Explore our schools
The Rocky Mountain International Student Program (RMISP) is pleased to provide international students with top-quality curricular and extra-curricular opportunities to learn, play, and grow in School Districts 5, 6, 19 and 91. All RMISP high schools are committed to academic excellence in learning environments that are innovative, collaborative, and engaging. Graduating international students have gone on to study at top universities in Canada, the USA, and worldwide.
RMISP places students in public high schools in Revelstoke, Golden, Invermere, Kimberley, Cranbrook, Fernie, Sparwood, Burns Lake, Fort St. James and Vanderhoof. Placements are also available at Laurie Middle School (Grade 7-9) in Cranbrook and at elementary schools in Golden, Invermere, and Kimberley (Grade 7 only).
Our schools are known for small classes with supportive teachers and a low ratio of international students to Canadian students.
Explore our schools:
Golden Secondary School in Golden
Golden Secondary School (GSS) is a medium-sized school with approximately 325 students in Grades 8 - 12. GSS has been hosting international students for eight years and hosts between 25 – 30 international students at a time. The school offers a wide variety of elective courses including its well-known and highly-regarded Outdoor Education class and the PTP ski patrol certification course. French Immersion is available at GSS.
The town of Golden is located three hours west of Calgary and has a population of about 4,000 people. It is nestled between the Purcell and Rocky Mountain ranges. Tourists from all over the planet visit Golden for the area's world-class outdoor recreation. Golden is home to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, often ranked as one of the top ten ski resorts in North America.
David Thompson Secondary School in Invermere
David Thompson Secondary School (DTSS) has about 425 students in Grades 8 - 12. DTSS usually hosts between 15 – 20 international students. The campus is modern and spacious and includes a greenhouse, commercial kitchen and restaurant-like cafeteria (the Rocky Mountain Café) linked to its well-known chef-training classes.
DTSS is located in Invermere, a lakeside resort community with a population of about 3,500 in town and 10,000 in the surrounding area. It is the economic centre of the Columbia Valley and boasts many unique, vibrant shops and services. Panorama Mountain Resort is about 20 minutes west of Invermere and is serviced by a free shuttle during ski season.
Selkirk Secondary School in Kimberley
Selkirk Secondary School in Kimberley has one of the oldest and most highly-regarded international student programs in Canada. Students from around the world have attending Selkirk since the 1980s. Selkirk has a population of about 500 students in Grades 8 – 12 and hosts between 20 - 30 international students at a time. The school offers several unique elective courses that are very popular with international students including Outdoor Education, Active Living, Leadership, and Foods. There is also an ice Hockey Skills Development class.
Kimberley is a four-season resort community located on the slopes of the Purcell Mountain Range across the valley from the world-famous Rocky Mountains. The town has approximately 8,000 people and is located only 20 minutes from Cranbrook, the region's largest city. The Kimberley Alpine Resort is located within city limits and it is easily accessible to students. Other local amenities include an indoor aquatic centre, two hockey arenas, and an indoor rock climbing gym.
Revelstoke Secondary School in Revelstoke
Revelstoke Secondary School (RSS) is a Grade 8 - 12 high school with approximately 400 students and 20 - 25 international students. RSS is a modern building (built in 2011) with a 275-seat theatre, oversized gymnasium, fitness room and two computer labs. Extracurricular activities include track and field, volleyball, soccer and cross country running.
The city of Revelstoke is an active community situated on the edge of Mt. Revelstoke National Park and just west of world-famous Glacier National Park. The city is home to about 8,000 people and is well known for its access to outdoor recreation activities, particularly those involving mountains and snow! Revelstoke Mountain Resort is globally known for its amazing powder and for having the largest vertical descent of any ski area in North America.
Mount Baker Secondary School in Cranbrook
Mount Baker Secondary School (MBSS) has a population of approximately 900 students in Grades 10 – 12. MBSS is RMISP’s largest high school and usually hosts 40 international students each year. The school offers a wide variety of academic and elective courses including popular Fine Arts classes like Music Composition, Theatre Production, Theatre Performance, Film & Television, and Visual Arts. MBSS makes use of the 600-seat Key City Theatre for concerts and performances. French Immersion is available at MBSS.
Cranbrook has a population of 20,000 and services a surrounding area of nearly 50,000 people. It offers most of the services found in much larger cities including an international airport, shopping malls, block stores, the College of the Rockies, city buses, movie theatre, fitness gyms, a 4,500-seat arena, a junior "A" ice hockey team, an indoor aquatic centre and other excellent recreation facilities. Cranbrook is located about 25 minutes from the Kimberley Alpine Resort.
Laurie Middle School in Cranbrook
International students in Grades 7, 8, and 9 may attend Laurie Middle School in downtown Cranbrook. Laurie uses a linear timetable: students take English, math, social studies, science and physical education for the full year, plus a variety of electives. Elective courses may include food studies, textiles, woodwork, metalwork, band, drama, computers and French. A variety of school sports are offered including volleyball, basketball and soccer.
Cranbrook has a population of 20,000 and services a surrounding area of nearly 50,000 people. It offers most of the services found in much larger cities including an international airport, shopping malls, block stores, the College of the Rockies, city buses, movie theatre, fitness gyms, a 4,500-seat arena, a junior "A" ice hockey team, an indoor aquatic centre and other excellent recreation facilities. Cranbrook is located about 25 minutes from the Kimberley Alpine Resort.
Fernie Secondary School in Fernie
Built in 1998, Fernie Secondary School (FSS) is a modern school in a beautiful location. FSS has a population of about 450 students in Grades 7 to 12 and usually hosts about 10 international students at a time. Popular school sports teams may include golf, track and field, ski/snowboard, and cross-country running.
The city of Fernie has a population of 5,500 people. It has a beautiful, historic downtown area, an indoor aquatic centre, a hockey arena, the Fernie Arts Station, and many trendy restaurants, coffee shops, and stores. The Fernie Alpine Resort is about 10 minutes from the town and is world famous for its powder skiing.
Sparwood Secondary School in Sparwood
Sparwood Secondary School has a population of 300+ students in Grades 7 – 12. It is located in a new building in a beautiful setting. SpSS is well regarded as both an academic high school and for its athletics. The schools offers a wide range of electives as well as a high number of academic subjects.
The community of Sparwood has a population of 4,000 people and is located less than 30 minutes from Fernie and the Fernie Alpine Resort. Sparwood is one of the highest-elevation towns in Canada and is known for the coal mining that takes place on a large scale in the nearby mountains.
Fort St. James Secondary School in Fort St. James
Fort St. James Secondary School serves approximately 280 students in grades 8 to 12. FSJSS's mission statement is "Learn and Belong" and the school creates a nurturing environment in a dynamic atmosphere for all their students. Popular electives include Outdoor Education and Metalwork. International students are welcome on the school sports teams, which include soccer, volleyball, basketball, alpine skiing and mountain biking. A small number of international students attend FSJSS.
Fort St. James, located in north-central British Columbia, is on the south-eastern shore of Stuart Lake. With 1600 inhabitants in the town and 3400 more in the immediate area, there is a rich and diverse culture of people that support it. Surrounded by Provincial Parks and many lakes, Fort St. James is known for four season outdoor activity and many wildlife species. Short, warm summers and snowy winters are the norm. Fort St. James is one of the oldest settlements in BC with a fascinating history as a former fur trading community.
Lakes District Secondary School in Burns Lake
Lakes District Secondary School (LDSS) is a special school for a special type of international student. It is a remote location with few international students attending. They offer Outdoor Education for grade 8 students as well as German, Photography and Jewelry Making as course electives. Sports teams include Soccer, Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding, Golf, Archery and Mountain Biking.
Burns Lake is a rural village in the northwestern central interior of British Columbia. It is located 128 kilometers west of Vanderhoof and has just under 2000 residents. Naturally beautiful, Burns Lake is well known for its extensive network of mountain biking trails and is known internationally by becoming Canada's first IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association) Ride Centre. In winter, these trails become cross-country ski and snowmobile trails. The nearest ski hill is Hudson Bay Mountain in Smithers, BC.
Nechako Valley Secondary School in Vanderhoof
Nechako Valley Secondary School (NVSS), with a total student body of about 550 students, hosts between 10 and 15 international students each year. They offer a full range of academic and elective courses, including specialty electives such as Aviation, Drone Piloting, Entrepreneurship, Spanish and Japanese. NVSS sports teams include soccer, football, rugby (girls), wrestling, curling, alpine skiing/snowboarding, track and field, and golf.
Vanderhoof is in the geographical centre of British Columbia, located on the banks of the Nechako River. It is a community of about 4,500 people. This area is a growing tourism hub in BC, famous for its abundant wildlife - moose, deer, elk and bears. It is also a great fishing spot in summer and winter. Vanderhoof offers ample outdoor recreational opportunities including horseback riding, biathlon, snowmobiling, skating and indoor swimming at the brand new Vanderhoof Aquatic Centre (opened in 2019).
With so many great RMISP schools to choose from, deciding which one to attend can be a really difficult decision! Rest assured, all RMISP schools are committed to academic excellence, and students in all communities have access to a local homestay coordinator, monthly program activities and community amenities like ice arenas, tennis courts and swimming pools.
All our schools and communities have something truly special to offer, you just need to figure out which community is best for you. Our guide to choosing an RMISP school can help.