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.

Similar to the previous four years, tuition fee increases will continue to be limited to a two percent increase in 2009/10.  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

 

2008/09

2009/10

2009/10 increase
over 2008/09

Rural Colleges

 

 

 

 

College of New Caledonia

$2,286

$2,331

2.0%

 

College of the Rockies

$2,256

$2,302

2.0%

 

North Island College

$2,433

$2,481

2.0%

 

Northern Lights College

$2,669

$2,723

2.0%

 

Northwest Community College

$2,292

$2,338

2.0%

 

Selkirk College 6

$2,227

$2,271

2.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Average

$2,360

$2,408

2.0%

 

Weighted Average 4, 5

$2,343

$2,389

2.0%

 

 

 

 

Urban Colleges

 

 

 

 

Camosun College

$2,802

$2,858

2.0%

 

Douglas College

$2,556

$2,607

2.0%

 

Langara College

$2,400

$2,448

2.0%

 

Okanagan College 7

$3,078

$3,078

0.0%

 

Vancouver Community College

$2,222

$2,265

2.0%

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Average

$2,612

$2,651

1.6%

 

Weighted Average 4, 5

$2,583

$2,628

1.7%

 

 

 

 

Institutes

 

 

 

 

British Columbia Institute of Technology

$4,659

$4,753

2.0%

 

Nicola Valley Institute of Technology 8

$2,110

$2,152

2.0%

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Average

$3,385

$3,452

2.0%

 

Weighted Average 4, 5

$4,549

$4,642

2.0%

 

 

 

 

College and Institute Simple Average

$2,615

$2,662

1.8%

College and Institute Weighted Average 4, 5

$2,937

$2,995

1.8%

 

 

 

 

Research Universities

 

 

 

 

Simon Fraser University

$4,626

$4,719

2.0%

 

University of British Columbia

$4,343

$4,430

2.0%

 

University of Northern British Columbia

$4,362

$4,449

2.0%

 

University of Victoria

$4,581

$4,673

2.0%

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Average

$4,478

$4,568

2.0%

 

Weighted Average 4, 5

$4,461

$4,551

2.0%

 

 

 

 

Universities

 

 

 

 

Capilano University 11, 12

$3,180

$3,270

2.8%

 

Emily Carr University 11

$3,366

$3,434

2.0%

 

Kwantlen Polytechnic University 11

$3,495

$3,564

2.0%

 

Royal Roads University 9

$5,925

$6,040

1.9%

 

Thompson Rivers University 10

$3,470

$3,539

2.0%

 

University of the Fraser Valley 11

$3,569

$3,641

2.0%

 

Vancouver Island University 11

$3,637

$3,710

2.0%

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Average

$3,806

$3,885

2.1%

 

Weighted Average 4, 5, 13

$3,601

$3,676

2.1%

 

 

 

 

Res. Universities & Universities Simple Average

$4,050

$4,133

2.1%

Res. Universities & Universities Weighted Average 4, 5

$4,178

$4,267

2.0%

 

 

 

 

System Simple Average

$3,273

$3,336

1.9%

System Weighted Average 4, 5

$3,770

$3,849

2.0%

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, the above averages have been restated to reflect this change.
  6. 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.
  7. Effective July 1, 2005, Okanagan University College became Okanagan College and UBC Okanagan.
  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, BC Open University and Open College joined University College of the Cariboo to become Thompson Rivers University.
  11. Effective September 1, 2008, Capilano College became Capilano University, Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design became Emily Carr University, Kwantlen University College became Kwantlen Polytechnic University, University College of the Fraser Valley became University of the Fraser Valley, and Malaspina University-College became Vancouver Island University.
  12. For Capilano University, the average tuition increase is 1.9 percent and reflective of the increase paid on average.  In addition, the 2009/10 mandatory fees have been adjusted to no longer include a Graduation Assessment Fee.  Previously, the grad assessment was required for all students wishing to be assessed for credentials in the past and this amount was never reflected in previous submissions.   For comparison, the total of tuition and mandatory fees in the Academic Arts program has increased from $3,258 to $3,318, a 1.9 percent increase.  The change will vary dependant on the year in which the student is enrolled.