Criminal Record Check

MSW Students need to request a BC Criminal Record Check (Type: Schedule B, Works With: Children and vulnerable adults) from the BC Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.  The BC criminal record check is referred to at the CCRP as they administer the process. This is an admission condition for all MSW students that must be received and processed by the UBCO School of Social Work before the start of our program.

Criminal Record Checks (CRC) are to be completed immediately after the applicant accepts an offer of admission. Due to the processing time, it is recommended that MSW students entering the program request this as soon as they accept their offer – it can take several weeks for the results to be sent to the School of Social Work.  Failure to submit the required documentation by the specified deadline may result in the withdrawal of an offer of admission. Applicants or students who have a criminal record may have their offer of admission withdrawn or may be required to withdraw from the program.

When a cleared BC CRC is received by the UBCO School of Social Work our program will send you a confirmation that is has been received.

If you are unsure of this process, please contact us at  ask.socialwork@ubc.ca or call (250) 807-8189.

*Please do not go to your local RCMP station to request a BC Criminal Record Check – this is the incorrect option.

NOTE: If you are unable to complete the online BC CRC request online, then you will need to contact the UBCO School of Social Work to complete the paper version.  The paper version must be obtained directly from the UBCO School of Social Work, please email ask.socialwork@ubc.ca.  You will also need to book an appointment in-person or online with them to verify your identity.

DOMESTIC STUDENTS:  We require a criminal record check (CCRP) from the BC Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.  You may use the online CCRP request or request the paper process from the School of Social Work directly.

DOMESTIC STUDENTS (out-of-province): We require a criminal record check from the BC Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.  You may use the online CCRP request or request the paper process from the School of Social Work directly.  The online process can be completed throughout Canada. Criminal record checks from provinces/territories other than BC may be considered to start the program. It is recommended that you discuss this process directly with the Graduate Program Assistant as soon as you accept your conditional offer of admission. You are still required  to provide the BC CCRP to be permitted to participate in your required MSW practicum(s) and this is due before the start of our program.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: As a condition of admission, the School of Social Work will need receive a criminal record check directly from the applicable reporting agency in your home country.  Immediately after you begin residing in Canada, you will be required to complete the B.C. Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General criminal record check as outlined below (online CCRP request or manual paper process for the BC CRC request).  It is recommended that you discuss this process directly with the Graduate Program Assistant as soon as you accept your conditional offer of admission.

How to submit a criminal record check to the School of Social Work:

1) Applicant-Based Online Service (eCRC) – Complete the online application for a criminal record review (quickest, and preferred method).  There is an eCRC Walk-through Guide available to assist you.  Be aware that this online option is very busy over the summer months; it you are not able to access the eCRC site, please contact the Graduate Program Assistant to start the manual paper process.

To be able to use the online process to request a BC CRC, you must:

  • Be at least 12 years of age as of today’s date.
  • Have your identity verified by using your BC Services Card. The BC Services Card provides secure access to government online services. If you don’t have a BC Services Card, an alternative option is available.
  • Applicants without a BC Services Card who haven’t lived in B.C. for at least six months or who live outside the province should contact your organization and inquire for an alternative option to submit their criminal record check request
  • Have an access code provided by your organization.

The access code provided below is required to request a new criminal record check to CCRP online:

2) Share an existing BC CRC –   To share the results from a valid BC CRC you completed previously it must have been completed within the past 5 years.  The BC CRC which you are sharing must have also been for the same type of check previously completed.  If you did not complete the BC CRC Schedule B that indicates ‘Works With: Children and vulnerable adults’, you will need to submit a new BC CRC request.

3) Manual BC CRC Paper Request – Contact us at ask.socialwork@ubc.ca, please be aware the process normally takes much longer than completing the process online or sharing your previous results.  Thus, it is important to start the process as early as possible.

When you receive the CRC paperwork (2 pages) from us, please ensure the following:

      • Applicant = MSW student
      • Organization/Authorized Contact = UBCO MSW Program, please do not complete these sections

PAGE 1 – Employee/Applicant – Consent to a Criminal Record Check Cover Page

      • Section 1: do not complete, this is for the UBCO MSW Program
      • Section 2 – For Employee/Applicant Use: please ensure you have read and checked each of the boxes in Section 2

PAGE 2 – Employee/Applicant – Consent to a Criminal Record Check

      • At the top of the form, use the checkbox for Schedule Type B and use the checkbox for Works with children and vulnerable adults
      • Part 3: Position with organization = student field practicum
      • Part 4: do not complete
      • Part 5:  Please ensure that you have physically signed your form.

Every year some applicants, when completing the criminal record check application process online, receive an error message stating they are not eligible to submit the application online.  However, many students who contact the BC Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General for assistance when they receive the error message are then able to complete the process online.  The online process provides the greatest advantages to the student, a future practicum agency, and the School so, if at all possible, this is the preferred method to submit your criminal record check.

*Applicants who have a criminal record or are seeking a pardon are advised that this can be a lengthy process and they should initiate the criminal record check procedure at least 6 months before classes commence.