Apply for the Fall 2025-26 Semester

Thank you for your interest in the Cortes Island Academy! The theme for this fall semester is Oceans. Learn about our 2025-26 program.

The application process is free.

Please read the following carefully before applying:

  • Will you be in Grade 10, 11 or 12 in the fall?
  • Do you like physical and academic challenges?
  • Are you healthy and able to live in a rural/remote community?
  • If you need homestay, are you prepared to live away from home in a semi-independent environment?
  • Does living on a remote island intrigue you? (Remote means no hospital, limited mental health care, and no transportation off island after 5:30 p.m.)
  • Are you able to manage chronic physical or mental health conditions if you have any?
  • Do you celebrate the idea of sharing your work with others?
  • Are you ready to be on the radio and create a film?

Applicants are evaluated entirely on their fit for the course, irrespective of their finances.

If you answered yes to these questions, let’s begin!

I'm ready to apply!

For more information on the upcoming CIA semester will be available through our live info sessions over zoom.

Live Info Session

What is Experiential Education?

The Cortes Island Academy Semester is designed for students who are looking to expand their educational experience beyond the classroom through nature and project-based experiential learning. Cortes Island is both campus and curriculum and is one of the most ecologically sound and diverse places in the world with old growth forests and endangered flora and fauna. Students will learn from thought leaders and local knowledge holders. 

This is not a wilderness therapy course.

Cortes Island is a remote community, where students must be able to live semi-independently in a rural/remote setting with a host family. This program is physically and academically challenging and students are living away from home, often for the first time, on an island with no hospital, little or no mental health care, and no transportation off island after 5:30 p.m. If you are a learner with chronic physical or mental health conditions, think carefully about this course which, due to its remote nature and necessity of semi-independent living, may not be a good fit.

Priority enrolment

Priority enrolment will go to Cortes Island students, those within School District 72 who do not have access to a high school in their community, and Klahoose students wherever they currently live, and then to others that are currently under-served by the educational system in rural/remote communities. The goal is to balance students with approximately ⅓ from Cortes, ⅓ from other remote communities, and ⅓ international/urban/other parts of Canada. We will be accepting students going into grades 10, 11 and 12, (priority to older students and giving opportunities to new students when spaces are limited).

Campbell River School District 72

All students registered in the Cortes Island Academy semester program will need to register with the Campbell River School District 72 as their primary school. Students may cross enroll in online/DL programs or with other District brick-n-mortar schools for the second semester.

Need-blind admissions and financial bursaries for BC students.

Need-blind means that we accept students BEFORE asking about a student’s financial need, thus ensuring that students are evaluated entirely on their fit for the course, irrespective of their finances. Thanks to the Cortes Island Community Foundation CIA Scholarship/Bursary fund and the generosity of many committed donors, we have a generous bursary fund to help meet financial need of rural/remote students. Funding is limited, prioritized for local, rural island, Klahoose and sister nation students, and available to cover the CIA activity and program fees, not the homestay costs.

Non-Traditional Learning

While this course provides individualized educational opportunities to a degree that works well with many non-traditional learners such as those with language-based learning differences like dyslexia, learners that need personal educational assistance or with behavioral challenges cannot be safely accommodated. As well, student work in the CIA matters: it will be shared with scientists, aired on radio, and inform the work of others. This is not a course where you can ball up your final report and throw it in the garbage can for no one to see: work is shared.

Fall Semester Fees

Program Fee
This is for Domestic Students, International/Outside of Province Applicants need to refer to the Homestay ProgramCortes Island Academy Program & Activities Fee – $3500
(Entire semester)

Homestay Fees for 2024/25

Homestay Registration Fee – $400

Part-time Homestay (students who go home on weekends, max 20 days a month) – $750 / mo

Full-time Homestay (students who stay most weekends and some holidays) – $1025 / mo 

 

Bursary/Scholarship Application

You’ve been accepted…. what next?

1. Accept your spot in CIA
  • Please let us know if you intend to accept your spot by emailing appy@cortesislandacademy.ca
2. Financial Aid form (if needed)

The CIA program costs $3500 per student, not including homestay fees. Families seeking financial assistance should fill out the form above. Scholarship and bursaries are based on funds raised each year and therefore vary.

The Cortes Island Academy Scholarship and Bursary Program prioritizes access for local (SD 72 rural/remote students without access to other school program) and balances that with need.

A full scholarship is just over 85% of fees or up to $3,000 per student. We are offering a 10% discount for each student for families with more than one student enrolled.

3. Register with SD72
4. Registering for a Homestay (if needed)

An intergral aspect of the CIA is our homestay program. This offering allows “off-island” and students from abroad the opportunity to have an immersive experience living on Cortes and join the Cortes community. Every year we face the challenge of having limited homestay options. Therefore we have to get creative! Each and every homestay looks a little different and we will do our best to match students with families and houses that fit them best.

Please be aware that the homestay program is organized in part by the Campbell River School District, you must register on their portal with the link above. Homestay housing costs $1025/month for full time students and $750/month for part time students (they go home on weekends). There is a homestay registration fee of $400.

Register for Homestay

Using the link above please make a profile in the TrueNorth portal. This portal is managed by SD72, please reach out if you have any questions. Make sure you select the Cortes Academy option when you are making a profile so you fill out the correct forms.

5. Sign the CIA waiver and FIPPA

 

6. Pay Deposit

After you get confirmation of a homestay placement and financial aid package we are asking families to pay a $100 deposit. This money will go towards the amount you owe for the semester. We will send you a reminder about this in the coming weeks, please keep this on your radar. E transfer to admin@cortesislandacademy.ca