How to Apply
Steps for becoming a student at Columbia Bible College
APPLY ONLINE
- Complete your application form
- Ask your reference to submit their online form*
- Send in your high school/post-secondary transcripts
- Pay your $50 application fee
*EA Applicants need both a child & youth reference and a character reference
RECEIVE YOUR ACCEPTANCE LETTER & PACKAGE
- Complete your Pre-Registration form and pay your deposit
- Submit your official high school/post-secondary transcripts
- International Students: apply for your study permit
- Get help creating a budget
GET READY TO BEGIN YOUR STUDIES
- Apply for financial aid including Student Loans, scholarships, bursaries, and grants
- Log in to your My CBC portal and check your student account information
- Register for classes
- Log in to Microsoft 365 with your CBC student credentials
- Make your first payment
ORIENTATION
- Complete your Enrollment Contract
- Meet staff, faculty, and new friends
- Get your CBC student ID and parking pass (if you have car)
- Move into residence or get to know other commuters
START CLASSES!
- Attend on campus worship: Vespers (Tuesdays at 9pm) and Chapel (Thursdays at 10am)
- Eat yummy food in the cafeteria
- Study in the library
- Attend StuCo and other on campus events
Connect with Us
Admissions Team
One of the most common pieces of feedback we get is how helpful and personable the Columbia Admissions Team is. From inquiring to move-in day, our team is eager to help you with the admissions process and make your transition into college a little bit easier.
Dates to Remember
- Mar 15 Acceptance Deadline for Entrance Scholarship Consideration (Sept Entry)
- May 15 Acceptance Deadline for Columbia Scholarships and Bursaries (Sept Entry)
- Jun 1 For International students, September entry application and deposit deadline. See below for unique app fee amount.
- Aug 15 September entry application and deposit deadline. ($50 late fee is applied after August 15; residence deposit non-refundable).
- Nov 1 Acceptance Deadline for Entrance Scholarship Consideration (January Entry)
- Nov 25 Acceptance Deadline for Columbia Scholarships and Bursaries (January Entry)
- Dec 15 January entry application and deposit deadline. ($50 late fee is applied after this date; residence deposit non-refundable).
Entrance Requirements
Applicants to casual studies, certificate, diploma, and degree programs
- Must be at least 17 years of age.
- Must be a Christian and willing to grow in discipleship.
- Must hold a high school diploma with a minimum average of 60%. This average will be calculated using the student’s top 5 submitted grades from their last two years of high school. 3 of these 5 grades must be academic courses and one of these 3 must be English 12 or provincial/state equivalent. Applicable grade 12 courses take precedence over grade 11 courses
- Must demonstrate the potential for academic success at Columbia Bible College.
- Must arrange for reference form(s) to be submitted on their behalf.
- Must have final grade of 65% in English 12 or provincial/state equivalent* (See below for specific equivalents)
- Must agree to abide by the community standards as defined in the Student Handbook while a Columbia student
Conditional admission may be granted if:
- The applicant is waiting for final transcripts;
- The applicant has mature student status (must be a minimum of 21 years of age and have been out of school for at least one year. The applicant will be required to write an English entrance exam or enroll in ENGL 105). These applications for admission will be considered on an individual basis.
- The applicant enrolls in ENGL 105 or its equivalent.
*Provincial equivalents
- Alberta: English 30-1
- Nunavut & NTW: English 30-1
- Saskatchewan: A30
- Manitoba: English 40S
- Ontario: Grade 12 English U
- Quebec: CEGEP
- New Brunswick: English 121 or 122
- Nova Scotia: English U prep, Academic or Advanced
- Prince Edward Island: English 621 or 611
- Newfoundland and Labrador: Language 3101
- US Students: four years of high school English
US Applicants
Student visa forms will be sent out upon acceptance to Columbia. Student visas are acquired at the time of border crossing and will require a letter of registration from Columbia and a financial statement indicating sufficient funds for the academic year, along with a $150 Study Permit fee.
Please ensure your application is complete at least one month prior to the start of the semester so that all student visa letters can be sent in time for you to enter Canada.
Check out our US Student Info Page for additional details.
International Applicants
- Must have proof of English competency. A foreign student must have a minimum score of 550 for the paper based TOEFL or 213 for the computer based TOEFL or 79 for the internet-based TOEFL or an IELTS score of 6.5 (Academic Module).
- Applicants must arrange to be tested by an approved TOEFL or IELTS agency in their country. Applicants should do this at least two (2) months prior to the beginning of the semester at Columbia Bible College. This will allow time for the results to be returned to Columbia. Acceptance at Columbia will be dependent on receiving these test scores.
The requirement for TOEFL or IELTS test results may be waived if the applicant has met the following conditions:
- The applicant has completed three or more years of study at either a secondary or post-secondary institution (in the United Kingdom, The Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or Jamaica or an accredited international school with a North-American curriculum where English is the primary language of instruction).
- The applicant has successfully graduated from a North American high school and successfully completed ENG 12 (or its equivalent in any other province/state) with a final grade of 65% or higher.
- The applicant has studied for at least one year at an accredited North American post-secondary institution and successfully completed an English Literature, Composition or Writing for College course (or its’ equivalent) with a final grade of 60% or higher.
The Admissions Committee may also evaluate English proficiency on an individual basis by requiring that the applicant write an entrance examination.
Please note that international students must also:
- Submit a $450 application fee (this application fee consists of a $150 processing fee + $300 deposit and replaces the $50 application fee mentioned above for domestic students).
- For September entrance, must submit all required application documentation before June 1. For January entrance, must submit all required application documentation before October 1.
Transfer Students
Students who have earned 30 credit hours or more at another post-secondary institution will be evaluated for admission based on their post-secondary GPA. A minimum of a 2.0 (60%) overall GPA is required. Conditional Admission may be granted to transfer students who do not meet these requirements. Such decisions will be made at the discretion of the Admissions Committee.Only courses completed with a minimum grade of C (normally 65%) will be considered for transfer credit to Columbia.
Home-Educated Students
Columbia welcomes graduates of home-based schools and other unaccredited and/or non-traditional secondary education programs. Each candidate who is unable to present provincially/state-examined matriculation subjects is evaluated on an individual basis in order to gauge their readiness for college-level studies. Applicants are required to provide evidence of academic ability including, but not limited to: essays, home education charts, SAT, ACT or GED test scores.
Educational Assistant Program Requirements
An additional reference from someone involved in working with children and youth must be submitted.
Outdoor Leadership Program Requirements
An additional reference from someone involved in working with children and youth must be submitted.
Applicants will be required to:
- Read the Outdoor Leadership View Book and Risk Management for Outdoor Programs: A Guide for Students
- Complete and submit the following legal documents: Medical Questionnaire, Waiver Form, Indemnification Form, Acknowledgement of Risk Form for Olympic National Park.
Audit/Casual Applicants
- Must be at least 17 years of age.
- Must hold a high school diploma or be at least 21 years of age.
- Must be able to demonstrate potential for academic success at Columbia Bible College.
- Must complete and submit the casual/audit studies application form.
FAQ
How many students attend Columbia?
We generally have around 400 students studying at Columbia each year. About 40% of these students live on campus and the other 60% commute.
Is Columbia accredited?
Columbia is accredited with the Association for Biblical Higher Education (A.B.H.E.), an autonomous association of Canadian and U.S. colleges seeking to enhance Christ-centred biblically-based higher education in North America. A.B.H.E. is a member of the Commission on Recognition of Post-secondary Accreditation (C.O.R.P.A.), the body that provides for accreditation of all recognized American universities, colleges and professional preparation programs. For more information please visit the A.B.H.E. website.
Columbia Bible College has also held designated certification, which means accredited status, for nearly 10 years with the Private Training Institutions Branch of the Ministry of Advanced Education in the Province of British Columbia. The Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) succeeded the Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA) as the regulatory agency for private training institutions. For more information visit the PTIB Website.
Columbia is also a member of the following associations:
- Association of Christian Librarians
- Association of Christians in Student Development
- Association of Christian Service Personnel
- British Columbia Camping Association
- Canadian Association of Christians in Student Development
- Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association (CCAA)
- Christian Camping International
- Christian Higher Education Canada
- North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals
- Pacific Western Athletics Association (PACWEST)
Columbia has also been approved as a designated institution for the purposes of the Canada Student Loan Plan and for financial aid through most provincial Departments of Education. The U.S. address for financial aid is U.S. Department of Education, Office of Post Secondary Education, Washington, D.C. 20202.
Will courses I have taken at another Bible college or university transfer to Columbia?
Because Columbia Bible College is accredited, many credits from other colleges and universities do transfer! Have your transcripts sent to Columbia Admissions and our Registrar will do a transfer analysis for you. Be sure to tell us what program you would want to transfer into.
Will the courses I take at Columbia transfer to another Bible college or university?
If you are transferring to another Christian college or university, many of your courses will transfer. If you are transferring to a secular institution, the number of transfer credits won’t be quite as high, but some of your credits will qualify for transfer. We have several credit transfer agreements that you can read about here. We always recommend that you contact the institution you would like to transfer into to be sure of their policies on accepting Christian College credit. Please refer to our transfer guides to see Columbia’s articulation agreements.
What if I have already attended Columbia and I wish to re-apply?
We’d love to have you back! If you’ve been away from Columbia for less than a year, you do not need to submit an application form. You can simply contact the Academics office to re-enrol.
If you have been away for 1-5 years, please apply and choose the shortened Re-Entry Appication.
If you have been away for more than 5 years, please submit a brand-new, full application.
Do I have to be Mennonite to attend Columbia?
Definitely not. While Columbia is owned and operated by two of the major Mennonite denominations (BC Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches and Mennonite Church British Columbia), we have many students who come from other faith denominations like Christian Reformed, Baptist, Evangelical Free, and more.
Can I live on campus?
Yes, in fact we strongly encourage you to! Columbia has residences for men and women right on our campus and the experience of living in dorm is usually a highlight for our students.
Are there scholarships or bursaries available from Columbia?
Yes, Columbia offers scholarships and bursaries to new and continuing students! These types of awards are great to apply for because you don’t have to pay the money back! You must be an accepted student to apply for scholarships and bursaries, and you can learn more on our Financial Aid page.
Can I get a student loan to study at Columbia?
Columbia programs are eligible for student loans in both Canada (excluding Quebec) and the US. Apply online through your province of residence for a student loan. If you have questions, contact the Director of Financial Aid.
Does Columbia have athletic teams?
Yes, Columbia has Men’s and Women’s Volleyball and Basketball. Through our involvement in the CCAA (Canadian College Athletic Association), PACWEST (Pacific Westen Athletics Association), and local community leagues, our teams play a competitive schedule that allows them to not only develop their physical skills but, more importantly, a godly character (1Tim. 4:8). Learn more about Bearcat Athletics »
Can I visit the campus?
Absolutely! Through the year we host many Campus View Events and Personal Tours! We would love for you to come join us for one! Book a Tour!