bcit.ca

BCIT offers practical, applied education across six main study areas: Applied & Natural Sciences, Business & Media, Computing & IT, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Trades & Apprenticeship. Within those areas you can study through full-time programs, Flexible Learning (part-time) options, or short microcredentials. The right path depends on whether you want a credential to launch a career, upgrade skills while working, or sample a subject before committing.

The six main areas of study

BCIT organizes its programming into these fields:

This structure matters because it tells you where to look first. If your interest is, say, media production, you'd browse Business & Media rather than Engineering.

Full-time programs vs. Flexible Learning

BCIT draws a clear line between two ways to study:

• Full-time programs — you apply to a program and study on a set schedule. This suits people who want an immersive credential, such as a diploma or degree, and can commit to full-time study.
• Flexible Learning — part-time options designed for people who need to fit study around work or other commitments. This is the route to check if you can't attend full-time.

The distinction is practical, not cosmetic: it changes how you apply, how you schedule your studies, and how long completion takes. Decide which mode fits your life before choosing a specific program.

Microcredentials and shorter study

BCIT also offers microcredentials — short, focused credentials you can use to build or refresh skills, including for your resume. If you want a targeted skill rather than a multi-year program, this is the option to explore. Browse the microcredentials listing to see what's currently offered.

How to browse programs and check availability

1. Start with "View Programs & Courses" on the BCIT site to see the full catalog.
2. Narrow by area of study using the six fields above.
3. Check program availability — BCIT provides a "View program availability" entry point, so confirm a program is open before you invest time in applying.
4. Apply to a full-time program if that's your route, or explore Flexible Learning options if you need part-time study.
5. Use the AI Assist tool if you want help finding your way around the catalog.

If you're still deciding

• Attend an Info Session — BCIT runs these, including area-specific ones such as Business & Media sessions.
• Register for Big Info — a broader information event.
• Book a tour or spend a day as a student to see the environment firsthand.
• Connect with an Advisor if you have questions that the catalog doesn't answer.

These options are useful when you know your general interest but not the exact program — for example, if you're drawn to Business & Media but unsure whether a diploma or a microcredential is the better starting point.

A note on what makes BCIT different

BCIT describes itself as different from a college or university, offering practical, flexible, applied education taught by instructors with direct, hands-on experience in their field. That framing is worth keeping in mind when comparing programs: the emphasis is on applied skills and industry-relevant training rather than a purely academic approach.

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?

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.

BCIT offers microcredentials as short, focused credentials you can earn through Flexible Learning, and the site points you to a dedicated microcredentials catalogue to browse what's available. They're aimed at people who want to build or refresh a specific skill rather than commit to a full diploma or degree. If your goal is a quick, targeted upgrade to your resume — or a way to test an area before enrolling in a longer program — a microcredential is the format to look at. If you need a credential that carries the weight of a full BCIT diploma or degree, a microcredential is not a substitute.

What a microcredential is at BCIT

BCIT describes itself as offering "practical, flexible, applied education," and microcredentials sit inside that flexible side of the institution. The homepage lists them under the Study section with the prompt "Power up your resume" and a direct link to browse microcredentials.

The key characteristics, based on what BCIT states:

• They are short and focused — built around a defined set of skills rather than a multi-year curriculum.
• They are delivered through Flexible Learning, BCIT's part-time and continuing-education stream, as opposed to full-time programs.
• They are applied — consistent with BCIT's overall positioning that instructors have direct, hands-on experience in their field.

How microcredentials differ from a diploma or degree

The distinction matters most when you're deciding where to invest your time.

BCIT's own navigation separates these paths: "Apply to a full-time program" and "Explore Flexible Learning options" are listed as distinct actions, with microcredentials under the Flexible Learning umbrella. That separation is the clearest signal that the two serve different goals.

How a microcredential can help your career

BCIT frames microcredentials around resume value — the homepage literally labels the section "Power up your resume." That framing suggests the intended use cases:

• Adding a specific, named skill to your CV without pausing your career.
• Signalling current knowledge in a fast-moving area, since short formats can be updated more quickly than full programs.
• Testing a subject area before committing to a longer BCIT program, if you're unsure whether a field is right for you.
• Stacking toward something larger — though you should confirm with BCIT whether a specific microcredential carries credit into a full program, since the site doesn't state this generally.

One caveat worth being explicit about: the source material doesn't specify cost, duration, or credit-transfer rules for microcredentials. Check the individual microcredential page for those details before you plan around them.

How to browse BCIT microcredentials

1. Go to bcit.ca.
2. In the Study section, find the microcredentials entry — labelled "Microcredentials now offered at BCIT" with a Browse microcredentials link.
3. Use the catalogue to filter by area of interest. BCIT's learning areas include Applied & Natural Sciences, Business & Media, Computing & IT, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Trades & Apprenticeship, so you can narrow to your field.
4. Open an individual microcredential to confirm the specifics — delivery format, prerequisites, and what you receive on completion.

If you want to talk it through before committing, BCIT lists Connect with an Advisor and Attend an Info Session as available next steps.

When a microcredential is the right choice — and when it isn't

Choose a microcredential if you already have a career footing and want to add or refresh a defined skill, or you want a low-commitment way to sample a subject.

Choose a full-time program instead if you need a comprehensive qualification for entry into a field, or you're early in your career and need the broader credential.

Talk to an advisor first if your plan depends on stacking a microcredential into a larger BCIT credential — that's a detail the homepage doesn't answer, and it's the kind of thing that changes your decision.

BCIT groups its application routes by student type rather than by a single universal form. Future students apply to full-time programs, Flexible Learning students register course-by-course, and international students follow a separate path with its own advising. The right entry point depends on whether you want a credential program, a single course, or a microcredential — and on your residency status. The steps below map each route to the actions BCIT lists on its site.

Start with the audience that matches you

BCIT's homepage presents distinct entry points for Future Students, Flexible Learning Students, International Students, and also for Parents & Counsellors, Business & Industry, and Alumni & Donors. Choosing the wrong one is the most common reason people end up on a page that doesn't answer their question.

Applying to a full-time program

1. View program availability. BCIT lists which programs are open before you commit to applying. Programs are organized under six areas: Applied & Natural Sciences, Business & Media, Computing & IT, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Trades & Apprenticeship.
2. Apply to a full-time program. This is the stated route for full-time study. Confirm the specific program's intake and requirements on its own page, since these differ by school.
3. Talk to someone if you're unsure. BCIT offers several ways to connect before applying: attend an Info Session, register for Big Info, book a tour, spend a day as a student, or connect with an Advisor.

The "spend a day as a student" option is worth noting if you're deciding between programs — it's a lower-commitment way to test fit than applying first and switching later.

Exploring Flexible Learning

Flexible Learning is BCIT's part-time and individual-course route. The site's stated action is to explore Flexible Learning options rather than to submit a full-time program application. This is the path to check if you want to upgrade skills, take a course without entering a full credential program, or study around work.

If you're not sure whether a course counts toward a credential, ask an Advisor before registering — BCIT does not state on the homepage how Flexible Learning courses transfer into full-time programs.

Microcredentials

BCIT offers microcredentials, described as a way to "power up your resume." The homepage action is to browse microcredentials. These sit alongside, not inside, the full-time program route, so treat them as a separate decision: shorter and more targeted, but not a substitute for a diploma or degree.

International students

International students have a dedicated entry point on the main navigation. Because study permits, tuition categories, and advising differ from domestic applicants, start there rather than through the Future Students path. BCIT does not publish international-specific pricing or permit details on the homepage, so confirm those on the international section itself.

Connecting before you apply

BCIT lists these contact and exploration channels:

• Info Sessions — including school-specific sessions, such as Business & Media and an online General Insurance + Risk Management session
• Big Info — a registration-based event
• Book a tour
• Spend a day as a student
• Connect with an Advisor
• Ask AI Assist — a site tool for questions

A scheduled example from the site: the full-time General Insurance + Risk Management Diploma online info session on Sep 29. Dates change, so check the events listing rather than relying on a single listing.

Common sticking points

• Applying before checking availability. View program availability first; not every program is open every intake.
• Using the full-time route for a single course. If you want one course, Flexible Learning is the stated path.
• Assuming microcredentials stack into a program. BCIT presents them as resume-focused; confirm credit toward a credential with an Advisor.
• International applicants using domestic steps. Use the International Students entry point from the start.

BCIT describes itself as different from a college or university, offering practical, applied education taught by instructors with direct, hands-on field experience — useful context when weighing it against a traditional degree path.

BCIT stands for the British Columbia Institute of Technology, a polytechnic institute in British Columbia, Canada. It describes itself as "different than a college or university," offering practical, flexible, applied education taught by instructors who have direct, hands-on experience in their field. If you want job-focused training with industry practitioners as teachers, BCIT is built around that model; if you want a broad academic or research-oriented degree path, a traditional college or university may fit better.

What BCIT is

BCIT is a polytechnic institute, not a college or a university in the conventional sense. Its own framing is the clearest guide: it delivers "practical, flexible, applied education," and its instructors bring direct, hands-on industry experience into the classroom.

Its programming spans a wide range of applied fields, organized into these study areas:

• Applied & Natural Sciences
• Business & Media
• Computing & IT
• Engineering
• Health Sciences
• Trades & Apprenticeship

That spread shows the applied focus: the offerings map onto industries and occupations rather than to traditional academic disciplines alone.

How it differs from a college or university

The distinction BCIT draws is about orientation and teaching, not just credentials. The table below compares the dimensions BCIT itself emphasizes.

The key takeaway: at BCIT, the instructor's industry experience is part of the value proposition. You are learning from people who have done the work, which shapes how material is taught and what it emphasizes.

Ways to study and engage

BCIT organizes study and connection around several audiences and formats. For prospective students, the site points to these entry points:

• Future Students, Flexible Learning Students, and International Students as distinct paths
• Parents & Counsellors, Business & Industry, and Alumni & Donors as other audiences
• Study actions such as viewing program availability, applying to a full-time program, exploring Flexible Learning options, and finding a microcredential

Microcredentials are offered at BCIT as a shorter, focused option — useful if you want to build a specific skill rather than commit to a full program.

To get a feel for the school before applying, BCIT lists several low-commitment ways to connect:

• Attend an Info Session
• Register for Big Info
• Book a tour
• Spend a day as a student
• Connect with an Advisor

What's happening at BCIT

The site's news items give a sense of the school's current direction:

• Broadcast and Media Production programs are being redesigned for a digital, creator-driven industry, citing the 2026 Reuters Institute Digital News Report on social media and video as leading ways people access online news.
• Skilled trades training is expanding: BCIT will add 272 new skilled-trades training seats in Burnaby as part of the Look West strategy to deliver 5,000 new trades-training seats in 2026–2027.
• Alumni leadership: Amanda Gomes, P.Eng., PMP, was elected President of the BCIT Alumni Association.
• Applied research: a BCIT report examines how commercial real estate leaders are turning climate goals into practical decisions about buildings, budgets, and operations.
• Recognition: five community members will be celebrated at the 2026 BCIT Vision Awards on October 29, 2026.

These items reinforce the applied theme — programs responding to industry shifts, trades capacity growing, and research aimed at practical decisions.

How to decide if BCIT fits you

Choose BCIT if your goal is applied, job-oriented education and you value instructors with real industry experience. Look elsewhere if you want a traditional academic or research-focused degree path.

Concrete next steps:

1. Identify your field among the study areas (for example, Computing & IT or Trades & Apprenticeship).
2. Check program availability and decide between a full-time program, Flexible Learning, or a microcredential.
3. Attend an Info Session, register for Big Info, or book a tour to see the teaching style firsthand.
4. Connect with an Advisor if you are unsure which path matches your background.

One practical note: BCIT presents itself as flexible, but "flexible" covers several distinct formats — full-time, Flexible Learning, and microcredentials — so confirm which one a specific program uses before you plan around it.