical ballet training methods, contemporary dance and the latest advances in the science of movement. With the values of equity, diversity and inclusion prioritized and embedded within the culture of our organization, our students develop as both talented dancers and as engaged citizens.

Grade 6-12 students take classes in contemporary repertoire and technique, improvisation, drama and expression, historical/character dance and anatomy, as well as ballet classes focusing on variations, repertoire, pas de deux and more. Our dance program is further enhanced through world-renowned guest teachers with expertise in ballet and other dance forms.
 

Download our Professional Ballet Program brochure (PDF) here. 

Our internationally-recognized program pursues cutting-edge innovations in training practices to support the new generation of ballet artists.

What students can expect in the Professional Ballet-Academic Program:

• Dance training interwoven with academic studies each day.

• An academic year running from September to June.

• For daily ballet training, students can spend between 2-4 hours in the dance studio daily. During our annual summer school program, this can increase to 3-5 hours.

• Senior grades will have opportunities for unique exchange programs with our affiliation network of 24 international partner schools.

Exceptional teachers, ESL support, an engaging range of subjects, and an academic building right on the NBS campus help provide students with a high-quality academic education, alongside their dance training. By integrating artistic, academic, and life skills education, NBS prepares students for success in all areas of life.

Students are held to a high standard at NBS and we are committed to helping every student thrive and achieve very successful outcomes from their academic experience. This commitment is reflected in the importance and value we place on completing a secondary school education. As an Ontario Ministry of Education inspected school, NBS follows the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum where students will graduate with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.  

Although most graduates go on to dance professionally, we ensure that our students are well prepared for post-secondary education and whatever career path a student chooses to pursue. Graduates from NBS who apply to university have been highly successful in post-secondary admission around the world and in a wide variety of fields including business, engineering, health sciences, social sciences, humanities and dance. 

NBS provides a rigorous academic program in the Junior-Intermediate School (Grades 6–8) and the Senior School (Grades 9–12). NBS is a full-year, non-semestered school, and all academic courses run from September to June. This structure enables the academic and dance departments to coordinate efforts and ensure students are supported during the various special activities and events planned throughout the year. 

Did you know? NBS students excel in the studio AND the classroom! Each year, the majority of our graduating class graduates as Ontario Scholars, having achieved an average of 80%+.  

NBS provides an extensive financial assistance program for full-time students and their families. Since its inception, our policy is to accept students solely on the basis of talent, with efforts focused on ensuring that families' financial circumstances are not a barrier for any eligible student to attend the School.

Student Financial Assistance Packages 

Our needs-based financial assistance program awards upwards of $3-4 million annually, in renewable terms. The majority of families in our full-time program receive comprehensive Student Financial Assistance packages at a level that is customized according to each family’s need. This support goes beyond a simple one-time scholarship—it covers up to 100% of their tuition, residence, and meal fees for their entire time at NBS.  

Assistance is available to all students, including Domestic and International students, in the full-time Professional Ballet Program—i.e. Gr. 6-12 and the Company Life Program. Families wishing to apply for financial assistance must complete a detailed third-party application and all requests are individually evaluated on the basis of each family's particular needs. 
 
Full-Time Fees 

Canada's National Ballet School is a publicly-subsidized professional training institution. For most programs, the School charges tuition fees which cover only a portion of the real costs. 

For students in grades 6 to 11, full-time fees for both tuition and residence are based on the school year (September to July); tuition and residence fees for July Summer School are included. We work flexibly with families to arrange options for the payment of fees. Where payment has been approved in installments, post-dated cheques must be provided to the School according to the student's individual fee contract. 
 

International Students
All international students require a Study Permit for courses longer than six months in length.  For information about acquiring a Study Permit please visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website.

International students in the full-time Professional Ballet Program are eligible for our needs-based financial assistance program (see above for details).