About Engineering Foundations Certificate in North Island College

As an NIC Engineering Foundations Certificate student, you will gain the same skills and knowledge that you would receive in your first year at institutions such as UVic and UBC, but with smaller class sizes and personalized instruction in classes and labs.

NIC has offered a one-year study plan in engineering since 2010, allowing students to transfer to UVic and launch their engineering career. This new certificate includes all of the same courses as NIC's UVic Engineering Pathway, with the added benefit of a credential to add to your résumé and increased access to other post-secondary institutions.

Choose from part-time or full-time studies to manage your workload or complete the program in one academic year. All required courses are available at the Comox Valley campus. Most of the courses are also available at campuses in Port Alberni, Campbell River and Port Hardy.

NIC's guaranteed transfer agreement with UVic ensures that students with a minimum GPA of C+ (UVic 3.0 or NIC 2.33), and no grade less than a C, compete on an equal footing with UVic students entering second year computer, electrical, mechanical, biomedical, civil or software engineering programs. Many of NIC's first-year courses also transfer directly to engineering programs at UBC, SFU and other institutions.

To be eligible for the NIC/UVic dual admission program you must be deemed eligible for admission by both UVic and NIC and submit an NIC/UVic Dual Admission application form. Dual admission is available to both Canadian and international students graduating from high schools in the North Island College region. For more details about this option, please make an appointment with an educational advisor.

Upon graduation, you will be well prepared to communicate your ideas effectively as you learn to solve math and physical science problems at the first-year university level, applying principles of math and science to creative problem solving and design.

Career Opportunities in Engineering

Engineering opens a world of opportunities in design, analysis, project management and other jobs involving strong problem-solving skills. Engineering graduates are well-prepared for work in design, analysis, information technology, project management, and other careers requiring a combination of strong problem solving and creativity.

Academic qualification equivalents

• Class 12 passed students from a recognized board including CBSE, CISCE or a state board
• All India Senior School Certificate or Higher Secondary Certificate/Standard 12 or Indian School Certificate (Year 12) as recognized qualifications

English language requirements (one of the below):

• IELTS: Academic IELTS overall score of 6.0 (no band lower than 5.5).
• TOEFL iBT: 80 overall with no subsection less than 19.
• PTE:  Academic 54 overall with no component less than 46.

North Island College Highlights

North Island College Cost of Attendance

Students can save over 10,000 CAD by taking admission for the first year in NIC and then transferring to another university. The fees for international students differ from that of domestic students, the breakdown of the estimated cost of fees is given below.