In British Columbia, private training institutions must be certified if they provide or offer to provide at least one career-related program with:
- 40 hours or more of instructional time, and
- Tuition of at least $4,000
Certified institutions are either:
- Registered, meaning they meet the requirements to provide career-related programs, or
- Designated or interim designated, meaning they meet additional requirements associated with a higher level of quality
The type of certification an institution holds is important because only designated institutions can:
- Apply for B.C.’s Education Quality Assurance (EQA) designation, required to enrol international students on study permits, and
- Enrol students who wish to access financial assistance through StudentAid BC