Launch a Successful Massage Therapy Career
Registered Massage Therapists make a real difference in the lives of others. RMTs can help relieve pain; aid rehabilitation from injuries; relieve stress, anxiety, and depression; and help athletes perform at their best.
If you have a passion for helping others, an interest in health and wellness, and an entrepreneurial spirit, massage therapy training could be a great fit! RMTs are in demand throughout BC, with many massage therapists booked weeks and months ahead. This means a good income throughout the year, whether you are an employee or have a clinic of your own.
Get the skills to be a registered massage therapist
Study in Alberta, Live and Work in BC
For more than 20 years, aspiring RMTs from all over British Columbia have come to Vicars School for their massage therapy education. Our students travel from Whistler, Kamloops, Williams Lake, Cranbrook, Golden, and beyond. In fact, about 25% of our students commute from BC to our monthly classes in Calgary or Edmonton. The program takes 22 months to complete, and classes start in September or March.
Why? Because Vicars School offers something that BC schools don’t—the freedom to attend a nationally accredited massage program without having to move. Most BC massage schools are in cities like Vancouver or Victoria, where the housing is scarce and expensive. Our 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.
At Vicars School, you’ll develop what it takes 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. Vicars graduates are set up for success no matter where in Canada they decide to work!
Why Study Massage Therapy with Vicars School?
REAL-WORLD MASSAGE CLINIC EXPERIENCE
Massage therapy is a hands-on profession and that means you need a hands-on education. On top of the hundreds of hours of in-person practical instruction, our Massage Therapy program includes a minimum of 330 hours of real-world clinic experience. Under the expert guidance of our supportive instructors, you’ll have the opportunity to treat people from all walks of life with a wide range of needs: pregnant clients, people in wheelchairs, athletes, and people with conditions as varied as MS, scoliosis, and brain injuries.
BLENDED LEARNING MEANS YOU DON’T HAVE TO RELOCATE
Vicars students pursue their career dreams without having to relocate or uproot their families. 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. These also take place on campus, under the supervision of our experienced faculty. For the rest of the month, you’ll work from home studying theory, 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.
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 qualified massage therapist 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 Massage Therapists 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 CMTBC registration exams. This is an important acknowledgement of the quality of our curriculum and the way it is delivered.
LEARN FROM THE MASSAGE EXPERTS
As a Vicars student, you’ll be working closely with some of the best RMTs and massage educators in Canada. Our small class sizes allow for lots of one-on-one support from your instructors, so you’re always guaranteed the personalized attention it takes to succeed
START YOUR ONLINE CLASSES RIGHT AWAY
You’ll get full access to some of your online courses as soon as your registration is complete —even before your first tuition payment is due! We recommend you begin with the online course in Anatomy & Physiology, so that you will have a head start on learning about the human body. This is not mandatory, and you won’t have any deadlines until your regular school year starts. But if you can get some work completed a few weeks or months before the official start dates, it will give you confidence, lighten your workload, and help you get familiar with the workings of our online learning platform.
Vicars grads are in demand
More than 95% of Vicars graduates are working as RMTs within less than a year of graduating from the program.
You can be your own boss
On average, 65-70% of Vicars graduates go on to be self-employed. Enjoy the flexibility to create your own schedule and build the career of your dreams.
Financial supports
Vicars students who live in BC are automatically eligible for up to $2000 in Distance Grants from the school to help with travel costs. And we have a no-fee, no-interest tuition payment plan.
My experience at Vicars was 5 stars. The staff and administration are amazing. My instructors and the curriculum set me up to succeed in the provincial board exams in Newfoundland so I could transfer to BC. Vicars staff and students continue to elevate massage therapy as a health care profession.
Tessa K., Vicars graduate from Golden, BC
I’m not much of a classroom person—I find it hard to sit and listen to a lecture—so the fact that it was only four classroom days a month worked really well for me. It was hands-on and I got to learn a lot of information in a short amount of time and then take it home and digest it myself and reread. That setup worked really well for the way that I like to learn.
Karen G., Vicars graduate from Creston, BC
The blended learning program is great for adult learners who have to keep full-time jobs and have families, and who know what their time is worth. Vicars does a fantastic job of balancing people’s time.
Andrew W., Vicars graduate from Prince George, BC
Is a rewarding career in massage therapy right for you?
If you’re interested in learning more about careers in massage therapy and exploring whether Vicars School of Massage Therapy is right for you, fill out the form below to get in touch with us!