Colleges in British Columbia may refer to several types of educational institutions. College in Canada most commonly refers to a post-secondary community college or an institute of applied arts, applied technology, or applied science. There are 11 publicly-funded community colleges and three applied institutes that operate in British Columbia.
In addition to these publicly-operated colleges and institutes, there are also several private post-secondary institutions that use the term college in their names or to describe themselves. This includes private training institutions/vocational schools, theological colleges, and First Nations-controlled post-secondary institutions.
Public institutions
There are 11 publicly-funded community colleges and three applied institutes that are governed through the provicial College and Institute Act. These institutions confer certificates and diplomas. Some are also authorized to offer certain academic degree programs, although none hold full degree-granting powers normally provided through the provincial University Act.
Colleges
- Camosun College (Victoria, British Columbia)
- Coast Mountain College (Prince Rupert, Terrace, Smithers, Hazelton, and Haida Gwaii)
- College of New Caledonia (Prince George, Quesnel, Mackenzie, Vanderhoof, Fort St. James, and Burns Lake)
- College of the Rockies (Cranbrook, Golden, Invermere, Kimberley, Fernie, and Creston)
- Douglas College (New Westminster and Coquitlam)
- Langara College (Vancouver)
- North Island College (Campbell River, Comox Valley, Port Alberni, Port Hardy, and Ucluelet)
- Northern Lights College (Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Chetwynd, Fort Nelson)
- Okanagan College (Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, Salmon Arm, Revelstoke)
- Selkirk College (Castlegar, Nelson, Trail, Grand Forks, Kaslo, and Nakusp)
- Vancouver Community College (Vancouver)
Applied institutes
Private training institutions
A private training institution is a private post-secondary vocational school that is accredited by the Private Career Training Institutions Agency of the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. These types of institutions offer at least one career-related program, most of whom are regulated under the Private Training Act. As of 2023, there were 551 private training institutions based in British Columbia.[1]
Not all private training institutions use the word college in its name, with many private training institutions opting to use the term academy instead.[1]
A select list of private training institutions include:
First Nations-controlled institutions
As of 2023, there were 43 First-Nations controlled institutions that offer post-secondary courses in British Columbia. However, only four use the term college in their names. They include
- Chemainus Native College
- Heiltsuk College
- Native Education College
- Seabird College
Theological colleges
Several theological colleges operate in British Columbia. These private post-secondary institutions are specialized to teach Christian scripture and theology, and were granted the authority to operate these specific types of degree and diploma program through provincial legislation. Several theological colleges use the term seminary in its name instead of college.
Theological colleges based in British Columbia include:
- Canadian Baptist Seminary
- Canadian Chinese School of Theology
- Carey Theological College
- Columbia Bible College
- Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary
- Millar College of the Bible
- Okanagan Bible College
- Pacific Life Bible College
- Northwest Baptist Seminary
- Regent College
- Seminary of Christ the King
- St. Mark's College
- Summit Pacific College
- Trinity Western University
- Vancouver School of Theology