How to Learn More About BCIT Before Applying: Info Sessions, Tours, and Advisor Chats

Updated

BCIT gives prospective students several ways to explore the school before applying: attend an Info Session (including the large Big Info event), book a tour, spend a day as a student, or connect with an Advisor. These options are listed on bcit.ca under the "Connect" section for future students, alongside BCIT News and the events calendar. Use them if you want first-hand impressions of programs, campuses, and student life before committing to an application.

Ways to Connect With BCIT Before You Apply

BCIT's website groups its pre-application exploration options under a "Connect" heading aimed at future students. The listed routes are:

  • Attend an Info Session – program- or school-level sessions, often run online. The events calendar shows examples such as the School of Business & Media General Insurance + Risk Management online info session.
  • Register for Big Info – BCIT's larger, multi-program information event.
  • Book a tour – a campus visit to see facilities and surroundings.
  • Spend a day as a student – a shadowing-style experience of student life.
  • Connect with an Advisor – direct contact with an advisor for questions.
  • Read BCIT News – updates on programs, industry, and the BCIT community.

Each route answers a different question, so the right choice depends on what you still need to know.

Which Option Fits Your Question?

Your main question Best fit What you get
"What does this specific program actually cover?" Program Info Session Program-level detail, often with a Q&A
"Which of several programs is right for me?" Big Info A broad overview across multiple areas
"What do the campuses and labs feel like?" Book a tour A physical walk-through
"What is daily student life like?" Spend a day as a student First-hand observation of a typical day
"I have a specific personal situation to sort out" Connect with an Advisor Individual guidance
"What's new at BCIT right now?" BCIT News / events calendar Current announcements and upcoming dates

If you are early in your search, start with Big Info or a general info session; if you have already narrowed to one program, a program-specific session plus an advisor conversation is more efficient.

How to Actually Do It

  1. Check the events calendar first. BCIT's events section lists upcoming sessions with dates — for example, a School of Business & Media info session dated Sep 29. Dates and formats change, so confirm on the live calendar rather than relying on a listing you saw earlier.
  2. Register for the session or Big Info. Registration is the action that secures your spot; the expected result is a confirmation and the session details (time, location or online link).
  3. Book a tour or a student-for-a-day visit if you want to see facilities in person. These are separate from info sessions and are booked through the "Connect" options.
  4. Prepare questions before contacting an Advisor. Advisors are the right channel for situation-specific questions that a general session won't cover.
  5. Follow BCIT News between events to track program changes and announcements — useful context that can shape what you ask at a session.

What BCIT News Tells You Before You Apply

Reading recent BCIT News items is a low-effort way to sense whether the school is moving in directions that match your goals. Recent examples on the site include:

  • Broadcast and Media Production programs being redesigned for a digital, creator-driven industry, citing the 2026 Reuters Institute Digital News Report on social media and video as news sources.
  • 272 new skilled-trades training seats in Burnaby, part of the Look West strategy targeting 5,000 new trades-training seats in 2026–2027.
  • A BCIT report on how real estate leaders are turning climate goals into action.
  • The 2026 BCIT Vision Awards, celebrating five community members on October 29, 2026.
  • Amanda Gomes elected President of the BCIT Alumni Association.

These items are useful signals — program redesigns and added seats can affect what's offered and how competitive a program is — but treat them as context, not as guarantees about your own admission or program availability.

Common Snags

  • Session dates move. The calendar is the source of truth; a date you noted earlier may not hold.
  • Info sessions are often program- or school-specific. If you attend the wrong one, you'll get detail you don't need. Match the session to your area of interest.
  • Tours and "day as a student" experiences are different commitments. A tour is a visit; spending a day as a student is closer to shadowing. Pick based on how much time you can give.
  • Advisors are for your specific questions. Arrive with them written down so the conversation is productive.

For the broader picture of what BCIT is and how it differs from a college or university, and for how to apply once you've decided, see the related questions on this site.