Vancouver Community College

About

Vancouver Community College is a prominent public institution in British Columbia, Canada, best known for its career-focused education and hands-on training in culinary arts, health sciences, design, and hospitality. The college offers numerous English-taught certificate, diploma, and degree programs designed to transition graduates directly into the workforce. International students benefit from a dedicated International Education office that provides comprehensive support, including academic advising, immigration guidance, and cultural integration activities. A distinctive characteristic of the college is its industry-aligned learning model, which features state-of-the-art training facilities—such as student-run restaurants and auto shops—allowing learners to gain real-world experience before graduation. Additionally, VCC offers robust English as a Second Language (ESL) pathways, helping international learners improve their language proficiency while preparing for their chosen post-secondary studies.

Background

Vancouver Community College (VCC) is a public community college in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1965, it is the oldest community college in British Columbia. VCC offers 79 certificate programs, 24 diploma programs, 9 award of achievement programs, 8 apprenticeship programs, 4 statement of completion programs, 3 bachelor's degree programs and 2 associate degree programs. VCC has two campuses: Broadway and Downtown. The college accommodated 3,620 full-time equivalent students in 2022–2023, down from 6,122 in 2012–2013. International students comprise a growing percentage of VCC's enrolment, from 13.9% in 2019–2020 to 26.4% in 2022–2023, despite there being no on-campus student housing. In 2025 a reduction in international student revenued has led VCC to three rounds of staff layoffs.

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