Tuition Fees

Tuition fees at public post-secondary institutions in British Columbia became comparable to those in other provinces in 2004/05.  As a result, government moved to limit increases to the rate of inflation to ensure higher education is affordable for both students and taxpayers.

For 2007/08 and 2008/09, the tuition limit is two percent.  For more information, please see the tuition limit policy.

With regard to adult basic education (ABE), it was announced on September 7, 2007, that all ABE is tuition free in B.C. 

B.C. Public Post-Secondary Institutions 1

Academic Arts Annual Tuition Fees 2 for Full-Time Students by Sector 3

 

2006/07

2007/08

2007/08 increase
over 2006/07

Urban Colleges

 

 

 

 

Camosun College

$2,693

$2,747

2.0%

 

Capilano College

$3,060

$3,120

2.0%

 

Douglas College

$2,457

$2,507

2.0%

 

Langara College

$2,310

$2,357

2.0%

 

Vancouver Community College

$2,138

$2,180

2.0%

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Average

$2,532

$2,582

2.0%

 

Weighted Average 4, 5

$2,510

$2,561

2.0%

       

Small Colleges

 

 

 

 

College of New Caledonia

$2,198

$2,241

1.9%

 

College of the Rockies

$2,169

$2,212

2.0%

 

North Island College

$2,340

$2,385

1.9%

 

Northern Lights College

$2,567

$2,618

2.0%

 

Northwest Community College

$2,203

$2,247

2.0%

 

Okanagan College 6

$3,018

$3,018

0%

 

Selkirk College 7

$2,140

$2,183

2.0%

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Average

$2,376

$2,415

1.7%

 

Weighted Average 4, 5

$2,447

$2,486

1.5%

       

Institutes

 

 

 

 

British Columbia Institute of Technology

$4,477

$4,568

2.0%

 

Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design

$3,234

$3,300

2.0%

 

Institute of Indigenous Government 8

$2,750

N/A

N/A

 

Nicola Valley Institute of Technology 8

$2,029

$2,069

2.0%

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Average

$3,122

$3,312

2.0%

 

Weighted Average 4, 5

$4,261

$4,351

2.0%

       

University Colleges

 

 

 

 

Kwantlen University College

$3,360

$3,428

2.0%

 

Malaspina University-College

$3,496

$3,566

2.0%

 

University College of the Fraser Valley

$3,430

$3,499

2.0%

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Average

$3,429

$3,497

2.0%

 

Weighted Average 4, 5

$3,422

$3,490

2.0%

 

 

 

 

College, Institute, University College Simple Average

$2,740

$2,791

1.9%

College, Institute, University College Weighted Average 4, 5

$2,978

$3,056

1.9%

 

 

 

 

Universities

 

 

 

 

University of British Columbia

$4,174

$4,257

2.0%

 

Simon Fraser University

$4,443

$4,533

2.0%

 

University of Victoria

$4,412

$4,491

1.8%

 

University of Northern British Columbia

$4,193

$4,277

2.0%

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Average

$4,305

$4,389

2.0%

 

Weighted Average 4, 5

$4,289

$4,373

2.0%

       

Special Purpose Universities

 

 

 

 

Royal Roads University 9

$5,700

$5,810

1.9%

 

Thompson Rivers University 10

$3,335

$3,402

2.0%

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Average

$4,518

$4,606

2.0%

 

Weighted Average 4, 5

$3,782

$3,873

2.0%

 

 

 

 

University & Special Purpose University Simple Average

$4,376

$4,462

2.0%

University & Special Purpose University Weighted Average 4, 5

$4,228

$4,316

2.0%

 

 

 

 

System Simple Average

$3,133

$3,209

1.9%

System Weighted Average 4, 5

$3,613

$3,693

1.9%

Notes:

  1. The Justice Institute of B.C. is not included because students at this institution are almost exclusively part-time or short-term.
  2. Tuition fees do not include books or other student fees.
  3. "Sector" refers to groupings by type of institution.
  4. Weighted averages for tuition fee ($) amounts are derived by using institution size (number of full-time equivalent students) to create an average that more accurately reflects average amounts paid.
  5. Simple and weighted averages for percent increases in tuition year over year have been revised to be more reflective of average year over year increases. Previous calculations derived these averages from the difference, or change, in an average tuition $ amount computed for an entire sector or system. Revised calculations report the average percentage increase in tuition year over year for those institutions within the applicable sector or system. For direct comparison purposes, 2006/07 averages have been restated to reflect this change.
  6. Effective July 1, 2005, Okanagan University College became Okanagan College and UBC Okanagan.
  7. Beginning in 2005/06, Selkirk streamed the students into associate degrees and changed reporting to reflect the fees advertised on its website for an associate of arts (English) degree. Fees are averaged over the two years of the program.
  8. The Institute of Indigenous Government transferred its operations to Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in June 2007.
  9. Royal Roads University has no arts program; its B.Sc. in environmental science was used for tuition comparison purposes.
  10. Effective April 1, 2005, the University College of the Cariboo and the Open Learning Agency became Thompson Rivers University.