Stenberg College: Train for a Career in Health Care, Nursing & Education.

Are Stenberg College programs recognized by industry?
Stenberg College works very closely with all of our industry partners to ensure that our programs meet and exceed their needs. Each program has a designated Program Advisory Committee (PAC) that meets at least once annually to discuss pertinent professional issues and assist in on-going program evaluation by reviewing curriculum, program outcomes and institutional, as well as program specific, policies and procedures.

Do I have to meet all of the admissions requirements?
Our minimum admission standards cannot be waived by either the institution or the student. In some cases, we provide support to students needing specific pre-requisites. For example, we offer Biology 12 for Health Sciences prior to each Practical Nursing intake to help students meet this requirement. Stenberg also offers a range of preparatory and on-going English language support classes to students whose English requires further upgrading. In exceptional circumstances, an applicant may be granted conditional acceptance to a program pending successful completion of specific requirements.

What funding options are available?
As an accredited post-secondary institution, students have a wide range of funding options. Please see the Financial Aid Officer for more information.

What awards / bursary funds are available?
The ‘Student of the Year’ full tuition reimbursement award is given to one deserving student each year. Presented to the student who best embodies Stenberg College’s values of excellence, caring and community spirit, the award can be a value from $7000 to a maximum of $20,000. Students can only be nominated by staff or faculty. All finalists will be given special recognition and semi-finalists may be accorded partial tuition reimbursements.

Applicants should also inquire about specific awards at the time of enrollment, as there may be industry sponsored bursaries or government scholarships available.

What academic support services and resources do you have for students?
We have a variety of free resources available to students who have been out of school for several years. Take advantage of the weekly study skills workshop, which gives students an opportunity to improve their study skills in an instructor facilitated setting. We have a full-time student and faculty support instructor who, in addition to the weekly and study skills workshops, provides individual tutorials to students needing support in areas such as test taking anxiety, research, writing, etc… Offered free of charge, sessions include Reading Skills, Vocabulary, Writing Essays, Oral Presentations, and more.

The Learning and Study Skills Inventory (LASSI), is a tool used during the students first week to identify areas in which they could benefit most from educational support. Students then take specific modules to improve identified academic and personal management issues.

Once registered, students receive specific resources to help in preparing for their coursework. A Pre-Learning Booklet for Medical Terminology is used in all our Health Care Programs as well as a Pre-Learning Package for Math for Practical Nursing students.

If I have English as a Second Language, is there any support?
We provide all ESL students interested in enrolling in a Stenberg College program with free ongoing instructor-led support. These classes, taught by a qualified ESL instructor, are held Monday-Thursday for 1.5 hours each day. On-going ESL support classes are designed to target specific areas of difficulty for ESL learners and are structured with a focus on:

What is the minimum English language requirement for admission?
Admissions testing screens applicant’s ability in English spelling and reading comprehension at an appropriate level for their program of choice. All applicants are also required to write a short essay to demonstrate written English ability. A Verbal Test of English is required if English is a Second Language.

Cardiology Technology, Practical Nursing and Regional Psychiatric Nursing require Grade 12 English (or equivalent). Students who have completed high school in a country other than Canada and who have English as a second language, must also complete an acceptable English Assessment – IELTS, TOEFL, CELBAN or an ICES Evaluation. We are committed to supporting ESL applicants and have free ESL programming in place to help them succeed.

How do I prepare for an appointment with my Program Advisor?
In order to prepare for your appointment, please bring with you any documentation regarding past education. This may include diplomas, transcripts, and interim marks stating that you are currently enrolled in a program or course. We encourage potential students to research the program they are interested in ahead of time to obtain a solid grasp of what the profession offers, and prepare any questions.

Can I get credit for classes that I have taken at other institutions?
Student can apply for credit transfer recognition. A Course Challenge Request Form must be completed and submitted to the Program Advisor a minimum of two weeks prior to program start. Documentation to determine and validate equivalency must be attached to this form including a full course outline (confirming content, outcomes, course length, etc) and an official transcript (sealed envelope signed on seal). A $50.00 processing fee must also accompany this form. Please note that in order to receive your diploma, a minimum of 50% of your course load must be completed with Stenberg College.

While students will take a lesser course load there may be no reduction on course costs depending on the nature of the program. Students awarded with challenge credit are still welcome to audit these courses. If a student is funded by student loans or HRSDC, they will have to attend the course to avoid interruption in their funding.

Are Stenberg College programs / courses recognized by other academic institutions?
Most educational institutions have policies and procedures regarding credit transfer and prior learning assessment. On this basis, each institution will assess your previous coursework, work experience and accomplishments. Stenberg College will provide you with all of the necessary documentation to support consideration of recognition, i.e. official transcripts, program outline, course syllabi, etc.

How quickly can I enroll in a program?
If there is room in the program, you could follow the application process in one day (if all admission requirements are met). If you are receiving student loan funding, please allow a minimum of 3 weeks for processing. If you are receiving Service Canada funding, please allow a minimum of 4-6 weeks for the application process.

What are the academic progression requirements?
Stenberg College has a minimum passing grade of 70% on final examinations and mastery on lab skills, clinical/practicum assessments. In order to pass a program, a student must obtain a minimum grade of 70% in the course. All courses, including the practicum and job search, must be passed in order to complete the program and receive a diploma.

How do I prepare for an appointment with the Financial Aid Officer?
If you have been approved for a student loan or Service Canada funding, please bring all paperwork you have received to your appointment. Otherwise, you do not need to bring anything to your first appointment.

Where can I pay my tuition and fees?
You may pay your tuition and fees at reception or the financial aid office. Methods of payment accepted include cash, cheque, debit, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.

Will I get a tuition fees receipt (for tax purposes)?
You will receive a tuition fee receipt if you have paid over $100.00 in tuition fees within the fiscal year. Tax receipts will be mailed to you between the end of the year and the last day of February. Please ensure your address on file is up to date.

How important is typing to my practicum placement and future employment?
Typing and Administrative Skills are a key component to being successful in a hospital or medical office/medical lab environment. Human Resources Departments from a number of the Health Authorities, private clinics and labs have directly informed our Career Services Department of the importance of excellent keyboarding skills. In fact, most HR departments use a typing and medical terminology examination as a screening tool, prior to the actual interview.

It is for the reasons mentioned above, that Stenberg College takes a strong position with regards to student keyboarding skills. Students within the Hospital Support Specialist, Nursing Unit Clerk and Medical Office Assistant programs must meet the mandatory typing speed by specified dates in their program.

Does Stenberg College have affiliation agreements?
Yes, Stenberg College has affiliation agreements with all health authorities in BC and many other areas throughout Canada. Stenberg College also has placement agreements with many other industry partners, both private and public, including school districts throughout the lower mainland and private facilities.

Do I have to attend the practicum / clinical instruction / preceptorship?
Practice Education experiences are mandatory for our career programs; they are awarded Mastery (pass) or Fail mark based on attendance and performance in the work place. We believe that practicum placements are the best means for students to gain the confidence and experience needed to secure their first position.

Can I find my own practicum?
Stenberg College is responsible for securing ALL practicum placements as these are arranged under our affiliation agreements. We ask that students do not attempt to secure their own practicum. Feel free to contact our Career Services Department for further clarification if required.

How many hours do I spend in class?
The number of class hours per day is program dependent. In the notes section of each program outline, program/course hours are specified. All full-time Stenberg College Programs are 25 hrs/week or more. Your Program Advisor can provide you details on your schedule.

Can I work full time and attend college?
As a College, we have no desire to interfere with the private lives of our students. We must say, however, that it will be extremely difficult for any of our students to attend classes, participate fully, and keep up with the homework if they are working full-time. It should be noted that we encourage students to work part-time if necessary to meet their cost of living needs, provided that it does not interfere with their success in the program. In programs that are more than 5 hours/day of class time, such as Practical Nursing, even part-time work may be extremely difficult to manage.

Is there parking available?
Pay parking is available directly across from the Central City Tower. There are various lots available at the Surrey Central Park n’ Ride. Daily parking passes are available to purchase through IMPARK or Diamond Parking. There may be a waiting time frame for monthly passes. Stenberg College does not control or manage any of the parking lots at Central City. A three hour time limit is posted for Mall shoppers only.

When is my graduation?
The Stenberg College graduation ceremony is held twice a year in the spring and fall. All students who have successfully met all graduation requirements will be invited to attend. All balances outstanding on tuition and supply fees must be paid in full in order to receive certificates, diplomas, transcripts, and to attend the graduation ceremony.

How many people will be in my class?
Most classes will be somewhere between 12 and 24 students depending on the program popularity and time of year. There must be a minimum number in the class for it to run.

What opportunities does Stenberg College give its students to provide feedback?
We have multiple mechanisms which encourage students to be active participants in their education. To confirm student satisfaction with their educational program and provide a forum for feedback, students complete course evaluations after each course (including practicum) and student check-in interviews are conducted in focus groups during their program. After practicum, students complete a practicum evaluation and, at the end of the program a comprehensive end of program evaluation. Graduate surveying is also conducted on a 30, 60, 90 and 180 day schedule to gauge graduate satisfaction as well as to record employment rates and document other employment status details.

To ensure that issues important to Stenberg students are being addressed, each class appoints a Student Council Representative to attend a monthly Student Advisory Council Meetings and bring up collective feedback from their class as well as plan events / activities / initiatives of interest to students. The Student Council Representative also sits on the Program Advisory Committee (PAC) to provide a student perspective in discussions related to their program.

How do I request official transcripts?
All students meeting requirements for graduation will receive their official transcript of marks within two weeks of program completion. Files are retained on campus for 30 days after program completion. During this time, you may obtain copies of your transcripts for $10.00. After 30 days, there will be a $25.00 administration fee for file retrieval. Please call the campus in advance to request copies of your transcript, as it may take up to two weeks to process.

Does Stenberg College have a dress code?
In order to prepare students for success in their chosen profession, students dress in appropriate work attire for the duration of their program and practicum. Specific dress codes vary for different programs. For health care programs, scrubs and/or labcoats are the norm. For human services programs, students are expected to dress in business casual attire. On casual Fridays, students are allowed to dress in a more casual fashion. Stenberg College has a strict ‘No Scent’ policy, which includes perfumes, colognes, hairsprays, scented deodorants, or anything else that has a scent.

Does Stenberg College have a library?
We have an onsite reference library available to students at our campus. All of our students also have access to hundreds of on-line allied health and nursing journals on our EBSCO database subscription to CINAHL Plus Full Text; this access is available on all computers at the College as well as from home computer log-in.

Can I purchase my textbooks elsewhere?
Yes, however some conditions apply. Students who choose to opt out of having their books supplied by the College must indicate this to the Campus Administrator one month prior to program start. If the student wishes to make booklist purchases independently, it will be necessary to secure all program texts and supplies as Stenberg purchases these resources in bundles to receive bundle discounts. For ease of reference, students will also need to purchase the same edition as the texts we have designated on the booklist.

All external certification requirements are to be completed within the program (i.e. CPR-HCP-AED). Completion within the program ensures that Stenberg students possess all current competency and credentialing requirements when they go onto clinical/practicum/preceptorship and have a consistent standard as graduates seeking employment.