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For Students

What is Education Quality Assurance (EQA)?

Education Quality Assurance is British Columbia’s brand or “seal” of quality post-secondary education for both public and private institutions.

What is the purpose of the EQA Designation? 

The EQA Seal provides one standard provincial trademark for educational quality assurance that is recognizable worldwide and:

  • Allows international students to easily see which BC institutions have met government recognized quality assurance standards and offer consumer protection,
  • Eliminates the need for learners to understand the different provincial quality assurance processes that govern each type of BC post-secondary institution,
  • Helps parents, counsellors, agents and officials support students to choose a quality post-secondary institution for their overseas studies.

What are provincial quality assurance systems?

BC's post-secondary system is diverse. There are various types of post-secondary institutions in BC—
colleges, universities, career and language training schools, and vocational institutes.

Each type of post-secondary institution is governed by one of the four (4) different provincial quality assurance bodies (AVED, DQAB, Languages Canada, PCTIA) and their associated quality assurance accreditation systems.

The EQA Designation indicates that an institution has successfully received accreditation from its governing quality assurance body and that the institution is in good standing with both its quality assurance body and the BC Ministry of Advanced Education (AVED).

Public Institutions

Private Degree Granting

Private Career Training

Private Theological

Private Language Schools

Private Academic (non-degree)

Meets standards through legislative and government accountability mechanisms

Meets required quality assessment process and has Minister’s Consent under the Degree Authorization Act (DAA) 

Voluntarily meets accreditation standards of Private Career Training Institutions Agency of BC (PCTIA)

Voluntarily meets quality assurance process through the Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB)

Voluntarily meets accreditation standards of Languages Canada or PCTIA

Voluntarily meets quality assurance standards of DQAB or PCTIA

Good Standing with
the applicable Quality Assurance Body and
Ministry of Advanced Education (AVED)
DAA=Degree Authorization Act
DQAB= Degree Quality Assessment Board (governed by Degree Quality Assurance Act)
PCTIA = Private Career Training Institutions Agency of BC (governed by Private Career Training Institutions Act, Regulation and Bylaws)
Languages Canada = Languages Canada accreditation process

For further information on provincial quality assurance requirements and processes, please visit:

Legislation governing public colleges and universities: www.aved.gov.bc.ca/institutions/welcome.htm 

Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB) for private degree granting institutions: www.aved.gov.bc.ca/degree-authorization/board/welcome.htm 

Languages Canada for public and private language training institutions: www.languagescanada.ca

The Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA) for private career colleges and training schools: www.pctia.bc.ca

Who is responsible for the EQA Designation?

The Ministry of Advanced Education (AVED) sets all EQA policies, including eligibility requirements for EQA.

The role of BCCIE is to administer the EQA program in accordance with Ministry policy, and to manage and promote the EQA brand to international learners around the world.

Further information for international students considering coming to British Columbia to study can be found at: www.studyinbc.com

Further information on British Columbia's post-secondary education system can be found on the Ministry of Advanced Education's website: www.gov.bc.ca/aved