Health Care Assistant (HCA) Program

Admission Requirement

Evidence of both of the following must be provided prior to acceptance:

1. Proof of Grade 10 completion (or equivalent) OR mature student status

2. Proof of meeting HCA Program Entry - English Language Competency Requirements (see down below)

• For applicants with three years of full-time instruction in English*: English 10 completion or equivalent

• For applicants with less than three years of full-time instruction in English*: Standardized English language proficiency test score

Note: If the program is accepting international students, a clear police certificate from the country of origin must also be included as a program entry requirement

*Defined as three (3) years of full-time secondary and/or post-secondary education at a recognized institution on the Approved English Speaking Countries list. Secondary education will be considered starting from grade 8. English as a Second Language (ESL) courses will not be considered.

To be accepted into a recognized BC HCA program, applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency in English. Students must be able to communicate effectively in English to be successful in their studies and capable of providing safe and competent care to patients/clients/residents in the work environment during practice education components.

To ensure consistency and quality assurance, institution-created tests are not acceptable for the assessment of HCA program applicants. For clarification, three years of full-time instruction in English is defined as three (3) years of full-time secondary and/or post-secondary education in the English language at a recognized institution on the list of Approved English Speaking Countries. English as a Second Language (ESL) courses will not be considered.

English Language Competency Requirements

1. Applicants who provide evidence of three years of full-time instruction in English must also provide proof of one of the following:

a) Completion of Grade 10 English (or higher). A minimum of a C grade is acceptable.

b) Completion of college courses determined to be equivalent to Grade 10 English (or higher) by post-secondary institutions. A minimum of a C grade is acceptable.

c) ACCUPLACER Next Generation Test Results: Reading 230, Writing 230 and Writeplacer 4

2. Applicants who cannot provide evidence of three years of full-time instruction in English are required to provide proof of one of the following standardized proficiency tests from an authorized assessment agency.

a) Canadian Language Benchmarks Placement Test (CLBPT) or CLBPT Remote. Test in the last year. Listening 7, Speaking 7, Reading 6 and Writing 6.

b) Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP General or CELPIP Online). Test in the last two years. Listening 7, Speaking 7, Reading 6 and Writing 6.

c) International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic, IELTS General or IELTS Academic Online). Test in the last two years. Overall score of 6 with a minimum of 6 in Speaking and Listening and no score lower than 5.5 in Reading and Writing.

d) Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL or CAEL Online). Test in the last two years. Overall Score of 60, with no section less than 50.

e) The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition). Test in the last two years. Overall score of 76 with no score lower than 20 in Speaking and Listening and no score lower than 18 in Reading and Writing.

Notes:

In cases where applicants already hold Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN) results. Test in the last 2 years. Speaking 7, Listening 7, Reading 6, Writing 6. In addition to the tests and test scores listed above (#2), recognized BC HCA Programs also have the discretion to accept HCA program applicants with a CLB Report Card from a LINC Program indicating “Completing” CLB Speaking 7, Listening 7, Reading 7 and Writing 7 AND “Recommended Class Placement” as Speaking 8, Listening 8, Reading 8 and Writing.