Northern Lights College: affordable higher education in Canada

Higher education in Canada is one of the best choices for international students. In addition to world-class education, Canada offers university graduates the opportunity to obtain work permits and opens pathways to immigrate to this beautiful country.

Northern Lights College

Northern Lights College (NLC) is a public college located in northern British Columbia. The college opened in 1975, and today its programs offer students practical training and education that helps them successfully enter the job market.

The college got its name from the northern lights, a phenomenon that can often be seen in the region. In doing so, the institution shows that it wants to provide its students with prospects as bright as this natural phenomenon.

Every year, more than 3,000 students study at Northern Lights College, over 700 are international students. The college is a member of the BC Colleges, which include 11 colleges in British Columbia. Members of this association collaborate with each other, as well as with employers and businesses throughout the province. This collaboration allows students to gain practical knowledge during their studies, and colleges to stay informed about labor market and industry trends, enabling them to prepare highly qualified professionals in demand in British Columbia and across the country.

Northern Lights College's mission is to enrich lives, communities, and industries in northern British Columbia and around the world through accessible academic education.

Choice for International Students

For over 25 years, Northern Lights College has been welcoming students from around the world. The institution offers many programs that combine theoretical learning with practical experience. Each program is designed to prepare students for successful careers in Canada.

What attracts international students to Northern Lights College?

• High-quality education. At Northern Lights College, you can obtain a higher education credential that is valued by employers across Canada.
• Affordable tuition. Northern Lights College strives to offer its students some of the lowest tuition rates in British Columbia. The region where the college campuses are located also has a low cost of living.
• Welcoming community. Small-town communities warmly welcome international students and open up great opportunities for the future.
• Small classes. Thanks to small group formation, instructors can interact more closely and productively with students and pass on practical experience based on a personalized approach.
• Work opportunities. College students successfully find jobs while studying. Starting from fall 2024, international students are allowed to work up to 24 hours per week during the semester.
• Natural surroundings. While studying at Northern Lights College, students are surrounded by incredible natural resources and can enjoy inspiring views.

Programs at Northern Lights College

Northern Lights College offers over 100 programs in total. These include post-secondary education programs (certificate, advanced certificate, diploma, and associate degree), post-graduate programs, apprenticeships, and preparatory courses.

The academic programs are divided into 6 areas:

• Business;
• Education;
• Health and Social Services;
• University Arts and Sciences;
• Trades and Apprenticeships;
• Upgrading.

Certificate programs at Northern Lights College last 1 year, while other programs take 2 years. Upon completion of the associate degree program, which also lasts 2 years, students can easily transfer to another institution to obtain a bachelor's degree. In this case, all credits and subjects studied will be taken into account when transferring to a university, and the student will only need to study for two more years to obtain a bachelor's degree instead of the standard four years.

For the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, the college has already established a partnership with the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC): after two years of study at NLC, students transfer to UNBC for another 2 years.

NLC also offers a wide variety of short-term professional training and development courses for skill enhancement and certification. There are about 580 such courses in total, available both online and in-person.

Northern Lights College conducts student intakes three times a year: in September, January, and May. The acceptance rate for educational courses is 82%, and the employment rate among graduates is 95%.

Northern Lights College Campus Locations

The two largest campuses of Northern Lights College are located in Fort St. John and Dawson Creek, small cities in the scenic Peace River region of northeastern British Columbia. These are towns with small-town charm and picturesque spots at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Other Northern Lights College campuses are located in Chetwynd, Fort Nelson, and Tumbler Ridge.

The region is connected by British Columbia and Alberta highways, and local airports serve daily flights from Vancouver and Calgary. Northern British Columbia residents are known for their hospitality and kindness, which will help international students adapt to their new location more quickly. Additionally, thanks to welcoming communities and a dynamic economy, the region offers diverse employment opportunities for students and graduates.

Dawson Creek Campus

The Dawson Creek campus became the first home for Northern Lights College. It is located in the city center and offers beautiful study areas and modern amenities for comfortable learning. Recently, the college made significant upgrades to its main campus: a new building was added to the study area, creating additional educational spaces for several specializations.

Programs in various trades, arts, and sciences are available here, as well as several specialized courses offered only in Dawson Creek, including welding, carpentry, aircraft maintenance, and wind turbine servicing. The campus also features a unique training tower designed for high-altitude rescue training and practical wind turbine maintenance classes.

The city of Dawson Creek itself is the largest in the Peace River region of British Columbia, with a population of over 12,000. It's a picturesque city with many amenities: shops, museums, ice arenas, downhill and cross-country ski areas, bowling, golf courses, hiking trails, developed public transport, and cultural centers.

Fort St. John

The Fort St. John campus is located in the northern part of the city near a scenic park and forest. Over 1,800 students study at the campus each year. It's easily accessible by public transport, yet it's a quiet and peaceful place where you can spot moose, deer, and foxes.

The campus has a spacious atrium with plenty of spaces for studying, meeting, and relaxing. It offers medical programs in partnership with the University of Northern British Columbia and has a modern healthcare training lab. Various trade, arts, and science programs are taught here, as well as some specialized courses only available at this campus, such as commercial transport and heavy equipment maintenance, power engineering, and gas processing.

Since 2007, the Jim Kassen Industry Training Centre has operated on campus for trades and apprenticeship programs, along with a provincial Oil and Gas Centre featuring a real drilling rig for training purposes.

Fort St. John is the largest city in the northern Peace River region, with over 20,000 residents. It offers diverse recreational and entertainment options: shops, museums, cross-country ski trails, bowling, hiking trails, baseball fields, a swimming pool, theaters, and many other indoor and outdoor activities.

Cost of Study and Living at Northern Lights College

Tuition fees at NLC are significantly lower than at many other colleges and universities in British Columbia. The average annual cost of study is approximately $12,000 CAD. This is the typical cost for a diploma program in business, for example.

Here are some examples of costs for various programs by specialization and level of study:

The cost of living while studying at Northern Lights College is also much lower than in major Canadian cities. For example, a two-bedroom apartment in Northern Lights is available for around $900 CAD, while in Vancouver, this cost can exceed $3,000 CAD.

Student residences are available on the Dawson Creek and Fort St. John campuses. Students can rent a single room or share 2 and 4-bedroom units with other students. The residences have dedicated areas for studying, socializing, and entertainment.

Additionally, Northern Lights College offers scholarships and other forms of financial aid, which are also available to international students.

Student Life at NLC

Student life at Northern Lights College is filled with various events and activities.

Northern British Columbia, with its ancient forests, mountains, rivers, and lakes, is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts. On sunny days, you can go hiking, fishing, camping, or rafting. The winter months are perfect for snowshoeing and skiing. Northern Lights College students can actively participate in local cultural events and learn about the region's living history through Indigenous events.

Northern Lights College actively encourages its students' sporting interests. In fact, NLC is the only post-secondary institution in British Columbia with a rodeo team that actively competes in the Canadian Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. Rodeo has deep roots in Northern British Columbia and attracts participants from around the world.

Although the communities where Northern Lights campuses are located are small, they offer many amenities typical of large cities. The region has various restaurants and cafes, community centers, shops, sports arenas, gyms, theaters, and much more.

The college campuses also have many services available to every student: bookstores, cafeterias, libraries, and spa salons. Academic support services, conflict resolution counseling, and a childcare center operate to ensure comfortable living and studying.

Admission Requirements

To enroll in post-secondary programs, including certificate, advanced certificate, diploma, and associate degree programs, applicants must provide proof of high school completion and a transcript of grades translated into English.

Since Northern Lights College teaches in English, applicants must demonstrate their language proficiency by submitting an IELTS certificate. Language requirements vary by program: many trade programs require an overall score of 6.0 (with no less than 5.5 in each component), while some medical specialties require an overall score of 7.0. Business programs require a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.0, with no component below 6.0.

For graduate programs, applicants must provide proof of a bachelor's degree (diploma), an official transcript with grades (original document and English translation), and an IELTS certificate with an overall score of at least 6.0 (no component below 6.0).

There's also an option for applicants who can't or don't want to take the IELTS test. They can complete a special preparatory program focusing on English for academic purposes. This program is available at the Canadian ILAC English language school, which partners with many universities in Canada, the USA, and Europe. Upon completion of the University Pathway program, ILAC issues a certificate that partner institutions accept as proof of language proficiency. This exempts the applicant from taking a language test.

Admission Assistance

As official agents of Northern Lights College, we can make your admission process much easier. We can help you choose a study program, assist with collecting documents for the college and student visa application, and handle communication with the institution.

We partner with dozens of colleges and universities across Canada, so if you're interested in another Canadian institution, we can definitely help you find it. Sign up for an education consultation and start your journey towards life in one of the world's best countries!