About Bc Adult Graduation Diploma in Northern Lights College

Students who want to earn the equivalent of a high school diploma after turning 18 years old can complete the BC Adult Graduation Diploma. The Adult Graduation Diploma is often called the Adult Dogwood.

Courses in NLC’s Career and College Preparation (CCP) program are specially designed to help students achieve an Adult Dogwood. If you’d like to focus on the CCP program as a pathway to the Adult Dogwood, please refer to the CCP program. Note that the BC government has waived tuition for CCP courses and that other CCP costs may be covered by grants.

The Adult Dogwood is very flexible so pathways may also include courses taken in high school, at other colleges, and in a variety of NLC programs. In fact, the Adult Dogwood can be completed on its own within the CCP program--or while taking another program at Northern Lights College!

All students interested in earning an Adult Dogwood are encouraged to consult with an Admissions Officer or program advisor to discover the right path for them.

Note that the Adult Graduation Diploma (Adult Dogwood) is not the same as a GED (General Educational Development) Certificate. The Ministry of Education discontinued the GED® program at the end of 2014.

Getting Started

Career and College Preparation classes start as frequently as every month, and are available on most campuses. To get started getting your Adult Dogwood, contact an NLC recruiter or admissions officer or visit your local campus to set up your learning plan. To get started, you just need to be 18 years of age or older!

A Few Definitions

• ABE Articulation Guide: An annual publication listing all Adult Basic Education courses available from BC Post-Secondary institutions and their equivalencies ( www.bctransferguide.ca/search/abe ).

• Advanced-Level courses: courses at the level of Grade 11
• Ministry-authorized courses: courses approved by the BC Ministry of Education and listed on the Course Registry as “Ministry Approved”.
• Provincial-Level courses: courses at the level of Grade 12
• Transfer Request Application: a process by which NLC students can request transfer credit for post-secondary courses taken at other institutions.
• University-transfer courses: courses listed on the BCCAT Transfer Guide

A Few Limitations

• “Q” courses: Students who completed (or almost completed) a provincially examinable high school course prior to turning 18 but did not write the required provincial exam cannot use the course mark alone toward the Adult Graduation Program.  These courses appear on the BC high school transcript with a course code that begins with Q.

• Use of high-school courses: No more than two courses taken while in high school may be used towards the Adult Graduation Diploma at NLC. (See Appendices for limitations)

Graduation Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the British Columbia Adult Graduation Diploma from NLC, you must meet the following four eligibility requirements:

• Be 18 years or older
• Complete at least one course towards the diploma at NLC
• Complete at least three courses towards the diploma after you turned 18
• Complete at least two course requirements that are not used to satisfy graduation requirements for another credential.

Academic qualification equivalents

• Completion of All India or State Board HSC (XII): 55% or higher in relevant subjects.

English language requirements (one of the below):

• IELTS: 6.0 with no band lower than 5.5
• TOEFL: 78 IBT

Northern Lights College Highlights

International Students - Program Tuition/Costs

International applicants are responsible for all program and living costs while studying at Mount Royal University.

Here are the estimated costs you can expect:

Student Services Fees Table

Student services fees are assessed for each semester or equivalent instructional period in which a student is enrolled. Full-time students are student enrolled in 9 or more credits per semester, or 18 or more contact hours per week. For programs that do not follow a semester, Student Services Fees cover up to five months (20 weeks).

Other Fees and Charges

The following fees and charges are in effect from 01 September 2019 to 31 August 2020. For Testing/Assessment Service fees, see