Private colleges and institutions are pushing to be included in the New Brunswick government’s plan to provide free tuition for low and middle income families.   

Under the Tuition Access Bursary Program, students who choose to attend a private institution are not eligible.

“We're talking about potentially 1,000 students,” said Darcie Robichaud, president and owner of Oulton College in Moncton. “We've put in front of (Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Department) some numbers that show students leaving our institutions for public institutions will cost, in fact, more – way more – than if they helped all of the students.”

Officials with private institutions say it’s turning into a race against time, as they want to see changes made to the program before the student loan application process starts in June.

Many private institution students are worried about people who could miss out on specialized programs that aren't available at public universities.

“I wouldn't want my dream taken away from me, I'd fight for that,” said primary care paramedic student Mitch Price. “I'd find a way to fund it, do whatever I did to get into this private institution, because this is the only place where I can learn to be a paramedic.”

Primary care paramedicine student Jonathan Savage says the government’s tuition program could deter potential students from pursuing their wanted field.

“You'd have a lot of students saying, ‘I want to be a paramedic, but I don't have the money. If you include this, I want to be a paramedic,’ said Savage. “Now you're shipping out paramedics – people with essential skills.”

The government says previously existing programs should suffice for students at private institutions.

“These students are still eligible to all the other programs that were available before we announced the tab program,” said Francine Landry, New Brunswick Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training, and Labour.

Minister Landry did not specify whether the government is willing to include private colleges in the future.

But students are holding out for change.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Cami Kepke.