Columbia College

About Columbia College

Campus: Facilities, Residence and Location

Columbia went back to downtown Vancouver to share facilities with the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Located in the heart of Vancouver, the school is home to Simon Fraser University’s campus and Vancouver Community College. It is also in the Educational Triangle of major independent and public institutions. Students can easily walk to the Public Library, the Orpheum Theatre, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the Vancouver Art Gallery, recreational amenities in the YWCA and YMCA, and the Science World. The other facilities of the campus include: Tutorial Centre, Computer Centre, Laboratories, Bookstore, Health Services, and the Fitness Centre (2 treadmills, 2 elipticals, 3 upright and recumbent bikes, complete line of Atlantis Strength Conditioning equipment, over 4500 lbs. of dumbells, barbells and free weight equipment, length pool and jacuzzi, and change rooms and shower facilities).

Student Services and Student Life

Columbia College offers the following services: Counselling, Accommodation, Homestay, Orientation, Health Services, Medical Coverage, Recreation, TOEFL / Cambridge Testing Centre, ID Cards, and Off-Campus Work Permits.

New students who are entering Columbia are given an orientation before each semester. Students receive a welcoming remark form the Student Services team, receive previewed and planned academic programs, get more information about Columbia College and the typical lifestyle in Vancouver, understand more about medical/health and safety information, receive more information about homestay information, and meet volunteer Student Orientation Leaders. There are also various groups students can join, such as: Student Association of Columbia College, The Entrepreneurs Club, The Quitters’ Club (club to help students stop smoking), The Green Club (club for environmentalists), and the Current Activities Club.

The school, together with the other international schools in Vancouver, is one of the participants in the British Columbia International College Athletic Conference. Some of the sports offered are: Softball, Badminton, and Soccer. Other sport-related activities to choose from are: Basketball, Ice Hockey, and Volleyball. Students who want to go out and hang out with friends can go to the Student Lounge. It is open to everyone and equipped with vending machines, refrigerators, and microwaves. It also has a television, ping pong table, foosball, and pool table for students to use.

Academic Programs

Scholarships and Financial Aid

The College offers the following scholarships to students: Columbia College Academic Scholarships, The Jason Graham Memorial Scholarship, The John Helm Memorial Scholarship, The John Helm Memorial Scholarship, For Students Proceeding To University (Scholarship).

Vancouver Information

Vancouver is a coastal city and major seaport, located on the mainland of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The current population of the city of Vancouver is roughly 600,000. Vancouver is consistently ranked one of the three most livable cities in the world. According to a 2007 report by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Vancouver tied with Vienna as having the third highest quality of living in the world, after Zurich and Geneva.

Vancouver is a growing hotbed for arts and culture. Featuring Prominent theatre companies, such as the Arts Club Theatre Company on Granville Island, the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company, and Bard on the Beach. Smaller companies include Touchstone Theatre, Studio 58, Carousel Theatre, and the United Players of Vancouver. Theatre Under the Stars produces shows in the summer at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park. In addition, Vancouver holds an annual Fringe Festival and International Film Festival.