is given to students with existing
post-secondary credits. A
mature student seeking to go
to college for the first time may
have a lot of trouble enrolling
in these schools. For these
reasons, in addition to financial
and flexibility factors, mature
students often seek education
at institutions like Kwantlen
Polytechnic University, Langara
College, and Douglas College.
At Douglas College, mature
students are defined as anyone
aged 19 or over on the first day
of classes, or 17, if the applicant
has been out of school for a
year. A high school diploma is
not required for admission in
the mature student category,
however, proficiency in English
or a completion of English 12
or equivalent is required. This
waived requirement separates
mature students from general
admission as students not
qualifying in the mature
category require secondary
school graduation to qualify.
Last summer, a $30,000
bursary tailored for mature
students was announced by
the Douglas Student Union in
conjunction with the Douglas
College Foundation. The annual
Douglas Students’ Union Mature
Student Bursary is awarded
to one or more students who
demonstrate a financial need,
with a preference given to
mature students over the age of
24. Financing their education
can be a particular challenge for
mature students, as they often
have more expenses than their
younger peers depending on
their living or family conditions.
Douglas College offers
a variety of programs and
options in their educational
opportunities—everything from
four-year degrees to specialized
continuing education and skill
programs. This variety, along
with cheaper fees, accessibility,
and flexible class times, makes
Douglas significantly more
attractive to mature students.
Over 75 per cent of enrolled
credit students at Douglas in

 

Fall 2013 were over the age of 19,
with 29 per cent over the age of
25. While some of these students
were returning to Douglas, it’s
clear that mature students are

a significant amount of the
student body.

Internalized difficulties
mature students encounter
can involve time conflicts and
limited access to resources.
These are not necessarily specific
to Douglas, but a frequent
challenge at any post-secondary
institution. For example, a
student who works throughout
the day, and, therefore, can
only attend night classes, might
have difficulty accessing the
bookstore or academic advising
centres, which are closed in the
evenings.

Douglas is well aware of
its mature student body, and
has many resources available
to counter the challenges they
may face. A Mature Student
Orientation is held every August.
This orientation allows mature
students to discuss and alleviate
the problems they face, learn
about particular resources and
strategies available to them, and
meet current Douglas mature
students. This is separate
from the general New Student
Orientation, which is also held
in August. Other conveniences
hosted by the college include
classes hosted in the evenings
and on Saturdays, and a library
open until 9 p.m. Special
counselling services for career,
academic, and personal issues
can also be arranged for students
who have a course schedule
outside of regular office hours.
Despite these accommodations,
lack of access to services remains
a significant problem for the
mature student community.

In the changing economy
and world, education remains
higher in demand than ever. An
influx of students of all kinds
requires accommodation and
understanding from all sides,
as mature students continue to
enroll and graduate frequently
across the province.