How do you decide which school to place students in?
We try to match student’s interests and goals with the best school for them. However, we also believe in providing a full immersion experience to each international student and try to evenly distribute students between all of our schools.
Do I have to take English Language Development (ELD) classes?
We encourage all international students to take ELD s for as long as needed. Most international students usually need a semester or two of ELD study. ELD courses are vital to your success in other courses, and the number of regular academic classes you take will increase as your English improves.However, students arriving with obvious English language ability may be exempt from taking an ELD course. Often, students from Europe and South America are able to integrate fully into our academic program, though some find that a first semester ELD class is still useful as support to their academic studies.
How do I decide which courses to take?
Elementary and Middle School students do not have a choice when it comes to their courses and take a mix of regular academic courses and electives.
In Secondary School, deciding which courses to take can be a more difficult process and will depend on the students’ educational goals. Once your application has been approved, high school students will receive a course booklet for the school where they will be studyingAll international students have appointments with their counselor before they begin classes to talk about their course planning. This occurs at orientation, and is one of the reasons why attending orientation is mandatory.
Do I have to maintain certain grades?
Students registered in a Sooke Schools International program make a written commitment ( link to student agreement) to their studies that includes a commitment to academic effort and success. While a certain grade point average is not specified to remain in the program, a student who lacks an obvious commitment to academic success may be dismissed ( link to refund policy) from the program.
Am I able to earn course credits?
If you successfully complete a course as a student in our academic program you will receive course credit. All academic program students who study with us for one complete semester or more will receive a completed transcript.
Am I able to attain a B.C. graduation diploma?
Yes, students in the Sooke Schools International Student academic program are able to earn a B.C. graduation diploma. The graduation program diploma has certain mandatory requirements and completion usually takes international students from two to three years Students are strongly encouraged to come in grade 9 or 10 if they intend to graduate; however, those with strong English may come in grade 11.
Can I attend North American universities after completing my academic studies in a Sooke School?
The British Columbian Dogwood Diploma is accepted all over the world, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
Will I stay with a homestay family while I study in Victoria?
Yes. We encourage all of our students to take advantage of our homestay program. We have a Homestay Manager who will place you in a safe, warm, caring and supportive local Canadian family who shares similar interests and lives near your school.
How are homestay placements made?
Our homestay families go through a extensive application and orientation process, and must meet stringent program expectations before becoming eligible to host our international students. Placements are made by our homestay manager based on information provided on the application form, student needs, school placement and homestay availability.We take care in matching you into an available homestay family whose interests most closely match your own. For this reason, we ask you to complete the homestay questions in our application thoughtfully and completely. We know how important the homestay experience is and want to do everything possible to ensure that you have a remarkable experience.
