Why study in the Pacific Rim?

Why choose the Pacific Rim International Student Program?

The Pacific Rim International Student Program (PRISP) offers international students a personalized Canadian high school experience on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Our small program allows us to know our students personally and provide individualized support throughout their stay.

International students study alongside Canadian students, live with carefully screened local homestay families, and are encouraged to participate fully in school and community life. Our goal is to provide students with much more than an academic experience: we want them to develop independence, improve their English, build meaningful relationships, and experience life in Canada.

What makes a small international student program different?

Our size is one of our greatest strengths. Students are not simply one of hundreds of international students within a large program. PRISP staff know our students individually and work closely with schools, teachers, homestay families, students, parents and educational agencies throughout the experience.

Our program also values diversity within our international student population. Having students from a variety of countries helps create an authentic English-speaking environment and encourages international students to build friendships with Canadian students and students from other cultures.

What is Alberni District Secondary School like?

Alberni District Secondary School (ADSS) is a modern public secondary school in Port Alberni serving students in Grades 8–12. International students study alongside Canadian students and can choose from a broad selection of academic courses, electives, athletics and extracurricular activities.

Specialized opportunities include Outdoor Education, Hockey Academy, skilled trades and technology, business education, culinary arts, computer science and game coding, media arts and photography, fine arts, leadership, and dual-credit opportunities with North Island College.

International students are encouraged to become active members of the school through sports, clubs, arts, leadership and other activities.

What is Port Alberni like for an international student?

Port Alberni is a small Vancouver Island community surrounded by mountains, forests, rivers and lakes and located within easy reach of Canada's spectacular Pacific coast. The community offers students an opportunity to experience everyday Canadian life away from the large international populations found in major metropolitan areas.

Students have access to recreation including hiking, swimming, kayaking, mountain biking, golf, skiing and other outdoor activities. The community is also within driving distance of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and the internationally known communities of Tofino and Ucluelet on Vancouver Island's west coast.

Is Port Alberni safe for international students?

Like communities throughout Southwestern British Columbia, Port Alberni experiences social challenges, including property crime and homelessness. However, the daily experience of a secondary-school international student is quite different from what general community statistics alone may suggest.

PRISP students live with screened homestay families and receive ongoing support from program staff throughout their stay. Students receive orientation about expectations, transportation, personal safety and life in the community. If a student experiences a problem at school or in the homestay, program staff are readily available to provide support and assistance.

Will I improve my English?

PRISP intentionally maintains a diverse international student population so that no single nationality dominates the program. This creates a strong English-immersion environment in which students naturally communicate in English at school, in homestay and with friends.

Because our international student population is relatively small, students have many opportunities to interact with Canadian students rather than remaining primarily within a large international student group. Over time, this helps students develop confidence, independence and practical English communication skills.

What is special about studying on Vancouver Island?

Vancouver Island offers an unusual combination of excellent public education, welcoming communities and extraordinary access to nature. Students can attend a modern Canadian secondary school while living minutes from forests, mountains, lakes and the Pacific Ocean.

For students looking for an authentic Canadian experience rather than life in a major city, the Pacific Rim offers an opportunity to become part of a community, experience Canada's west coast lifestyle and make the most of their time studying abroad.