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Vernon School District

Vernon schools offer a variety of unique programs along with high quality academic programs resulting in one of the highest graduation rates in British Columbia. Vernon’s schools have:

  • International teachers in each high school to take care of international students.
  • A diverse international student population from over twenty different countries. 
  • Easy transition to Canadian and USA universities. Partnerships with many universities.
  • Additional high school start dates including: September, November, February, April and July. 

Vernon School District has a strong focus on academic achievement combined with a number of specialty programs including English Second Language (ESL), soccer academy, hockey academy and a high performers program. Other programs include Quest outdoor education , IELTS training and testing, summer ESL and full credit Math and English courses, fashion design, theatre, fine arts and home economics options. 

Program Established: 1995

Programs Offered: Full Year, 1 Semester, Short Term

Language(s) of Study: English, French

Total number of schools: 20

High schools for international students: 5

Total Students: 8,500

Total International Students: 270

International Students Accepted for Grades: K-12

Nearest Airport: YLW Kelowna International Airport – 30 minutes from Vernon – homestay families meet the students at the airport

VERNON – A Great Place to Learn…and a Fun Place to Be

The City of Vernon is well known for its beautiful setting amid valleys, mountains, rivers and lakes. Bordered by Kalamalka, Okangan and Swan Lakes, Vernon has a great climate with four seasons which hosts year round recreation activities. Vernon has a population that exceeds 50,000 with a healthy diversified economy based on services, manufacturing, forestry and tourism. 
Some features that help distinguish Vernon from other Canadian cities are:

  • Vernon is a leading tourist destination in Canada and a desirable place to live. The City of Vancouver is 4.5 hours away by car, or 45 minutes by air to an international airport. The Okanagan Valley where Vernon is located is a wine growing region nestled in beautiful mountains.
  • One of the best climates in Canada with mild winters and hot dry summers. Vernon one of the few cities in Canada where a student can experience 1 to 2 months of snow with mild temperatures.
  • World Class recreational facilities including Silver Star mountain ski resort (20 minutes from the city), Predator Ridge Golf resort (one of Canada’s top golf courses) and Sparkling Hill Resort Wellness centre —which has incorporated Swarovski crystal elements into its design.
  • Completely English speaking medium sized safe city.

Vernon provides a fully supervised homestay programs where coordinators are available 24 hours a day. All families are subject to criminal record checks, home inspections and interviews. Students are matched to families based on interest. Regular checks and reports occur throughout the year to ensure students are happy.

Students may participate in a variety of activities (for free and/or for a fee) as follows:

  1. 1. School 
    1. Sports including: Volleyball, Soccer, Basketball, Rugby, Golf
    2. Clubs including: International, leadership, yearbook, other
    3. The Arts including: Music and Theatre
  2. International Program
    1. The international program offers regular activities throughout the school year including:
      1. Shopping trips, sightseeing trips, hockey games, bowling, snow tubing, skiing, skating, university tours, plus others
  3. Community Activities
    1. There are many activities offered in the community by different organizations:
      1. Sports – soccer, basketball, skiing, swimming, tennis, golf, badminton
      2. Dance – all types
      3. Music – most instruments and vocals
      4. Martial arts

Skiing – one of Canada’s leading ski  and snowboarding destinations

Entrance Dates:  By semester in September and January as well as continuous intake/ Summer programs run throughout July and August  

Application Deadlines: 2 months prior to start-up late applications considered                  

Application Fee: $250

Full Year Tuition Fee: $14,500

1 Semester Tuition Fee: $8,000

Homestay/Monitoring Fee: $11,000/10 months $5,500/5 months

Annual Health Insurance Fee: $1200/ year $600/5 months

Annual Placement/Custodianship Fee:  $550

Activity Fee:  $250

All funds are in Canadian dollars

Prices are subject to change, please confirm fees during the application process.

General Inquiries Email: international@sd22.bc.ca

Website: vernoninternational.ca

Mailing Address: 1401 – 15 Street

City: Vernon

Province: British Columbia

Postal Code: V1T 8S8

Phone: 250-542-3331

Fax: 250-549-9200

Inquire Now!

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