This guide brings together the facts international families need before applying to Delta School District (School District No. 37)（三角洲教育局）, a public school district in British Columbia, Canada. Everything below comes from the district’s official International Programs website (godelta.ca), accessed on August 6, 2026. All fees are quoted in Canadian dollars from the official 2026-2027 International Program Fee Sheet (updated October 2025); treat every figure as subject to the latest official version.
About Delta School District (School District No. 37)
Delta School District (School District No. 37) is located about 30 minutes south of downtown Vancouver and 20 minutes from Vancouver International Airport (YVR), right on the USA border, surrounded by the Fraser River and the Pacific Ocean with a mild climate. The district operates 24 elementary schools and 7 secondary schools across the three communities of Ladner, North Delta and Tsawwassen, and reports more than 15,900 students and 2,260 staff. Its International Programs welcome students from age 5 to 18 in short-term, full-year, graduation and summer camp programs. A distinctive feature of Delta School District is that it runs its own homestay and custodianship program, so students in the homestay program are under the district’s care 24 hours a day, with regional homestay coordinators and cultural support staff in place.
Programs Across the District’s Schools
Delta School District’s 24 elementary schools serve Kindergarten to Grade 7 (ages 5 to 13), with English Language Learning (ELL) support in every school while students join Canadian classes with Canadian peers. Study periods run from three months up to a full school year and longer, with intake at the beginning of each month. Elementary life includes extracurricular sport such as basketball, volleyball and track and field, band for all Grade 6 and 7 students, choir and theatre, and outdoor education with camps and ski opportunities in the upper grades. Students as young as 10 can opt to stay with a Canadian host family. The district’s 7 secondary schools cover Grades 8 to 12 (ages 13 to 18) and offer semester (5-month), full-year or graduation programs; students aiming to graduate should expect a minimum of two school years and may need some summer academic courses to secure credits. Each secondary school lists over 160 courses, with ELL support at no extra charge in every school. Specialty streams across Delta School District include the International Baccalaureate (IB) at Seaquam Secondary (Grades 11 and 12, requiring a two-year commitment, a supplementary application with IELTS, and supplementary fees; applications are typically due in late January for September intake), Advanced Placement courses at Delta Secondary, Sands and South Delta, French Immersion at Burnsview and South Delta, and, at elementary level, the IB Primary Years Programme at English Bluff, Montessori at Devon Gardens, and Traditional Schools at Heath, Jarvis and Pebble Hill. Summer options include a three-week ELL language and culture camp in July and August for students aged 10 and over, and summer credit courses that let Grades 10 to 12 students earn up to two courses toward graduation.
International Student Entry Requirements
Delta School District accepts international applications from students aged 5 to 18. Elementary intake runs at the beginning of each month, while secondary entry aligns with the September and February semesters, with flexible start dates available on request. The published document list for an application comprises a completed application form, an original and certified copy of the most recent report card or transcripts plus certified copies from the previous two years (translated into English), complete and most recent vaccination records, a photocopy of the passport, and an activity waiver; a homestay waiver form is also required if no homestay is requested. Incomplete applications are not evaluated until all documents are submitted. On English proficiency, Delta School District provides ELL support in every school at no extra charge and does not publish a single minimum score for mainstream entry; the IB program at Seaquam Secondary is the one stream that explicitly requires IELTS as part of its supplementary application. For students under 18, the district acts as custodian while the student is registered in the Delta School District homestay program, or for elementary students living with parents for the duration of their study; privately arranged custodians are also acceptable.
How the Application Works
The application process at Delta School District is published in six steps. Step 1: submit a completed application form with supporting documents through the True North online system or by email. Step 2: submit the application and pay the non-refundable application fee of CAD 200; the district typically issues an invoice for program fees, insurance, homestay management, custodianship and orientation within two business days of receiving the application package. Step 3: pay the fees in full, which is required before the district issues the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) and custodianship documents. Step 4: the district issues the official LOA, the notarized custodianship document (where applicable) and a copy of the paid invoice. Step 5: immigration documents — students attending for more than 5 months apply for a Study Permit through Canadian immigration authorities, while short-term students apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or a visitor visa depending on their country of origin. Step 6: payment is made by bank transfer or certified cheque. All fees are due at least 90 days before the program start, and the website notes that registration is currently open for the September 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 school years.
2026-2027 Fees and What They Include
The official 2026-2027 Fee Sheet of Delta School District (updated October 2025, all amounts in Canadian dollars) sets the application fee at CAD 200, non-refundable. The full-year (10-month) program fee is CAD 17,500, which is CAD 1,750 per month and includes medical insurance. The annual homestay management fee is CAD 500, homestay fees are CAD 13,000 per year (CAD 1,300 per month, paid in full to the homestay family), the custodianship fee for students in Delta homestay is CAD 500, and the orientation fee for new secondary students starting in September is CAD 300 — bringing the total for a full year to CAD 32,000. For one semester (5 months), the program fee is CAD 8,750 and homestay fees CAD 6,500, for a total of CAD 16,750. Additional items: returning students pay a CAD 100 renewal fee plus CAD 260 for summer medical insurance; extending students pay a CAD 100 extension fee; and students staying with parents who require custodianship documents for IRCC purposes pay a one-time CAD 200 fee. Airport pickup and drop-off is free for homestay students. The published refund policy refunds the program fee in full (less the application fee) if the Study Permit is not approved by Canadian immigration; half of the program fee is refunded for withdrawal before the program start or within the first calendar month; no refund is given after one month of attendance, and most refunds carry a CAD 500 administration fee. All fees are reviewed each year and may change.
Homestay, Custodianship and Medical Insurance
Delta School District runs its own homestay and custodianship program, describing 24-hour care as a core part of studying in the district. All homestay families are screened with a criminal record check and inspected to ensure safe, welcoming homes. Students receive a home where English is the primary language, a private bedroom with a comfortable bed, study table, window and adequate lighting, bathroom and laundry facilities, three substantial meals a day plus snacks, transport to and from school when the school is not within an easy walk, and airport pickup and drop-off. Students can list specific requests for their homestay family in the application, and after a match is made the district emails a family profile with photos and contact details so the student can make initial contact before arrival. Medical insurance is included in the program fee: students studying for 6 months or longer are required by BC law to join the Medical Services Plan (MSP), with a three-month waiting period covered by StudyInsured’s Comprehensive+ private plan, which then continues as a top-up once MSP is active; students studying for less than 6 months are covered by StudyInsured for the whole period.
School Year and Key Dates for 2026-2027
The official 2026-2027 calendar for Delta School District sets these key dates: new secondary students arrive August 29-30, 2026, with new student orientation August 31 to September 4; returning and elementary students arrive September 1-7; and the first day of school is September 8, 2026. The winter break runs December 19, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Semester 1 ends January 29, 2027; new arrivals for Semester 2 come January 31, 2027 (an additional homestay fee of CAD 42 applies to students in the Delta Homestay Program arriving that day); and Semester 2 begins February 1, 2027. Spring break runs March 13-30, 2027, with classes resuming March 31. The secondary school program ends June 25, 2027 and the elementary program June 29, 2027. Students must leave the homestay and custodianship program by the end of their paid study term.
Planning Checklist and Next Steps
Before applying to Delta School District (School District No. 37), run through this checklist: confirm the student’s age fits the intended level (elementary ages 5-13, secondary ages 13-18) and choose the right program length — semester, full year or graduation track; gather the certified, translated school records and vaccination documents early; note that elementary intake is monthly while secondary entry follows the September and February semesters; budget against the October 2025 fee sheet, remembering all fees are due at least 90 days before the program starts; plan the Study Permit timeline for stays over 5 months; and mark the arrival windows in the 2026-2027 calendar. All facts in this guide come from the Delta School District official website as of August 6, 2026, and the official website remains the authority if anything changes. For personalised advice on whether Delta School District suits your child’s year level, English level and budget, speak with our study-abroad advisers.