Adult Upgrading

VVS provides a wide selection of courses that offer students the flexibility to complete an Alberta high school diploma, upgrade their course marks, learn new skills, or fulfill post-secondary requirements. As an Alberta Education-accredited school, all high school courses taken with VVS will be recognized on a student’s myPass account and Alberta transcript.

AM I AN ADULT LEARNER?

Alberta students 20 years of age, or older, as of September 1 of the current school year, are considered Adult learners and should read through this page for their enrollment options.

Alberta students 19 years of age, or younger, as of September 1 of the current school year are classified as school-aged students and should refer to our Grades 1-12 page for their enrollment options.

For more information about academic upgrading for adult learners visit the Academic upgrading if you are 20 or older Alberta Government webpage.

INTRODUCTION

Check out this short introductory video of our Associate Principal, Frank McCallum, describing our adult upgrading program.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Adult learners looking to register in a VVS course must register by 4:00 p.m. MST on April 30, 2024. We are closing adult and international student enrollments on April 30, 2024, to prepare for our transition to PowerSchool in the upcoming school year, where adult and international students will be on a semester system. If you have any questions, please contact vvsupport@pembinahills.ca.

Before starting your application, please review our Registration Checklist. This will ensure that you have all the necessary information before registering. Note: you must be a resident of Alberta at the time of registration.

REGISTER

COURSE COMPLETION DEADLINES AND EXTENSION POLICY

PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR EXTENSION POLICY HAS BEEN UPDATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 1, 2023!

Adult learners have up to six months to complete core courses or 3- or 5-credit elective courses, and up to three months to complete 1-credit elective courses.

In the event that an adult student requires a course extension, they can submit a practical completion plan to their teacher for approval. Please note that the extension period is three months, and a maximum of two extensions can be granted per course. This allows adult students enrolled in 3- or 5-credit core or elective courses up to one calendar year to complete the course, and up to 9 months to complete a 1-credit elective course.

  • Any requests for extensions must be made before the end of their six-month (core or 3- and 5-credit elective courses) or three-month (1-credit elective courses) course period. This means students have the opportunity for up to two extensions, but they must still complete the course within the one-year (core or 3- and 5-credit elective courses) or nine month (1-credit elective courses) time frame.

Those looking to withdraw from a course must fill out and submit a Course Withdrawal Request Form. Students under 18 must have their withdrawal form filled out by a parent or guardian.

COURSE CATALOGUE

MATERIALS & FEES

Adult learners who wish to enroll in courses at VVS will be required to pay tuition fees based on $140 per credit, with material fees not included in the tuition cost. Students may choose to purchase textbooks and other materials from VVS or any other available source. Our Course Catalogue provides a complete list of materials along with their pricing. For those who need their materials shipped to them, our Shipping Policy provides details on pricing.

Full payment is required within 48 hours of registration application processing. Third-party payers may cover course costs for adult students, however, VVS courses are not eligible for Foundational Learning Assistance Program funding. Once payment is received, the Finance Department will send an invoice to the contact provided on the registration application, and the student will be enrolled.

For refund information, see our Refund Policy.

Fees for Adult Students


*tuition fees are based on $140 per credit
 
Current Cost
Tuition for a 5-credit course$700.00
Tuition for a 3-credit course$420.00
Tuition for a 1-credit course$140.00
Three Month Course Extension $100.00
Transcript Evaluation $100.00
High School Equivalency Application$100.00

**VVS does not issue Tax Receipts (T2202) – they are only issued by post-secondary institutions. VVS high school upgrading courses are not usually tax deductible. A statement of VVS expenses at VVS can be accessed in the SIS Student Ledger.

CONTACT US

If you have questions regarding course selection to obtain your high school diploma email vvadults@pembinahills.ca or contact one of our Academic Counsellors:

Lori Goetjen-Lienau
1-855-974-5333 x7211
lori.goetjen-lienau@pembinahills.ca
Schedule an appointment: Goetjen-Lienau Appointment Booking

School-Aged and Adult Students
Christina MacMillan
Email: christina.macmillan@pembinahills.ca
Phone: 1-855-974-5333 x7207
Schedule an appointment: MacMillan Appointment Booking

For registration or other general inquiries, please call 1-855-974-5333 x5317 or email vvsupport@pembinahills.ca

ADULT WORK EXPERIENCE
If you are an adult student (age 19 and older), and are less than 21 credits from completing your high school diploma, you have options. Vista Virtual School (VVS) has a flat-rate to help you to obtain the credits you need to graduate. Learn more about our Off-Campus Programs! How can I obtain the credits I need for a high school diploma?

If you are currently working, and need to complete your general studies to receive your diploma, you can receive up to 21 credits by completing work experience courses.

What do I need to do to receive credit?

Approval from your VVS off-campus coordinator or academic counsellor is required prior to enrollment. You must arrange to enroll in Work Experience 25  (OTH2998), Work Experience 35 (OTH3998), and Career Internship 10 (OTH1910) – if applicable.

The counsellor will verify the credits you need and assist you to enrol in the required courses. Workplace Safety Systems (HCS3000) is also a required prerequisite.

Can I choose this option instead of core course requirements to graduate?

No. If you need to complete specific courses, including English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Career and Life Management, and/or Physical Education, these still are required and cost $140 per course credit.

This option is only available to adult students that need general credits, and can achieve these credits through a work experience program.

What does this cost?

Course tuition for adult enrollments is capped at $700 for up to 20 credits of work experience and career internship courses.

The student also must complete the Workplace Safety Systems (1 credit) course prior to enrollment—the cost for that course is $140.

How am I evaluated?

Students in a work experience course are supervised by an employer’s on-site supervisor and the VVS off-campus coordinator. You must have a work agreement and learning plan with your employer, and the off-campus coordinator must complete a worksite inspection.

Plan to put in 25 hours of logged work for each course credit up to 15 total credits as work experience, and 5 credits as a career intern.