Frequently Asked Questions

NO COST – FOR MOST COURSES: The Ministry of Education will cover the cost of your tuition for most courses you require to upgrade for post-secondary and will completely cover your tuition costs for any courses required for you to complete your graduation. See scides.org for more information about tuition-free courses.

Board/Authority Authorized courses (BAA courses) and First Nation Authorized courses (FNA courses) respond to the local needs of the schools and their communities while providing choice and flexibility for students. BAA courses are authorized by boards/authorities according to requirements set by the Ministry of Education and Child Care. FNA courses are authorized by First Nation approving bodies according to requirements set out in the First Nation Authorized Courses (FNAC) process.

A Board Authority Authorized course, meaning it is "locally developed" and the curriculum is created by the local School Board instead of the Ministry of Education.  A BAA course can be used for Grade 12 credits towards graduation, but it is usually not accepted by universities as a Grade 12 second language.  For example, if you need a grade 12 second language as part of admission requirements, it is not likely that this will meet your needs, and you should contact the university you plan to apply to, to see if they will accept a BAA course.

VERY CHALLENGING BUT . . . In rare cases solutions can be found for very isolated students to work without regular use of a computer . . . HOWEVER, every library in BC is equipped with computers and internet that are free to use. Connect with SCIDES to discuss solutions to your situation. And . . . if you are uncomfortable using a computer, we can help you with that.

MOST OF THEM AND MAYBE SOME YOU CAN’T GET THERE. Every public school in BC offers at least some courses that are unique to their school. SCIDES offers a complete slate of BC Ministry of Education courses and some additional ‘local’ courses. If a different public school offers a specific course you want, you can usually be ‘cross-enrolled’ and enjoy learning from both institutions.

NO – SCIDES registration is fully online (you can get help to do this from our Registrar by phone or in person). Testing is done within the course with Integrity Advocate.

YOUR CHOICE – SCIDES can provide you with what you need when you want it. We are happy to discuss your learning needs with you and to tailor a path that meets your needs.

SCIDES has been selected by the BC Ministry of Education (from a list of applicants) to be a Provincial Online Learning School. This authorizes us to provide learning services to all students who are residents of BC – regardless of where they live.

ABSOLUTELY – we have a dedicated Academic Advisor for our school-age students, a dedicated Advisor for our adult learners and a dedicated Athletic Advisor for our CAP program. In addition, most of our staff are knowledgeable about Ministry of Education requirements.

YES – being “cross-enrolled” into an online course opens broader opportunities to you as a learner. The Ministry of Education has stated that any BC public School student has the RIGHT to take their online courses from any Provincially Authorized Online Learning School – you do NOT need to take your online courses from your own district. HOWEVER, you can't take the same course at two schools at the exact same time. SCIDES is also a public school - just online.

Courses should be completed within 6 months / a semester if students are school age and within a year for adults. Most courses take about 100 hours to complete. You are expected to progress through your course in a timely manner. This will vary by student and accommodations may be made for students who have extenuating circumstances.

Can I connect with my school easily?
SCIDES usually has at least 2 staff members answering phones and emails during regular hours.

Are the teachers easy to reach when I need help?
Teachers at SCIDES will answer their phone, connect by email, online meetings, and work with you in person. They are available to help you with your learning as you go, check your understanding as you prepare for exams, work with you to improve your learning if your grade isn’t as high as you need, and coach you through your frustrations.

One thing we hear all the time is appreciation for the fact that we DO pick up the phone and spend time informing people on their queries. It’s important to us that you understand.

SCHOOL HOURS (9:00 am – 3:00 pm)
Most of our teachers work either earlier and/or later than these hours. You can make arrangements by email with your teacher for special circumstances. Classrooms are always open and you can always connect by email.

Completion! Generally, students who complete an online course and engage with their teacher through the learning process achieve very satisfying grades. When doing an online course, regular commitment and steady pacing are important. The greatest indicator of success in a course is connecting with the teacher. An online course is not ‘easier’ than a face-to-face course as the learning meets Ministry of Education standards. Online courses provide flexibility in many ways that can lead to greater success. Commit to the course and take advantage of the support available. Unlike face-to-face classrooms, your teacher is 100% focused on you when you reach out.

COMPLETELY FLEXIBLE: In total, most courses take 100-120 hours to complete. When you work on a course, consider productivity instead of time-spent. The more productive time spent, the sooner the course is complete.

YES – Courses offered by BC Ministry of Education authorized schools are accepted by post-secondary institutions. We can proudly say that SCIDES is often recommended to post-secondary applicants who needed to upgrade by those institutions! They have seen the benefits of SCIDES courses to their students.

* ALMOST EVERYONE can be a successful on-line learner if you are determined and willing to put in the work and connect with your teacher.

SELF MOTIVATION – set goals and work towards them. Establish a pace that will have you complete your course in a time line that meets your needs and do your best to stick to it. Use extra time like school holidays to get ahead of schedule if you can. You never know when “life” is going to happen.

ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TEACHER – your teacher is an excellent resource and support person. When you need a little motivation or learning help – reach out. Our teachers take the time and care about your well-being and success.

ACTIVE LEARNER – a learner who takes the time to read the instructions, follow directions, and identify the pertinent information. Most courses also include videos and interactive components that drive and/or enhance learning – watch these and participate.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET CONNECTION - if you do not have these in your home, your school and/or public library can provide access. If this is a barrier to you, please reach out to SCIDES and we will do our best to find you a solution.

WEBCAM - You will need a webcam for test invigilation purposes for all grade 10-12 courses. This is also recommended for meetings with your teachers as needed.

Frequently a PRINTER – usually only in courses such as math where writing your answers is so much easier than typing. Again, if this is a barrier – let’s try to problem solve.

For some courses – SCANNER/PHONE – to upload and submit.

TELEPHONE – to establish a strong connection with your teacher – you are not required to speak with your teachers but it sure can be helpful. 

Online learning will result in the exact same credentials as in-person learning from a BC public school. We ARE a BC Public School. Homeschooling allows parents to provide learning to their children without consideration of BC Ministry of Education standards and therefore students who are fully homeschooled are not awarded BC Graduation status. Students who are homeschooled are eligible to take online courses to supplement their learning. For full information about homeschooling from the BC Ministry of Education website Homeschooling - Province of British Columbia.

Unfortunately, SCIDES does not offer a French Immersion Programme. We do, however, offer French as a second language through to the grade 12 level.

ONGOING – SCIDES accepts applications throughout the year. There are a few times when SCIDES is closed for school holidays and sometimes for a week or two in the summer months (you can still submit your application and all courses remain open). Students in Grades K-9 are expected to register prior to September 1st to ensure a properly scheduled school year and are encouraged to start the process early. If you are taking Grades 10 – 12 courses, registration is always open.

NO TO LITTLE MATERIALS COST – there may be costs associated with printing of study materials and students in senior math and science courses are very likely to want to purchase their own scientific calculators. The exception to this is the Food Studies courses. Connect with SCIDES if these are barriers.

YES – there is no limit to learning and we have had many successful senior learners.

NOT CURRENTLY FOR BEGINNERS – there may be such programs in schools other than SCIDES and we may be able to help you find them. This is something we hope to provide in the future. BUT If a second Language learner is hoping to improve on their basic skills, we have Literacy Foundations courses that may be suitable.

NO – not usually. The BC Ministry of Education will cover the tuition cost for most (unfortunately not all) courses you require for upgrading and/or post-secondary programs. Unfortunately for those rare courses that are required and not covered by the Ministry, we do need to charge tuition. For more information, please go to Adult Upgrading - Province of British Columbia.

As soon as it's approved – If all required paperwork is submitted at the time of registration, your course should be open to you within a day or two. If you don’t receive notification that your course is open or that you require further documentation within 5 business days, please contact our Registrar (after you have checked your ‘Junk’ email folder). We have some very busy periods in the school year, so timelines can vary.

Timeline for completion expectations 4-6 months maximum for course enrollment with submissions made at least every couple of weeks. Not meeting school expectations can result in withdrawal from a course(es).

Transcripts are issued by the Ministry of Education and are available to you once you have completed your graduation requirements. We submit your completed courses to the Ministry of Education weekly. It usually takes about a month after your last course is completed for a transcript to be issued.
You can get your own transcripts by creating and account in the BC Ministry of Education Student Transcript Services. You will need your Provincial Education Number and we can help with that if needed. Furthermore, Post-secondary institutions can access your records directly from your Ministry file if you sign a form giving that permission. Call our Academic advisor to find out more.

Click the big red 'sign up' button on the right-hand side of the main page. NEED HELP? Phone the Registrar 1-800-663-3536

YES, THEY ARE – and you are considered to be ‘school-age’ until June 30th after your 19th birthday.

1    Proof of Identification
SCIDES will accept any one of the following:

Birth Certificate
Canadian Passport
Status Card (name, photo, band number)
Permanent Resident Card
Landed Immigrant Documentation
BC Services Card with photo or BC Identification card with photo
Immigration Documents with photo
BC Driver's License
Canadian Certificate of Citizenship

2    Proof of Residency
SCIDES will accept any of the following (for students under the age of 19, documents must be in the name of parent or guardian) WE NEED TWO TOTAL:

Ownership of dwelling or long-term lease/rental of dwelling
A utility bill or home insurance bill
legal documents indicating British Columbia residence
provincial driver's license
employment within the community (pay stub showing a minimum of 20 hours per week)
parent or guardian income tax returns as a BC resident
provincial registration of automobile
Canadian Bank account statement or credit card statement)
subscriptions for life or health insurance, such as MSP coverage

3     Recent Report Card or Transcript
A recent report card or transcript is needed for several reasons.

proof of PEN
to check for pre-requisites
to verify if attending another school in BC

If you studied in BC previously, and don't have one, please contact us as we may be able to get a copy for the registration.

4    IEP (Individualized Education Plan) if relevant