Individuals seeking admission to a full-time program at The Art Institute of Vancouver are required to complete and submit the following: 1. Admissions Interview (in person or over the phone) with an Admissions officer. The purpose of the interview is to:
Explore the prospective student’s background and interests as they relate to the programs offered at The Art Institute of Vancouver;
Assist prospective students in identifying the appropriate area of study consistent with their previous education, background, and stated or demonstrated interest in our program offerings;
Provide information related to curriculum offerings and support services available at The Art Institute. The admission interview is designed to assist in assessing whether the prospective student possesses an ability to benefit from the programs they are considering at The Art Institute of Vancouver, that they are currently able to handle college-level coursework, and that they have a reasonable capability of successfully completing the appropriate program of study.
158 2. Academic status: The applicant must either have successfully completed secondary school (Grade 12 or GED 12) or qualify as a
mature student of not less than 19 years of age as of the start date of the program (please see the section, “Mature Students.”) Applicants are required to submit official proof of secondary school graduation or equivalent (please see the section “Proof of Secondary School Graduation” for descriptions of acceptable forms of documentation for proof of graduation.) The applicant must accurately represent their education, age, and other required information to determine that they meet the admissions criteria for The Art Institute of Vancouver programs.
3. Forms: A separate Application Form and Enrolment Agreement must be completed and signed by the applicant, as well as their parent or guardian if the applicant is a minor.
4. Essay: Prospective students must independently conceive and write an essay of at least 150 words describing the applicant’s career goals and how The Art Institute of Vancouver can help the applicant achieve those goals.
5. Fees: A $50 Application Fee and a $100 Assessment Fee. The Art Institute of Vancouver may elect to waive these fees under special circumstances. The $100 Assessment Fee will be refunded to the applicant if they are not accepted.
6. Test Scores for Degree programs. All degree-seeking applicants are required to submit official academic grades and/or test scores or take the Accuplacer test to determine placement in The Art Institute of Vancouver’s college-level general education courses. Applicants who earn less than an acceptable score on the test are required to enroll in the appropriate developmental and/or transitional studies course offered at The Art Institute of Vancouver. Please see the section “Academic Placement” for a complete description. Transfer credit may be accepted in place of test scores.
7. English Proficiency: Regardless of country of birth or citizenship, temporary or permanent status, all applicants to The Art Institute of Vancouver whose first language is not English must demonstrate competency in the English language. Demonstration of English language proficiency can be satisfied if the applicant submits a diploma from secondary school (or a higher level of education) in a system in which English is the official language of instruction. If English is not the applicant’s first language, the applicant will need to meet the minimum English Language Proficiency standard as outlined for international students. 8. Foundation for Design: If the applicant wishes to receive advanced standing in a program that has a foundation quarter, the
applicant must submit a portfolio and have it deemed acceptable by the Admissions Committee before advanced standing can be granted.
9. The Art Institute of Vancouver reserves the right to request any additional information necessary to evaluate an applicant’s potential for academic success.
10. The minimum admissions requirements cannot be waived by either The Art Institute of Vancouver or the applicant. Each applicant’s academic transcript, completed essay, and any other submitted documents will be evaluated by the Admissions Committee. The Committee determines the compatibility of the applicant with the programs at The Art Institute of Vancouver and ultimately makes the final decision regarding acceptance to The Art Institute of Vancouver.
Applicants who are unable to submit all transcripts and/or other required documentation before classes start may be allowed to begin class conditionally, but must provide all required transcripts and documentation by 30 days after the class start date. The Director of Admissions has the discretion to extend this deadline, not to exceed one quarter. Under these circumstances, applicants who are unable to submit required documentation and/or meet the requirements for the program for which they have applied, but who otherwise meet all the entrance requirements (including all required documents) for another Art Institute program, may request to have their application changed to that program. Courses completed under the original program may or may not transfer into the new program. Changes in program may also impact eligibility for student financial aid.
Although a visit to The Art Institute of Vancouver is not a requirement for submitting an application form and enrolment agreement for acceptance, prospective students are encouraged to schedule a visit with one of our admissions representatives to discuss special needs, long-term or short-term goals, and lifelong career aspirations.
159 Applicants who wish to receive advanced standing in the Graphic Design diploma program must submit a portfolio that demonstrates proficiency in foundation-level skills. For current portfolio submission guidelines, please contact an Admissions representative.
Mature Students
Canadian applicants (citizens, permanent residents) to The Art Institute of Vancouver who do not have a high school diploma or hold a GED certificate may qualify for admission as a mature student if they meet the following criteria:
1. The applicant must be 19 years of age or older on his/her first day of classes.
2. The applicant must pass a placement test to demonstrate that the applicant has the ability to benefit from the course of study. Minimum passing scores are as follows:
Test Passing Score
ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension 55
ACCUPLACER Sentence Skills 60
ACCUPLACER Arithmetic 34
Applicants must achieve minimum scores on all three sections of the Accuplacer test in order to pass. If an applicant is unable to pass the test, they can make one re-attempt after 24 hours or more have elapsed. Applicants can petition for additional attempts if the candidate can provide evidence of some instructional intervention that would suggest that score improvement would be possible. Applicants who admitted under Mature students status are deemed to have also met minimum English requirements for admissions.
Proof of Secondary School Graduation
Prospective students who wish to attend The Art Institute of Vancouver and do not qualify as a mature student must have successfully completed the requirements for secondary school graduation or equivalent, such as the General Education Development (GED) certificate, as set by the recognized legal authority in the jurisdiction where secondary school was completed. In the absence of such legal authority, The Art Institute of Vancouver reserves the right to examine academic credentials on a case by case basis. For students in British Columbia, a high school completion certificate is not considered to be equivalent to graduation. Applicants must provide documentation in the form of official school transcripts sent directly from the institution to The Art Institute that clearly indicate that the requirements for graduation have been met and the date of graduation. Documentation from outside of Canada will be evaluated by The Art Institute of Vancouver prior to acceptance. For countries where it may not be possible to have official documentation sent directly from the institution, applicants should consult with their Admissions representative to determine what forms of documentation are acceptable. In some cases, evaluation by a credential evaluation agency may be required. An applicant who holds a postsecondary diploma, associate’s degree or higher may submit proof of that credential as evidence of satisfying the secondary school graduation requirement. Secondary school applicants who have not yet graduated should submit a partial transcript that indicates their expected graduation date in order to be evaluated for early conditional acceptance. Applicants who are unable to provide documentation of having completed a high school diploma or GED due to a natural disaster destroying the records or the institution having been closed may submit the following for consideration in addition to completing an attestation of High School Diploma or GED completion:
Confirmation from the state recognizing that the institution lost its records to a natural disaster. If the state cannot confirm, confirmation can be obtained from a recognized authority as approved by the Dean of Academic Affairs.
160 Submission of Official Documents
All students must provide official transcripts of high school and college attendance, and must provide proof of high school graduation on the official transcript. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for scheduling and testing purposes (if official transcripts have not been received). However, the official transcript is required by 30 days after class start and will be verified by the Registrar and placed in the student file. The Director of Admissions has the discretion to extend this deadline, not to exceed one quarter.
Acceptance Notification
The Art Institute of Vancouver will notify the applicant, in writing, of his or her acceptance. In the event the student is not accepted, the Administrative Fee, if submitted, will be refunded.
Acceptance does not guarantee enrolment in a chosen program or course, which may require an additional application process. Accepted: A seat is reserved for the applicant pending completion of the registration procedure for the start date the applicant
selected.
Conditionally Accepted: A seat is reserved for the applicant pending receipt of specified requirements for the start date the applicant selected.
Not Accepted: The applicant has not met the admission requirements or information requested has not been received.