Vernon School District

Program Established: 1995

Programs Offered: Full Year, 1 Semester, Short Term, Summer Camp, Winter Camp, Teacher Training

Language(s) of Study: English, French

Total number of schools: 20

High schools for international students: 5

Total Students: 9,000

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: September, November 15, February 1, April 15, July 1

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

Application Fee: $250

Full Year Tuition Fee: $12,600

1 Semester Tuition Fee: $6,400

Annual Homestay Placement Fee: 0

Homestay Monthly Fee: $800

Annual Health Insurance Fee: $850

Annual Custodianship Fee: Placement Fee $550 Activity Fee $250

All funds are in Canadian dollars

General Inquiries Email: international@sd22.bc.ca

Website: sd22.bc.ca/

Mailing Address: 1401 – 15 Street

City: Vernon

Province: British Columbia

Postal Code: V1T 8S8

Phone: 250-542-3331

Fax: 250-549-9200