Applications are closed for the 2025/2026 school year. Early admissions for 2026/2027 will be announced shortly.
For further information, please feel welcome to call or email us with your questions.
How to Apply to the Program
Admission to the Kutenai Art Therapy Institute Diploma program is competitive as space is limited. The campus hybrid and online hybrid cohorts both begin in September. It is important to get your application materials in early to be considered for the upcoming academic year.
Application requirements
The following application materials are required for admission to the Diploma program:
Completed Admissions Form
Bachelor’s degree *
Official transcripts must be sent directly to the Institute.
Minimum of three post-secondary level courses collectively demonstrating critical thinking, skills in research and academic writing, an understanding of human development and/or an awareness of social and cultural contexts with an emphasis on understanding systems of oppression and privilege. Examples of applicable coursework include but are not limited to sociology, philosophy, gender studies, cultural studies, and psychology.
* The Bachelor’s degree requirement may be met through a documented Equivalency Assessment.
Volunteer/paid work experience
Successful completion of a minimum of 60 hours of interactive volunteer or work experience in the helping professions (education, counselling, rehabilitation, psychiatry, hospice, community-based art programs or social services) at the time of the application deadline. This experience can be paid or unpaid and must be direct in-person contact and interaction with individuals or groups. The applicant’s experience needs to be completed at no more than two facilities/organizations – a minimum of 30 hours at each.
The applicant will need a direct supervisor in an official role at the facility or organization who can act as their reference. The onsite supervisor/referee will need to complete the online Volunteer/Work Experience Reference Form as part of the KATI application package, to comment on the applicant’s competencies and verify the number of hours they completed.
The individual(s) submitting the Volunteer/Work Experience Reference Form cannot be a family member under any circumstances.
Portfolio including ten images of creative art
Criminal record check for working with vulnerable clients
Three letters of reference
Resumé
Personal autobiography (500 words max.)
Statement of intent (250 words max.)
English Language Proficiency Test
Applicants who have not completed a minimum of 3 years of secondary (Grades 8-12) or post- secondary education in which English is the primary language of instruction in a country where the program’s language of instruction is one of the principal languages must provide results of an English language proficiency test as part of their application.
Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of the KATI application.
Applicants must meet the minimum scores/levels of the chosen test. English language proficiency tests conducted by a reputable third party that are accepted include the following:
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic - Minimum overall score of 5.5.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) IBT - Overall score of 46.
Canadian Language Benchmark Placement Test (CLB PT) - Listening 6, Speaking 6, Reading 5, Writing 5.
Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) - Listening 6, Speaking 6, Reading 5, and Writing 5.
Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL) - Overall Score of 40.
We recognize that there are other comparable standardized tests/assessments other than those listed above. Please contact admin@kutenaiarttherapy.com for a complete list approved by PTIRU.
30-hour art therapy workshop
All applicants are required to complete a 30-hour art therapy workshop. This requirement ensures that all students entering the program have some familiarity with the pedagogy at KATI and experiential learning in art therapy. This is to be fulfilled with one of KATI’s own Intro Series workshops.
On special request, this requirement may be fulfilled with an equivalent educational art therapy workshop experience. The Admissions Committee will review the request upon receiving a description of the workshop and learning outcomes.
Recommended experience
Participation in art therapy workshops or groups
Personal experience with therapy or art therapy
Fees
Application Fees
Base application fee
Upon submission, a $175 base application fee is charged for campus hybrid and online hybrid applicants.
Equivalency Assessment fee
An additional $100 CAD processing fee is added to the standard application fee for equivalency assessment requests.
Read more about Equivalency Assessments >>
Re-application Fee
Applicants who have deferred acceptance to KATI may apply again within one year with a new letter of intent, a new interview, and a fee of $125. Deferred applicants can contact admin@kutenaiarttherapy.com to apply for the Fall 2025 intake.
Tuition fees for students entering the program in Fall 2026
Campus Hybrid Tuition
1st year - $17,005 (2026/2027)
2nd year - $13,920 (2027/2028)
Technology Fee - $150
Student Fees - $150
Online Hybrid Tuition
1st year - $17,005 (2026/2027)
2nd year - $13,920 (2027/2028)
Technology Fee - $150
Student Fees - $150
Additional Costs
Textbooks - Required textbook list amounts to approximately $1,400 per year, if purchased new. Students are responsible for purchasing their own required textbooks.
Supervision Fees
Supervision is included in the cost of tuition fees, provided the student maintains their expected clinical placement hours each week for the duration of their studies. If students require additional or summer semesters of supervision, additional course fees for supervision will apply.
If students are not able to complete the program within the scheduled time frame, a student may have to contract for further clinical supervision.
Fall 2026 Supervision (1 semester): $1575
Fall 2026 Supervision (2 months): $840
Course Re-take Fee (2026/2027)
Individual courses unfinished or incomplete within the timeframe:
20-hour course: $810
30-hour course: $1215
40-hour course: $1615
45-hour course: $1730
Research Extension Course (2026/2027)
$2125 per year
$1065 per semester
Official Transcript Fee
$20 per transcript
Professional Registration Forms
$30 per form
NSF cheques
$25 per cheque
Equipment
Students will require a computer for coursework and a camera for documenting client artwork.
Thesis or Capstone Binding
Thesis or Capstone binding is at an additional cost to each student per copy. Students may refer to the Student Policy Manual for pricing.
Unpaid Debts
Student transcripts and diplomas are withheld until all debts to the Institute are paid. These debts include outstanding tuition, borrowed equipment, and books. All previous debts must be cleared before registration in a subsequent year.
Income Tax Receipts
All students receive T2202 education tax credit forms for each year tuition is paid. T2202 income tax receipts are provided in February for the previous year once all tuition is paid.
Refund Policy
Fees will be refunded in accordance with the PTIB (Private Training Institutions Branch) refund policy, as shown in the Student Contract and KATI Policy C9: Tuition Refunds. You may also refer to the PTIB Fee and Tuition Policy Compliance Standards for more information.
Financial Aid
The Kutenai Art Therapy Institute is Designated by the Private Training Institutions Branch of British Columbia (PTIB) and has Designation with Student Aid BC. Students who have financial need can apply for provincial and/or federal student loans or various student grants, depending upon their eligibility.
Equivalency Assessments
An Equivalency Assessment (EA) is available for applicants who do not hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. The EA application process is built directly into the Diploma Program Application Form.
An EA is an assessment conducted by the Admissions Committee to establish what has been learned through formal and informal education, training, work, or life experience. There is a written component followed by an interview. The goal is to establish the quality of learning that has occurred, rather than just the experience itself. It is the applicant’s responsibility to produce documentation of evidence of learning that meets the entrance requirements to KATI. This process may be used to establish a documented equivalency of a Bachelor’s degree.
The fee for an EA application is $100.
It is important to recognize that each employer, professional association, and professional college has a unique set of application requirements. Those applying to KATI with an EA should be aware that other organizations may still require a Bachelor’s degree as an application requirement. Provincial art therapy associations accept applications for Professional membership from KATI graduates, but requirements for Registered membership may vary. The Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA) accepts both Professional and Registered membership applications from KATI graduates, regardless of whether or not they applied with an EA.
Transfer Agreements
The Kutenai Art Therapy Institute will consider up to 50% of course work as transfer credits from other recognized art therapy programs.
Bursaries and Scholarships
BIPOC Scholarship
The BIPOC Scholarship aims to uplift and support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) by awarding a $3500 tuition credit to a prospective first-year student. We believe that BIPOC perspectives and voices are critical in creating an equitable art therapy community. We recognize that BIPOC communities have faced and continue to face systemic inequalities in art therapy education, and we want to do our part to address these barriers. This scholarship is part of our ongoing efforts to undo the structural barriers that prevent BIPOC communities from pursuing their dreams in art therapy.
External Scholarships
Canadian Art Therapy Association Scholarships
The Canadian Art Therapy Association offers a student scholarship and research grants for CATA members. Several KATI students have been recipients of these scholarships and grants.
Application deadline is August 1st. KATI recommends that you become a student member.
Kootenay Co-Op Scholarship
The Kootenay Co-op in Nelson offers up to $3,000 in scholarships for co-op members pursuing post-secondary education
A lifetime membership to the co-op costs $50, which can be paid in 5 monthly installments of $10.
Priority is given to studies in food & environment, health, community development, and cooperation, but applications are welcome from any members. There is no age restriction and all members, and their children are eligible to apply. Deadline May 1st.