International Students

Criteria for the acceptance of International Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students at the VOC

The VOC is an independent school partially funded though the BC Ministry of Education to support Canadian students or students whose legal guardians are legal residents of BC (holding a work permit or full-time post-secondary student visa at a BC college or university) and/or Landed Immigrants/citizens of Canada living in BC. International students whose legal guardians do not meet the legal residency requirement, but who may be accepted in our programmes, are not eligible to benefit from financial support from the BC Ministry of Education.

To enquire about enrollment at the VOC for International students, please contact us for admissions consideration. If admitted, a Letter of Admission is issued. Admission is for a full auditory-oral programme only.

Admission criteria for international students are the same as for Canadian students. Please see "Admissions - Priorities, Criteria and Waiting Lists" for the list of criteria.

1.  When applying, the admissions package must be fully completed.

  • International students residing in Canada must submit a copy of their Student Visa and/or a copy of their guardian's work permit/student visa or Canadian citizenship or Landed Immigrant document.
  • International Students applying from outside of Canada should take their VOC Letter of Admission to Citizenship & Immigration Canada office nearest them to apply for a Student Visa.
  • International students must have a legal guardian or parent with them in Canada while a student at the VOC.
  • International students must have been vaccinated for childhood diseases according to the standards required by the Coastal Health Authority and show proof of such vaccinations.
2.  Usually, the applying student and guardian attend an interview with the VOC Principal.
3.  Upon notification of admission, a non-refundable tuition deposit is due. For students whose legal guardians are not eligible for tuition support (those who do not hold a work permit or who are not a full-time post-secondary student at a BC college or university) for the 2007/2008 school year, tuition for International students is $23,100 (Cdn). Tuition fees are payable 50% upon acceptance and are not refundable unless enrollment is canceled 30 days or more prior to the commencement of classes.