Office of the Registrar

High School Counsellors

Our team is here to help you guide your students through a successful transition to post-secondary, and into any of our trades, technologies, health, science, arts, continuing studies or foundational programs.

We can help you set up tours for your students at one of our campuses, arrange a Student for a Day (Job Shadow), bring a Spotlight Session to your school, attend an event, or present about programs and admission requirements at Okanagan College. Recruiters are available to help students explore the possibilities available to them at Okanagan College.

  • Information Nights and Info Sessions (October/November)  - contact a recruiter for details
  • Career Fair (November)
  • Robo Cup (November/December)
  • Spaghetti Bridge (March)
  • Experience Okanagan College is an event geared toward Grade 11 students. Students attend college courses, experience a day as an OC student, meet faculty and learn what interests them. This event will be held virtually in 2021, from February to June and is available for students in all regions.
  • High School visits - Presentations/Office Hours/Student Meeting/Counsellor Updates - contact a recruiter to arrange
  • PSIBC High School visits (September-December)
  • Out-of-Province (OOP) Alberta High School visits (October)
  • Parent/Teacher Interviews – your local recruiter can set up an OC table and provide program info and answer questions
  • Trades Talk Tuesdays – Information sessions focusing on one trade at a time. Contact the trades recruiter for more information

Interested in having an instructor or a recruiter from Okanagan College run a session at your school? These sessions give students an opportunity to experience college-level classes by having an instructor come into your class and give an introductory lesson. Taking a class in a certain subject can help gain an understanding and help them decide if they are interested in pursuing a particular program. These sessions can be done in a virtual format as well. Contact the recruiter in your region to see what programs are available to spotlight. If you have a particular program in mind, let the recruiter know.

Do you have students who are interested in one of our programs but aren't quite sure it’s the right one for them? We offer students the opportunity to come to the College for a day and attend a class. Contact the recruiter from the region where your student would like to be a Student for a Day.

Either for an individual or a group, arrange a tour on the campus your student is interested in and find out more about our services, programs and explore the campus. Book a campus tour today!

  • Interested in new programs, infrastructure and program changes happening this year at Okanagan College? Download this year's update sheet.
  • New BC high school curriculum admission requirements are reflected in the official Calendar

Dual Credit and Transitions

Transition programs are offered to students currently in high school who wish to take college level courses while continuing their high school education. These programs are a collaboration of the School Districts and Okanagan College and both have strong commitments to helping students achieve their academic, career and life goals.

There are two ways to transition to college before you graduate from high school: Dual Credit programs and Concurrent Enrolment.

Benefits to students are:

  • Graduate with a Grade 12 academic (Dogwood) Diploma plus up to one year of post-secondary education and training
  • Gain accelerated access to a career or further post-secondary education and training

One of the ways in which students can transition is through a Dual Credit program for secondary students. Dual Credit means that credit earned at the post-secondary level can be used as credit towards high school graduation, click here to access the BC Ministry of Education policy on Dual Credit.

Dual Credit agreements allow our School District students to apply to specified Okanagan College programs, through their high school career programs. In most cases, the School District sponsors the students for all or part of the tuition portion of the post-secondary program. It is important to be thinking about this in Grade 10 so you can schedule your Grade 11 and 12 courses to meet all the requirements.
 

Dual credit programs are an opportunity for high school students to start college programs while still in high school. Students receive credit towards their high school diploma, the programs are usually paid for by the school district, and it is a way to get ahead on post-secondary education and training.   

In entry-level, trades programs, students also earn Level 1 of their technical training with the Industry Training Authority.

Carpenter Foundation Certificate
Electrician Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate
Gateway to Technology
Health Care Assistant
IT User Support Micro-Credential
Plumbing and Piping Trades Certificate
Welder Foundation Certificate

Selected programs in Continuing Studies are also open to North Okanagan-Shuswap high school students for dual credit. These vary each year so talk to your career counsellor for more information.

Administrative Assistant
Aircraft Maintenance Technician Diploma
Carpenter Foundation Certificate
Early Childhood Education (Semester 1 and 2 of the Diploma program)
Electrician Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate
Gateway to Technology
Health Care Assistant
IT User Support Micro-Credential

Nursing Unit Assistant Certificate
Office Assistant Certificate
Plumbing and Piping Trades Certificate
Welder Foundation Certificate


University transfer first year Arts courses (e.g. English, Economics, Political Science, Anthropology, Indigenous Studies) are available to Grade 12 students in SD22. Please contact your secondary school principal for more information.

Concurrent enrolment allows you, as a Grade 11 or 12 student, to enrol in college courses while finishing your high school diploma. Get a head start on your college education today!

Normally, no more than 12 credits obtained through concurrent studies may be applied toward a certificate, diploma or degree at the College. The following conditions will apply:

  • The applicant must have a superior academic record
  • The applicant must have the support and written recommendation of the secondary school principal
  • The applicant must be enrolled at the Grade 11 or 12 level in a program of studies that meets the regular entrance requirements of the College program to which admission is sought
  • The applicant must have the written approval of the appropriate Okanagan College dean for the courses in which the applicant plans to enrol
  • The applicant must have the written consent of the parent or legal guardian if under the age of majority on the first day of classes

Admission will be limited to one academic year; however, this may be renewable with the continued support of the regional dean and the program dean. Students in concurrent studies will be treated as regular students except that they may not enrol in a full course load. Their selection of courses must be approved by the appropriate dean, and their eligibility to register is valid for one year unless renewed by the dean. Standard transcripts will be issued, and fees, deadlines and all other regulations will be as for regular students.

If you are enrolled in concurrent studies at the College and satisfy program entrance requirements upon your secondary school graduation, you will be treated as a continuing student and will not be required to reapply but you may be fully admitted to the college program. For further details you can speak with the career counsellor at your high school or one of our college recruiters.

Agreements

To facilitate the admission of secondary students to post-secondary programs, the College has some preferred admission seats for students in some districts to select programs.

 


Contact

Inga Wheeler
Registrar
Okanagan College and School Districts No. 19, 22, 23, 53, 58, 67, and 83
Tel: (250) 762-5445 ext. 5418  Toll free: 1-877-755-2266
Email: registrar@okanagan.bc.ca