- Tuition-free and no application fee
- Support for school supplies, partial travel costs, and unsubsidized childcare through the Adult Upgrading Grant
Adult Upgrading
Start where you are. Learn your way.
What's Adult Upgrading?
Adult Upgrading helps you complete or improve high school-level courses so you can move forward—into college, skilled trades, university transfer or a new career. Our programs and courses are offered throughout the year at all of our campuses.
Benefits of Adult Upgrading
- Flexible course formats and schedules
- Supportive faculty and learning environment
- Finish a required course and gain an access pathway to OC programs
How it works, step-by-step
1. Apply online (it’s free!)
2. Complete the skills assessment
As a new student in the program, you will be automatically enrolled in our Math and English skills assessments, which you will see in your course registrations as MATH 001P and ENGL 001P. They are free, and you can access these skills assessments in Moodle at any time and complete these to find out which Math and/or English courses you should choose when you register.
If you are not registered in these skills assessments but would like to be, you can register for them online the same way you would any other course.
Practice Math skills assessment
3. Choose your courses
4. Attend your way: in person or online in real time
5. Get in-person help anytime at a campus Learner Lab
6. Continue your education into an OC program
Program at a glance
English courses available
Students must have completed the prerequisites for English courses within the five years prior to the start date for the ABE English course in which they wish to register. Any student not meeting this requirement will be required to write the AU English skills assessment. An interview may also be conducted to help determine the appropriate level.
Fundamental
- English 50
- English 60
Intermediate
- English 70
Advanced
- English 80
Provincial
- English 12
The Adult Upgrading program is tuition-free
There’s no cost to apply or attend. Students may qualify for additional support through the Adult Upgrading Grant, which helps with:
- Books and supplies
- Patial transportation costs
- Unsubsidized childcare costs
FAQ
We offer courses in subjects including english, math, biology, chemistry, and physics. These courses can help you meet the admission requirements for college and university programs.
Yes! You can take as many or as few courses as you need. Many students take one course to meet a specific requirement or upgrade a skill.
That’s okay—and you're not alone. Our instructors and advisors are here to support you every step of the way. We’ll help you build confidence and feel comfortable getting back into learning.
With our new Multi-Access Delivery Model, you can choose to join your classes in person or live online—whatever works best for your life. Either way, the course content and support are the same.
The Learner Lab is an on-campus instructional space where you can get extra help with your coursework or complete your coursework. It’s staffed by instructors who are there to answer questions, explain assignments, and help you stay on track. Learner Labs are available at all four of our campuses (Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon and Salmon Arm).
There’s no tuition or application fee, and many students qualify for the Adult Upgrading Grant (AUG), which can help cover the cost of books, supplies, partial transportation and even childcare.
Our advising team can help you figure out which courses are right for your goals—whether you’re planning to move into a trades program, apply to university, or explore a new career path.
Please contact an education advisor or visit the Registrar's Office for registration assistance.
Everyone. Our students come from all age groups and backgrounds—some are parents, some are working full-time, and many are returning to education later in life. Everyone is welcome.
Many students continue into OC programs like Health Care Assistant, Early Childhood Education, Business, Culinary, Trades, and more. In fact, 90 per cent of our Adult Upgrading students go on to other OC programs. In fact, we offer conditional and guaranteed admission options — finish a required course and secure your spot in an OC program!
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