BC Post-Secondary System
BC has many different types of post-secondary institutions that you can attend. These are described below.
Public Institutions in BC
Colleges exist in every region of BC. They offer programs in trades/apprenticeship, vocational, career, technical, and academic studies (often called university transfer). They also offer developmental programs that prepare adult learners for post-secondary studies. Colleges offer a range of credentials, including certificates, diplomas, associate degrees, and applied undergraduate degrees (called Bachelor degrees). The 11 public colleges are:
- Camosun College
- College of New Caledonia
- College of the Rockies
- Douglas College
- Langara College
- North Island College
- Northern Lights College
- Northwest Community College
- Okanagan College
- Selkirk College
- Vancouver Community College
Teaching-intensive universities offer a number of degree programs at the undergraduate and Masters levels. With the exception of Emily Carr University of Art and Design and Royal Roads University which offer specialized programming, the teaching-intensive universities also offer a full range of programs available at colleges, including trades/apprenticeship, vocational, career, technical, academic studies/university transfer, and developmental programs. Teaching-intensive universities offer a wide range of credentials, including certificates, diplomas, associate degrees, and degrees. The seven teaching intensive universities are:
- Capilano University
- Emily Carr University of Art and Design
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University
- Royal Roads University
- Thompson Rivers University
- University of the Fraser Valley
- Vancouver Island University
Institutes offer specialized programs and have a provincial mandate. Each of the three provincial institutes is unique in terms of the programs it offers, with one focusing on trades and technology, one on public safety, and the other on Aboriginal education. Institutes offer a range of credentials, including certificates, diplomas, associate degrees, and applied bachelor degrees. Some offer applied Masters degrees. The three provincial institutes are:
- British Columbia Institute of Technology
- Justice Institute of British Columbia
- Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
Research-intensive universities offer a wide range of undergraduate or Bachelor degrees. Research-intensive universities also offer a number of graduate degrees at the Masters and Doctoral level. The four research-intensive universities are:
- Simon Fraser University
- University of British Columbia
- University of Northern British Columbia
- University of Victoria
Private Institutions in the BC Transfer System
BC has a well-developed transfer system which involves all public post-secondary institutions and some private ones (see bctransferguide.ca). This system allows students to move from one institution to another and to get credit for previous coursework. All the public institutions listed above are part of the BC Transfer System as well as Yukon College. Private institutions that have been through a provincial degree quality assessment process can also be part of the BC Transfer System. These institutions are:
- Alexander College
- Art Institute of Vancouver
- Columbia College
- Coquitlam College
- Corpus Christi College
- Fairleigh Dickinson University
- Fraser International College
- Quest University
- Sprott-Shaw Degree College
- Trinity Western University
- University Canada West
Other Private Institutions
There are hundreds of private institutions across BC. These institutions range from small operations with a small number of programs to larger institutions with a variety of programs. Types of private institutions include degree granting, career training, theological, academic non-degree granting, and language schools.
- Not all private degree-granting institutions with authority to grant degrees in BC are part of the BC Transfer System. A full list of private and public institutions with authority from the Minister can be found at https://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/psips/public/report/recommendationsDecisions.faces.
- Private career training institutions are registered with the Private Career Training Institutions Agency of BC (PCTIA). Many of these institutions are also accredited with PCTIA.
Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association (IAHLA) Institutes
The Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association (IAHLA) was created in 2003 in order to represent and work on behalf of Aboriginal controlled adult and post-secondary education institutes in BC.
IAHLA's community-based institutes offer a broad spectrum of courses and programs that include: college and university programs leading to certificates, diplomas, and degrees; Adult Basic Education leading to the Adult Dogwood Diploma for secondary school completion; language instruction; occupation specific training and upgrading; and lifelong learning programs that support Aboriginal people, communities, languages, and cultures. IAHLA is registered as a non-profit society that is governed by a Board of Directors that is elected at each Annual General Meeting.
Out-of-Province Institutions in the BC Transfer System
The BC Transfer System also includes the following out-of-province members which offer transferable courses to and from BC institutions:
- Athabasca University (Alberta)
- Yukon College (Yukon)
