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Get to know VIU. As a teaching university and a research university, we offer a unique experience to students.

About VIU Why VIU

About VIU

Why VIU?

Explore where VIU is going

The Strategic Plan builds on our commitment to diverse learners and draws on our connection to the community.

Programs Programs

Explore a wide range of program offerings and learning services. Choose from degrees, vocational training, certificates and more.

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Learning Services

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Admissions & Aid Admissions & Aid

Discover how to apply to VIU and get more information about tuition and financial aid.

Admissions Tuition and Aid

Admissions

Tuition and Aid

How to become a student

Make your VIU application successful by following these steps to becoming a student.

Steps to become a student

Student Life Student Life

Make the best of your time at VIU. Get involved in campus events and enjoy island adventures.

Student Life Student Services

Student Life

Student Services and Support

Get ready for the new student orientation

Attend in-person and online events, explore campus and connect with your professors and soon-to-be classmates!

Support VIU Support VIU

Connect with other VIU alumni and learn about the impact of donor generosity at VIU.

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VIU Alumni

VIU Donors

Your support means so much to VIU students

Our donors fund over 2000 scholarships, awards, and bursaries each year.

Research Research

Discover how VIU's interdisciplinary research is making a real-world impact.

Research

Research and Creative Activity

Explore the research highlights. Includes recent publications, ground-breaking studies and more.

Research Reports

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aerial view of Building 200 at VIU's Nanaimo campus

News

VIU in the News

Latest Stories

Lisa LeClerc smiling at the camera

Alumni spotlight: Lisa Leclerc

January 27, 2026 - 09:59am

Dr. Chris Gill observes as Lucas Abruzzi puts a sample in the mass spectrometer.

Algae bloom toxins are an emerging threat to human and animal health

February 24, 2025 - 11:30am

Author Julia Hotz inviting you to join the Social Prescribing event in Nanaimo, BC

Social prescribing program advancing senior’s health in Central Island

February 20, 2025 - 09:45am

Eliot stands in front of his exhibit at the Museum of Natural History

VIU alum exhibits at Museum of Natural History in New York City

February 19, 2025 - 07:45pm

Two freight containers swinging into each other, one has the Canada flag, the other has the United States flag

VIU News & Experts: February 14, 2025

February 15, 2025 - 10:15am

VIU News & Experts: February 5, 2025

February 5, 2025 - 05:00pm

Engineering Technician Devin Ayotte and Resource Management and Protection Technician Michael Lester stand in front of marmot weigh scale

Technicians devise remote weigh scale to assess health of Vancouver Island marmots

February 4, 2025 - 03:00pm

VIU Blog

Find out what's going on at VIU!

three students walking down the stairs in front of the VIU library.

Starting the semester right

January 29, 2026 By Becky Duarte

What to do so you don't feel so behind

Five students talk to each other at CREATE conference

MyVIU student news: March 19, 2025

March 19, 2025

Budget info and research showcase 🧪

A group of students takes part in an Afro dance fusion class together

MyVIU Student Newsletter: March 5, 2025

March 5, 2025

Events, career advice and academic supports 📚

A small sign with a pink border that reads Happy International Women's Day

Celebrating women who lead

March 5, 2025

Sharing the stories of VIU students, faculty and alum

A young man clad in hipwaders is standing in a river with snowflakes falling around him

Hooked on salmon: student leads record-breaking fish count project

March 3, 2025 By Annette Lucas

Tristen Dieleman follows his passion for fish into local waters

A woman, a man and another woman sitting on a chesterfield looking at a laptop together.

Helping to make health care make sense

February 27, 2025 By Annette Lucas

Nursing students aim to help people make better health decisions

Joe Clark holds a container with a cutthroat trout fry.

From classroom to creek: saving Nanaimo’s cutthroat trout

February 20, 2025 By Rachel Stern

Fisheries student Joe Clark is helping to protect local streams

Statements & Announcements

Frances Ward holds up seaweed and text across the image reads, Send Kelp

Experience Frances Ward’s journey cultivating a kelp farm in the documentary Send Kelp!

May 31, 2024 - 01:30pm

campus arial

May 17 President's message to campus community

May 17, 2024 - 09:00am

Aerial view of VIU's Nanaimo campus

Update to community May 10, 2024

May 10, 2024 - 05:15pm

Aerial view of VIU's Nanaimo campus

Statement about encampment on the VIU campus

May 7, 2024 - 05:15pm

Students gather around three screens on a desk with a projection of an image on the wall behind them.

VIU Media Studies hosts Showcase and Social on April 25

April 18, 2024 - 02:00pm

An illustrated image of a woman with purple skin and blue strokes on her skin with red flowers in her hair.

Portal “rewires and connects” at the launch of its 2024 issue

April 16, 2024 - 11:45am

VIU in the News

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