Established in 1965, Vancouver Community College is a public Canadian community college located in Vancouver, British Columbia. It aims to provide real-world training through its industry-driven programs. More than 15,000 students representing over 150 countries are enrolled in the college.

One of the largest and oldest community colleges in Canada, Vancouver Community College has its 3 campuses namely Broadway, Downtown, and Annacis Island. It offers 91 Certificates, 31 Diplomas, 2 Post Diplomas, 3 Bachelors Degrees, 14 Apprenticeships, 2 Advanced Certificates, and 3 Short Certificates.

Its campus facilities include gourmet restaurants, an auto shop, and a salon and spa. These allow students to hone their skills and training while providing high-quality lower-cost services to the Downtown and East Vancouver communities.

Vancouver Community College Rankings

In 2023 Webometrics ranked Vancouver Community College as,

  • #6327 in world university rankings.
  • #1460 in continental ranking.
  • #87 among institutes in Canada ranking.
  • #5822 in openness.
  • #6528 in excellence.

Highlights

College Type Public
Campus Setting Urban
Number of Programs 140
Annual Endowment CAD 105 million
Student satisfaction rate 93%
Mode of Program Part time, full time, & online
Apprenticeship Program Available
Language of teaching English, French
Number of Campuses Three
Financial Aid Available as scholarships, grants, Bursaries & loans.
English language proficiency score IELTS or TOFEL
Accommodation Homestay
Application Helpdesk study@vcc.ca | 604-443-8600
Official Website vcc.ca

Vancouver Community College Campus

  • Vancouver Community College involves three main campuses.
    • Downtown Campus is located at Hamilton
    • Broadway Campus is which is situated at 1155 East Broadway
    • The third campus was established in 2014 and is located at Annacis Island.
  • VCC campus offers high-quality facilities including gourmet restaurants, an auto shop, and salon & spa at lower-cost.
  • On-campus 24-hour security and campus parking is also available at VCC.
  • Vancouver Community College has developed a Campus master plan to set a long-term vision for the future of Downtown and Broadway campuses.

Vancouver Community College Residence

  • VCC suggests international students to arrange for their own housing as being a community college there is no housing facility.
  • Liane’s Vancouver Homestay is the best option provided for VCC international students.
  • Students placed with homestay families get facilities including a private room with a bed, bedding, dresser, chair, desk, desk lamp, and closet.
  • Students will have to share common areas of the house including bathroom, kitchen, and TV room.
  • Telephone and laundry facility is also provided along with three meals per day.
  • Homestay fees include placement fees of CAD 290, homestay fee of CAD 854 per month, and airport pickup fee of CAD 75.
  • For students, there are many options available in Metro Vancouver including Homestay, furnished & unfurnished rentals in houses, basement suites, condos, and apartments.

Vancouver Community College Programs

  • VCC offers more than 100 certificate, Diploma, Degree, and Post-Degree full-time & part-time courses.
  • Programs at Vancouver Community College are available in a variety of fields including Arts & Science, Culinary, Business, Language, Design, Fashion & Lifestyle, Health Science, Technology, and Music & Dance.
  • VCC also offers special programs like Academic Upgrading with flexible courses to help the student reach their goals.
  • The apprenticeship training program offers both classroom learning and On-the-job training to the students.
  • VCC also offers Career-Oriented programs to students of all disabilities to provide access to meaningful employment.
  • With the help of VCC’s University Transfer program, students can earn first-year university credits through flexible programs and transfer it to schools across Canada.

Some of the programs offered by the college along with their program fee are tabulated below:

Course/Program Fee (CAD)
Accounting Diploma 35,720
Bachelor of Applied Music 39,862
Bachelor of Hospitality Management 34,986
Business and Project Management Post-Degree Diploma 35,720
Canadian Business Management Post-Degree Diploma 35,720
Fashion Design & Production Diploma 31,610
Culinary Arts Diploma 35,496
Graphics Design Diploma 39,158

Vancouver Community College Application Process

Student intake terms at VCC are winter, spring/summer, and fall. Qualified applicants receive an offer of admission only if the seats are available, or will be placed on the waiting list. International admissions to Vancouver Community College require following:

Application Portal:VCC Online Application

Application Fees: A CAD 145 non-refundable fee is applicable at the time of application.

Application Deadlines

The college invites its admission application for the term of Winter, Spring, and Fall. In the term of 2023-24, a total of 15,460 students registered for admission at VCA. The application deadlines are given below:
Term/Season Application Opens Deadline without a valid study permit Deadline with a valid student permit
Winter 2023 February 1, 2023 August 31, 2023 November 30, 2023
Spring/Summer 2023 June 1, 2022 December 31, 2022 March 31, 2023
Fall 2023 October 30, 2022 April 30, 2023 July 31, 2023

Documents Required

Documents required can vary for by programs, applicants need to check individual programs for specific admission requirements.

  • Official transcripts
  • Official high school or post-secondary graduation certificate
  • Evidence of English proficiency
  • Other program-specific documents
  • Valid immigration or visa documents

Vancouver Community College Cost of Attendance

Cost of attendance at VCC for academic year 2023-2024 is:

Expenses Cost in CAD
Tuition (Varies with program) 35,020
Application Fees 145
Student Union 213
Medical & Dental 560
Graduation 40
  • Additional fees including college initiative, campus resources, and U-Pass fees are also applicable and vary with the program.
  • Tuition fees may vary from course to course, students need to confirm tuition fees for their desired course from the official website of the college.
  • Fees mentioned above are approximate and subject to change with the approval of VCC’s board of Governors.

Vancouver Community College Financial Aid

  • VCC offers financial aid in the form of Student Loans, bursaries, grants, awards, and scholarships for students who demonstrate financial need.
  • VCC Emergency Bursary makes emergency funding available for students who need financial help due to being impacted by COVID-19.
  • VCC General Bursary is available for students who can show financial need, is registered full-time student, or is disabled.
  • Students at VCC may be eligible for a variety of scholarships to fund higher studies in Canada:
    • BMW Group Canada Body and Paint Pre-Apprentice Scholarship of 15,000 CAD
    • Dr. Bik May Wai Scholarship offers a 1000 CAD
    • The Great-West Life, London Life & Canada Life Scholarship for New Canadians with a 1250 CAD scholarship.
    • Jess Daniel Nichol Memorial Award offers a 3000 CAD scholarship.
    • Pyrrha Scholarship worth 3,500 CAD

Vancouver Community College Alumni

  • Alumni at VCC receive a free membership card that entitles students to on-campus benefits.
  • Alumni get benefits such as access to the library, a 10% discount on items available at VCC bookstore; 10% off on spa & salon services, and discounts on certain events.
  • VCC alumni could save on insurance with preferred rates from affinity program partner TD Insurance.
  • Alumni can sign-up for a non-credit class and will receive 10% off on tuition.
  • Notable alumni of VCC includes,
    • Kevin Cherkas is a proud owner of the “Cuca” restaurant in Bali.
    • Keith Maillard is a professor of creative writing at the University of British Columbia.
    • Iain Lawrence is a bestselling Canadian author for children and young adults.
    • Veda Hille is a Canadian songwriter.

Vancouver Community College Placement

  • To explore career options VCC offers several courses for students to take including Assessment and career Options, Career Decision and Action Plans, Job Search Techniques ACED, Effective Communication, and Career Access-Academic Upgrading.
  • For students with disabilities programs like Career Awareness and Deaf & Hard Hearing-Job Readiness are available at VCC.
  • At VCC students can get one-to-one assistance, can speak with a counselor, or with Adviser to find the right path for career exploration.
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, VCC offers useful resources to help students in their job search.
  • International students (work permit-holders) at VCC get help with job search, resume writing, and creating employer connections from BC Settlement and Integration Services.

International students are eligible to work part-time, up to 20 hours per week during their studies, and full-time during program breaks if enrolled full-time in a VCC certificate, diploma, or degree program that is six months or longer. International students will be eligible to apply for Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) after completing a full-time certificate, diploma, or degree program of 8 months or longer. 

FAQs

How many students are enrolled in Vancouver Community College?

More than 15,000 students representing over 150 countries are enrolled in the college.

What are the programs offered by Vancouver Community College?

It offers 91 Certificates, 31 Diplomas, 2 Post Diplomas, 3 Bachelors Degrees, 14 Apprenticeships, 2 Advanced Certificates, and 3 Short Certificates in Baking and Pastry Arts, Business, Culinary Arts, Design, Early Childhood Care and Education, Hair Design and Esthetics, Health Sciences, Hospitality Management, Music and DanceTechnology, Transportation, and Trades.

What is the average IELTS score required for admission to Vancouver Community College?

An average IELTS score required is 6.5 for Vancouver Community College admissions.

Is Vancouver Community College a known school?

Yes, It is one of the largest and oldest community colleges in British Columbia which is known for its academics.

What is the application deadline for its programs?

The application deadline for the winter term is August 31, 2023.

What are some popular courses offered at Vancouver Community College?

Some of the popular courses offered here are Hairstyling, Applied Music, Culinary & Baking, Business, Design, etc.

What is the world ranking of this college?

Vancouver Community College ranking by one of the leading research websites of Europe, Webometrics is 6982 in the world ranking.

Does Vancouver Community College provide financial aid/scholarships to needy students?

Yes, Vancouver Community College provides more than 100 scholarship programs to need-based, residence-based, and entrance-based.

What is the total cost of attendance at Vancouver Community College?

The total cost of attendance for diploma and undergraduate programs is CAD 29,620.