Education · 1 of 4

The path

School, a paid internship, exams, licence. Two to three years in most provinces.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   Biology and chemistry if you want the embalming licence. English matters because you deal with families all day.

2. 2

   Funeral service education program

   1 to 2 years

   Only a few approved schools per province. In Ontario the approved institutions are Humber and Collège Boréal. In Alberta, Mount Royal University runs online theory plus supervised practicums.

3. 3

   Internship at a funeral home

   6 months to 1 year

   In Ontario, 1 year for the Class 1 embalming licence and 6 months for the Class 2 non-embalming licence, working through a set list of competencies.

4. 4

   Licensing examinations

   Weeks

   Set by your provincial regulator, covering law, business practice, care of the deceased and funeral services.

5. 5

   Apply for your personal licence

   Ongoing

   Then renew it every year and keep up continuing education.