Program at a glance
Credential
Certificate
Work experience
Clinical/fieldwork placement
Study options
Full-time
Open to International
Yes
Length
28 Weeks*
Front-line caregivers
As a Health Care Assistant, you'll be given the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to function effectively as a front-line caregiver and respected member of the health care team in both community and facility settings.
In demand
Health Care Assistant (HCA) graduates are in high demand.
Do you have a genuine desire to work with older adults and persons with disabilities? Are you intrigued by the possibility of assisting others with personal care in the practical aspects of their day-to-day lives? Are you prepared for a career that will require you to work days, evenings, nights, weekends, holidays and 8-12 hour shifts? If you answered yes to all the above, then Health Care Assistant is the perfect career for you.
In addition to the general HCA program, you can specialize in one of the following alternative streams:
- Health Care Assistant - English Second Language is designed for students who want to take the HCA program while also improving their English language skills.
- Health Care Assistant - Indigenous is designed for Indigenous* learners who want to take the HCA program while focusing on Indigenous community and culture.
*Camosun College views any student who is a descendant of the Indigenous peoples of North America to be an Indigenous student. This includes status and non-status Indians, Métis, Inuit and Native Americans who reside in Canada.
We'll help you succeed
As you work through the Health Care Assistant program's curriculum and your clinical placements, you'll acquire the skills, knowledge and values you'll need to provide professional care to the elderly and those facing other health or illness challenges.
Focusing on the elderly, you'll learn how to provide care that promotes and maintains the physical, psychological and social well-being of the clients you'll care for in your subsequent role as a Health Care Assistant.
HCA program start dates
New Intakes available every January, May and September.
HCA Info Sessions
The Health Care Assistant Information Sessions are a great way to learn more about the program and to get your questions answered by faculty.
Recognition status by the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry
The Health Care Assistant (HCA) program delivered by Camosun College has been granted a full, five-year recognition status by the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry. Graduates of the HCA program delivered by Camosun are eligible for registration with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry.
The BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry reviews and recognizes Health Care Assistant (HCA) programs in BC to ensure that they are: following the provincial curriculum, implementing a common set of training standards and graduating competent front-line health care providers. Confirming that HCAs meet registration requirements is integral to the registry's mandate of patient protection and improved standards of care.
Indigenous Limited Priority Admissions
The School of Health & Human Services (HHS) offers Priority Seating for Indigenous students in all Health related programs.
Visit Eyēʔ Sqȃ’lewen - Centre for Indigenous Education & Community Connections (IECC) for information on how to apply.
Any questions about the application process, please contact hhsindigenoussupport@camosun.ca
The Indigenous Limited Priority Admissions process, approved by the Board of Governors, supported by the Education Council, and approved by the BC Human Rights Tribunal, welcomes applications from all qualified Indigenous applicants.
What you'll learn
Located at our Interurban campus, the full-time HCA program is 28 academic weeks without break, the equivalent to one academic year (2 academic semesters or greater). Program times: Monday-Friday, 8:30am to 3pm.
Current students wanting information about your program, go to student planning in myCamosun.
Program outline
For more details, including courses, please see the program outline in the academic calendar.
Person-centred care
Health Care Assistants learn a wide variety of practical and resident/client care skills. Our program is hands-on, with clinical placements throughout your time at Camosun. You’ll learn about interpersonal communications, lifestyles and choices, personal care, and how to treat patients ethically and with compassion.
What to expect
Located at our Interurban campus, the full-time HCA program is 29 weeks long (approximately seven months). Monday-Friday, 8:30am-2:30pm.
Homework commitments may vary per student but are likely about three to four hours per day including weekends. You will be required to participate in full-time clinical placements that include day and evening shifts that may occur outside of regular class time.
Health Care Assistant courses
Your studies will provide you with the skills to advocate on behalf of the rights, needs, interests and fair treatment of residents and their families. As a Health Care Assistant you will develop a person-centred care philosophy aimed at promoting and maintaining the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well being of clients/residents.
HCA program handbooks
Find current student information in the School of Health and Human Services and HCA program handbooks.
Tuition and fees
Effective from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2025
Estimated tuition
Tuition estimates are for the entire program.
Health Care Assistant, Certificate
$3,055 (domestic)
$13,236 (international)
Domestic tuition fees vary depending on the individual course fees for the classes you select.
For International students visit: International Tuition & Fees.
Student fees
In addition to tuition estimates, student fees are calculated based on your enrolment. Refer to: Student Fees.
Financial assistance
You may need to find more than one source of funding to help pay for your education and living costs while attending college. Check out sources of money you don't need to pay back as well as those that need to be repaid.
Admission requirements
Evidence of all of the following must be provided prior to acceptance: 1. HCA Program Entry - English Language Competency Requirements 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. Domestic and/or international applicants who do not have three years of full-time instruction in English will require a standardized proficiency assessment to confirm competency in all four language skills areas (speaking, listening, reading and writing). For applicants with three years of full-time instruction in English, one of: For applicants with less than three years of full-time instruction in English, one of: Standardized English language proficiency test score Note: A CLB Report Card from a Language Instruction for Newcomers (LINC) Program may also be accepted. **Applicants must provide a transcript(s) or a BC personal education record as evidence to confirm completion of a minimum of three years of full-time instruction in English. To meet this threshold, the Registry looks to confirm that applicants have studied over a period of three years and completed a minimum of two semesters of studies within each year. In addition, it is expected that the student will be taking full time studies (30 credits per academic year to a minimum of 18 credits per academic year [60% courseload]). In this way, it is typically a minimum of six semesters with total credits between 54 - 90 credits, completed over the three-year timeframe. 2. Attendance at a Health Care Assistant program Information Session This is required to ensure applicants have a strong understanding of the expectations of the Health Care Assistant (HCA) program and the role of the HCA in the work environment. An online Information Session module is available for anyone unable to attend in person. When you apply, you will need to submit proof that you meet the program admission requirements listed above. Where a letter grade is specified, you must have proof of that grade or higher. 3. For International students: a clear police certificate from country of origin must also be included as a program entry requirement Approved English-Speaking Countries The following countries are considered by the Registry as those where English is the primary and official language, and the language used for education. Where approved countries offer education in languages other than English, transcripts must demonstrate that English was the language of instruction.Admissions
American Samoa Ghana Saint Lucia Anguilla Gibraltar Saint Kitts and Nevis Antigua and Barbuda Granada Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Bahamas Guam Seychelles Barbados Guyana Sierra Leone Belize Ireland Singapore Bermuda Jamaica South Africa Botswana Kenya Tanzania British Virgin Islands Lesotho Trinidad and Tobago Canada Liberia Turks and Caicos Island Cayman Islands Malta Uganda Dominica Mauritius United Kingdom Falkland Islands Monserrat United States Fiji New Zealand United States Virgin Islands Gambia Nigeria Zambia Australia Saint Helena Zimbabwe
When you apply you will need to submit proof that you meet the program admission requirements listed above. Where a letter grade is specified, you must have proof of that grade or higher.
For more details, including courses, please see the program outline in the Academic Calendar: Loading...
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Find out more on How to Apply or speak to an Admissions Advisor.
Contact us
If you have admissions questions contact us today!
If you have questions about what you can expect to learn in your HCA classes contact hhsinfo@camosun.ca
Faculty/staff profile
Ros Giles-Pereira
Chair, Continuing Care Department
pereira@camosun.ca
250-370-4767
Alex & Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness (CHW)
Full bio
Faculty/staff profile
Leanne Robb
Program Leader
robbl@camosun.ca
250-370-4751
Aex and Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness (CHW)
Full bio
Faculty/staff profile
Tona Andresen
Instructional Assistant
andresent@camosun.ca
250-370-4761
Alex & Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness
Full bio
Faculty/staff profile
Sarah Chisholm
Instructor
chisholms@camosun.ca
250-370-4678
Aex and Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness (CHW)
Full bio
Faculty/staff profile
Cathy Josephson
Instructor
josephsonc@camosun.ca
250-370-4677
Aex and Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness (CHW)
Full bio
Faculty/staff profile
Learn more
For more details, including courses, please see the program outline in the academic calendar.
Contact information
School of Health and Human Services
Campus location
Alex & Jo Campbell Centre for Health & Wellness building (CHW), room 207
Location link
Admissions questions: