Are you looking for a list of all the public colleges in British Columbia? Then you’ve come to the right place because this article goes over each of these schools to help you make a good choice.
British Columbia is Canada’s westernmost province known for its mountains, lakes, islands, rainforests, scenic stretches of coastline, picturesque cities, charming towns, and world-class skiing. The province is bounded to the north by Yukon and the Northwest Territories, to the east by Alberta, to the south by the United States of Montana, Idaho, and Washington, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean and the southern panhandle region of Alaska.
The capital city of British Columbia, Victoria, is located on the southern end of Vancouver Island. It is well-known for its beautiful parkland, which offers a variety of enjoyable outdoor activities. Furthermore, the city has a rich colonial history, incredible wildlife, and a vibrant cultural scene.
As one of Canada’s most popular destinations, British Columbia sees an influx of visitors yearly, including international students looking to study at one of the province’s public colleges. There are 11 public colleges in British Columbia, so there is something for everyone. We wrote this guide to assist you in deciding which college to attend by providing an overview of each of them.
If you want to pursue your master’s degree at one of Vancouver’s best universities, this article will help you. And if you are an international student looking for tuition-free universities in Canada, here is another article to guide you. There are also a number of internship opportunities available in the country, some of which we have previously discussed.
Without any further ado, let’s get into the public colleges in British Columbia.
List of all Public Colleges in British Columbia
As previously stated, there are 11 public colleges in British Columbia, excluding universities and other types of institutions. In this section, we will list all of these colleges to help you make an informed decision. If you are an international student, check out this post for the general requirements for studying in Canada.
- Camosun College
- Coast Mountain College
- College of New Caledonia
- College of the Rockies
- Douglas College
- Langara College
- North Island College
- Northern Lights College
- Okanagan College
- Selkirk College
- Vancouver Community College
1. Camosun College
Camosun College, founded in 1971, is one of British Columbia’s public colleges, located in the capital city of Victoria. The college has two campuses, Lansdowne and Interurban.
Camosun College provides more than 160 programs, including university transfer and applied degree programs, career and trades training, upgrading and preparatory programs, and professional studies and industry training. As a student at Camosun College, you can enjoy amazing facilities while immersing yourself in a vibrant campus environment.
As one of British Columbia’s largest public colleges, Camosun College has a sizable student body and provides high-quality education at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels, with a 92% graduate employment rate.
If you are an international student, you can check out this page for tuition and fees.
2. Coast Mountain College
Coast Mountain College, formerly Northwest Community College, is another public college in British Columbia. It was founded in Terrace, British Columbia, in 1975, and now has five campuses in Hazelton, Haida Gwaii, Smithers, Prince Rupert, and Terrace.
Coast Mountain College, with its small class sizes, offers health and human services programs, online programs, university credit programs, trades foundation, and apprenticeship programs, as well as innovative and flexible mobile training to communities outside of its campuses. Courses are in the fields of business, arts, health & social services, science, and trades, as well as in upgrading programs.
Coast Mountain College is a good value for money because it provides high-quality education in a secure learning environment for a low tuition fee.
Program Levels
- 2-Year Undergraduate Diploma
- 1-Year Post-Secondary Certificate
- Postgraduate Certificate / Master’s Degree
3. College of New Caledonia
Another school on the list of public colleges in British Columbia is the College of New Caledonia. Established in 1969, the college has campuses in Prince George, Quesnel, Mackenzie, Vanderhoof, Fort St. James, and Burns Lake.
With an annual enrollment of approximately 5,000 students, the College of New Caledonia is a promising option for students pursuing diplomas and certificates in apprenticeship and continuing education programs. Courses are available in business and management, health sciences, human services, trade, technology, and upgrading, among other areas.
To apply, candidates must submit a $125 non-refundable application fee along with their application form.
4. College of the Rockies
Founded in 1975, the College of the Rockies is one of the 11 public colleges in British Columbia with the main campus in Cranbook and a branch in Gold Creek that offers Continuing Education, Health and Safety courses, as well as a Timber Framing program. The college also has five other regional campuses which provide courses in adult basic education.
With over 60 programs and hundreds of courses offered, there is something for everyone. To apply, a non-refundable application fee must be paid when submitting the online application.
5. Douglas College
Douglas College, founded in 1970, is the largest public degree-granting college institution in British Columbia, enrolling nearly 17,000 credit students, 8,500 continuing education students, and 4,210 international students. The college is one of the most affordable public colleges in British Columbia, with international per-credit fees as low as $636.70 CAD.
Douglas College offers undergraduate (diploma, associate degree, and bachelor’s degree) and post-graduate (post-degree and post-baccalaureate) programs in a variety of faculties, including health sciences, science & technology, language, literature, & performing arts. It has campuses in New Westminster and Coquitlam.
6. Langara College
Langara College was founded in 1994 with the main campus in Vancouver, which serves approximately 23,000 students annually through its university, career, and continuing studies programs. Undergraduate programs are available in the fields of business, arts, science & technology, health, and humanities & social sciences.
7. North Island College
North Island College was established in 1975 with four campuses in Campbell River, Comox Valley, Port Alberni, Port Hardy, and Ucluelet, serving over 9,000 students annually.
The college provides a wide range of programs in the arts, science, management, health & human services, trades, apprenticeship & technical, as well as indigenous studies.
8. Northern Lights College
Northern Lights College is the next school on the list of public colleges in British Columbia. It was founded in 1975 with four campuses in Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge, and Fort Nelson, along with access centers in Atlin and Dease Lake.
The college provides programs in business, education, health & human services, trades & apprenticeship, and continuing education, as well as distance and online learning.
9. Okanagan College
Okanagan College, founded in 1963, is a public institution with campuses in Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, Salmon Arm, and Revelstoke. It has over 15,900 students enrolled each year, with an average class size of 18 students.
Programs are available in upgrading, certificate, diploma, and degree, and areas of study include arts, science, business, food, wine, & tourism, health & social development, technologies, and trades & apprenticeship among others.
10. Selkirk College
Founded in 1966, Selkirk College is another institution on the list of public colleges in British Columbia, with six campuses in Castlegar Campus (Main Campus), Tenth Street Campus (Nelson), Victoria Street Campus (Nelson), Silver King Campus (Nelson), Trail Campus, and Grand Forks Campus; three learning centres in Kaslo Learning Centre, Nakusp Learning Centre, and Selkirk Technology Access Centre (STAC); and a research centre
Research Centre.
Programs are available in the fields of arts, science, business, environment & geomatics, health, hospitality & tourism, human services, industry and trades training, peace and justice studies, and others.
11. Vancouver Community College
Last but certainly not least among the public colleges in British Columbia is Vancouver Community College which was founded in 1965, and is the province’s largest and oldest community college, offering 91 certificate programs, 31 diploma programs, and 3 bachelor’s degree programs in health sciences, business, hospitality, apprenticeship, music, and many other fields.
Vancouver Community College has two campus locations on Broadway and Downtown.
Conclusion
These are all the public colleges in British Columbia, Canada. Keep in mind, however, that these colleges are all accredited.
Public Colleges in British Columbia – FAQs
How many public colleges are there in BC?
There are 11 public colleges in British Columbia.