FAQs

To ensure students have a rich online educational experience with valuable connections to instructors and fellow students, our online studios will feature a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities. This means that our online studios will include live sessions facilitated through Zoom.

The online studios will run Monday through Friday, with daily live sessions from 9:00am to 12:00pm (Pacific Daylight Time, GMT -7). Students are expected to attend the daily meetings on time. In addition, students can expect to spend a minimum of 3 hours each day doing independent work.

These online studios are structured in a way that students benefit from a variety of dynamic teaching methods that may include live presentations, group discussions, live and pre-recorded demos, independent work, peer critiques, and individual guidance and feedback from the instructors. By the end of the program, students will have developed new skills in their area of study and expanded their body of work!

All studios are limited to 16 students.

All classes are taught in English. Students whose first language is not English should note that they are required to be proficient in written and spoken English and be able to participate in group discussions and presentations in English. As a guideline, we would expect you to have an IELTS score of 4.5 to 6.0 for lecture courses.

There are no credits allocated to the program. However, participation in the program will increase the student’s portfolio and allow them to be more competitive when they do apply to post-secondary institutions.

Students participating in SIT will need to source their own supplies for their registered studio. The cost of materials will vary by studio, but on average, students can expect to spend up to $150 in studio-specific supplies. Please note that students are welcome to use materials they already have at home, provided such materials serve a similar purpose for their studio work.

Students in the online studios will need access to a smartphone or tablet (iPad or Android), and a computer to join the virtual classroom on Zoom. Computers should meet the following minimum requirements:

Mac:
macOS version 10.13 (High Sierra) or later
8 GB of RAM
8 GB of available hard-disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation; SSD recommended

Windows:
Windows 10 (64-bit) version 1803, 1809 and later.
8 GB of RAM
8 GB of available hard-disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation; SSD recommended

While these are the standard minimum requirements to participate in SIT studios, we recommend reviewing the system requirements for the specific software required for your studio of choice.

A desk, table, wall space or even floor space between 2x3 and 3x4 ft. should be more than enough space to work on your art.

If you have any technical difficulties, you can contact your instructor or the CS Programs Assistant at teens@ecuad.ca, and they will help troubleshoot any issues you may have, or forward them to our IT desk for further assistance.

At this time, we offer two full scholarships for students of Aboriginal ancestry. Scholarship applications will be available mid-November and are due on March 1. Scholarship Applications are only applicable for the Summer Institute for Teens and Junior Art Intensive programs. The application forms can be found on the program's webpage.

Please note: Do not register in the Institute if you are planning to attend as a scholarship student as the scholarship admission is run separately and we cannot refund your tuition if you are awarded a scholarship.

Welcome packages with important information regarding materials, schedule, etc. will be made available to registered students after final registration closes mid-June.

Students will be contacted and then placed into their second studio choice.

ECU does not provide on or off campus accommodations, so students are responsible to source their own appropriate housing. Students from out of town may choose to stay with a family member or friend, or find temporary housing with a parent or guardian for the duration of the program.

Note to parents: If your child is travelling unaccompanied to Vancouver, please be advised that students under the age of 18 must have a pre-arranged appointed custodian/guardian who will be responsible for them during their stay, in order to enter Canada. Visit the Government of Canada- Minor Children travelling to Canada page for more information.

For information on local housing options, neighbourhoods, and homestay resources, visit our ECU Off-Campus Housing Page.

Lunch is not provided, but students have access to our cafeteria and to indoor and outdoor eating areas on campus. Additional lunch time talks and programming may be scheduled over the course of the month and students are encouraged to attend.

No, transportation and bus passes are not included in the Teens & Youth tuition fees. Students are required to provide bus fare for off-site trips. Visit Translink for bus fare information.

Yes, providing the appropriate waiver has been signed and returned to the Continuing Studies office prior to the program start date.

We encourage students to attend all classes. If they are going to miss a class, parents or guardians must notify the program manager via email or phone as soon as possible. If students miss more than 15% of the program, they may risk falling behind in their coursework and may not be eligible to receive their certificate of completion.

Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive their certificate via email in the following Fall.

There are no credits allocated to the program. However, participation in the program will increase the student’s portfolio and allow them to be more competitive when they do apply to post-secondary institutions.