Okanagan College Admissions 2025: Application Deadline, Requirements & Costs

Okanagan College is a public post-secondary institution located in Kelowna, BC, Canada. It was established in 1963. The college offers various certificates, diplomas, apprenticeships, and degrees to students from all over the world. The college has one of the fastest-growing populations of Aboriginal students in the province. The college has four campuses – Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon, and Salmon Arm that provide exceptional educational opportunities to students. The wide variety of courses offered at the college give students perspective, vision and purpose for their future.

 

The college believes in building a generous and joyful community by integrating multiple perspectives and practices in its campuses. The state-of-the-art infrastructure of campuses includes libraries, sports centres, gaming rooms, residence facilities, faculty departments, and more. The mission of the college is to educate, train, and support the students to excel at the workplace. The values of the college include ethical behaviour, learning, student success, respect, equity and accessibility, responsibility, and accountability.

 

 

Courses Offered

 

What all courses are available to international students?

 

The college offers over 120 bachelor’s degrees, diplomas, certificates, and apprenticeships programs to international students in the following study areas:

Adult Special Education	Arts	Business
Commercial Aviation	Continuing Studies	English language
Food, Wine and Tourism	Health and Social Development	Office Administration
Science	Technologies	Trades and Apprenticeship

 

Eligibility & Documents Required

 

What are the eligibility requirements?

 

The general eligibility requirements for international students are as follows:

• Students are required to have secondary graduation or certificate, or completion of Grade 12 from a recognized school/university.
• Students must have a 70% average in secondary education.
• Students must be 18 years or above at the time of admission.
• Must meet the English language proficiency.

 

The English language requirements are as follows:

English Language Tests	Minimum Score Required
TOEFL iBT	79 or above
IELTS	6.5 with no band less than 6.0 6.0 band is required for the Bachelor of Business Administration program
PTE	56 with a minimum of 55 in all components 58 with a minimum of 55 for the Bachelor of Business Administration
DET	110 - Bachelor of Business Administration | 105 - other programs

Students can refer to the college website for more information on subject-specific eligibility requirements. 

 

What all documents are needed for application?

 

All academic transcripts from previously attended educational institutions need to be sent to the college. These documents should be in English. If not, students are requested to get them translated from an authorized individual or institution. Other supporting documents required for international students are as follows:

• Proof of English language proficiency
• Copy of the valid passport
• Resume
• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Essay
• Personal Statement
• Letters of Recommendation (LORs)
• Financial documents

 

Application & Tuition Fees

 

Is there any application fees?

 

Okanagan College charges CAD 100 as an application fee from international students for all programs. The application fee is non-refundable, and students are required to submit it at the time of application.

 

What is the fee structure of courses offered by the college?

 

The estimated tuition fees for international students are as follows:

 

 

The tuition fee tends to change with every year, and some additional charges might also be included in it. Also, the tuition fee can vary from program to program. Therefore, it is recommended that the students visit the official website for the current academic year fee structure.

 

Scholarships & Financial Aid

 

Is there any scholarship or financial aid available for international students?

 

The college offers a few scholarships to its students, such as:

• Okanagan College President’s Entrance Scholarships: A scholarship of CAD 5,000 is offered to the new students enrolled in a full-time program or Trade Certificates, Health or Continuing Studies.
• Okanagan College Community Spirit Awards: A scholarship of up to CAD 1,000 is offered to the 40 new students based on their academic excellence in their full-time program, Trade Certificate or Continuing Studies.
• Okanagan College Board of Governors Entrance Awards: A scholarship of CAD 1,000 is offered to three students enrolled in a full-time program or Trade Certificates, Health or Continuing Studies.
• Penticton Campus Arts Entrance Scholarship: A one-time award of CAD 1,000 is awarded to the students enrolled in any Arts program at Penticton Campus.
• Penticton Campus Science Entrance Scholarship: A one-time award of CAD 1,000 is given to the students enrolled in any Science program at Penticton Campus.
• McGillivray Entrance Award for Business: A one-time award of CAD 5,500 is offered to the students enrolled in the Business Administration degree or diploma program at the Kelowna Campus.

 

Admission Process

 

When do the admissions start?

 

The college has three intakes – Winter (January), Summer (May), and Fall (September), with the following application deadlines:

Intake	Application Deadline*
Winter	Late-October
Summer	Late-February
Fall	Mid-May

*Deadlines vary depending on the course and may change frequently. We encourage you to check the college website for exact deadlines.

 

What is the application process?

 

International students need to apply online directly to the college via the international application form.

International form: webapps-5.okanagan.bc.ca/ok/intapp/Application/StudentInfo/cb608f6f-84d7-498f-8a54-da4ad50cf353

 

 

Ensure to fill all the sections of the form as visible on the left side of the form. Review it thoroughly before submitting and paying the application fee.

 

After Application

After submitting your form, you can track your application in myOkanagan account. Submit the required items and refer to Admissions for additional information. Check your email regularly and be sure to add Okanagan College to your safe sender list in your email account.

Note: On the first business day in October each year, the College begins accepting applications for academic programs for the following Fall term.

 

When will I hear from the college after I submit my application?

 

Applicants can expect to receive decisions from the college within 5-10 business days after submitting their complete application. It might take longer in case of specific program requirements.

 

Student Diversity & Preferred Profile

 

What are the chances to get into this college?

 

Okanagan College is moderately competitive. All applications are assessed individually in a fair and transparent manner. Students who meet the eligibility criteria and minimum English requirements are easily accepted to the college. Each year, the college receives a high number of applications, and some programs may close early for the intake if it receives enough applications. Thus, international applicants are advised to apply as early as possible to increase their chances of admission.

 

How many Indian/international students are studying at the university?

 

Okanagan College is home to over 20,000 students from all over the world. It admitted 7,713 students in Fall 2019 and 6,991 students in Fall 2020, including undergraduates and post-secondary students. In Fall 2019, international students made up 22% of the total population and in Fall 2020, about 19% of the students were international enrollments from various countries and nations.

 

 

 

Part Time Work While Studying

 

Can I work while studying here?

 

International students are allowed to work while studying at this college. Students can work for 20 hours a week while a study semester is in session. During vacations and university breaks, students can work full-time. International students can seek employment that has 12-16 weeks of full-time work employment. They are required to have a post-graduate work permit to continue to work after completing graduation.

 

Off-Campus Employment Requirements

International students are required to have the following eligibility criteria to work in the country:

• A valid study permit
• Students must be enrolled in a full-time program
• Students are required to have started studying
• A valid Social Insurance Number (SIN)

 

Students can only work for 40 hours or full-time if they meet the following requirements:

• Have a valid study permit and are enrolled in a full-time program during academic sessions and breaks
• Are enrolled in a post-secondary, vocational, or professional program and have a study duration of at least six months
• Graduate students can work for a maximum of 20 hours until their Letter of Program Completion becomes available. Students may work full-time after submitting their work permit for post-graduation application.

Students can find more details about job opportunities on the Human Resources and Career page of the college website.

 

Campuses & Accommodation

 

How many campuses does the college have?

 

Okanagan College has four campuses and three centres where students can access educational services.

 

 

 

Is on-campus housing available?

 

The college offers on- and off-campus housing facilities to all international students. The Kelowna campus provides an on-campus housing facility with furnished and non-smoking rooms. The rooms contain a desk, chair, lamp, Wi-Fi connectivity, and more. There are two types of rooms available for students: pods and private studios. Students are also required to pay a security deposit of CAD 250 for on-campus housing.

Room Type	Cost/Semester (in CAD)
Pods	2,220
Private Studio Suites	2,700

 

Students can check off-campus listings on the university's website. Off-campus housing is available in Salmon Arm, Vernon, Penticton and Kelowna. The Kelowna housing rates are as follows: 

Kelowna Accommodation Type	Monthly Cost (in CAD)
Suite (Kelowna South)	1,500
Suite (Central Kelowna)	1,800
Suite (Kelowna)	1,200
Suite (Lower Mission)	1,300
Standard room (Lower Mission)	750
Standard room (South Rutland)	600
Standard room (Upper Mission)	700
Room and Board (Kelowna Downtown)	1,000
Shared Accommodation (West Kelowna)	1,100
Shared Accommodation (Kelowna)	2,100
Apartment/Condo (Downtown)	2,000

Source: Okanagan College

The rates are subject to change and might vary according to the student lifestyle. 

 

University Contact Information

 

Whom should I contact in case of any doubts?

 

Students can contact the university at the following address:

Address: Okanagan College, 1000 KLO Road, Kelowna, BC V1Y 4X8, British Columbia, Canada

Telephone: +1-877-755-2266

Website: www.okanagan.bc.ca/