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Ministry of Advanced Education

B.C. Post-secondary Education Facts

British Columbia’s public post-secondary education system is preparing students to take their places in the province’s knowledge economy. Here’s a statistical* profile showcasing higher learning in B.C.

More affordable

  • Fourth-lowest tuition in Canada – the $4,852 average tuition undergraduate students paid at B.C.’s public institutions in 2011/12.
  • Two per cent – the limit on annual tuition fee increases at B.C.’s public universities, colleges and institutes since 2005).
  • Approximately one-third – the proportion of their post-secondary education costs students pay through their tuition.
  • Over $2.6 billion – student financial assistance provided by government since 2001.
  • In 2010/11, the Province reduced the loans for more than 21,000 students through the loan reduction program.  In addition, a further 2,000 students were supported through programs such as loan forgiveness and loan remission, and the Nurses Education Bursary. 
  • B.C. is the first province in Canada to offer an affordable, universal, U-Pass BC transit program to students at all public post-secondary institutions.

More choices

  • Seven – the number of new B.C. public university campuses since 2001: Thompson Rivers University, Capilano University, University of the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island University, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, and the University of British Columbia Okanagan.
  • 201,307 student spaces – the total number of full-time equivalent seats being funded by the provincial government in 2012/13.
  • Over 32,000 – the number of new full-time spaces for students added to B.C.'s 11 public universities, 11 community colleges and three provincial institutes since 2001.
  • 2,500 – the number of new graduate student spaces funded at B.C.'s four public research-intensive universities since 2007-08.
  • 376 – the number of new degree programs approved since 2001, at both public and private institutions, giving students more choices.
  • 17 – the number of private and out-of-province public institutions that have received authority under the Degree Authorization Act to offer degree programs in B.C, offering 45 degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level for students to choose from.
  • 165 – the number of private career training institutions accredited through the Private Career Training Institutions Agency.
  • Over 2,200 – the number of distance courses students can enrol in through BCcampus. These courses and online learner support services available through BCcampus are increasing learning options and learner success at B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions. Between August 2010 and July 2011, approximately 111,000 students applied to B.C. institutions through the province’s online application service, ApplyBC.

Record investments in post-secondary education

  • $23.7 billion – amount of money invested in post-secondary education in B.C. since 2001.
  • 57 per cent – the increase in total operating funding since 2001 across the university sector, along with a 25 per cent increase in total operating funding for the college and institute sector since 2001.
  • $1.9 billion – the amount invested in support of post-secondary education this year.
  • $10,000 – amount per full-time student funded by the provincial government, up from $8,440 in 2001-02.

Record investments in campus facilities

  • $2.1 billion – amount of capital expansion at public post-secondary institutions since 2001 – the largest post-secondary expansion in history.
  • Over 1,000 – capital projects on campuses throughout B.C. since 2001.
  • Over 50 new buildings or major expansions completed or under construction.
  • Seven – number of new campuses completed since 2001.

More doctors and nurses

  • More than double – the number of doctors who will graduate in B.C., compared to 2001 – up to 288 per year by 2014-15. The University of British Columbia now has the highest number of seats of any English-speaking medical school in Canada.
  • The number of nursing education spaces has more than doubled, with over 4,500 new seats added and 26 new nursing programs created since 2001.

More students

  • 440,000 – the approximate number of students enrolled in at least one course at a public post-secondary institutions in B.C. over a year. This number includes:


    • Over 23,000 students coming directly from B.C. high schools.
    • Over 24,000 public post-secondary students who identified themselves as Aboriginal – a significant increase since reporting began in 2003.
    • Over 29,000 international students.
    • Over 20,000 graduate students in master’s and doctoral programs.
  • Over 50,000 – credentials (certificates, diplomas, degrees) awarded by the public post-secondary system each year.
  • 94,000 – the approximate number of international students in B.C. (K-12, post-secondary and Language Canada schools.
  • Over 7,000 – the approximate number of students enrolled in private and non-B.C. public post-secondary institutions with degree-granting authority in B.C.
  • Over 50,000 – the approximate number of enrolments at PCTIA registered private career training institutions.

* Statistics from most recent years available.

Updated: April 2012.