Admissions

In order to give Camosun College applicants the greatest opportunity for success, their suitability for admission to a program will be assessed and considered based on a range of factors including their academic history and credentials. Each program has academic, language, and residency requirements that applicants must satisfy to be admitted to that program. Specific admission requirements may vary from program to program. Details of the program-specific academic or secondary requirements are referenced in the program listings .

The College reserves the right to deny admission to any individual, and to limit application to oversubscribed programs.

Full Policy: E-2.1 Admission

General College Admission

To be admitted to the college, applicants must qualify as either domestic or international and satisfy general college admission. Once met, applicants will be considered for program admission. Applications are accepted through EducationPlannerBC and are processed in order of receipt. 

All applicants must: 

• qualify as a domestic or international applicant 
• be high school graduates or 19 years or older at the start of the student’s first academic term unless special college admission is granted, and 
• indicate an intended primary program of study. 

Domestic

Applicants who are in possession of valid documentation confirming their legal status as Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or convention refugees. Note: Admission requires proof of Permanent Resident status at the time of application.

International

Applicants who are not domestic students and who meet the guidelines established for International students studying in Canada by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Special College Admission

• Current domestic British Columbia (BC) and Yukon High School Students Applicants

  Provisional program admission may be granted to domestic British Columbia (BC) and Yukon High School students who apply for Fall admission in their Grade 12 year. If high school grades fall below program admission requirements, applicants will be deemed ineligible for admission and Offers of Admission may be rescinded. Applicants will be advised on other available options.
  
  Note: Provisional program admission may also be granted to domestic high school students from Canadian provinces and territories outside of British Columbia (BC)/Yukon who apply for an open enrolment program.

• Underage Applicants
  ​The college may consider granting special admission to underage applicants on an individual basis, subject to the following:
  • Underage domestic applicants will be asked to provide written consent from a parent or guardian and letters of support from individuals who are familiar with the applicant’s circumstances (such as a school principal or health care provider); 
  • Underage international applicants are subject to the guidelines established by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
     
• Visiting Students
  Visiting students are students who are enrolled at other post-secondary (sending) institutions and are taking courses from Camosun College to grant them credit toward a credential at the sending institution. To be admitted as a Visiting Student, applicants must submit a ‘Letter of Permission’ from a sending post-secondary institution and must meet general college admission criteria and all prerequisites for each Camosun College course in which they are seeking enrolment.
   
• Reciprocal Exchange Students
  Students, either domestic or international, may be admitted to Camosun College under a reciprocal exchange agreement established between the student’s home institution and Camosun College.

Program Admission

Once general college admission is satisfied, applications are evaluated based on approved program admission requirements and submitted documentation from applicants. Applicants will be deemed admissible when they have met the admission requirements for their selected program. Admissible applicants are offered admission to the institution on a first-qualified, first-served basis (except for competitive entry programs).  

Acceptance of an application does not guarantee an Offer of Admission into a program or enrolment in courses which are subject to availability.  

Official notification of the status of an application will be emailed within four weeks of receiving the application. Communication will include further steps the applicant must complete and the associated deadline(s). It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure deadlines are met. 

For information on International Student Applications, please contact Camosun International. 

See also How to apply. 

• BC/Yukon high school students can apply after September 15 until May 15 in their Grade 12 year and working toward graduation requirements. Applicants who apply under this category will be considered provisionally admissible. Provisional admission is tied to the applicant’s commitment to completing the necessary program admission requirements with their final grades.
  
  Note: Students must submit transcripts via the Student Transcripts Service to Camosun College. If final grades do not meet the program admission requirements, the seat, if offered, will be rescinded.
   
• Applicants to apprentice programs may apply on an ongoing basis for all levels.
   
• To audit credit courses for general interest purposes, submit an audit application form. Prerequisites are not assessed when auditing a course; therefore, transcripts are not required.
   
• Current Camosun College students, depending on their chosed program, may receive conditional admissible status when:
  • application received for chosen program;
  • completing the final academic admission requirements to their chosen program at Camosun and they will complete the necessary course(s) two months prior to the program start;
  • all non-academic admission requirements to the program have been met.

Note: The college does not accept responsibility for the cancellation or discontinuation of any program, course or class of instruction that may be necessary as a result of an act of God, fire, labour problems, lack of funds, or other similar causes.

Admission Requirements

Program admission requirements are expressed in terms of BC secondary school courses and/ or Camosun alternatives, except when programs require admission requirements at the post-secondary level. View Programs by Credential  or Programs by Discipline  for program-specific requirements. Students from out-of-province should be aware that out-of-province secondary school courses to be used as prerequisites must be academic.

All program admission requirements and course prerequisites must be met with a minimum “C” grade unless otherwise noted.

Assessment Tests

Assessment or competency testing of English or Math may be necessary for students who do not have documentation of certain admission requirements. The purpose of an assessment test is to determine the level at which the student can be placed, which may result in placement into an appropriate upgrading course level. English and math tests are designed to be written only once. Completed assessments become the property of Camosun College.

Camosun Assessment Testing 
Assessment testing for students with less than 2 years of English Language study occurs at the School of Access. Students with more than two years English Language studies can test at the  Assessment Centre. International students should contact Camosun International prior to arranging testing. 

Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition

Camosun College recognizes that learning, which some adults acquire from life and work experiences, may be equivalent to college-level learning. View Academic Regulations  for more information.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit is the process whereby official post-secondary transcripts (from recognized institutions) are evaluated to determine academic course equivalency towards Camosun College programs.

• Official transcripts are evaluated by the Transfer Credit Coordinator once admission requirements for the program have been assessed by Enrolment Services.
• Where admission to a program is based on transfer credit evaluation, this evaluation begins once an application and fees are processed by Enrolment Services and transcripts are forwarded to the Transfer Credit Coordinator.
• Credit is assessed/outlined for all courses relevant to the program of application.
• Students with education from within Canada may be requested to submit detailed course outlines in order for the evaluation to begin.
• Students with out-of-country transcripts are required to submit detailed course outlines before credit will be assessed. Transcripts and course outlines in languages other than English must be submitted with official translations into English.
• Coursework completed ten (10) or more years prior is not automatically awarded transfer credit. Currency of the subject matter is taken into account, and decisions will be processed on an individual basis and eligible for unassigned credit only.
• Students who enrol in a course for which the transfer credit evaluation is pending are responsible for withdrawal from duplicate courses and are subject to all college refund and withdrawal policies in the event transfer credit is granted.
• An evaluation form is mailed upon completion of the evaluation.
• Processing timelines for general evaluations are approximately 4-8 weeks. Complex credit assessment that requires consultation with other educational personnel may take considerably longer. Therefore, it is important that all documentation related to the evaluation of credit be submitted well in advance of the program commencement.

More information about the transfer credit process.

International Credentials

Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement
Camosun College generally grants credit for International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement subjects. Official documents outlining the courses and grades completed in these programs must be submitted and are subject to the processes as outlined in the “Assessment of Transfer Credit” section.
 

Admission Requirement Course Alternatives

Upgrading courses and programs are available to help students gain admission requirements for college and university transfer programs. The College also offer specific math and English upgrading courses that lead directly into career programs. Questions after scanning the list below? Contact an Admissions Advisor.

English Proficiency

English is the primary language of instruction at Camosun College, and all prospective students are required to demonstrate a minimum level of English before they’re admitted. Students may meet the English proficiency requirement with one or more of the following alternatives (Some programs or courses may require a higher score for entry):
 

​Note: Language placement results must be from within the past two years. Some schools/programs may have higher requirements.

English Language Development and academic upgrading programs: No minimum level of English proficiency is required for general college admission. 

Student Status

New Students 

A new student is one who submits an application and supporting documentation, receives and invitation/seat offer to a program and has never attended the college. 

Returning Students 

A student who has experienced an enrolment break of greater than 12 months (from the month of their last attendance to the month of their return to the college) needs to submit a new application and application fee. 

Continuing Students 

A continuing student is one who is registered in the current academic year and will continue to take classes in the same program in the next academic year; there is no need to reapply.
 

Immigration Status

A student’s immigration status determines their categorization as a resident or non-resident and facilitates the tuition assessment process.
 

*Upon presentation of documentation that confirms the applicant as a “protected person” by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, applicants with convention refugee status will be assessed for admission and/or tuition and fees in the same manner as a Canadian citizen / permanent resident.

Changing Residency Status

Documentation supporting a residency status change must be received prior to the start of the semester; all requests received after will be processed for the subsequent term. Acceptable identification/documentation to support a status change:

• Canadian Birth Certificate
• Canadian Passport
• Canadian Permanent Residency Card
• Certificate of Indian Status Card (issued by DIAND/INAC/AANDC)
• Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292, IMM 5688)
• Protected Person Status Document (IMM 5292)
• Record of Landing (IMM 1000)
• Diplomatic Visa

Additional Notes:

• A student may be required to prove their status at any time during their registration at the College. Failure to comply will result in assessment of International fees.
• All documents may require additional and matching official photo ID.
• All documents must be valid during the period of study.
• The Registrar may require a written and signed declaration/affidavit to support a residency claim.
• Additional documents may be reviewed and approved by the Registrar on a case by case basis.
• Submit your documents early to avoid missing any deadlines!
   

Deferring an Offer of Admission

Domestic students who have accepted an Offer of Admission, may request to defer their offer one time only for up to one year by submitting the Offer of Admission Deferral Request Form prior to the tuition & fee payment deadline. Approval of an admission deferral will depend on the program; deferrals may not be available for all programs or your preferred term. 

International applicants refer to First Semester International Student Refund / Deferral Procedure for important details and deadlines. 

Admission Decisions

Evaluation of an application for admission is based on the college admission policy, approved program requirements and the application and official documentation received from the applicant. Camosun is dedicated to evaluating applications in a fair and equitable manner. If an applicant wishes to challenge an admission decision, they may submit an email (to registrar@camosun.ca) outlining the details of the request, the extenuating or exceptional circumstances, and include relevant documentation to support the request. Failure to meet published requirements and deadlines will not normally be considered. Camosun College reserves the right to deny admission.