High school transcripts are normally used as a basis for admission. Please click here for information about specific academic requirements. Generally speaking, there is no minimum English level required for admission to an academic program, but all new students need to prove their language ability before registering and starting classes. TOEFL, IELTS, and other external tests are accepted, but not strictly necessary, as Columbia College also offers its own assessment test (called the LWA) and may also place a student according to other courses taken (such as high school English). Students shown to have a lower level of English will be scheduled for non-credit English classes before or during their academic studies at Columbia College. For more information please see English Requirements.

If you are a student transferring to university in British Columbia, no; once you have completed the English classes required for a particular program, you do not need to prove your English again.

However, if you are transferring to a university out of province, such as to an institution in Alberta or Ontario, you will still need to present your IELTS or TOEFL score even if you have passed 6 credits of English at Columbia College.

Normally a student who has done more than 24 credits with Columbia College will not need to show high school transcripts to their target university. Instead, the grades and courses done at the college will inform this decision.

Columbia College is a member of the BC Transfer System which means that inside the province of BC, all universities and other post-secondary schools have agreed to accept courses from Columbia College. Because it is closely aligned with these programs, Columbia College has consistently been one of the top three providers of international students to the University of British Columbia (UBC). Columbia College also sends large numbers of students to Simon Fraser University (SFU), Vancouver’s other major university, and the University of Victoria (UVic). Universities outside of BC will have their own standards regarding admission, and it will be up to their discretion which courses and programs might be transferable.

College programs typically range between one and two years. Students can transfer to certain university programs after just 24 credits, the equivalent of about two semesters of study. Other programs may require longer. Some students may also need more time to obtain the required GPA (Grade Point Average) to enter specific university programs. Associate Degrees require about 60 credits, or approximately two years of study.