At Sprott Shaw College we are committed to supporting a safe, supportive, and equitable return to classes this September. We have implemented a four-stage plan, in line with the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training’s COVID-19 Return-to-Campus Guidelines.
Below you will find a quick summary of the actions required in each stage, as well as which stage our campuses are currently in. Our goal is to limit the transmission of the virus while maintaining the best possible learning, teaching, and working environment for everyone.
Return-To-Campus Stages
| Stage 1 | Stage 2 |
|---|---|
| ➤ Masks: Mandatory indoors ➤ Classes: Primarily virtual ➤ Physical distancing required ➤ If sick, stay home & get tested ➤ Daily health check-ins via Sprott Shaw College App ➤ Building/room occupancy limits apply | ➤ Masks: Mandatory indoors ➤ Classes: Primarily virtual ➤ Physical distancing ➤ If sick, stay home & get tested ➤ Daily health check-ins via the Sprott Shaw College App ➤ Increasing building/room occupancy limits |
| Stage 3 | Stage 4 (Current) |
| ➤ Masks: Mandatory indoors ➤Classes: Primarily face-to-face ➤ Physical distancing ➤ If sick, stay home & get tested ➤ Daily health check-ins via Sprott Shaw College App ➤ Further increasing building/room occupancy limits | ➤ Masks: Recommended ➤Classes: Primarily face-to-face ➤ Physical distancing recommended Healthcare Program Staff & Students ONLY: ➤ Daily health check-ins via Sprott Shaw College App when in care locations ➤ Masks required in care locations ➤ Proof of full vaccination required |
Still have questions? For more details please visit the Provincial COVID-19 Return-to-Campus Guidelines and review our Frequently Asked Questions below to learn how we are actively responding to the COVID-19 situation at Sprott Shaw College and what you can do to keep yourself safe below.
Student Support During COVID-19
Click here to find links to different kinds of support that may be available to you during this challenging time.
COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions
COVID-19 Protocols Documentation
- Fully Vaccinated Travellers Entering Canada During COVID-19
- Re-opening Canada’s Border
- Voluntary Compliance Portal
- International Students Information Package
- International Students Information Package (Effective August 9, 2021)
- International Student Entry Guide
- Self-Isolation Information
- Support for Travelers Self-Isolation Plan
- Self-Isolation on Return to BC Website Highlights
- Free Self-Isolation Package
- Transportation
- Pet-Friendly Hotels
- Hotels
- Delivery Services
- Cultural Centers
- Counselling Services
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – On-Campus Protocols
Do not come into the campus if you are feeling unwell.
When you enter the campus, please sign-in using the Sprott Shaw app every day.
Download our Student App and get MySprottShaw.com on your phone!
Remember to maintain physical distancing of 2 arm lengths (2 meters / 6 feet) in all areas including office spaces, classrooms, reception areas, labs, common areas, and during social encounters (lunch/breaks). Take turns entering stairwells, hallways, and restrooms.
Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds frequently including before class starts, after using the restroom, before eating, at the end of the school day, and whenever possible throughout the day.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or the crease of your elbow when sneezing or coughing.
Label your personal items and do not share them with others. Bring your own pens, pencils, learning necessities, cups, glasses, and eating utensils.
Wipe down chairs and desktops with a disinfectant spray and paper towel prior to using.
Do not shake hands and avoid physical contact.
All students must wear face masks in all common areas while on campus property.
Gloves while on campus are not mandatory but encouraged.
Please note that wearing masks does not replace the need to adhere to frequent handwashing, avoiding touching the face, and practicing social distancing – our best tools to help prevent the spread of illness.
If you start feeling unwell on campus or have any other personal health concerns, including possible contact, please immediately report to your campus director.
You can watch the COVID-19 protocols video here.
We plan on a safe return to full on-grounds learning come September 7, 2021. However, as we did prior to the pandemic, we will continue to offer select programs through on-ground and blended formats at specific campus locations. Limited (non-practicum) programs will also be available on-line.
On-ground involves physically attended the campus for class.
On-line involves joining a ‘live” synchronized class that is being delivered via camera i.e. WebEx.
Distance allows the student to log into an on-ground class via a camera.
Blended is a program delivery that involves classes that use two or more of the above delivery methods.
Please note that all methods require the student to be actively engaged in class with attendance taken. Any program that includes a practicum cannot be delivered fully on-line.
Admission Advisors will be able inform students if a format other than on-ground delivery is available for the student’s program of interest.
Yes. Some of our programs will be offered as fully on-ground as well as blended. For the blended option, students will be advised which courses will require them to be on campus.
Yes, in the majority of instances. Students would need to contact the campus and their instructor to make the necessary arrangements, which would most likely involve being given the option to move to distance learning during the quarantine period. Lab components would need to be rescheduled, as would practicum and clinical placements.
Students would need to contact the campus and their instructor to make the necessary arrangements. All graded work (assignments, projects, assessments, quizzes and exams) and non-graded work (activities and exercises) can be assessed through G2. There are certain protocols in place regarding test taking via WebEx.
If British Columbia’s restart plan proceeds as scheduled, we anticipate returning to class sizes similar to those seen prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
If British Columbia’s restart plan proceeds as scheduled, there will be no need for physical distancing, directional flow, barriers, or occupancy limits. Masks will still be required. These measures will be updated regularly to reflect changes in response to new information, updated procedure or guidance from the Provincial Health Officer.
We plan on a safe return to full on-ground learning come September 7, 2021.
These are unprecedented times, and we continue to rely on the guidance of the Provincial Health Officer but if restrictions on large gatherings are lessened or lifted, we plan on having in-person graduation ceremonies commencing in Spring 2022.
If you are traveling to BC from another province or territory for essential reasons you do not need to self-quarantine; however, you must follow all the province wide restrictions.
Any specific questions regarding textbooks should be directed to the campus where you are enrolled. They will be able to advise you as to whether a textbook is available in an eBook.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – International Students
International students are permitted to travel to Canada. However, it is important to check if restrictions are in place for your country that may affect your ability to travel. For example, the Government of Canada has suspended flights from India until August 21, 2021. To be eligible to enter Canada, international students must meet both of the following requirements:
- You must have a valid study permit or a letter of introduction that shows you were approved for a study permit.
- You must be attending a designated learning institution (DLI) with a COVID-19 readiness plan approved by its province or territory.
An international student must have a 14-day quarantine plan in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet all of the conditions required to be exempt from quarantine. This is still the case even if they believe they meet the criteria for being considered a fully vaccinated traveler. Students should be in contact with their designated learning institution for assistance in developing quarantine plans in advance of their arrival to Canada. Information about the quarantine plan must be submitted in ArriveCAN prior to travel to Canada.
Those who are fully vaccinated may qualify for exemptions from some of the quarantine and testing requirements. To be considered fully vaccinated, travelers will need to have received the full series of a COVID-19 vaccine, or combination of vaccines, accepted by the Government of Canada, at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. If you have received a different vaccine, you are currently not considered fully vaccinated in Canada. Currently, the vaccines accepted by the Government of Canada are manufactured by the following:
- Pfizer-BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD
- Janssen (Johnson & Johnson)
Travelers must provide proof of vaccination in English or French (or a certified translation of their document). Travelers can receive their vaccine in any country, but it has to be 1 of the 4 vaccines accepted by Health Canada. To be eligible for exemptions, fully vaccinated travelers must still meet the pre-entry and on-arrival testing requirements, including being tested within 72 hours pre-departure. They must also be asymptomatic, submit all required COVID-19 information electronically into ArriveCAN prior to travel to Canada, have a paper or digital copy of their proof of vaccination, and have a suitable quarantine plan.
As of August 9, 2021, new measures will be put in place for travelers to Canada, including international students. This includes the following:
- Eliminating the 3-night government-authorized hotel stay requirement for all air travelers arriving after 12:01 a.m. EDT on August 9, 2021. Until that time, non-vaccinated travelers flying to Canada must complete their 3-night hotel stay while they wait for their on-arrival test results.
- Implementing a surveillance randomized testing regime for fully vaccinated travelers who qualify for entry to Canada at select airports and land border crossings across Canada. Unvaccinated travelers will continue to be subject to mandatory on-arrival and day 8 testing.
- Allowing individuals who have recovered from COVID-19, but who continue to test positive, to present a positive COVID-19 molecular test result on a specimen taken 14 to 180 days prior to arrival in Canada as part of the pre-entry test requirements.
Yes, we provide an International Students Information Package (available through our COVID-19 webpage) that includes information on entry requirements, self-isolation planning and supports to assist with self-isolation, including the following:
- Important websites
- Transportation options, including ride share, taxis, town car services, rental cars, BC transit, railways, and ferries
- Hotels, including pet friendly hotels
- Housing services
- Delivery services, including groceries, food, and prescriptions
- Medical insurance, health associations, and health agencies
- Medical clinics
- Hospitals
- Health authorities
- Additional health services
- Dental and oral health
- Rehabilitation services
- Walk-in clinics
- No cost and reduced cost counselling services, including general counselling, counselling for members of the LGBTQ community, trauma counselling, counselling for indigenous peoples, addictions counselling, mental health counselling, multilingual counselling, youth counselling, health related counselling, faith-based counselling, and crisis services
- Cultural centres
- Banking and finances
Entry Into Canada Guidelines
Starting August 9th, 2021, the three-night government authorized hotel stay requirement will no longer be in place. However, partially vaccinated and unvaccinated international students will still be required to undergo Day 1 and Day 8 COVID-19 molecular tests, and complete a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
Starting August 9th, 2021, discretionary (non-essential) travel for fully vaccinated American citizens and permanent residents currently residing in the U.S. will be allowed. There will also be adjustments to arrival testing for fully vaccinated travellers. Using a new border testing surveillance program at airports and land border crossings, fully vaccinated travellers will not need a post-arrival test unless they have been randomly selected to complete a Day 1 COVID-19 molecular test. Unvaccinated children under the age of 12 and dependent children (due to a mental or physical condition) of fully vaccinated travellers will no longer have to complete a 14-day quarantine but must follow strict public health measures.
International flights carrying passengers will be permitted to land at five additional Canadian airports:
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport;
- Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport;
- Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport;
- Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport; and
- Edmonton International Airport.
Starting September 7th, 2021, provided that the domestic epidemiologic situation remains favourable, the Government intends to open Canada’s borders to any fully vaccinated traveller who has completed the full course of vaccination with a Government of Canada-accepted vaccine at least 14 days prior to entering Canada and who meet specific entry requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Sprott Shaw Specific
Yes, we are. While life may not always go as planned, you shouldn’t let that stop you from pursuing your career goals. From our new online admissions process to our online and on-campus learning options, you can stay on track, and move forward with your education.
To inquire, please contact one of our advisors here.
All Sprott Shaw College campuses are delivering online learning until further notice.
You and your family’s health and safety are our top priority so we will make the decision to revert back to in-person learning when it is deemed safe to do so.
In the meantime, classes are conducted live via WebEx. To learn more about WebEx and how to use it, please see our guide here.
If you have forgotten your Sprott Shaw email address, it will be your first name, a period, then your last name @mysprottshaw.com. If you can’t remember your password, please call your campus directly.
We are offering online learning of our programs through synchronous WebEx delivery.
WebEx is a video conferencing platform that allows us to maintain remote “face-to-face” structured classes that are 100% instructor-led. These virtual classes create an interactive learning experience for our students in the safety and security of their own homes.
You can learn more about online learning here.
If you don’t have access to a computer or internet, please contact your campus director. They will be able to help and support you with this.
At this time, we will be delivering online learning for students until further notice.
You and your family’s health and safety are our top priority so we will make the decision to revert back to in-person learning when it is deemed safe to do so.
Your campus admin will be in contact with each class to schedule textbook pickup for upcoming courses. Please keep a close eye on your emails.
To learn more and receive support on your alternative learning and WebEx delivery, click here.
Yes! With SprottTalks, you can learn new tips and tricks, discover fun activities, and connect with your instructors and peers.
As a Sprott Shaw College student, you receive free access to our extracurricular SprottTalks series designed with topics and themes relevant especially for students.
Learn more about SprottTalks here.
