Affordable Student Housing with GEC Living still available. More Information HERE.

Frequently Asked Questions

Student Services

Please note that students can now book an appointment with the following advisors through their Student Portal: 

  • Academic Advisors 

  • Mental Health Advisors 

  • Immigration Advisors 

  • Career Advisor 

  • Rights and Responsibilities Counselor

To book your appointment, please do the following:  

  1. Log into your Student Portal -> Go to “Useful Links” -> Select “Book Appointment with Advisor” 

  2. Click the “Add Booking” button 

  3. Click the first box and choose the type of Advising Service you’re looking for. (Please note that “Academic Advising” is displayed by default.)

  4. Click the second box to choose your Advisor. (Please note that you can only choose your Advisor for Mental Health Counselling sessions.) 

  5. Click “Select Service” to proceed to the next page.

  6. Click “Advisor Available Days” to select a day for your appointment.  

  7. Click on “Advisor Available Times” to select a time. (Please note that the first appointment available on your selected day will be displayed by default but a drop-down menu with more slots will appear once you click the box. If the slot is an in-person session, there will be a label next to the time specifying this.)

  8. Select a “Topic” that you would like to discuss.  

  9. Write a brief description of what you would like to discuss (optional) 

  10. Click “Book” to confirm your booking.

Check out the Glossary of Terms.

See a counselor in Student Services for more information about courses, programs, associate degrees, and certificates. See also Courses.

See an academic advisor before the end of week one of each semester to change classes/sections.

See an academic advisor before the end of week 9 to withdraw from a class.

Students wishing to transfer to 2nd Year studies at university normally require between 24-30 credits, but you can transfer up to 60 credits. Students who wish to transfer to 3rd Year studies normally require 54-60 credits.

See an academic advisor to get this information. See also Immigration and the Government of Canada website.

Application forms (with instructions) are available in Student Services. See the Nurse or academic advisor for assistance. As well, refer to the online MSP insurance application here.

You are welcome to speak, in privacy, with a counsellor, academic advisor, or the Nurse about any problems you are having.

Yes. See the Scholarships and Awards.

See an academic advisor. Also read the Transferability of University Courses section of the Academic Calendar.
You can also view the BC Transfer Guide.

Book an appointment at the Learning Centre here.

If you are an Associate Degree or University Transfer student, to book an appointment with an academic advisor visit Student Services in Room 211 on the 2nd floor of the Main Campus. You can also book an appointment online.

If you are a High School student, go to the front desk on the fourth floor of the North Campus to book an appointment.

Refer to Working On and Off Campus while Studying for more information about working.

See Immigration for information on inviting friends and relatives from countries that require a visa.

Refer to Costs.

Speak to an academic advisor by going to the front desk on the fourth floor of the North Campus to book an appointment or send an email to: admin@columbiacollege.ca for further instruction.

Check out the list of Clubs that are currently offered at the College here. To start a club, email StudentLife@columbiacollege.ca

Find out more about our Homestay Program. If you decide to look for somewhere to live independently, the Internet is the best place to get an idea about the rental real estate market of Vancouver. Websites like Craigslist, Kijiji and PadMapper are a good place to start your search for a new place. 

Refer to Working On and Off Campus while Studying

To be eligible for the post-graduate work permit (PGWP), you must maintain your status as a full-time student at a Designated Learning Institution. See Immigration for further information about the PGWP.

No, there will be no problem with your study permit if you change majors. You are not bound by the program that was written in your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) or by the program indicated on your study permit.

Please speak with an Academic Advisor regarding this question.

Bookstore

 The bookstore is located on the third floor of the Main Campus in room #312. 

 You can visit the bookstore when it is open or by sending an email to bookstore@columbiacollege.ca

 The bookstore will be open for the Fall 2021 semester starting on September 7, 2021 until the end of the semester (December 17th)

 The bookstore will be open Monday to Thursday from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM. For the first week of class (Sept 7th to 10th), the bookstore will be open Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM 

 Your instructor will be able to tell you what the textbook (s) will be for the course. The bookstore will also have a list of all courses and textbooks. Some courses may have electronic textbooks, some may require hard copies of textbooks, and some courses may have open resource textbooks (OER) that are free to access. 

 Most textbooks are sold through VitalSource. You will need to set up an account using the following URL: https://www.vitalsource.com/en-ca/. A credit card is required for e-text purchases. The bookstore will be able to tell you the ISBN number of the e-text you need for your course. 

 If you are having any difficulty with the purchase process please visit the Vital Source FAQ page at https://support.vitalsource.com/hc/en-us/categories/201207418-VitalSource-Store-and-Sampling-Portal to resolve your issue. If you are still having difficulty with your e-text purchase, where you may not have a credit card or your credit card is not working, please contact bookstore@columbiacollege.ca and we can arrange an alternate payment method.

 Vital Source has a return policy listed on their website: https://www.vitalsource.com/en-ca/refund-policy 

 Please contact bookstore@columbiacollege.ca and someone will help you with your required textbooks. 

Certain courses require a package of reading material that will be available to purchase in the bookstore. The bookstore will know what package is needed for the course(s) you are taking. 

The bookstore accepts debit and credit cards and, in most cases, you will be able to tap your card for purchases up to $100. Cash is also accepted up to $200 per transaction, but is not a preferred method of payment. 

The bookstore sells notebooks, pens/pencils, highlighters, USB sticks, white-out … pretty much the typical stuff that students will need. There are also Columbia College branded items such as hoodies, travel mugs, and umbrellas.