University Transfer & Associate Degrees

Associate Degrees & University Transfer in Vancouver: Your Path to a University Degree

Earn a two-year Associate Degree or complete university-transfer courses, and move toward a bachelor's degree at a university in BC or across the country. An established pathway, on a human scale - small classes and personal advising the whole way.

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Not sure whether an Associate Degree or straight university transfer is right for you? Ask us — we'll help you choose.

✦ BC Transfer System Member (BCCAT) ✦ 24–60 Transferable Credits ✦ Two-Year Standalone Associate Degrees

✦ Small Classes & Free Tutoring ✦ Nonprofit Institution

About Associate Degrees & University Transfer

For 90 years Columbia College has been preparing students from across the city to across the globe for their university degrees. Whether you stay with us for two semesters or two years, you’ll benefit from small classes and a close-knit community as you take courses that transfer to the institution and degree of your choice.

University Transfer

Take transferable university courses in small classes with personal advising before continuing at a larger university. All courses have established transfer with universities in BC.

ASSOCIATE DEGREES

A two-year undergraduate credential (60 credits / 20 courses) - an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science - that provides the equivalent of the first two years of a bachelor's degree.

Our students have been accepted to top Canadian Universities

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A Smarter First Step

The big universities are impressive - but their first-year classes can hold hundreds of students. Columbia College flips that: you begin somewhere smaller and more personal, then transfer toward a Bachelor's Degree at a BC university once you've built your foundation.

You'll study at a nonprofit institution, on a campus steps away from the Science World skytrain station, grounded in Columbia College's 90-year track record.

Class Sizes: Classes of 20, not 200 with approachable faculty backed by 90 years of educational history.
An established pathway: The BC Transfer System is a recognized route toward a BC university degree. Course credits are pre-articulated for institutions like UBC, SFU, and UVic.
Right here in Vancouver: Steps from the Science World Skytrain station.

Recognized & Accredited By

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How University Transfer Works

University transfer is a well-established path in British Columbia. Here's the idea, in three steps:

Plan Your Transfer

Start Your Degree

Transfer to Destination

Which Pathway is Right for You?

University Transfer (UT)

Choose this if:

You plan to transfer earlier (e.g., after completing 24–30 credits for second-year entry).
Your initial high school grades did not meet direct university admissions thresholds and you want to build a competitive transcript.
You want customized prerequisite coursework tailored specifically to a single professional faculty (e.g., Business or Engineering).

Associate of Arts

Choose this if:

You lean toward sociology, psychology, economics, communications, or international relations.
You want a completed two-year university degree to graduate with, whether or not you transfer immediately.
You want to keep your major options open across the humanities and social sciences while fulfilling general education requirements.

Associate of Science

Choose this if:

You are targeting bachelor's degrees in computer science, mathematics, natural sciences, or related technical disciplines.
You prefer working through calculus, laboratory sciences, and quantitative coursework in small classrooms rather than 300-seat lecture theaters.
You want a solid, accredited 60-credit foundation in science and computing.