Make a General Complaint
Anyone can contact the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) to make a complaint about a private training institution in BC. You may file a formal claim asking for a tuition refund (described below) or simply make a general complaint.
To make a general complaint, contact the Student Claims Officer.
You may report:
- An institution that appears to be offering career training without being certified.
- Concerns that a certified institution is not operating in compliance with the Regulatory Standards.
If you make a general complaint, PTIB will review and decide whether to take action, but is not able to provide an update on the resulting investigation, if any.
Complaint Seeking Tuition Refund
If you believe you were misled by your institution about a significant aspect of an approved program, you may file a complaint with PTIB and seek a tuition refund.
Complaints must be filed with PTIB within one year of program completion or the date a student withdraws or is dismissed.
Before filing a complaint with PTIB, you must first go through the institution's dispute resolution process (DRP). Remember the one-year deadline and leave enough time to go through the DRP before you file the claim with PTIB.
About the DRP:
- All institutions have a DRP which is required to be posted on their website and can typically be found in the Student Handbook. If you can’t find it, request a copy from the institution.
- You initiate the DRP by submitting your issue in writing to the institution. Specify that you are initiating the DRP, describe your issue clearly and identify the outcome you are seeking (such as partial or complete refund).
- The Institution must issue a final written decision within 30 days of you initiating the DRP.
If, after 30 days of initiating the DRP, the institution has not provided you with a decision, please contact PTIB for guidance.
To file a complaint with PTIB, you must submit the and Complaint Form and supporting records (listed on Complaint Form). Complaints must be filed within one year of having completed, withdrawn or been dismissed from an approved program.
If your complaint is successful, you may receive a full or partial tuition refund.
Being unhappy about a program does not mean you were misled. For a complaint to be successful, you must establish that you were promised something significant that the institution failed to deliver.
Examples of what is likely being misled:
- Program duration (listed in your enrolment contract) changed significantly without your consent.
- Program content, equipment, work experience or facilities differ significantly from what you were promised or what was advertised.
- You were offered a laptop or some other incentive to enroll in the program and it was not provided in a timely manner.
Examples of what is not likely being misled:
- You failed an exam.
- You dislike an instructor.
- Issues related to bullying, harassment, or discrimination. You may wish to contact the BC Human Rights Tribunal.
If you require assistance, please contact PTIB.
Tuition Refund Claim Based on Institution Ceasing to be Certified
If your institution ceases to hold a certificate before you can complete your program, you can file a claim with PTIB. You must file your claim no later than one year from the date the institution ceased to hold a certificate. Claims cannot be accepted after the one year time limit.
You may be able to complete your training in a comparable program offered by another institution appointed by PTIB (known as the "train-out institution"), in which case, any tuition refund will be paid to that institution. If there is no comparable program, or if you are able to show special circumstances that would prevent you from attending the comparable program, any tuition refund will be paid first to the government if you have provincial or federal student loans, and the balance to you.
For more information, contact the Student Claims Officer or read more about making a claim.
How the Claim Process Works
The PTIB Trustee makes decisions about student claims. The tables below outline the processes for claims against the Fund for each of the two allowable grounds.
For the claim to be accepted for filing, a student must submit all of the information and records specified on the claim form by the deadline for filing a claim. The trustee cannot extend this deadline.
|
Who |
What |
When |
| Student | Files a complaint using Complaint Form (50 pages maximum) | Within one year of completing, being dismissed or withdrawing from the program |
| Trustee | Gives a copy of the complaint to the institution | As soon as practicable after receiving the complaint from the student |
| Institution | May respond to the complaint (not more than 50 pages) | Within 15 days of receiving a copy of the complaint |
| Trustee | Provides the response from the institution, if any, to the student | Within 15 days of receiving the response from the institution |
| Student | May reply to the response from the institution | Within 15 days of receiving the response from the trustee |
| Trustee | Must give the reply from the student, if any, to the institution | Within 15 days of receiving the reply from the student |
| Trustee | Issues a written decision which is provided to the student, the institution and the registrar. The decision may order a tuition refund be paid to the student. The trustee does not have the authority to re-open or reconsider the decision and there is no appeal. Parties may wish to seek legal advice regarding a judicial review by the BC Supreme Court. |
|
|
Who |
What |
When |
| Student | File a claim using the Tuition Refund Claim Based on Institution Ceasing to be Certified Form | Within one year of the date of institution closure |
| Trustee | Gives a summary of the claim to the institution | As soon as practicable after receiving the claim from the student |
| Closed institution | May respond to the claim | Within seven days of receiving the summary from the trustee |
| PTIB |
Determine whether a comparable program is available at another institution (the train-out institution). If no comparable program is identified – including as a result of the student not meeting the admission requirements established by the train-out institution – PTIB will forward the claim to the trustee. |
|
| If there is a comparable program | ||
| Student |
May:
|
|
| PTIB |
If PTIB determines that special circumstances prevent the student from attending the comparable program, the claim will be forwarded to the trustee.
If PTIB determines that there are no special circumstances, the student may still elect to accept the train-out option and file a claim on the Fund. |
|
| If the student signs an enrollment contract with the train-out institution | ||
| Train-out institution | Provides a copy of the contract to the registrar | |
| Trustee | Pays the appropriate amount to the train-out institution | |
| Institution | Reimburses the Fund for the payment to the train-out institution | |
| If there is no comparable program, or the registrar has accepted the special circumstances cited by the student | ||
| Trustee | Adjudicates the claim to determine whether any refund should be issued, and provides written reasons to the student, the institution and the registrar | |
- Has been submitted within the required time
- Is within PTIB's jurisdiction
- Includes evidence that you exhausted the institution's internal dispute resolution process
- Includes all supporting documentation
Use the Tuition Refund Claim Based on Being Misled Form to file a claim on the grounds that you were misled by an institution.
For more information, contact the Student Claims Officer.