A lot goes into preparing for post-secondary studies, whether you’re about to graduate high school, you’re furthering your post-secondary education, or you’re looking to advance your career. BCIT prides itself in delivering flexible, relevant, and future-proof education, while also offering many resources to support learners throughout their academic journey, including those who are still exploring their post-secondary options.
If you are beginning to think about post-secondary options, consider these tips to help you embark on your search.
Do your research
It is important to explore all relevant factors to get the most out of your post-secondary experience, one of which will likely be areas of study. BCIT offers a wide variety of programs and courses, both full-time and part-time, to choose from, depending on your education or career trajectory.
There are also Flexible Learning options such as microcredentials, free online learning, and industry training, if you’re looking to upskill in your career. If you prefer to learn and study independently, you may benefit from a distance and online learning option offered by many BCIT Flexible Learning courses which are part-time.
Looking to study part-time? Explore BCIT Flexible Learning.
Attend a free information session
What better way to learn about all that BCIT has to offer than attending an information session. Find out about programs and courses, flexible learning options, or related careers, and ask questions directly to faculty and staff. Information sessions are offered in-person or online, and you can browse info sessions by area of study, or choose to view them all.
If you want to learn about BCIT programs in a lively and interactive atmosphere, check out Big Info on Wednesday, February 21 from 4-7 pm at the Burnaby Campus. Big Info is the largest program expo and information session at BCIT, and you can find out about program areas like business and media, computing and IT, engineering, and more.
Connect with a program advisor
Choosing an area of study can be a daunting and complex process. BCIT Program Advisors are available to help you make a well-informed decision on a program that fits your education and career goals. They’re ready to provide you with all the information you need to apply to the program that’s right for you, to ensure you’re successful at BCIT.
Program advisors can help with either full-time programs or Flexible Learning options, and can advise on program or course content, entrance requirements, career outcomes, and more.
Spend a day as a BCIT student
Want to experience what it’s like to be a BCIT student first-hand? Then you may want to spend a day shadowing a current student. You’ll be paired up with a student for the day, and get a sense of life on campus, sit in on lectures and labs, and get your questions answered by an expert in BCIT life.
Spend a Day visits are customized to specific BCIT programs to ensure visitors get the most out of the experience. Once you’ve decided on a program you want to learn more about, you can register to spend a day with a student in that program.
Learn about financial aid and awards
As you are exploring post-secondary options, it’s important to understand the costs, including available financial aid, so you can budget accordingly. BCIT Financial Aid and Awards can provide information about options that may help fund your BCIT education. They can advise on resources like awards, scholarships and bursaries, student loans and grants, or tuition fee deferral that may be available, depending on your situation.
Don’t know where to start? Use the Tuition Estimator to get a sense of how much a full-time program will cost, to help with budgeting.
Explore BCIT Student Services
It’s important to know about the kinds of services and supports available to students, particularly if you’re thinking about full-time studies. You’ll want to check out Student Services to learn about the various academic, professional, and personal resources that BCIT students can access.
Whether you’re curious about student housing, health and wellness, or campus amenities, BCIT Student Services has all the information you’ll need to make an informed decision.
If you’re an international student, the International Student Centre has plenty of in-person and online resources to help make life as a BCIT student as simple and stress-free as possible.
Check out BCIT News
Another great way to learn more about BCIT is through stories on BCIT News. These stories include those that offer advice from BCIT alumni to those that showcase how BCIT students and faculty are creating innovative solutions for the world, or how the BCIT community is making an impact. These stories will hopefully inspire you in deciding which career path that you may be interested in embarking on.
BCIT is one of the largest post-secondary institutes in BC with five campuses and more than 300 programs. BCIT offers a practical, flexible, and applied post-secondary education with instructors who are industry experts in their respective fields. Students at BCIT are equipped with in-demand skills to lead innovation and make a meaningful impact in the workforce.
Start your career by exploring what BCIT has to offer.