Twenty-five public post-secondary education institutions in British Columbia offer a range of education and training opportunities to prepare students for in-demand careers in a wide variety of sectors that support a growing and prosperous B.C. economy.

B.C. public post-secondary institutions:

• British Columbia Institute of Technology
• Camosun College
• Capilano University
• College of New Caledonia
• College of the Rockies
• Douglas College
• Emily Carr University of Art + Design
• Justice Institute of British Columbia
• Kwantlen Polytechnic University
• Langara College
• North Island College
• Northern Lights College
• Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
• Northwest Community College
• Okanagan College
• Royal Roads University
• Selkirk College
• Simon Fraser University
• Thompson Rivers University
• University of British Columbia – Vancouver and Okanagan campuses
• University of the Fraser Valley
• University of Northern British Columbia
• University of Victoria
• Vancouver Community College
• Vancouver Island University

Number of Post-Secondary Students in 2014-15:

• 426,317 student enrolments at public post-secondary institutions throughout B.C., compared to 370,744 in 2002-03. This includes 45,132 international student enrolments in 2014-15, compared to 17,838 in 2002-03.
• Around 50,000 students transfer between public post-secondary institutions annually.
• Gender: 53% female, 47% male.
• 49% of students are under 25 years old, 19% are over 40 years old.
• Top five programs: arts and science (28%), business / management (14%), engineering / applied science (11%), human and social (9%) and trades (9%).

Credentials awarded in 2014-15: 62,443 compared to 48,207 in 2003-04

• Credential type: graduate (11%), first professional and post-degree (3%), bachelors (39%), certificate and diploma (44%) and development (3%).

Investments in public post-secondary education:

• Government invests $1.8 billion annually in operating grants to public post-secondary institutions in B.C., an increase of 45.5% since 2001-02 when the total invested was almost $1.3 billion.

Investment in campus facilities:

• The Province is directly investing $904 million in planned capital expenses in the post-secondary sector over the next three years (2016-17 to 2018-19).
• Government has invested more than $2.8 billion in capital and infrastructure projects at public post-secondary institutions in B.C. since 2001, with more than 1,650 capital projects springing up throughout the province.

Examples of recent capital investment:

• The $33-million trades training centre Northern Lights College in Dawson Creek (provincial government is providing $15 million). Construction is expected to begin later this year.
• The $18.9-million renewal of trades training facilities at the Silver King Campus of Selkirk College in Nelson (provincial government is providing $10.3 million). Renovation began summer 2016 with completion expected in spring 2018.
• The $122.7-million Emily Carr University of Art + Design redevelopment project (provincial government is providing $101.7 million). Construction completion is scheduled for spring 2017 and it is anticipated that the first semester in the new campus will begin September 2017.
• The $36-million Chip and Shannon Wilson school of design at Kwantlen Polytechnic University Richmond Campus (provincial government is providing $12 million). Construction started in summer 2016.
• The $35.1-million Okanagan College Trades Renewal Project in Kelowna (provincial government is providing $28 million). Completion was achieved in March 2016 with the official opening expected later this month.
• The $30.7-million Centre for Trades Education and Innovation at Camosun College (provincial government provided $29.2 million). Official opened in February 2016.