Study in Alberta, Live & Work in BC
For more than 20 years, aspiring RMTs from all over British Columbia have come to Vicars School of Massage Therapy in Calgary and Edmonton for their massage therapy education.
Why? Because our affordable full-time program is delivered through an accessible blended learning format that combines on-campus training and clinics with online courses that you complete at home, on your own schedule. In fact, most years, more than a quarter of Vicars students are from BC.
The education you deserve, no matter where you live
Choosing the right massage school is a critical decision that will shape your career path. In today’s job market, a quality education is essential to remain competitive and adapt to industry changes.Â
An accredited massage education gives you the tools to be a successful and effective massage therapist: the most up-to-date techniques to keep your clients coming back for more, business know-how to keep your practice thriving, and the self-care skills to keep your career going for years to come.Â
And thanks to our innovative blended-learning options, you don’t have to uproot your life and relocate in order to get it. Students join us from across Western Canada for monthly hands-on sessions and supervised clinic shifts, and complete the rest of their coursework at home on their own schedule.Â
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blended learning and how it works
You’ll be a full-time student, but you don’t have to be on campus every day; our blended-learning program combines monthly on-campus sessions with structured online courses.
You will learn hands-on skills in the classroom four days per month, and practice them during your clinic shifts. Our on-campus public clinics are supervised by faculty and are a critical part of your path to becoming a successful and effective RMT.
For the rest of the month, you’ll work from home studying massage theory and science, completing assignments, and practicing what you’ve learned. Our innovative online learning tools mean you can stay connected with your instructors and classmates all month long.
It’s all the benefits of being a part of the Vicars community, without having to move away from your own.

Start your online education right away
Our classes start in March and September each year, but you never have to wait to get going! As soon as you are registered you can get a head start on your two core science courses, Anatomy & Physiology and Pathology. No deadlines, no classrooms, and no tuition payments until class starts!
You can work ahead on our interactive platform, using all our online resources. You will be at home, but you won’t be working alone—you will have an instructor on call, and you can meet and work with other students in chat rooms and virtual study groups.
Once class starts you’ll be a full-time student with a full-time workload, but right now you can do as much or as little work as you have time for. It’s the perfect opportunity to get ahead on your school work, get used to using the Vicars School online learning website, and start learning how to be a massage therapist!Â
Best, you won’t pay any tuition until your first day on campus. Â
A Vicars education is recognized in BC and across Canada
As a Vicars student, you can feel confident that you’re getting an education that will prepare you to become a successful and effective RMT anywhere in Canada.
Vicars School is fully accredited by the Canadian Massage Therapy Council for Accreditation, which means that it meets exactly the same standards as the best schools in regulated provinces like BC. The CMTCA standards are focused on ensuring that graduates from accredited schools have the skills and knowledge they need to be effective—from the first day they enter the profession.
The College of Complementary Health Professionals of British Columbia—the regulatory body for the massage industry in BC—has confirmed that students who graduate from Vicars School after September 1, 2023 can apply directly to write the CCHPBC registration exams. This is an important acknowledgement of the quality of our curriculum and the way it is delivered.
$2,000 special grant for BC students
We know that going back to school is a big investment. You need to budget for tuition and supplies, and you may have to cut down on your hours at work or get extra childcare. For our BC students, there are also travel expenses.
That’s why Vicars offers a special Distance Grant for BC residents who have to travel to campus. It’s worth $2000 off the cost of your tuition over the two-year program.
Learn more about the distance grant and other funding sources by booking a confidential one-on-one online financial aid consultation with our Registrar.Â


Essential clinic time
Beginning partway through first year, you will begin to add time in supervised student clinics to your schedule. At Vicars, our student practicum is not just a job placement or internship. It is a fully integrated part of our curriculum! Every shift includes specific learning goals, faculty supervision, charting, and a group debriefing session.
get the complete RMT training
The Massage Therapy Diploma Program from Vicars School of Massage Therapy provides the hands-on training, practical experience, and high academic standards it takes to become a skilled massage therapist. Our program is a careful balance of building technical skills and nurturing healing hands. When we make decisions about curriculum, staffing, or programming, our first priority is student success and well-being; our students are treated as adults and always with respect.
If you’re a long-distance learner, you’ll enjoy the convenience of attending a school that is built around your needs. Our innovative blended-learning schedules mean you won’t have to relocate in order to get a great massage therapy education. Our program meets the national curriculum standard. Your training will include:
- Massage Theory
- Patient Safety
- Learning Anatomy through Movement
- Swedish & Non-Swedish Massage Techniques
- Ethics
- Hydrotherapy
- Chair Massage
- Palpation & Musculoskeletal Anatomy
- Orthopedic Assessment
- Treatment Planning
- Remedial Exercise
- Pathology
- Therapeutic Massage Techniques
- And More!
Vicars School is specifically designed so you can train for your new career without having to quit your job or move to the city.

What our grads say
There are a lot of reasons for BC students to choose the Vicars blended learning program over a more old-fashioned local massage school: convenient schedules; nationally recognized curriculum and delivery; a warm and supportive learning environment…the list goes on.
But you don’t have to take our word for it. Here’s what some of our graduates from British Columbia have to say about their Vicars experience.





Yes! If you want to be able to work in any province, the first step after you graduate is to take the board exams in one of the regulated provinces (BC, ON, NB, PEI, and NL). Once registered in one regulated province, you can practice in any of them.Â
For a long time, massage therapy graduates from Alberta weren’t welcome to challenge the BC entrance exam, because of the variation in quality among the programs here. Each applicant had to prove their qualification through an expensive and lengthy process. Â
Vicars grads are now one of the exceptions to that rule—thanks to CMTCA accreditation. Because the Vicars program has the same accreditation as BC programs have, our graduates can now apply directly to write the registration exams in BC. This is an important acknowledgement of the quality of our curriculum and the way it is delivered.Â
This career mobility is the main reason Vicars School has always supported regulation of the massage industry in Alberta. Â
Not completely! Students are in class four days a month for hands-on instruction. When you’re not in class, you’ll access your schoolwork, including our core science courses, on our online platform, Moodle. As well as resource material and assignments, access to Moodle also gives you access to instructors and to your classmates when you’re not on campus.
Year over year, more than 95% of Vicars graduates are hired in the field or have opened their own practices within a year of completing the program. Our well-rounded curriculum and extensive clinic experience means you’re prepared to work on day one! That’s why Vicars grads are in huge demand from clients and employers alike.
Let’s Connect
Our friendly and knowledgeable admissions advisors will help you decide for yourself if Vicars school is a good fit for you.
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