Questions & Answers

Magnifying Glass
  1. How do I sign up for courses?
  2. Where and how is the course taught?
  3. Do I have to follow a time schedule?
  4. How much time does it take to complete a course?
  5. What do your courses cost?
  6. I have to sign up through my school?
  7. Will my Computer be able to run the Online Courses
  8. Are these BC Certified Courses?
  9. How will my credits and grades be handled?
  10. What about Provincial Exams?
  11. Is there a fee for any students?
  12. What about summer school?

 

  1. How do I sign up for courses?
    Once you have chosen which courses you want, please visit our Enrollment page, and follow the easy-to-use online form. You will receive a confirmation e-mail and a phone call from our BCOS staff after you finish your application. You can always call us at 1-877-862-2707 if you have any questions.

  2. Where and how is the course taught?
    Everything is accessed through the internet so students can take courses from school, home, the library, or any other place you can log in. Any modern web browser will be able to access our classroom software, called Moodle. Included in Moodle is a chat program so that students can communicate with their teacher or fellow students in real time, a course calendar, a file transfer system so that students can upload their assignments, student forums for posting topic discussions, and more. Moodle interfaces with Skype, a free computer to computer phone system, so that teachers can speak directly with students in real-time voice over the internet or phone line.

  3. Do I have to follow a time schedule?
    This depends on the school program you have signed up with. If your teacher or school requires you to follow a timed schedule, our courses are designed to fit within a normal school calendar. Our courses work asynchronously, which means that you do not have to work at a specific time, though you will want to schedule specific times when you can chat with your teacher or speak to them via Skype. Students can work at their own pace any time before or after school throughout the school year, though they should finish their course during the school calendar year they signed up for.

    We're committed to providing the most flexible schedule possible for students. This flexibility is still required to meet BC Ministry of Education scheduled reporting periods and provincial exam times. Summer school is also a session that has a deadline to allow teachers time to prepare for the new year and for our technicians to upgrade our system. Please contact us if you would like to know more about how we can meet any educational needs you have.

  4. How much time does it take to complete a course?
     All of our courses are set up in a semesterized format of 18 lessons- one lesson per week. If students want to work in a linear pace they they would complete one lesson every two weeks. Time on each lesson varies from the course's academic level and the student's ability. Typically, a grade 11 level core subject course will average 60 to 90 minutes a day for a semesterized approach. Most higher level courses will take the average student 110 to 130 hours to complete.

  5. What do your courses cost?
    Our courses are funded through the BC Ministry of Education, and come at no additional charge to the student or student's school. We encourage students to use their present school's textbooks, but if unavailable we will provide them. Students are responsible for purchasing calculators and (optional) provincial exam study guides.

  6. Do I have to sign up through my school?
    No. Students can now enroll in courses on their own. We encourage students to talk with their parents or school counselor about whatever courses they decide to enroll in.

  7. Will my computer be able to run the Online Courses?
    Any computer (PC or Mac) that has internet access will be able to access our website and all course content. Some courses will require you to have the free Adobe Flash Player installed in order to view the full content. The courses are compatible with any of the latest browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, or Safari. We recommend high speed internet for the best experience, although it is not strictly required.

  8. Are these BC Certified Courses?
    The courses are prepared to meet all of the BC Learning Outcomes as defined by the Ministry of Education. Courses that have Provincial Exams are designed to help prepare students prior to taking the exam. All of the teachers with BC Online School are BC Certified Teachers and qualified in the subjects they are teaching.

  9. How will my credits and grades be handled?
    BCOS reports your credits and grades directly to the BC Ministry of Education and will inform your school upon course completion. You can always keep track of your current progress within our classroom software, and we can give frequent reports to your parents if requested.

  10. What about Provincial Exams?
    Courses with provincial exams are specifically designed to prepare the student for those exams. BCOS will schedule Provincials in your area, or else this can be done within your present school.

  11. Is there a fee for any students?
    Adult students (born on or before the 1st of July, 1990) and out of province students (any age) can enroll in our courses. The fee for non-Ministry-funded, adult/out-of-province students is $500.00 per course plus the cost of resources (textbooks). Please contact us for more information.

  12. What about summer school?
    We provide a large number of summer school courses! Click here to learn more.