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 open 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. This shows that the institution wants to provide its students with prospects as bright as this natural phenomenon.

Every year, over 3,000 students study at Northern Lights College, more than 700 of whom are international students. The college is a member of the BC Colleges association, which includes 11 colleges in British Columbia. Members of this association collaborate with each other, as well as with employers and businesses across the province. This collaboration allows students to gain practical knowledge during their studies, and colleges to stay up-to-date with trends in the labor market and industries, 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 valued by employers across Canada.
• Affordable tuition. Northern Lights College aims to offer some of the lowest tuition rates in British Columbia. The region where the campuses are located also has a low cost of living.
• Welcoming community. Small town communities warmly welcome international students and offer great opportunities for the future.
• Small class sizes. With small groups, instructors can interact more closely and effectively with students, sharing practical experience through a personalized approach.
• Work opportunities. College students successfully find jobs while studying. As of November 2024, international students are allowed to work up to 24 hours per week during the semester, an increase from the previous 20-hour limit.
• Natural surroundings. While studying at Northern Lights College, students are surrounded by incredible natural beauty 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;
• Continuing Education and Apprenticeship.

Certificate programs at Northern Lights College last 1 year, while other programs take 2 years. Upon completion of an 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 considered 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 available, both online and in-person.

Northern Lights College admits students 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 towns 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 highways in British Columbia and Alberta, 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 environment 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's located in the city center and offers beautiful learning areas and modern amenities for comfortable studying. Recently, the college made significant upgrades to its main campus: a new building was added to the educational area, creating additional learning 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 maintenance. The campus also features a unique training tower designed for high-altitude rescue training and practical classes in wind turbine maintenance.

Dawson Creek is the largest city in the Peace River region of British Columbia, with a population of over 12,000. It's a picturesque town offering many amenities: shops, museums, ice arenas, ski and running tracks, bowling alleys, golf courses, hiking trails, well-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 this campus annually. It's easily accessible by public transport, yet it's a quiet and peaceful place where you can encounter moose, deer, and foxes.

The campus has a spacious atrium with plenty of areas for studying, meeting, and relaxing. It offers medical programs in partnership with the University of Northern British Columbia and features a modern healthcare training laboratory. Various programs in trades, arts, and sciences are taught here, as well as several specialized courses available only 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 been operating on campus for trades and apprenticeship programs, along with the provincial Oil and Gas Centre of Excellence featuring a real drilling rig for training purposes.

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

Cost of Education and Living at Northern Lights College

The cost of study programs at NLC is significantly lower than at many other colleges and universities in British Columbia. The average annual tuition 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 different 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 area costs around $900 CAD, while in Vancouver, this cost can exceed $3,000 CAD.

There are student residences 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.

The northern part of 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. 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 peoples' 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 a variety of 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. To ensure comfortable living and studying, there are academic support services, conflict resolution counseling, and a childcare center.

Admission Requirements

To enroll in post-secondary education programs, such as certificate, advanced certificate, diploma, and associate degree programs, applicants must provide a document confirming completion of secondary education and a transcript of grades translated into English.

Also, since instruction at Northern Lights College is in English, applicants must prove their language proficiency by providing an IELTS certificate. Language requirements depend on the program: for many trade programs, an overall score of 6.0 (with no less than 5.5 in each component) is sufficient, 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 admission to postgraduate programs, applicants must provide proof of a bachelor's degree (diploma), an official transcript (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 with English for Academic Purposes training. This program is available at the Canadian English language school ILAC, which partners with many universities in Canada, the USA, and Europe. Upon completion of the University Pathway program, ILAC issues a certificate that partner universities accept as language confirmation. As a result, applicants are exempt 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.

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