Student Entrepreneurship
Launch your summer business in New Brunswick with up to $3,000 in interest-free loan funding. If you repay it in full by October 15 and meet all program requirements, you get up to one-third of that amount reimbursed.
“The Student Entrepreneurship component provides an interest-free loan of up to $3,000 to help students start a summer business that will create at least one full-time student summer job and provide the applicant with a valuable business experience.”
From the official program page
Before you spend any money
There are firm dates. The 2026 application deadline was June 30. Your business must operate at least 6 weeks between April 1 and Labour Day weekend. To get the reimbursement, repay the loan in full by October 15, and submit your final income statement by October 31. Allow 2 to 3 weeks for processing, so apply early.
At a glance
Subject to program rules, available funding, and approval. Confirm current details with the official program administrator.
Is this for you?
- You are a student aged 16 or older who was full-time last year and are returning to full-time studies this fall.
- You live in New Brunswick or have been a resident there for the past six months.
- You plan to run a legitimate summer business that provides you with at least 30 hours of work per week.
Probably not the right fit if
- You are looking for a grant or free money, because this is a loan you must repay in full.
- You are studying part-time, by correspondence, or you have not completed your GED or CAEC.
- Your business idea involves simple reselling, commission-based sales, or extending a family business without demonstrating independence.
How much you'd realistically get
Up to $3,000, interest-free. If you repay it all by October 15 and meet every requirement, up to one-third of what you borrowed comes back to you. Note that for items that keep personal value, like a lawn mower or computer, only part of the price may count as eligible.
What may be supported
- Start-up costs for a summer business that creates at least one full-time summer job for you
- Retail shops
- Craft work
- Painting
- Computer services
- Lawn care
What's excluded or restricted
- Purchase of licensed motor vehicles.
- Commission sales.
- Pyramid-type selling.
- Network marketing.
- 1-900 numbers.
- Extension of family-owned businesses (must demonstrate independence).
- Product distributorships where the applicant is essentially a commissioned salesperson.
- Businesses that do not add value to the end product (e.g., reselling blank t-shirts as-is without customization).
- Cash crops that are not new to the farm operation or are not planted/harvested in one season.
- Applicants who join the Armed Forces.
- Applicants attending university/college on a part-time basis.
- Applicants taking a full course load through correspondence.
- Applicants who have left school and have not completed their GED or CAEC.
- Businesses that exploit and/or put at risk vulnerable persons/groups.
How applying works
Effort: moderateYou complete three forms (Form A, Attachment B, and Form C) including a written project description and a cash flow forecast. Each partner files a separate Form A. It is manageable, but plan for the 2 to 3 week processing time.
- 01Complete Form A (Personal Information), Attachment B (Written Project Description), and Form C (Cash Flow Forecast).
- 02If you have partners, have each partner complete a separate Form A.
- 03Submit the completed forms, electronic or printed, to your local WorkingNB regional office. The 2026 deadline was June 30; check WorkingNB for the next one.
- 04Allow 2 to 3 weeks for processing.
- 05Run your business for at least 6 weeks between April 1 and Labour Day weekend.
- 06Repay the loan in full by October 15 to earn the reimbursement, and submit your final income statement by October 31.
Who to ask: Your regional WorkingNB office, for example Bathurst: 506-549-5766, PETLTravailNBRegion1@gnb.ca; Fredericton: 506-453-2377, PETLWorkingNBFrederictonregion@gnb.ca. General contact directory: www.WorkingNB.ca/Contact.
Documents commonly required
- Form A (Personal Information)
- Attachment B (Written Project Description)
- Form C (Cash Flow Forecast)
- A Social Insurance Number
- A guarantor's signature if you are under 18
What to know before you count on it
- It is a loan you repay, not a grant. The one-third reimbursement is a reward for repaying in full by October 15, not a guarantee.
- Your business must create at least one full-time summer job of 30 hours a week, for you.
- Items that keep personal value may only be partly eligible, so you may not be able to borrow the full cost of equipment.
- If you are under 18, you need a guarantor that CBDC Restigouche will accept.
What are your odds?
Priority goes to students attending a post-secondary institution in New Brunswick. A clear project description and a realistic cash flow help. The official page does not list a number of spots. The 2026 deadline was June 30; check WorkingNB for the next one.
Frequently asked questions
Is this free money?
No. It is an interest-free loan you repay. The good news is that if you repay it all by October 15 and meet the rules, up to one-third comes back to you.
How much can I borrow?
Up to $3,000, with no interest.
What is the deadline to apply?
The 2026 deadline was June 30. Processing took 2 to 3 weeks, so check WorkingNB early for the next season's date.
I am 17. Can I still apply?
Yes, but you will need a guarantor that CBDC Restigouche finds acceptable to sign for you.
What you can combine it with
You cannot have another Student Entrepreneurship loan outstanding in the same fiscal year. The official page does not say whether it can be combined with other programs like SEED, so ask your local WorkingNB office.
Get alerted when this changes
Programs open and close, budgets run out, rules change. We send one short email when something changes that matters for this program.
Page last updated ; status and deadline checked . Source: official program page.