Feel at home in our classrooms and communities, nestled within the welcoming West Kootenay and Boundary regions. For almost 50 years we’ve been providing innovative and unique learning opportunities both within and outside our classes, through our 60+ nationally-recognized programs, ensuring our graduates are career (and life) ready.
Educating over 2,000 students in 8 locations across the West Kootenays
Engaging over 550 dedicated employees and instructors, committed to your success, our eight campuses and learning centres in Castlegar, Grand Forks, Kaslo, Nakusp, Nelson and Trail deliver exemplary teaching and outstanding learning experiences.
Our 2,000 + full-time students consistently rank us above 90% in student satisfaction for quality of instruction and expertise, plus level of knowledge gained at school.
Providing a well-rounded academic & life experience
Apprenticeships, work terms, co-op education, practicums and hands-on classroom training combine to give you exceptionally well-rounded academic experiences. In between classes, explore challenging recreation, peaceful natural settings, vibrant culture and award-winning cuisine around town. Or stay on-campus, discovering our athletic facilities, libraries and on-site residences (Castlegar and Nelson).
Alive with inviting social scenes and year-round recreation opportunities, our compelling environments are perfect for launching your studies and shaping your future. At Selkirk, you’ll get more than just lectures and labs: discover friends with similar interests and goals, uncover your passion, connect to your future and define the person you want to become.
BC's oldest Community College serving the region for over 45 years
Selkirk is not only BC’s oldest regional college but the first created through a community referendum. The very first day of classes at Selkirk College were held in temporary buildings, abandoned bunkhouses to be exact, at Celgar, a local pulp and paper mill. It was September 1966 but the college’s roots trace back to 1964 - 1965 during which discussions and forums finally resulted in a regional vote in favour of funding BC's first regional college.
Many of our trades programs have been in continuous operation on the present day Silver King Campus of Selkirk College since 1964 when the facility was then called the British Columbia Vocational School, Nelson. It was the first such institute in BC and it officially became part of Selkirk College in 1975.
What began its existence as one campus in Castlegar has now spread to five other communities in the West Kootenays: Grand Forks, Trail, Nelson, Nakusp and Kaslo. Selkirk College's main campus in Castlegar, was built on bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers, which once served as a gathering place for First Nations People trading and fishing salmon from the rivers. In more recent history, part of the land was occupied as a small Doukhobor village.
