BCIT strives to embrace excellence and innovation, engaging respective and collaborative people. They value people’s diverse experiences, ideas, cultures, and perspectives, no matter where you’re from. With international students, BCIT strives to help them not only in school, but also in their careers as part of the Canadian workforce. They support students in each stage of the process, offering resources on topics from applying for a study permit to travelling around Vancouver. Here, students are treated like any other and offered the same support and recognition throughout each campus.
Applying to BCIT
BCIT provides incoming students with all the resources they need. These include study permits, medical papers, and tools to find housing in Vancouver, as well as medical services and recreational facilities to keep both your mind and body healthy.
For Rachel Cheung, a BCIT Graphic Communication Technology Management student from Hong Kong, China, one of the most challenging parts about moving to Vancouver was establishing a routine. Despite already being accustomed to productivity and time management, Rachel, who is also a Student Life Ambassador, found that “navigating the workload at BCIT while maintaining a balanced mental state presented significant difficulties.”
Resources Available
BCIT offers a variety of things to help incoming students as they acclimate into Canada and their new routines. At the Burnaby Campus, you can find the International Student Centre in SW1. Here, students can access a space to hang out with fellow international students from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm on weekdays. Next door is the International Student Office, which offers drop-in services where you can talk to staff about any issues you’re having while studying abroad.
International Orientation is offered to students when they first arrive at the start of each term. Here, they go through guides on getting acquainted with living in Vancouver and learn from staff about school life at BCIT. Students also get the chance to connect with fellow international students, and hopefully make some friends for the duration of their studies.
New students can also meet with an International Student Peer Mentor for their first month at BCIT. Mentors are continuing students, who’ll share their own experiences of living in Vancouver and how they handle student life at BCIT. They’re available to answer any questions new students have and will point you toward resources where needed. Rachel says that talking to instructors and getting help from her senior cohort helped her create a balance at BCIT. “Through encouragement, perseverance, and determination with classmates who are going through the same situations, I have since cultivated a sense of belonging in Vancouver,” she says.

Julie Tran, another Student Life Ambassador and a local Civil Engineering student at BCIT, says that being courageous and embracing the unknown has been a huge factor in where she finds herself today. “It’s easy to hold back from taking chances toward opportunities,” she says, “but taking these chances can lead to unexpected rewards and invaluable experiences.”
The International Student Centre also has a wide variety of info sessions and events for students. Along with basic orientation sessions on how to get set up in BC, they also have classes on stress management and talks on employment in Canada after graduation. For those who wish to explore what BC has to offer, they have guides on the best places to visit and how to travel there, as well as outdoor safety tips for hikers and campers. Students can also look forward to meetups like a small soccer tournament, a Halloween costume contest, and international celebrations like Diwali and Lunar New Year.
Julie says that her favourite events at BCIT were the Kick Start Connect, Glow Week, and Games Day at the various BCIT campuses. She encourages all students to participate in the events going on at any of the campuses, as they’re great ways to connect with peers and the BCIT community. “It’s also a way to connect with services and learn more about what BCIT has to help us succeed, and I found that to be an exciting and beneficial experience,” says Julie.
Rachel says her favourites were orientation and the Kickstart events at the start of the terms. Both of them got her to connect with new students, and the events themselves were a lot of fun. “The atmosphere at the Kickstart Connect event was always vibrant and energizing, creating a positive and uplifting experience for everyone involved,” she says.
Overall, BCIT offers a lot to its international students. For those who are ambitious, innovative, and ready to dive headfirst into a new experience, BCIT is the place to be. If you are curious about any of their resources or how to apply, then check out the “International Student Page” on the BCIT website.
If you need more information, please contact the International Student Office:
international@bcit.ca
604-432-8816