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Online Registration

April 2023 Registration

Newcomer Welcome Centre (NWC) Online Registration

Who should register online through the NWC?

  1. Grade 1 to Grade 12 students born in Canada, and who DO NOT speak English as their home language.
  2. Kindergarten to Grade 12 students born outside Canada, regardless of language spoken at home.
  3. Parent/legal guardian is neither a Canadian Citizen or a Permanent Resident. This applies even if the child was born in Canada.
  4. Former students, who meet the criteria listed above, who were withdrawn from the VSB and have returned. 

If your child was born in Canada, English is their first language, and none of the criteria indicated above apply, you will need to register on the VSB Apply Now portal - not the NWC. Learn more about that process here.

If your child is a CURRENT VSB student and you need to change your address, please contact your current school - DO NOT submit a new registration form. 

What are the required documents?

To be eligible for publicly funded education the parent and child must be in the city of Vancouver and have an established long-term residence (i.e. you have moved in and signed either a purchase or long-term rental agreement). 

After you complete the online registration, you must attend an in-person appointment at the NWC with your child and your original documents. 

Before we can move forward with the in-person document verification process, it is very important that you have proof of residency in the city of Vancouver. 

Please refer to our required documents page for additional information.

How do I locate my catchment school?

How long does the registration process take? 

Our registration process can typically take about 10 to 15 business days, depending on the time of year.

As noted above, after you complete the online registration process, you will be need to attend an in-person appointment at the NWC with your child and your original documents. 

To book your appointment: 

  • Use the confirmation email you received, after you submitted your online registration.
  • Click on the Bookings link in that email to schedule your meeting with a Registrar. 
  • Please do not contact the NWC to set up an appointment. 

At the appointment:

  • The child and at least one parent or legal guardian must be present.
  • If the second parent or legal guardian is not attending, you must bring a copy of their identification and any required documents related to them (e.g. custody documents, immigration papers, etc.)
  • **If the child is living with a legal guardian, who is not a parent, you must provide official court documents showing that the guardian has been legally appointed by a court. 
  • All required original documents must be presented. Missing documents will delay the process. 

Once your registration is reviewed, and your child is assessed, if needed, the completed registration package and the assessment results will be sent directly to the catchment or placement school. The school will then contact you to discuss the next steps. 

Applications for the September 2024 to June 2025 school year

  • Accepted on an ongoing basis

Applications for the FOLLOWING school year (September 2025 to June 2026 school year)

  • Accepted as of November 1, 2024

Access the School Year Calendar here. 

Please note, the NWC only registers students to the Vancouver School Board. If you reside outside of the city of Vancouver, you must register in the district where you reside. 

If you live within the city of Vancouver, please use the registration link below. 

Each of the cities listed below have their own school district and a separate registration process (click on the city name to access the corresponding registration page):

Start your NWC online registration here

If you have additional questions, please email us at nwc@vsb.bc.ca

In order to receive all correspondence from us regarding your registration status: 

  • ensure your email address is correct on your application
  • check your SPAM/JUNK mail 
  • add nwc@vsb.bc.ca to your contact address book
  • update the location of your email settings to either Canada or North America
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