This page reviews everything you need to know about our deposits (for things like books, computers, calculators), course fees (aka tuition), and reimbursements:
Do I have to pay for a course?
Below is an overview of our course fees for BC residents, living in or outside of British Columbia:
K - 9 Full-time students at SCIDES
- No fees for courses
- Any required book deposits
K - 9 Students attending their local school
- No fees for any courses
- All courses must be pre- approved
- Any required book deposits
Grades 10, 11, 12 Students
- Non graduated School aged students, No fees for any courses
- Any required book deposits (for example, English 10, 11 and 12 are $50)
Adults seeking graduation
- No fees for courses
- Any required book deposits
Adult graduates (over 19 years of age)
- Select upgrading courses (called literacy foundation courses), and English, Mathematics, and Science courses can be taken with no fee. Other courses are $550 tuition.
- Any required book deposit for English courses (for example, English 10, 11 and 12 are $50)
British Columbia residents, K – 12, living in other Canadian provinces or outside of Canada
- No fees for courses
- Courses can be taken for up to two years after "temporarily" living away from BC
- BC proof of residency is required
How Much are Flex Ed courses?
- $150 for 1 paper module or two online units
- For more information on FLEX ED
How Much are Tuition Fees for International students?
- must be registered at a BC school and attending regularly
- must hold a study visa
- pay $750 per course
- Any required book deposits
Book Deposit Reimbursements Information
- Book deposits are $50, payable prior to books being sent to student/family
- For grades K – 7, if using a predominately paper based program, a $100 deposit is requested per child (up to a maximum of $200 per family)
- Books that are mailed are also sent a pre-paid return envelope
- Upon completion of a course or program, students will be sent an invoice for any materials still outstanding with a postage paid label
- Student will have 90 days from the completion of the course or program (an invoice is sent out immediately). If returned, undamaged, a full refund will be processed
- If books are returned after 90 day, but before 1 year, a refund will be permitted less a $50 processing fee.
- 1 year after the completion of a course or program, all refunds will be forfeited.
- If a student changes address and the refund returns to SCIDES, a student has up to 1 year, after their final course or program completion date, to update their address and re-request a refund, providing all materials are return undamaged (less a $50 processing fee).
Information on Curriculum-Based Funding (aka Third Party Resources and Services)
The Ministry of Education has set a cap on Third Party Resources and Services allocations (hereafter referred to as TPRS) of up to $600 per full-time student enrolled in Grades K-12. If SCIDES is the official School of Record, we may provide this funding based on the Student Learning Plan, co-created by the parent, teacher and student. The Home Facilitator (such as the parent or guardian) must contact the teacher a minimum of two weeks prior to the commencement of the activity to determine if and how the activity connects to the Student’s Learning Plan and if it qualifies for TPRS.
In Grades K – 7, this funding may be allocated anytime during the school year, but it is tied to progress as outlined in the Student Learning Plan. The TPRS provider must provide progress reports to the SCIDES teacher as evidence of meeting (or not meeting) the learning outcomes.
In Grades 8 and 9, the student must be full-time with SCIDES and active in a minimum of four courses. The TPRS provider must provide progress reports to the SCIDES teacher as evidence of meeting (or not meeting) the learning outcomes.
In Grades 10 – 12, the funding is based on a percentage of the number of courses in which the student is active. For example, students who are active in four courses have access to $300 ($600 x 50%). However, the requested funding must be for an activity that meets the learning outcomes of the currently enrolled courses. The TPRS provider must provide progress reports to the SCIDES teacher as evidence of meeting (or not meeting) the learning outcomes.
We are required to pay a TPRS directly and may not pay parents or students. The TPRS provider must invoice the school for the services provided.
What can be covered?
TPRS are ideal in helping students meet learning outcomes in non-core areas such as Fine Arts, Physical Education, and Applied Skills.
- SCIDES programs may be supported in very practical and hands-on ways through lessons in areas such as music, dance, horseback riding, judo, skiing, woodworking, welding, piano lessons, and sports. The TPRS allocation is intended for ongoing instructional components that cannot be delivered easily by SCIDES; it is not intended to subsidize equipment such as saddles, weight sets, skis, or hockey equipment.
- **The student must be active in their program (as per the student learning plan) and the outcomes or activities need to be apart of the student learning plan)
The $600 funding does not apply to:
- supporting students with special needs in levels 1, 2 and 3, and in categories K,P,Q,R, in achieving the goals in their Individual Education Plans;
- Technical Centre Program Courses;
- post-secondary transition program courses;
- basic consumable school supplies, such as paper, writing tools, student planners, binders, and computer storage media (USB flash drives).
Further, SCIDES is not permitted to:
- contract or employ parents or family members in the capacity of Tutors, Education Assistants, Teacher Assistants, or Special Education Assistants for services to their own children;
- provide payments to parents’ or students’ personal credit card companies. Credit card companies are not considered TPRS
Can I Borrow a Graphing Calculator?
We can provide a graphing calculator for a refundable deposit of $100. Must be pre-approved by course teacher. Must be enrolled in a senior math course at SCIDES and be active.
