Coquitlam College
Coquitlam College
This private college was established in 1982 in the city of Coquitlam, in the province of British Columbia. Initially, it was an international college, offering high school and the first two years of university education to foreign citizens. But in 2013, it was allowed to grant students with the Associate of Arts Degree and they joined the program, which made it possible for their students to transfer credits to the universities of British Columbia. Today, the college has its main campus in Coquitlam and a satellite campus in Surrey, with the overall number of students being around three thousand.
Programs in Coquitlam College
International students at Coquitlam College are offered the opportunity to take the English course first before going on to High School or University Transfer programs. There are several programs of the English language at Coquitlam College: the English Certificate Program, and the Summer or Winter Language Program. The English Certificate program can be taken at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. During the last two levels, international students may also choose two electives and use the language skills they gained in practice. For example, at the intermediate level, students can choose among: Canadian Culture, Everyday English, Media Studies, and Personal Awareness. At the advanced level, students can complement their studies with two of the following: College Communication, Media Production, Social Topics, and World Culture. Learning all of these subjects aims at students’ initial preparation for university level studies.
During the Summer and Winter English language courses at Coquitlam College, students, besides acquiring language skills, go on trips, immerse themselves in Canadian culture, and go skiing in the local mountains. During the summer period, students do horse riding and take part in a sand castle contest.
International students may take the program of University Preparation straightaway if they already have a sufficient level of the English language. They may achieve the Associate of Arts degree by completing at least sixty transferable university credits. This will give students the opportunity to transfer right into the third year of a program, that leads to a Bachelors’ degree at a university. There are many advantages to doing an Associate of Arts degree at Coquitlam College, besides the opportunity to enter a university afterwards. One of them is that full-time students have a right to work for up to twenty hours per week. By the way, by the time of completing their studies, they will already have thirty-six credits in Arts, nine credits in Science or Math, and six credits in first-year English.
International students can take a two-year diploma program or a one-year certificate program at Coquitlam College. For instance, once completing two-year diploma studies, international students can go to the third year of university, as was already mentioned. But completing a two-year certificate program allows them to get into the second year of a university of their choice.
International students have to pay around CAD 1440 per course within a high school program at Coquitlam College. The University Transfer Program costs around CAD 1700 per three-credit course and CAD 2260 per four credits. Coquitlam College offers international students to take the English Studies Program, that costs CAD 1260 per course, and it usually takes four courses to complete a program. International students should also pay for medical insurance, which is around CAD 180 per semester.
As for the universities where graduates of Coquitlam College can transfer their credits to. For example, it could be the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, Royal Roads University, the University of Victoria, and a number of others. The last one was established in 1903 and it makes it one of the oldest higher education institutions in Canada. Now it has campuses located in Oak Bay and Saanich. Initially, it was known as Victoria College, but soon it gained the right to grant degrees. International students who study at the University of Victoria can live in one of the halls of residence, which include dormitories and apartment-style suites.International students at the university can take part in creating a weekly student newspaper, whose history can be traced back to 1948. The student newspaper is not only circulated within the university campuses but can be found in different coffee shops, theatres, and grocery stores, so it’s read by all the locals of Victoria. It’s a great opportunity for the students of Journalism and Media Communications to try their skills and start gaining practical experience at the university. As for the programs that the University of Victoria offers in the field of Fine Arts and Digital Media, there are Music and Computer Science, Visual Arts, Writing, Visual Arts and Computer Science, Art History, and Visual Studies programs.
In the field of Languages and Global Cultures, the University of Victoria offers the following programs: Applied Linguistics, English, French and Francophone Studies, Latin American Literature and Cultural Studies, Slavic Studies with Russian and Ukrainian languages, Hispanic Studies, and a number of others. For example, the program in Writing leads to a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and can be taken either in full-time or in part-time modes. During the program, students learn how to create non-fiction and fiction writing, study screenwriting and playwriting, and get acquainted with the peculiarities of poetry. Students take such courses as Writing Interactive Narratives, Issues in Journalism, Writing for the Arts, Writing for Children and Young Adults, and a large number of other fascinating courses.
Students at the University of Victoria may also take a minor in Writing in Journalism and Publishing, while on the path towards their Bachelor degree, and study the courses of Magazine Publishing, Journalism, and The Writing Business. Another program that leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Victoria is Linguistics. During the program, students have a chance to choose among three possible concentrations: Indigenous Languages, Language and Speech, and Language and Society. In a nutshell, the program in Linguistics aims at students’ acquisition of the structure of the language itself and its interconnection with other aspects of life. After completion of their studies, graduates of the University of Victoria can work as curriculum planners, librarians, translators, speech language pathologists, and teachers of English as a second language. For the programs listed above, international students are expected to pay around CAD 27,800 for two semesters. But international students are offered a number of scholarships, most of which are merit-based, but there is also a special award for Chinese and Vietnamese citizens.
Accommodation in Coquitlam College
As was already said, Coquitlam is a city in the province of British Columbia. The city is the sixth largest in the province, with a population of over 140 thousand people. The city boasts a lot of open green spaces, with eighty parks and natural areas. International students who come to study at Coquitlam College can rent an apartment in the city. On average, a one-bedroom flat will cost around CAD 2000 per month. Still, it’s possible to find shared accommodation options or rent a flat with a friend.
Many international students at Coquitlam College choose to participate in a homestay program during the first year of their studies or for a whole period of education. Basically, students reside in the home of a Canadian family, communicating with them only in English. Students have access to all the household facilities, they are served three meals a day and have a private bedroom. All the houses are located a maximum of thirty minutes away from the college building and near bus routes, so students won’t spend a lot of time commuting to college. As for the security of living with host families, all of them are checked and inspected before letting them host an international student. Moreover, during the whole period of a student’s residence, homestay inspectors visit the family and check on the well-being of a student. They’re also available to call anytime, in case of any trouble: special counsellors will advise a student and move them to another family if a problem seems to be irreconcilable.
The homestay program of Coquitlam College will cost an international student CAD 1250 per month. The application fee will cost an additional CAD 200 and an airport pickup, if needed, will cost CAD 84. During holidays, students will have to pay around CAD 18 per day as their place will be held for them until their return.
Future Prospects
International students can stay in Canada for work or further their studies at one of the Canadian universities after completing an academic program at Coquitlam College. Those enrolled in a program leading to an Associate of Arts Degree may apply for an off-campus work permit while completing their studies. After their graduation, international students can apply for a post-graduation work permit and work in Canada for three more years. Afterwards, former Coquitlam College students can apply for permanent residency in the country, and even become citizens of Canada in the long run. Coquitlam College has special councilors who can advise international students on matters of employment, career opportunities, and visa requirements.
In case, if you need help with Custodianship and Homestay in order to study in Coquitlam College or other schools in Canada, please fill in application below or contact us directly.
