Aircraft maintenance diploma
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Category 'M' Diploma
Facts checked 7 September 2026
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Part of the route toAircraft Maintenance Engineer·Diploma
A two-year polytechnic diploma teaching aircraft structures, gas turbine engines, avionics, and Transport Canada maintenance regulations.
Ways to get this paid for
Government money that can cover this course. Check who qualifies before you pay.
Free adult upgrading
FreeGrade 11 and 12 courses and English classes are free at public colleges and school districts. This covers the Grade 11 and 12 prerequisite courses, not the program itself.
Canada Training Credit
Half your tuition back, up to $5,000 in your lifeFederal tax credit. $250 a year builds up from age 26. Claim it on your tax return.
BC Access Grant
Up to $4,000 a yearFor low and middle income students in full-time programs under two years at public schools. Assessed when you apply through StudentAid BC.
THE ROUTE
How this program works, step by step
Grade 11 to the job. Open any step to see what is inside.
The route (8 steps)
For the best view, open the map full screen.
STEP BY STEP
Step by step
The same route as the map, as a list.
Step 1 of 8
Grade 11
⏱ 1 school year- Pre-Calculus 11. Requirement varies by school (British Columbia Institute of Technology, Okanagan College). Strictest requirement: 67%.
- Physics 11 with a minimum grade of 67%
- Foundations of Math 11 or Workplace Math 11 with a minimum grade of C
Step 2 of 8
Grade 12
⏱ 1 school year- English 12. Requirement varies by school (British Columbia Institute of Technology, Okanagan College, Northern Lights College). Strictest requirement: 67%.
Step 3 of 8
What you need to get in
- Mechanical reasoning assessment and technical program questionnaire
- Transport Canada approved CAR 566 basic training (18 months experience credit toward AME-M licence)
- Mechanical aptitude and color vision test recommended
- Mechanical reasoning assessment test
- Physical ability to perform routine aircraft maintenance tasks
Step 4 of 8
How to apply
- Apply online through the BCIT admissions portal for the Richmond Aerospace Technology Campus intake
- Submit high school transcripts proving senior math and physics prerequisites
- Attend an applicant orientation and pass mechanical aptitude screening
- Tuition: $13,560 at BCIT
Step 5 of 8
Aircraft maintenance diploma
⏱ 2 years- 16 months of intensive full-time hangar and laboratory training across consecutive terms
- Airframe structures, hydraulic systems, landing gear, and flight control rigging
- Turbine and piston engine operation, disassembly, inspection, and test-cell runs
- Aviation regulations, Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs), and standard maintenance documentation
- Awards 18 months of Transport Canada approved basic training experience credit
Step 6 of 8
Where to take it
⏱ 3 schools in BC- British Columbia Institute of Technology — 16 months (About $13,600 for the whole program)
- Northern Lights College — 18 months (About $3,400 per year)
- Okanagan College — 18 months (Tuition not yet verified)
Step 7 of 8
Exams and registration after
- Transport Canada AME Technical Examinations (CARs regulatory exam, standard airframe, and powerplants)
Step 8 of 8
Leads to: Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
- Explore Aircraft Maintenance Engineer wages, job outlook, and career pathways
SCHOOLS
Where you can take this(3 schools)
Compare tuitions, campus locations, and delivery formats across approved institutions in British Columbia.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 7 September 2026.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.
We have not checked this school's tuition yet. See the school's page.