Douglas College

Both of our campuses have easy access to Skytrain stations. The New Westminster campus is two blocks away from the New Westminster Skytrain station on the Expo Line. The Coquitlam campus is one block away from the Lafarge-Douglas Skytrain station on the Evergreen line.

At Douglas College, we recognize the experience of studying abroad adds depth and meaning to your post-secondary education. That’s why we’ve created International Opportunities, a one-stop on-line resource with all the information you need to make an informed decision about the exciting new location you’d like to study in. We offer:

• Exchanges
• Field Schools
• Work and Learn
• Summer Programs
• Degree Completion

All applicants for admission to the College must satisfy at least ONE of the following criteria:

• BC secondary school graduation (or the equivalent in another school system)
• One course short of BC secondary school graduation
• 19 years old by the end of the first month of the first semester of attendance
• 17 years old on the first day of the first semester of attendance and has not been in school for at least one year
• Completion of a certificate or equivalent from a special needs program and has been in school for 12 years

All applicants to the College must demonstrate proficiency in English by providing proof of ONE of the following:

High School Grades

• English Studies 12 – minimum final grade “C”
• English First Peoples 12 – minimum final grade “C”
• English 12 – minimum final grade “C” *
• English Literature 12 – minimum grade “C”
• Communications 12 – minimum final grade “B” *
• English 12 First Peoples – minimum final grade “C” *
• Technical and Professional Communications 12 – minimum grade “C” *
• AP English Language or Literature – minimum grade 3
• IB English Language A (SL) – minimum grade 3

* based on both the course and provincial exam grades

BC secondary school students must write provincial exams in any subject where it is mandatory in order to meet graduation requirements. The provincial exam for English 12 (or equivalent) is required for all students except for those who are completing the Adult Graduation program.

Additional testing options can be found here.

Students who have taken Advanced Placement (AP) courses or the International Baccalaureate (IB) program may be eligible to receive transfer credit. Students can view which AP and IB courses are given credit at Douglas on the BC Transfer Guide – for both AP and IB credits.  To start the process of receiving credit for these courses, students must complete a Transfer Credit Request form and submit it with official AP or IB transcripts to the Enrollment Services.

More information about the Transfer Credits process at Douglas College can be found here.

All applicants to the College must demonstrate proficiency in English by providing proof of ONE of the following:

High School Grades

• English Studies 12 – minimum final grade “C”
• English First Peoples 12 – minimum final grade “C”
• English 12 – minimum final grade “C” *
• English Literature 12 – minimum grade “C”
• Communications 12 – minimum final grade “B” *
• English 12 First Peoples – minimum final grade “C” *
• Technical and Professional Communications 12 – minimum grade “C” *
• AP English Language or Literature – minimum grade 3
• IB English Language A (SL) – minimum grade 3

* based on both the course and provincial exam grades

Additional testing options can be found here.

Students without this level of English-language proficiency are not admissible to College-level courses and programs but can register in Douglas College upgrading courses.

Note: For certain limited-enrollment programs and for certain individual courses, the English-language proficiency requirement may be different (refer to the particular Program section or the Course prerequisite information for further details).

Note: Students who do not meet any of the above requirements may apply for admission as a “special student”. Students are urged to discuss their situation with the Enrollment Services and/or a College counsellor.

Applying early can make a difference. It allows time to ensure your application is complete and all documentation is received. And, some limited enrolment programs may offer early seats to qualified applicants. Programs only accept applications until they are filled.

You can apply online until 2 weeks before the start of the Summer and Fall semester, and 3 weeks before the start of the Winter semester (semesters start in September, January and May). After that, you must print out an application and bring it to the Enrollment Services along with the application fee (if applicable) and documents such as official transcripts.

What is the first day you can apply?

You can generally apply up to 11 months in advance for a given semester on the first business day of the first month.

Please note, applications for the Fall 2024 semester will open on Monday, October 2nd, 2023.

The application fee is $36.70

To apply, you’ll need to:

• Provide some personal information and educational history
• Choose a program that interests you
• Pay an application fee
• Make sure you meet the admission requirements for Douglas College

What happens after I’ve applied?
Once you’ve applied we will email you your student ID number and information on next steps. 

How can I find out my application status?
You can log in to your account any time to see the status of your application. 

What happens after I’ve been accepted?
Once you’ve been accepted and any necessary documentation has been received, you’ll be assigned a time to register for courses.

No residence available

Douglas College strives to ensure we are an accessible and welcoming place for all students. If you’re anticipating or experiencing barriers to access, Douglas College’s Accessibility Services is here to help.

They are able to work with students and their instructors to create an individual plan for accommodations and support, and work with students to remove barriers related to learning disabilities, ADHD, mental health issues, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, TBI, chronic illnesses, and more. They can help plan for temporary, long-term, or intermittent needs.

Once students have registered for their courses they should book a First Meeting to find out what accommodations can be provided. If students want to start the conversation earlier they can always reach out to our Accessibility Specialists.

The vision of Douglas College’s Indigenous Student Services is to be responsive to the needs of students who self-identify as Indigenous so that they can achieve their potential for success as a self-directed, independent learner. The Indigenous Student Services team is also here to provide support in a manner that is consistent with the cultures and values of our peoples, as well as to enhance and complement Douglas College values.

Our Indigenous Student Services Centres offer a number of services, including:

• Culturally appropriate support services, activities, and events in the college and community
• One-on-one support with the Indigenous Student Advisor
• Assistance for future students while serving as advocates for current students
• Student assistants, who are peer mentors available for additional support
• Support for transition into the workforce

Our centres also provide services for all students, including:

• A quiet place for studying, reading, writing or taking a break
• A place to meet, connect and make friends
• Computer, Internet and telephone access
• Information on Indigenous history and culture

Who can identify as Indigenous?

Anyone who is Indigenous, First Nations, Metis, and of Inuit backgrounds can identify as being Indigenous. This means status and non-status Natives from North America. You are asked to self-identify as Indigenous when you register at Douglas College. Self-identifying is confidential and is completely voluntary.

Indigenous Recruiter Advisor

Prospective Indigenous students can contact the Indigenous Recruiter Advisor, Destiny Sanderson, at 236-428-4853 or destiny.sanderson@douglascollege.ca

Every year, students from around the world (85 countries) choose to study at Douglas College. Why Douglas? As an applied academic institution, Douglas College combines the academic foundations of a university with the employer-ready skills of a college. At Douglas, you will receive the best of both worlds: a deep, well-rounded education and the applied, real-world skills necessary to achieve academic and career success.

You are required to demonstrate proficiency in the English language prior to admission to Douglas College. You may demonstrate English language proficiency by completing and submitting proof of one of the following:

Notes on the English proficiency requirement:

• If you do not meet the English language proficiency requirement for admission, you may apply to the Douglas College English Language Learning and Acquisition Program (ELLA) or through one of our ESL Pathways partnerships.
• Official test scores have a validity period of 2 years from the date the test was written
• Secondary school and IB or AP course completions have a validity period of 2 years from the date the course was completed
• Language pathway completion certificates have a validity period of 2 year from the date the program was completed
• Only the most common ways of meeting the English proficiency requirement have been listed in the table above. There are other acceptable substitutions for International Students to meet the English proficiency requirement for admission to Douglas College. Contact International Admissions if you have any questions.
• For a list of countries that satisfy the English language admission requirements at Douglas College, please click here.