Tuition Fee Deferral

Deferral eligibility

To be eligible for a fee deferral, you must prove that you have an adequate and confirmed source of funding. You can do that by meeting at least one of the following criteria:

• You have been approved for government loan or grant funding in BC (StudentAid BC) or another province/territory.
• You are receiving other sources of funding, such as EI sponsorship, RRSP, RESP, awards, scholarships or sponsorships. Proof of funding is required.
• You have been approved for Adult Upgrading Grant funding for the term.

Other considerations:

• If you are a student accepted into a full-time program, you must pay your BCIT commitment fee before we can consider your Deferral Request.
• You cannot defer tuition fees that exceed the total amount of your funding, unless you pay the difference first.
• BCIT does not offer payment plans, such as paying tuition fees over a period of time.
• Tuition Fee Deferral Requests are approved on a term-by-term basis. You must submit a new Request for each term.

The following are not eligible for a tuition fee deferral:

• Outstanding tuition and/or student fees in the previous term
• Airline and Flight Operations (flying school fees)
• International students
• Apprentice students

About student loans and tuition fee deferral

Applying for a student loan and grant doesn’t automatically mean you will be considered for a tuition fee deferral. You must make a separate application (a Tuition Fee Deferral Request) for a deferral.

In BC, apply to StudentAid BC for funding help. Your application may take up to six weeks to process, so apply as early as possible.

A fee deferral is necessary if you are a first-year student relying on StudentAid BC funding to pay tuition. This is because while fees are due 60 days in advance of term start, you will not receive any student loan funds until you are registered and attending classes.

Student loans and budgeting

The other reason to apply for student loan funding early is for budgeting purposes. Applying early will help you determine:

• how much funding you will receive each term
• whether you have enough funds to pay educational costs plus living expenses (remember that StudentAid BC supplements but does not cover all educational and living costs)
• whether to apply for a line of credit or other alternate funding sources
• whether to apply for bursaries, entrance awards, etc.

Tuition fee payment deadlines

BCIT tuition fees are payable on a term-by-term basis.

Full-time (including new and returning) students

• Please see Tuition Fee Deadlines for details.

Part-time students

• Tuition fees must be paid at the time of registration. Please refer to Paying for Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) courses for details.

How to apply

Follow these steps to apply for a tuition fee deferral. Submit a new Deferral Request for each term.

* If you experience difficulties submitting online, please feel free to submit via PDF.

Full-time StudentAid BC recipients

You must use your A# student ID to log in.

1. Apply online through your Financial Self Service account:
   • Select “Web Application” and click on “Apply” for the correct term
2. Check your application status via Financial Self Service in approximately 3-4 days:
   • Select the “Commitments” tab to see your results
3. If your application is approved, note the extended fee deadline.
4. If you are approved, but your funding won’t arrive by the extended payment deadline, submit a Tuition Fee Deferral Appeal or Extension form.
5. If your application is denied, submit a Tuition Fee Deferral Appeal or Extension form.

All other applicants

Email your application and supporting documents to finaid@bcit.ca, including:

• Tuition Fee Deferral Application [PDF] or
• Tuition Fee Deferral Appeal or Extension form [PDF] and
• all supporting documentation. See chart below to determine what you will need to submit.

Required supporting documentation for non-StudentAid BC recipients

After you apply

Here are a few things to be aware of after you apply for a tuition fee deferral.

Processing time

Tuition fee deferral applications are processed in the order received and may take up to five business days to process.

Application status

Check your application status on your myBCIT account, whether you submitted online or on paper. Log in and select:

1. Student Self Service
2. Financial Aid link on the top of the webpage

Approved status

If your request is approved, take note of your deferred due date.

If you anticipate your funding will arrive later than the approved deferred date, submit a Tuition Fee Deferral Appeal or Extension form [PDF].

Important: If a fee deferral expires, your tuition fees are not paid in full, and you have not requested an extension, you may be de-registered from your program and/or courses.

Denied status

If you would like us to reconsider your application, you may submit a Tuition Fee Deferral Appeal or Extension form [PDF].

Extend or appeal requests

If you anticipate your funding will arrive later than the approved deferred date, or to appeal a denied request, submit a Tuition Fee Deferral Appeal or Extension form [PDF] to finaid@bcit.ca

Check your myBCIT account to view the status of your Extension or Appeal Request.

If your Extension or Appeal Request is denied, you must pay your tuition fee by the due date. Failure to do so may result in de-registration from your program and/or courses.