Overview
Technical Academic English program (TAE) is available through the International Student Entry Program (ISEP). TAE gives students the communication skills that they need to meet the English requirements of Full-time and Flexible Learning BCIT programs. TAE offers five levels of preparatory English classes at the Downtown and Burnaby campuses.
ISEP Info Sheet [PDF] | 2023 Calendar [PDF] | 2024 Calendar [PDF]
Why Choose ISEP?
Curriculum content is BCIT-focused
- Highly motivating, interesting content
- Field-specific topics to best prepare you for polytechnic education
- Canadian workplace customs and cultural awareness
Experiential learning
- Research project on your planned field of study
- BCIT site visits
- Engagement with target learning and work communities
Team work that is active & engaging
- Cohort-like assignments and presentations like in BCIT classes and workplaces in Canada
- Group decision-making, collaboration, and problem-solving
- Every lesson requires active participation
- Modern modes of interaction: in-person, chat, online discussion
Integrated Listening/Speaking & Reading/Writing
Greater efficiency:
- Skills needed for reading transferred to writing
- Skills needed for listening transferred to speaking
Better accuracy:
- Saved time allows more focus on accuracy and individualized feedback
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Entrance Requirements
Application processing
Term Start | Application Opening Date* | Application Deadline* |
---|---|---|
January | March 15 | October 15 |
March | March 15 | January 2 |
May | July 15 | March 1 |
July | July 15 | May 1 |
September | November 15 | July 2 |
November | November 15 | September 1 |
*or next business day
For more information, please see the ISEP Program Calendar [PDF]
Entrance requirements
Complete the following form for submission with your online application:Additional requirements
Students applying to ISEP must be placed in an ISEP level before they begin studying. To determine your ISEP level, you can do one of the following:- Take ISEP 0010 - ISEP Placement Test. This test assesses your writing, reading, listening, grammar, and vocabulary skills. Test results are valid for one year.
- Submit an Official IELTS Test Report Form that is less than two years old at the start of your first ISEP term.
International applicants
This program is available to international applicants. A valid study permit is required prior to starting the program.
Apply to program
To submit your application:
- Include proof of meeting all entrance requirements.
- Convert all transcripts and supporting documents to PDF files.
- Have a credit card ready to pay the application fee.
Apply Now
Scheduled Intakes
Orientation Day/ Term Start | Classes End |
---|---|
Jul 4, 2022 | Aug 19, 2022 |
Sep 6, 2022 | Oct 21, 2022 |
Oct 31, 2022 | Dec 16, 2022 |
Jan 9, 2023 | Feb 24, 2023 |
Mar 6, 2023 | Apr 21, 2023 |
May 1, 2023 | Jun 16, 2023 |
Jul 4, 2023 | Aug 18, 2023 |
Sep 5, 2023 | Oct 20, 2023 |
Oct 30, 2023 | Dec 15, 2023 |
myCommunication
Within two business days of submitting your completed application, BCIT will send a message to your personal and myBCIT e-mail addresses. All correspondence regarding your application will be posted to your online myCommunication account at my.bcit.ca. We'll send you an e-mail when a new message is posted. It's important to watch for these e-mails or regularly check your account online.
You can expect to receive communication concerning the status of your application within four weeks.
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Costs & Supplies
Tuition fees
New students
Application fee: $154 (non-refundable)
Placement test fee: $120 CAD (non-refundable)
First term fees:
The cost of the first term (seven weeks) is approximately $3250-$3450 CAD. This includes:
- $3,120.00 CAD (until August 2022) / $3,182.40 (from September 2022)
- includes $1,000 CAD commitment fee (non-refundable)
- Other fees, including:
- Student Association and capital levy fees
- Building fee
- BCIT ID Card
- Medical insurance for 90 days: $180.00 CAD
First term fees are due 8-12 weeks before the start of your ISEP term. Please refer to your conditional acceptance letter for the deadline to reserve your seat.
Returning students
Tuition and other fees per term: approximately $3250 CAD.
Please refer to the table below for tuition deadlines for returning students.
Term Start Date | Tuition Payment Deadline |
---|---|
Jul 4, 2022 | Jun 6, 2022 |
Sep 6, 2022 | Aug 8, 2022 |
Oct 31, 2022 | Oct 11, 2022 |
Jan 9, 2023 | Dec 5, 2022 |
Mar 6, 2023 | Feb 13, 2023 |
May 1, 2023 | Apr 11, 2023 |
Jul 4, 2023 | Jun 5, 2023 |
Sep 5, 2023 | Aug 8, 2023 |
Oct 30, 2023 | Oct 10, 2023 |
Medical insurance
All students must have medical insurance while attending BCIT. Medical insurance is provided through Guard Me (BCIT's student insurance provider) and costs $180 for three months.
ISEP students can apply for BC MSP (Medical Services Plan), but must wait three months to be qualified.
For more information, please visit Medical Insurance for ISEP Students.
Refund policy
New applicants
- Application fee ($154), ISEP Placement Test fee ($120) and commitment fee ($1,000) are non-refundable.
- You may transfer the commitment fee to a full-time follow-up program only (must be accepted into the program within 12-months of your initial term start date). Part-time programs (course-by-course) are not applicable.
- You may defer your ISEP start date once within 12 months of your initial application. If you defer more than once, you will be required to re-apply and re-pay your $1,000 commitment fee.
- For information on what to do if your study permit application is denied, visit Fees: International Students: Study Permits.
All ISEP students
Refund Deadline | Refund* |
30 days prior to term start date | 100% |
Within first week of term start | 85% |
After first week of term | 0% |
*New students withdrawing from their first term will have the $1000 commitment fee deducted from their total refund amount.
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Courses
Class hours
Students are in class 20 hours per week.Program matrix
ISEP Foundations 1 (7 weeks) | Credits | ||
---|---|---|---|
ISEP 0015 | Listening/Speaking Foundations 1 | ||
ISEP 0016 | Reading/Writing Foundations 1 | ||
ISEP Foundations 2 (7 weeks) | Credits | ||
ISEP 0025 | Listening/Speaking Foundations 2 | ||
ISEP 0026 | Reading/Writing Foundations 2 | ||
Technical Academic English 1 (7 weeks) | Credits | ||
ISEP 0105 | Technical Academic English - Listening/Speaking 1 | ||
ISEP 0106 | Technical Academic English - Reading/Writing 1 | ||
Technical Academic English 2 (7 weeks) | Credits | ||
ISEP 0205 | Technical Academic English - Listening/Speaking 2 | ||
ISEP 0206 | Technical Academic English - Reading/Writing 2 | ||
Technical Academic English 3 (7 weeks) | Credits | ||
ISEP 0305 | Technical Academic English - Listening/Speaking 3 | ||
ISEP 0306 | Technical Academic English - Reading/Writing 3 | ||
Technical Academic English 4 (7 weeks) | Credits | ||
ISEP 0405 | Technical Academic English - Listening/Speaking 4 | ||
ISEP 0406 | Technical Academic English - Reading/Writing 4 | ||
Technical Academic English 5 (7 weeks) | Credits | ||
ISEP 0505 | Technical Academic English - Listening/Speaking 5 | ||
ISEP 0506 | Technical Academic English - Reading/Writing 5 |
Transfer credit
Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.
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Program Details
Classes will be at either the Burnaby Campus or the Downtown Campus. Students should be prepared to study at both campuses. Foundations classes will only be available if there are enough students at that level, and will be at Downtown Campus.
Laptops required for in-class activities
Students are required to bring a laptop to class in order to complete class activities through the Learning Hub. Laptops must have a webcam and connect to wi-fi. Students should also have headphones or earbuds with a microphone.
Placement Testing
Students can take the online placement test at a day and time of their choosing, up to the placement test deadline for their first term.
Practice tests are available for both the Reading/Listening test and the Writing test.
ISEP also accepts IELTS Academic scores for placement, as long as they are less than two years old when the student starts ISEP. However, if a student’s IELTS score is older than six months, we recommend they take the ISEP placement test to be most accurately placed.
For more information or to register for the ISEP placement test, please email isepinfo@bcit.ca.
Placement with IELTS Score
The information below is only a guideline; the ISEP Curriculum Program Head will evaluate every student’s score to determine their placement.
Students are placed based on paired skills (Listening/Speaking and Reading/Writing) because that is how ISEP classes are taught. For placement in TAE Listening/Speaking, the average of a student’s Listening and Speaking IELTS scores is used. For placement in TAE Reading/Writing, the average of a student’s Reading and Writing IELTS scores is used. Note: Averages are rounded down to the nearest 0.5.
ISEP Level | IELTS Scores (in paired skills) |
---|---|
TAE 5 | 6.5 average |
TAE 4 | 6.0 average |
TAE 3 | 5.5 average |
TAE 2 | 5.0 average |
TAE 1 | 4.5 average* (*4.0 minimum in all skills) |
Foundations 2 | 4.0 average* (*3.5 minimum in all skills) |
Foundations 1 | 3.5 minimum in all skills |
When students are placed in ISEP, they cannot have more than one level between TAE Listening/Speaking and TAE Reading/Writing. It is difficult for students to succeed in their higher-level class if they do not have a strong foundational ability in their lower-level class. As a result, students will be placed based on their weaker skills, with the placement for their higher skills adjusted to a maximum of one level higher.
Program length
ISEP has seven levels:
- Foundations 1
- Foundations 2
- Technical Academic English (TAE) 1
- Technical Academic English (TAE) 2
- Technical Academic English (TAE) 3
- Technical Academic English (TAE) 4
- Technical Academic English (TAE) 5
Each level takes one term (7 weeks) to complete. If a student starts at the lowest level, it will take at least 14 months to complete ISEP.
Program delivery
In person: This program is delivered on campus.
Program location
Burnaby Campus
3700 Willingdon Avenue
Burnaby, BC
Downtown Campus
555 Seymour Street
Vancouver, BC
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Contact Us
ISEP – International Student Entry Program
BCIT Downtown Campus
Room 790 – 555 Seymour Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6B 3H6, Canada
Email: isepinfo@bcit.ca
Questions or comments?
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