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Review the Admission Requirements, Deadlines, and Application Samples

• Review AHCOTE Admission Requirements.
• Review the application timeline and process as shown on the AHCOTE Application Instructions to make sure you will have all your materials together in time.
• Review the AHCOTE Application Evaluation Process to understand how your application will be evaluated.

Apply to SFU Undergraduate Admissions by JANUARY 31 to get an SFU student number.

NOTE: AHCOTE is an “external PDP” program – which means a version of the PDP but in a location other than the Lower Mainland - select PDP for Fall on the EducationPlannerBC application.  

SFU UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS QUESTIONS 

The PPS Admissions office does not handle SFU Undergraduate applications. For more information regarding admission to SFU, contact SFU Student Services:

Phone: 778-782-6930 
Email: reginfo@sfu.ca 
Website:

• Request official academic transcripts from every college and university that you've attended, including withdrawals, incomplete, failed, repeated studies and attendance as an exchange student.
• SFU students do not need to order their SFU transcripts, as we have access to those records.
• You must include original transcript(s) for College Board - Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or any transfer credits (i.e. exchange program and college transfer) where applicable
• Order ALL transcript(s) to be sent directly from the issuing institution to the SFU Undergraduate Admissions office to be received by JANUARY 31.

NOTE: Due to high volumes, allow 4-6 weeks for SFU to indicate that they have received and processed your documents in your Student Centre. Your application will not be cancelled if your document was submitted by the deadline. 

Reminders:

• You must submit official transcripts from institutions where you are currently taking courses
• If your transcript does not show degree conferral, you must submit a letter from an academic advisor at your post-secondary institution confirming that you have either completed 60 units towards a degree (Elementary applicants) or that your degree will be complete prior to the start of AHCOTE in August (Secondary applicants). The academic advisor must email the degree confirmation letter to pps_admissions@sfu.ca by APRIL 1.

TIP: If you are requesting transcripts from institutions outside of B.C., you should start this step as far in advance of the deadline as possible.

1. Go to SurveyMonkey Apply and create an account by clicking the 'Register' button
2. Verify the account
   You will receive a confirmation email.
3. Select 'AHCOTE' as the program you are applying to
4. Complete the online application form  
   You will need your SFU student number or EducationPlannerBC application # to complete this form.
5. Upload your resume
6. Complete the short essay questions
7. Enter the names and email addresses of your 3 recommenders  
   The application system will contact these people for their recommendations.
8. Pay the non-refundable $80 CAD application fee using PayPal
   PayPal accepts debit and credit cards even if you do not have a PayPal account. We do not accept e-transfers.
9. Submit your application 
   This is only possible after all three of your recommendations have been received.

NOTE: You may start your application early and work on it over time. You may review, edit or change your application at any time until you click the final submit button. After that time, you cannot change your application or any of your submitted materials. Your application form, resume, short essay questions, and recommendation forms must all be complete before you can press the final "submit" button.

CREATE YOUR RESUME

Your resume should:

• Include your contact information, education, work and volunteer experiences and any honours, awards, special talents, skills or training.
  
• Be no longer than two single-sided pages.
• Be detailed, but in an outline rather than a narrative form.
• List the length of time you were in each position, the number of hours you worked or volunteered in the position, and your duties.

We highly recommend that you spend time observing/volunteering in K-12 classroom(s) in British Columbia before applying. Such visits, along with a conversation with the teacher(s) afterwards, can help you decide if teaching is a profession you wish to pursue. It may also help you craft your resume to show how your experiences thus far will help you in the pursuit of a teaching career.

When evaluating resumes, we are looking for evidence of knowledge and experiences that will be useful to you if you were to become a teacher, including evidence of experience:

1. Working with children and/or youth (babysitting, tutoring, camp counselor, swim instructor, parenting, volunteering in a classroom, etc.)
2. Engaging in work or activities related to helping others learn (tutoring, coaching, Resident Assistant in student housing or an orientation leader for new university students, running workshops for children or adults, summer camp counselor, designing learning materials for children or adults, such as directions, handouts, training activities, etc.)
3. Collaborating and working with others
4. Showing leadership and/or initiative
5. Working independently
6. Demonstrating organization and time management skills
7. Engaging in novel situations and/or with a diverse range of individuals
8. Using skills or knowledge related to the subject(s) you wish to teach

You may not have experience in all the areas listed above, but it will be important to highlight the related experiences you do have.

You will upload your resume to the online application system in PDF format.

COMPLETE THE SHORT ESSAY QUESTIONS

You will respond to the following short essay questions as part of your supplemental application via the online system. You will have a maximum of 300 words for each answer.

1. Teaching carries a serious responsibility, and it allows the influence of and access to children and youth in our province.  Why should you be a teacher? 
2. Describe two essential characteristics of effective teachers and outline examples from your resume of when you have embodied these qualities.  
3. What is your understanding of teaching and learning in BC's current context?  How do you see yourself specifically contributing to the future of education in our province? 

NOTE: If you want to do your practicum in French and/or take the EDUC 404 (summer) courses in French, we encourage you to submit your answers in French.

TIP: Do not repeat information already stated in previous responses. 

FIND THREE RECOMMENDATIONS

When submitting your online AHCOTE application form, you will be asked to submit three email addresses for individuals who are willing to complete a recommendation for you. The system will then automatically send these individuals an email requesting they fill out an online recommendation form. Recommendations may only be submitted via the online system.

Paper recommendations are no longer accepted. Download the PPS Recommendation Form Questions to review most of the questions they will be asked.

When selecting recommenders, it's important to remember:

• At least two professional recommendations must come from appropriate individuals who have experience working with youth or children.  
• At least two recommenders need to have observed you working in group settings with age-appropriate students or youth, preferably within the last two years. 
• Recommenders cannot be family, friends, or secondary teachers (unless applicant volunteered in the classroom post-graduation). 

When considering who to ask, keep in mind that:

• We reserve the right to contact recommenders to verify the information they provide.
• Recommendations must be professional in nature.
• Recommendations from friends or relatives are not acceptable, even if those friends or relatives are educators.
• Inappropriate recommendations will make the application ineligible for consideration.

If the individual you ask is willing to complete a recommendation, ask them for an email address you can submit to the application system and explain how the system will send them an email request to complete the form. Inform them of the due date for their recommendation.

TIP: Provide your recommenders with a copy of your resume. They may find it useful for writing recommendations.