Concept art schools in Vancouver and Canada: how to compare
To compare concept art schools in Vancouver or anywhere in Canada, check seven things: whether the school is officially designated, how long the program is, what is taught each term, who teaches, the full cost, the quality of recent student work, and where the credential leads. Ask every school for the same facts in writing and compare them side by side.
By NPC College of Arts & Design. Updated October 2026.
1. Is the school designated?
In British Columbia, private colleges are regulated by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB). A designated school has had its programs reviewed and must follow provincial rules on tuition refunds, student contracts and complaint handling. International students also need the school to be a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) to apply for a study permit.
NPC College of Arts & Design is designated by PTIB and its DLI number is O272070464932. You can confirm any BC school in the public PTIB directory and on the IRCC list of designated learning institutions.
2. How long is the program, and is it full-time?
Concept art programs in Canada run from a few months to four years. Short certificates teach a tool or a single skill. Diplomas of one to two years are built to produce a hiring portfolio. Degrees take four years and include general education courses.
At NPC College the Concept Design Diploma is 15 months over 5 terms, the Computer Art Diploma runs 5 terms, and the Entertainment Concept Design Diploma is 12 months over 4 terms. All three are full-time and taught on campus.
3. What is taught, term by term?
Ask for the course list, not the brochure. A concept art curriculum should start with perspective, figure drawing and design fundamentals, move into character, environment, prop and vehicle design, add digital painting and 3D, and end with a portfolio or senior project.
NPC College publishes every course in each program: 28 courses in Concept Design, 21 in Computer Art and 21 in Entertainment Concept Design, listed by term on each program page.
4. Who teaches?
Look for instructors who work, or have worked, as concept artists and designers on films, games and animated series, and look at their own work. Each NPC College instructor has a profile page on this site with their background and work.
5. What does it cost in total?
Compare the total for the whole program: tuition, application and registration fees, materials, software and hardware. Ask whether domestic and international tuition differ and what the refund policy is.
NPC College lists every fee. Tuition for Concept Design and Computer Art is CAD $24,923 per year for domestic students and $32,400 per year for international students. Entertainment Concept Design is $24,400 for domestic students and $32,400 for international students.
6. What does recent student work look like?
Student work is the most honest evidence a school has. Look for design sheets, callouts and development sketches, not only finished paintings, and ask how recent the work is. NPC College shows student work in a gallery on this site.
7. Where does the credential lead?
Ask what graduates do next and whether the credential transfers. Graduates of the NPC Concept Design Diploma can apply to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Concept Design at College for Creative Studies (CCS) in Detroit under a transfer agreement between the two schools.
Questions to ask on a campus visit
- Can I see the course list for every term?
- Who will teach me in the first term, and what have they worked on?
- What is the total cost of the program, including every fee?
- How many hours a week are taught in class?
- Can I see portfolios from students who graduated in the last two years?
- What is the refund policy if I withdraw?