Prospective Students
How does online learning work? Do you have set class times?
Online Learning is led by BC certified teachers following BC provincial curriculum in a flexible, paced, independent online learning environment. Students can work around their busy schedules to complete their course work. There are no set traditional class times. Our style of learning works well for those who need flexibility.
The Pacing & Progress tool in the course can help students complete their coursework at their own pace while staying on schedule. Students enter a date by when they want to complete, and an individualized schedule is generated. *Note: Students need to keep course end dates and school breaks in mind, as some courses may not accept work during winter and spring break.
Once your registration is complete, you will be given a username and password for our online learning platform, Brightspace. Once you receive your username and password, you may log in and begin working on your course right away!
How much time do students have to complete their courses?
High school students are encouraged to complete within a semester. High school students must complete their courses within the regular school year (September-June), paying close attention to course deadlines.
Adult students are encouraged to complete their courses within 4-5 months. Adult students must complete by mid-December the following school year, paying close attention to course deadlines.
Students should expect to spend 100-120 hours to complete their course.
All students must be logging in regularly and submitting work consistently to avoid being withdrawn for non-participation.
Are you open year-round?
For high school students, courses are only offered within the regular school year (September to June).
For adult learners, New Westminster Online Learning operates year-round, with limited access during winter break, spring break, and with full closure for a part of the summer (mid-July and August).
Do you offer online summer school courses?
We offer Career Life Education 10 and Career Life Connections 12 as accelerated summer 4-week courses to high school students only. Currently, we do not offer online summer school courses to adults.
How do I register for an Online Course with New West Online Learning?
Registration details can be found on our registration page.
Can I come into the school to register in person?
Our registration process is fully online. If you’re not comfortable sending documents by email, you may book an appointment to bring your registration paperwork to the office.
Please note that submitting documents in person will not speed up processing or change your position in the queue.
Which courses do you offer?
We offer high school grades 9-12 courses, as well as math upgrading for adults. Please see our course offerings page for a current list of available courses.
Do you offer online English Language Learning courses?
We do not offer English Language Learning courses. Our courses are suited for students with strong English skills.
English Language Learners can enroll in New Westminster Online Learning courses only if they have successfully completed English Foundations 7 or higher, or if an assessment places them at a grade 11 English level or above. English Language Learners can enroll in New Westminster Online Learning courses only if they are at a Grade 11 English level or higher. This may be shown by an assessment or successfully completing English courses beyond Foundations 7.
Students who would benefit from extra support with English can take classroom-based courses with The Pearson Adult Learning Centre.
Do I need to take an assessment test?
Students who do not have Canadian high school or postsecondary transcripts relevant to their course will be required to complete an in-person assessment test. We do not offer assessments online.
We do not accept transcripts from other countries, nor do we accept LINC, Duolingo, or IELTS scores.
Students who require an assessment must pay a non-refundable $25 assessment fee.
How do I book my assessment?
We will contact you by email to book your placement assessment once your registration package is processed.
Does my course have any prerequisites?
Please review the course outline for any prerequisite requirements. You must provide transcripts showing that you have completed the required prerequisites or include your Personal Education Number with your application.
I don’t have my transcript. Can you look it up?
Yes. If you went to high school in British Columbia, we will be able to look up your transcript with The Ministry of Education. We will need your Personal Education Number (PEN). If you do not know your PEN, we may be able to retrieve it for you from the Ministry of Education.
How many courses can I take?
Students can register for up to two courses at a time, adding additional courses as they complete.
I don’t see the course I need in your course offerings. Where else can I take it?
If we do not currently offer the course you are looking for, please visit Online Learning BC, which is a directory of all provincial online schools in BC. You can search for a school by course.
Who is eligible to take courses with New West Online Learning?
Any person who has ordinarily residency in BC and is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, refugee, or holds a work permit (valid for one year or more) is eligible to take courses with us. Most courses are free.
International students who live in BC and hold a valid student or visitor visa (valid for one year or more) can take courses with us for a cost.
Any persons living outside of BC are not eligible to take courses with us.
I don’t live in New West. Can I still take courses with you?
Yes. Students who ordinarily reside in BC can take our online courses.
How much are tuition fees?
Graduated students: Most of our courses are free of charge (funded by The Ministry of Education) for students who have graduated high school. For a list of tuition-free courses for high school graduates, please visit the gov.bc website. Courses not on this list are $375 for graduated students.
Non-graduated students: For students still working towards their high school diploma, all our courses are free of charge (funded by The Ministry of Education).
International students (must live in BC and hold a valid student or visitor visa): $1,175.00 per course.
What does it mean to be graduated?
It is important that you understand what it means to be “graduated” in your home country. Graduation means you have completed all levels of education that lead to entering a university or post-secondary institution. In BC, this means you have completed your Dogwood Diploma.
If you tell us that you are graduated, it means you will not be able to graduate again in BC.
However, you will be allowed to take a selection of free classes to increase your knowledge and gain prerequisites for university or post-secondary programs.
I don’t know which courses I need to graduate. Can you help?
Yes. We can take a look at your transcript and help you come up with a graduation plan.
How can I complete high school if I have not completed any courses in grades 10, 11 or 12?
You will be scheduled to write an in-person assessment and our academic advisor will go over your previous learning and work experience and will recommend a path towards graduation. This may include taking upgrading courses before starting grade 11 and 12 courses.
What’s the difference between the Adult Dogwood and the Regular 80 Credit Dogwood?
All post-secondary institutions (colleges and universities) in B.C. accept both the Adult Dogwood and 80-Credit Dogwood as completion of Grade 12 graduation in British Columbia.
The Adult Dogwood requires the completion of FIVE 4-credit courses, while the 80-Credit Dogwood is usually completed by students under 19 years of age and requires completion of at least 20 courses (which is 80 credits).
The Adult Dogwood may be all that you need to apply to a community college or other post-secondary institutions. Check with the college or post-secondary program you plan to apply to in order to find out what prerequisite courses are required. You may have to take specific courses as part of your graduation program in order to successfully meet the entrance requirements for your post-secondary program.
I attended a school in another province in Canada. Can I get credit for those courses?
Yes, you can get credit for courses taken at the secondary level elsewhere in Canada as long as the courses are similar to those offered by the BC Ministry of Education. To find out if your courses qualify, you will need to provide a copy of your transcript to our academic advisor.
We cannot give credits for courses taken outside of Canada.
Can you tell me which courses I need for my post-secondary program?
We recommend speaking with an academic advisor at your post-secondary school to ensure you enroll into the correct prerequisites.
Do I need to provide copies of my ID?
High School Students: No ID is needed. Your home school will have already collected the required ID and will be asked to sign your registration form stating that they have all necessary documentation on file.
Adults or youth who no longer attend high school: In order for The Ministry of Education to fund your course, we are required to collect copies of residency and status ID. Please visit the registration page for a list of documentation requirements.
International students: Valid student or visitor visa (valid for one year or more), passport, and BC address ID are required.
How long does it take for my registration to be processed?
While we strive to process registrations in a timely manner, it may take 1-2 weeks for us to process your registration. To avoid delays with your registration, please be sure to read all registration steps carefully and include all required documentation. Incomplete registrations will not be processed. Please do not email your registration package more than once.
It’s been 2 weeks since I emailed in my registration and I haven’t heard back.
Please check your junk/spam mailboxes. If you have not received anything after 2 weeks, please contact our office.
Do I need to come into your school to write tests?
Most tests are online, but all courses have at least 1-2 required supervised exams. Please view the course outline on our website for details specific to your course. If you are far from our testing location, you may be able to have your exam invigilated at another school in BC.
Can I write invigilated tests while traveling outside the country or province?
No. Students must complete invigilated assessments when they return.
Can I use AI in my course?
Artificial Intelligence is only permitted if a teacher allows this use. Possible use of AI will be clearly stated in individual activities (e.g., assignments, discussion posts).
Do I need a computer to take an online course? Can I use my smartphone?
To take part in an online course, you will need a desktop computer or laptop. You should have:
For Windows: A Pentium 4 with a 1 GHz or better and Windows XP or better. ADSL or Cable connection is required.
For Macintosh: You should have an iMac, iBook, MacBook, MacBook Pro with 1 GHz or better and OS X 10.5.or better. You must have an ADSL or Cable connection.
You will not be able to take courses on your smartphone.
I don’t have a computer. Do you have a computer lab I can work from? Can I borrow a device from you?
Unfortunately, we do not have a student work lab at this time. * We do not have technology on loan.
*NWSS and Sigma students may work from room 3039.
Do I need a textbook?
Our courses do not require textbooks.
I still have questions.
Please contact us if you have further questions. We will be happy to assist you.
