When it comes to the global ed-scape, Canada has risen in ranks as one of the most sought after destinations for international students. Be it their immigration policies, the job opportunities, the top notch research and teaching or the safety that the nation offers, we find more international students choosing Canada as their study destination.
Among the provinces of Canada, the western most province of British Columbia, being the home to some of the top colleges and universities, is one of the education and career hubs. So in this article, we will be looking at
Source: britishcolumbia.ca
Every year, thousands of students choose British Columbia as their study destination for its welcome blend of world-class colleges and its multitude of opportunities. Be it Victoria, the capital city, Vancouver, the more popular economic hub, or Kelowna, a more rustic town known for its college, almost 100,000 international students seek the province of British Columbia in pursuit of higher education. QS Rankings has ranked Vancouver in the 18th place worldwide, as one of the top student-friendly cities.
That said, here are some of the reasons why you must consider college in British Columbia.
The B.C. Transfer System: The province is known for its easy credit-transfer system when it comes to higher education. It provides for means to transfer seamlessly from one school to another. You can consider transferring in your second or third year to a more competitive school.
While this system has its own requirements such as minimum GPA and credits to be eligible for transfer, it is an option open to both domestic and international students.
Immigration and Employment Opportunities: British Columbia has a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) that allows graduating students to apply for Permanent Residency (PR) through the PNP route. It begins by getting a Provincial Nominee Certificate. Once you have this certificate, your PR application will be processed much faster than going through any other immigration route. With high employability rates and increased industrial exposure, B C is also inundated with career opportunities for international students.
Education Quality Assessment: Among all the provinces, British Columbia is the only province that provides a government-mandated EQA. Higher education institutions that are accredited by this body ensure they maintain international standards and keep themselves up to date with industry requirements.
Cost of Living: In general, the cost of education and living in Canada is more affordable than the likes of the USA or the UK. Even within Canada, British Columbia is cheaper compared to a province like Ontario (home to the capital city of Ottawa and the most populous Toronto) or Alberta.
A Welcoming Ethos: British Columbia has a rich ‘outside’ culture. With its rocky coastlines, abundant wildlife, lush landscapes, and abundant lakes, British Columbia has a lot to offer in terms of adventure. Moreover, as one of the student favorites when it comes to international education, the province is becoming more multicultural and diverse with every passing day.
Before we get into the specifics of finance, let us remember, as mentioned in the List of Colleges in Ontario, that universities and colleges are not synonymous. Canadian Universities are larger institutions of higher education that confer degrees (Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral). The focus of university education is typically knowledge-based. Here are some of the top universities in British Columbia.
A college in Canada typically has full-time or part-time diploma courses, certificate courses, and sometimes even a Bachelor’s degree in certain applied areas of study. A college offers more career-oriented training. A certificate program is typically one year while a diploma can go up to 2-3 years. Your course in a college might also include apprenticeships, skill upgrading, and even language training.
Tuition Fees: On average, the tuition fee for an international student is about CA $15,000 for an undergraduate degree. Postgraduate degree courses are more expensive. Diploma courses typically range from CA $8,000 to CA$20,000, depending on your field of study and the duration of the course.
Application and Visa fee: Ranges from CA $70 to CA $150 for application. The cost of applying for a study permit is CA $150.
Cost of Living: You can expect to incur an average amount of CA $1,400 per month as living expenses. This includes rent, food, transport, and insurance. On average, you can expect to spend about CA $200 on food and CA $75 on public transport per month in British Columbia. The rent largely depends on the area, the kind of accommodation, and the roommates. At the end of the day, it is your lifestyle that will determine how much you spend outside of your educational needs.
Keeping in mind the expenses and the cost of international travel, many of the colleges in British Columbia offer financial aid in the form of scholarships, fellowships, and awards. These are based on merit, need, or in some cases, both criteria taken into consideration together. You can apply for them either with your application or after having secured admission.
Here are some of the top scholarships in different British Columbia colleges.
| S.No | College | Location | Fees |
| 1 | Camosun College | Victoria | CA $9,000 – 15,000 |
| 2 | Coast Mountain College | Prince Rupert, Terrace, Smithers, Hazelton, and Haida Gwaii | CA $3,000 – 15,000 |
| 3 | Langara College | Vancouver | ~ CA $20,000 for a course |
| 4 | Douglas College | New Westminster and Coquitlam | CA $20,000 |
| 5 | Okanagan College | Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, Salmon Arm | CA $16,000 |
| 6 | Northern Lights College | Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Chetwynd, Fort Nelson | CA $370 per credit |
| 7 | Fraser International College | Burnaby | CA $6,000 – 30,000 |
| 8 | College of New Caledonia | Prince George, Quesnel, Mackenzie, Vanderhoof, Fort St. James, and Burns Lake | CA $13,000 – 18000 |
| 9 | College of the Rockies | Cranbrook | CA $1,500 per course |
| 10 | Selkirk College | Castlegar, Nelson, Trail, Grand Forks, Kaslo, and Nakusp | CA $7,000 – 18,000 |
Location: Victoria
Established in 1971, Camosun College is one of the largest public community colleges in BC. There are seven schools under Camosun College that are dedicated to Arts and Science, Business, Health and Human Services, and Trades and Technology, among others.
Source: Camosun College
Students often choose this college for its top-notch research and educational facilities. This school welcomes over 1,100 indigenous students and 1,700 international students every year. This Canadian college also offers a wide range of programs that will help you with university transfer, applied degrees, career, and trade training, and with professional studies. The college is also located in Victoria, which is often referred to as the garden city of Canada.
The tuition fee ranges from CA $9,000 to CA $15,000 for international students.
This college has an entire range of programs that even allow you to transfer to the University of British Columbia, provided you meet the transfer criteria. Some of the top courses in Camosun are
Your application for this college happens online through EducationPlannerBC. A completed application form along with the fee must be submitted well before the deadline. The application does not necessarily guarantee admission.
Location: Prince Rupert, Terrace, Smithers, Hazelton, and Haida Gwaii
Spread across 5 campuses, Coast Mountain College is a government-certified, publicly-funded post-secondary educational institution. It is one of the top contenders when one is looking for colleges in British Columbia.
Source: Coast Mountain College
Affordable education, innovative pedagogy, experiential, industry-based learning and degree partnerships with some of the world-class universities are just some of the reasons to consider this college.
The fees differ quite extensively depending on the course and duration. It ranges from ~ CA $3,000 for a 7-week course all the way to CA $15,000. The college suggests an average living expense of CA $1,050 per month.
Each program has a different set of eligibility requirements. However, for international students, proof of English language proficiency must be submitted. A minimum score of 6.5 in IELTS or 90 in TOEFL iBT is required.
The popular programs include
Once you know that you have matched the admission requirements of the program of your choosing (GPA and English scores), you must submit your completed application along with a fee of CA $100.
Location: Vancouver
Founded in 1965, Langara is one of the finest colleges for applied arts and technology in Vancouver and even the entirety of Canada. At Langara College, students get to choose from more than 90 programs and over 10000 courses.
Source: Langara College
The college has a strength of nearly 21,000 students out of which nearly one-third of students come from different countries. It provides a diverse multicultural experience. The school of nursing at the Langara school has been named the school of the year by the Canadian nursing students association, and the school of management is ranked in the top 6 business schools in Canada.
The total tuition for a course is about CA $20,000 in Langara
The largest degree-granting college, Douglas College is a public institution spread across campuses in Surrey, Westminster, and Coquitlam. Around 20,000 students study in this institution every year.
Source: Douglas College
Recognized by the EQA, Douglas college combines the solid academic foundations of a university-style teaching with the trade and industry skills of a college education. It also provides clear pathways to university education, should you wish to continue.
The tuition fee is about CA $20,000 per year, including insurance and student costs.
For Undergraduate (diploma, associate degree, and bachelor degree) programs:
Post-Degree and Post-Baccalaureate programs:
Minimum TOEFL iBT score of 83 or IELTS score of 6.5
Here are some of the college’s degree programs
The application process begins with finding your program and checking its requirements. Then you upload the completed application with the required transcripts and the application fee.
Location: Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, Salmon Arm
Another public institution run by the BC province, this Canadian college operates out of four campuses. Home to about 20,000 students, it is the second-largest training institute in British Columbia.
Source: Okanagan College
The college provides numerous easy options to transfer to UBC. The programs are accredited by the Government of British Columbia. The choice of programs seems almost limitless. In addition, numerous student jobs are also available on campus. It also provides co-op work options so you get a taste of industry experience.
The approximate per-year fee for tuition is around CA $16,000.
The application process remains simple. You check your requirements for the chosen courses, submit the completed application and wait for the letter of acceptance.
Location: Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Chetwynd, Fort Nelson, Tumbler Ridge
Source: Dawson Creek
With its affordable tuition and cost of living, Northern Lights College is one of the most reputed colleges in BC. It gives you the added advantage of applied practical college learning and the chance to apply for a PGWP (Postgraduate Work Permit) on completion of its course. Its campuses are also strategically located in places with dynamic local labour markets. It becomes easier for skilled workers to find employment within three months of completion of the course.
The average fee is about CA $370 per credit.
Popular courses include
Location: Burnaby
Source: Fraser International College
One of the private colleges to make it into this list, Fraser International College is affiliated with Simon Fraser University. In addition to the vast number of career-oriented programs, this college also provides pathway programs that allow its students to easily continue their higher education at Simon Fraser.
Depending on the course it ranges from CA $6,000 to CA $30,000 per year.
Its degree programs are popular – BBA, BA, B.Sc., B.Tech., etc.
Location: Prince George, Quesnel, Mackenzie, Vanderhoof, Fort St. James, and Burns Lake
Source: College of New Caledonia
Since 1969, this college, spread across 6 locations, has been providing community-focussed educational programs. It offers an eclectic mix of vocational, professional, trade-based, and academic programs that you can choose from, in order to up-skill.
On average, the fee ranges from CA $13,000 – CA $18,000 per year.
Some of the popular areas of study include
The university has three intake semesters, January, May, and September, for international students.
Location: Cranbrook
Source: College of the Rockies
Another public college, College of the Rockies is known for its small classrooms, individual attention, personalized instruction, up-to-date technology, and great support services, especially when it comes to career choices.
On average, each course at College of the Rockies costs about CA $1,500. In a semester, you can choose anywhere from 3-7 courses.
Location: Castlegar, Nelson, Trail, Grand Forks, Kaslo, and Nakusp
Source: Wikimedia
Selkirk College offers more than 60 nationally recognized programs and has grown to be one of the biggest institutions in the Boundary and West Kootenay regions. The college is known for its practical and applied learning techniques, preparing you to start your career earlier than a typical university education.
Depending on the program, the fees range from CA $7,000 to CA $18,000.
International applicants seeking admission generally must:
Academic Upgrading and Development, Lifespan Autism Training, Business, Environment and Geometrics, Health, Hospitality and Tourism, Human Services, Industry, and Trades Training, Peace and Justice Studies, and University Arts and Sciences.
Selkirk’s programs are quite competitive in nature. Therefore you must stay ahead of the deadlines. The earlier you apply, the better your chances. Once you have chosen your course, you must submit the completed application form along with the necessary transcripts and the application fee.
That covers ten of the top colleges in British Columbia. In addition to the colleges mentioned here, you can also look into Vancouver Community College, North Island College, and British Columbia Institute of Technology for more options.
Read also: Top colleges in Canada
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Also Read: Law Colleges in Canada: Best Guide for International Students in 2022
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