We acknowledge that the land on which we offer these programs is the traditional territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy and the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta. This land is also home to the Otipeiswak Metis Government of Alberta, Districts 4, 5, and 6.

At Bow Valley College, Indigenous Foundational Learning supports First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students in building the literacy, numeracy, and essential skills needed for high school upgrading or employment. Our programs offer a holistic, culturally grounded approach that fosters personal well-being, community connection, and academic growth.

Who should apply?

Applicants should

• Have First Nations, Métis, or Inuit ancestry (status or non-status)
• Demonstrate basic literacy (via placement test or transcripts)
• Be able to attend classes on campus
• Be ready and willing to participate in all program components

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Funding for Upgrading

Academic Upgrading in the School of Foundational Learning provides pathways to further education and employment.

The Government of Alberta offers financial assistance programs for low-income Albertans to help with education and living costs.  Students enrolled in Academic Upgrading may qualify for financial support.  Learn more about the Foundational Learning Assistance Program.

Funding is available for the2026 Winter term.

Interested in funding? The first step is to apply to the Upgrading program.  Students must be admitted into the program to request funding.  Funding is processed on a first-come, first-served basis.  Due to high demand, we recommend students apply as soon as possible.  Applications for Upgrading for the 2026 Winter term open on September 24, 2025.

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Program Options

We offer two Indigenous-focused programs:

• Indigenous Foundational Learning
• Indigenous Pathways to Upgrading & Employment

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Minimum Technology Requirements

To participate fully, students must have regular access to:

• A desktop or laptop computer with a keyboard
• A reliable internet connection
• A camera and microphone
• MS Teams and Desire2Learn (D2L) access
• A myBVC email account
• The ability to open and edit Word and PDF documents
• The ability to create documents of 500+ words

If you do not own a computer, funding may be available to help you buy one.