Private Career Training Institutions Agency of British Columbia.
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| www.pctia.bc.ca | ||
Registration (Registration Number 181) with PCTIA is mandatory for all private institutions offering post-secondary education in British Columbia. However, accreditation is a voluntary process by which a registered institution seeks recognition of its standards of integrity and educational competence.
Through the process, the institution and its programs are evaluated and recognized for quality assurance and, if successful, the institution is awarded an accreditation certificate. As a result, students can be confident that an institution and its educational programs meet criteria and standards established by the PCTIA.
The Mandate of the PCTIA
The Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA) has responsibility under the Private Career Training Institutions Act to:
- Provide consumer protection to the students and prospective students of registered institutions.
- Establish standards of quality that must be met by accredited institutions.
What is the Difference Between Registration and Accreditation?
The terms registration and accreditation are often mistaken for one another. In fact, they fulfill two different functions. Registration ensures consumer protection to students and prospective students enrolled in career training programs, and is mandatory for all BC private institutions offering career programs equal to or above $1,000 in tuition and equal to or above 40 hours in duration. Registered institutions must comply with the requirements set out in the Private Career Training Institutions Act, Regulations and Bylaws.
Registration is mandatory, Accreditation is not
Accreditation is a voluntary process available to registered institutions whereby the institution and its programs are evaluated against the Agency's quality standards. By choosing to attend an accredited institution, your tuition is not only protected but you can be assured the institution and its programs have met the Agency's quality standards. Also, BC Student Loans are only available through accredited institutions.
For additional information regarding the accreditation process and for valuable information for all those interested in attending a private post-secondary training institution, we recommend that you visit the PCTIA website.
PCTIA Contact Information
The Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA)
300-5172 Kingsway Burnaby, BC V5H 2E8
Website: http://www.pctia.bc.ca
Phone: (604) 660-4400 Fax: (604) 660-3312
Toll free: 1-800-661-7441 (within B.C.)
Email: info@pctia.bc.ca
Accreditions, Affiliations, and Memberships
- Accredited by the Private Career Training Institutions Agency of British Columbia
- Registered with the Private Career Training Institutions Agency of British Columbia
- Management Associate, American Animal Hospital Association
- Member of the National Association of Career Colleges of Canada
- Member of the BC Career Colleges Association
- Member of the Better Business Bureau
- Designated as an eligible educational institution under the Canada Student Loans Program
- Designated as an eligible educational institution under the BC Student Loans Program
- Designated as an approved school by Human Resources Development Canada for program sponsorship to approved clients
- Certified by the Minister of Employment and Immigration as an educational institution under the Income Tax Act, so that tuition payments are income tax deductible
