Yes! Our Kindergarten to Grade 12 program covers all core subjects required by the BC Ministry of Education, including, but not limited to, math, science, language arts, and social studies. Students also enjoy arts-enriched electives, graduating with a full Dogwood Diploma—often earning extra credits and merit awards—so they receive both a strong academic foundation and creative growth.

Yes! Our Graduation Program meets or exceeds BC Ministry of Education standards, requiring students to complete core courses like English, math, and science. This ensures they have full post-secondary options, from universities and arts schools to colleges, trades, or technical programs. With a 99% graduation rate and over 80% of students earning Honours Certificates, our students are well-prepared for any next step.

Our highschool students can focus on their area of interest or explore a variety of programs to discover their strengths and passions. We also offer approved External Credit Courses through the BC Ministry of Education —during or after school— which allow students to earn additional credits in areas such as music, dance, scuba, sports, or the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. These opportunities enable students to graduate with well over the minimum required credits, supporting specialized post-secondary pathways.

We know that the Arts and Project Based Learning produce results other learning methods and systems do not. Experts support it, science supports it, and studies support it... learning through the arts and project based learning develop strong minds as well as strong hearts. They teach critical thinking, problem solving, persistence, practice and success!

Our alumni page highlights graduates who have gone on to excel in a wide range of fields, from universities and arts programs to trades and technical careers.

Yes, all Kelowna Arts Academy teachers are certified by the BC Teacher Regulation Branch.

Our current capacity is 104 students.

We pride ourselves on our small classroom sizes which enable us to offer our students a more focused educational environment where their unique needs will not go unnoticed and their strengths can be properly nurtured.

Most classes average between 8 - 14 students.

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. At Kelowna Arts Academy, we integrate STEM into our curriculum to give students hands-on, real-world learning experiences that build critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. By combining STEM with the arts and project-based learning, students not only understand concepts deeply but also learn how to apply them creatively—preparing them for a wide range of post-secondary opportunities and future careers.

At Kelowna Arts Academy, a certain number of Fridays throughout the year are designated as Collaboration Days, where students from all grades come together to work on creative projects in theatre, music, dance, and visual storytelling. These cross-grade experiences foster community, encourage mentorship, and enable students to develop essential life skills through artistic collaboration.

Kelowna Arts Academy carefully selects students to ensure a positive fit both for your child and by the Academy’s standards within our small, close-knit classrooms. To help families and students find the right match, we offer short-term trial periods, allowing your child to attend classes and experience the school firsthand before making a full commitment.

Kelowna Arts Academy is an arts-focused school, so we ask that students have at least a basic interest in the arts and a willingness to participate and learn. Students don’t need to be highly skilled—our programs aren’t looking for the next Monet, Shakespeare, or Academy Award winner. What matters most is enjoying the process and exploring creativity, and we work to help every student find their place and thrive within our community.

For students with diverse learning needs, a recent Psych Ed is required for enrolment and placement. A Psych Ed can be arranged by the parents/guardians and supplied prior to enrolment.

Please be mindful that for students writing Foundation Skills Assessments and Provincial Exams, no additional help can be provided without an official assessment.

Kelowna Arts Academy offers the same educational supports as BC public schools, ensuring that students with diverse learning needs have the tools and accommodations required to succeed. Supports available under provincial school standards include

Individual Education Plans (IEPs), assessment and evaluation support, learning resource support and accommodations such as modifications or alternative learning strategies.

However, our smaller classroom sizes does allow for more one-on-one time with our teaching staff and our project-based learning structure has often been beneficial for students with diverse learning needs.

Every child learns differently, and what helps one student thrive might not be the best fit for another whether they have learning differences or not. That’s why we invite parents to tour Kelowna Arts Academy and let their child experience a trial period, so everyone can see firsthand if the school is the right fit for everyone.

Tuition Fees are due in full July 1st of each year for September enrolment unless payment plans are arranged. These plans begin July 1st and end in June of the school year (12 months), with the first payment due July 1st. There are interest fees on payment plans and additional fees if credit cards are used as payment for either quarterly or monthly instalments.

For families paying on monthly or quarterly instalments a 5% Administration Fee is applied because we must carry the set-up costs and education costs for a child starting from July 1st. See the Office Manager for specific information on additional payment plans. If credit cards are used to pay tuition, there is an additional service fee charge based on current credit card company fees.

Yes, there is a family discount available to children in the same family living in the same household. The discount is based on full tuition for the first child at the highest grade level and 20% discounts on equal or lesser amounts, for all subsequent children. ​

Yes, our Bursary Program is designed to support students who are a great fit for Kelowna Arts Academy and have demonstrated financial need. Students receiving a bursary are expected to maintain good attendance and actively participate in all arts classes.

Bursaries cannot be combined with family discounts; the larger of the two will apply. Families receiving a bursary are also expected to contribute to the school community through volunteering or other services, with a minimum of 20 hours to be completed by the end of the school year.

No, unfortunately, Special Education Supplemental Funding for any designation cannot be used to pay tuition fees. It is important to note that the Ministry of Education regulations say that supplemental funds are not targeted to individual students. Funding is provided to meet the unique needs of all students and schools/districts have the autonomy to determine how resources are allocated to meet those needs within the school system.

Kelowna Arts Academy is a Category 1 independent school under BC’s Independent Schools Act, which provides a partial government grant toward tuition. The minimum annual cost of educating a child at the Academy is nearly three times the provincial tuition grant, with the remainder covered through tuition, donations, and school fundraising.

Tuition fees are reviewed annually, though not always increased. As an arts-focused, project-based learning school, our operating costs are higher than traditional schools, and we rely on community support—through parent involvement, fundraising, and sponsorships—to maintain our programs and opportunities for students.