British Columbia Offshore School Program

Last updated on September 15, 2026

Picture of students attending class and a teacher smiling

The British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care has made B.C.’s curriculum available to students studying in schools overseas since 1998. Students who attend B.C. offshore schools have the opportunity to graduate with a B.C. certificate of graduation without having to leave their home country. B.C. offshore school graduates often come to B.C. for their post-secondary education, but they have also been accepted into many prestigious universities and colleges across Canada and the world.

B.C. offshore schools create opportunities for international relationships and global learning experiences This is an important part of the B.C. Offshore School Program which aims to: 

  • Enable strategic relationships and build economic connections with global markets by delivering English-language education to students around the world
  • Increase global recognition of B.C.’s high-quality education “brand”
  • Provide students with the tools to be successful in life, professionally and personally, and to be leaders in their communities and global citizens
  • Create opportunities for B.C. offshore schools to develop international partnerships
  • Attract more international students to study, work and live in B.C. 

B.C.’s curriculum is offered in schools in twelve different jurisdictions worldwide. B.C. offshore schools are inspected annually by qualified B.C. education experts to ensure that schools provide quality programming in an educationally supportive environment.

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Program resources

How to establish a B.C. offshore school

Establishing a B.C.-certified offshore school requires a significant investment of dedication, time and resources.

Offshore school representative

Owner/Operators must retain a ministry-approved offshore school representative (OSR) to support the establishment and ongoing operation of their school. The OSR serves as the primary liaison between the Owner/Operator and the Ministry of Education and Child Care (the ministry). The OSR plays a key role in ensuring compliance with B.C. K-12 educational standards and program requirements.

Before approving a prospective OSR, the ministry will confirm that the prospective OSR meets certain requirements, such as holding a valid B.C. teacher certificate and having relevant recent professional experience.

An Owner/Operator must apply for approval of a prospective OSR by submitting a completed Application for Approval of offshore school representative to the ministry. An Owner/Operator may propose any individual they believe meets OSR requirements. This includes individuals who are already ministry-approved OSRs, including those currently working with another B.C. offshore school.

A list of ministry-approved OSRs is available on this ministry webpage. Owner/Operators may consult this list when identifying prospective candidates.

Ministry-approved OSRs may be retained by multiple Owner/Operators.

For inquiries about the OSR role, responsibilities and ministry approval process, or to obtain the current Application for Approval of OSR, please contact international.education@gov.bc.ca.

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OSR Requirements

To be eligible for ministry approval, a prospective OSR must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Minimum 3 years’ recent experience working in a senior administrative position in the B.C. school system
  • Minimum 1 year of recent experience with:
    • the K-12 international education sector,
    • B.C. K-12 educational standards and practices,
    • providing professional development to educators, and
    • B.C. teacher certification and regulation requirements
 

Considerations When Selecting an OSR

When selecting an offshore school representative, Owner/Operators may wish to consider additional experience and competencies that support effective program oversight and ongoing school improvement.

For example, in addition to meeting the minimum requirements, desirable qualifications may include:

  • Senior leadership experience at the level of assistant superintendent or higher
  • Familiarity with the BC Offshore School Program
  • Knowledge of international visa and work permit requirements relevant to offshore school operations.

These additional competencies can strengthen the OSR’s ability to provide effective oversight, guidance, and liaison support.

 

 

B.C. offshore school program videos and brochures

Informational resources for students and families and prospective and existing owner/operators are available in 18 languages.

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Program video and brochures for students and families

 

Program video and brochures for owner/operators

Contact information

If you would like to request information or express a concern or complaint about a B.C. offshore school, please contact the International Education Unit. We aim to respond within 48 hours.

Email
International.Education@gov.bc.ca