A Look Into Richmond International Education’s Secondary School Program

Mika Iwai
August 15, 2022

About Richmond’s Secondary Schools

The city of Richmond offers world-class education to students through its secondary schools. Students from all over the world come to Richmond to pursue their academic, technical, and extracurricular passions through the schools’ various programs. If you are ready to meet new classmates and work alongside the B.C. curriculum, continue reading about the Secondary School Program.

The Secondary School Program

The school district of Richmond, B.C. consists of 48 schools which consist of38 elementary schools, and 10 secondary schools. Secondary schools in Richmond are offered to students in between grades 8-12. Each secondary school is committed to offering educational programs and services to help students achieve success, goals, and dreams. Students will be able to work with certified teachers, instructors, career counselors, and international student coordinators. They will have access to numerous school facilities such as fitness rooms, visual arts studios, gymnasiums, science labs, libraries, and so on.

Although students are required to take standard academic courses such as English, Math, Science, and Social Sciences in order to graduate, they will have the option of choosing from a wide range of other academic, technical, and elective courses as well. Students will also participate in a Capstone Project in Grade 12, where they can demonstrate their learning in a specific area of interest they are keen about.

Richmond secondary schools offer the following elective programs for Grades 8 to 12:

Electives

International Baccalaureate-Senior Years (IB-SYP) and International Baccalaureate-Middle Years Program (IB-MYP)
Information Technology
Business
Advanced Placement (AP)
Modern Languages
Visual and Performing Arts
Broadcasting and Recording Arts Technology
Engineering
All levels of Computer Assisted Design and Drafting (CADD)
Environmental Biology
Computer Animation
Desktop Publishing
Music Composition

Registration

Students will be able to register for these programs at the beginning of the school year in September, or in February.

Credits

For students who are looking to earn credits, registering for any of these courses will grant them course credits that can be applied towards a high school diploma in Canada. Students can also transfer their credits to their high school in their home country.

Program Length

The length of each program depends on the subject matter and instructor. Programs can be completed in one semester, or they may take up to 2 or more years.

After School Options

In addition to taking courses and electives, students can also participate in extracurricular activities that involve arts, music, sports, educational clubs, community services, and so on. Joining these clubs can help students make new friends, improve their English skills, and work on areas of personal development.

Sports clubs include:

Basketball
Soccer
Volleyball
Tennis
Badminton
Swimming
Ultimate Frisbee

Other clubs include:

Photography
Debate
Chess
Anime
Math
Leadership
Community

Application Process

To enroll in these programs, students must apply online with the following required documents:

A photo of the student taken within the last 12 months
A copy of the student’s passport picture page or personal ID
A certified/notarized School Records/Report Cards that has been translated into English These records/report cards must be from the current and last year of study
The picture page AND the signature page of the student’s parent’s passport or personal ID
Signed Declaration of Eligibility
Completed Vancouver Coastal Health Form
An immunization record that has been translated into English and notarized
An application fee of $200 CAD. This fee is non-refundable.

Students may also provide the following additional documents, although these are optional and not required:

1 recommendation letter from the student’s current teacher or principal.
Letter of Study Intent.
Any awards and/or certificates in extracurricular activities.

Accommodation Options

Students have two options for where they can live or stay:

A homestay that has been arranged through the Richmond International Education (RIE) Homestay Program. This option is available to students in Grades 8 to 12 only
A private accommodation that has not been arranged through the RIE Program. Students opting for this choice must live with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is at least 25 years of age, or older.

Fees & Dates

Below are the tuition costs for each of the following academic programs:

10-Month Academic Program (Full Year)
- Full year tuition with medical insurance, homestay and custodianship: $28,100.00
- Full year tuition with medical insurance and homestay (no custodianship): $27,800.00
- Full year tuition with medical insurance (no homestay or custodianship): $16,800.00

5-Month Academic Program (One Semester)
- Semester tuition with medical insurance, homestay and custodianship: $14,675.00
- Semester tuition with medical insurance and homestay (no custodianship): $14,375.00
- Semester tuition with medical insurance (no homestay or custodianship): $8625.00

Short-Term, Non-Academic Programs (1-4 months)
- Application fee: $100
- Application for homestay and custodianship: $300
- English Language Learning Assessment: $100
  - Total application fees: $500
- Total monthly fees: $2100.00
- Approximate monthly insurance fee: $60.00*
- Homestay/night: $38
  - Total approximate monthly fees with homestay: $3300.00*

*Prices are approximate. Most fees are determined by the day and can vary.

Note

Please keep in mind that all fees are listed in Canadian Dollars (CAD).

All total fees include application fees, medical insurance and administration, ELL assessment and documentation fees unless stated otherwise.

Any and all fees are subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the Board of Education No. 38 (Richmond).

For more information about the available programs or fees, visit the Secondary School Program overview page.