Search

About About

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.

Find your program Learning Services

Programs

Learning Services

Talk to a recruiter

Explore your options with one of our friendly recruiters. Online and in-person meetings available.

Connect with a
recruiter

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.

Give

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

Search VIU

aerial view of Building 200 at VIU's Nanaimo campus

News

VIU in the News

Latest Stories

Ajay Shrestha sitting in his office, looking at the camera and in front of a keyboard and three computer screens

Giving youth a voice in Canada’s AI policies

July 27, 2026 - 02:36pm

5 Questions with Ajay Shrestha

March 19, 2024 - 10:45am

Kristie Dewald with a blurred background, wearing a white blazer

5 Questions with Kristie Dewald

March 14, 2024 - 09:30am

Biologist, Ally Badger, kneels in a river surrounded by rocks and water while collecting samples.

VIU researchers investigating origins of toxic tire chemical that can kill salmon

March 12, 2024 - 01:45pm

Marni in front of her comic collection

VIU library welcomes large comic book collection

March 8, 2024 - 02:45pm

Information Technology and Applied Systems Instructor Brandon Britt observes carl belie on a project.

Information technology students learn on state-of-the-art equipment

March 4, 2024 - 11:30am

Haley Healey head and shoulders with a forest background

Bringing to light the stories of trailblazing women

March 3, 2024 - 07:45pm

VIU Blog

Find out what's going on at VIU!

Carpentry students working working on a housing construction site.

Carpentry students build skills and community

July 29, 2026 By Neil Every

VIU tiwšɛmawtxʷ students gain hands-on experience while helping build homes that will become part of the Tla’amin Nation community

Using an Ojibwe lens to examine Margaret Atwood’s novel MaddAddam

April 29, 2024

Bryn Skibo advocates the value of Indigenous ways of knowing in academic discourse

VIU Geoscience student earns coveted spot in mineral exploration workshop

April 23, 2024 By Rachel Stern

Aiden Kilcommons is excited to learn from top industry experts

salmon swimming

Introducing VIU’s new salmon scholarship winners

April 22, 2024 By Reprinted with permission from the Pacific Salmon Foundation blog

Nick Davenport and Allie Unger share their stories

Four people sit on a stage together

Bad Leaders, Bad Followers: Threats to democracy we don't talk about enough

April 19, 2024

An edition of the Engaged Citizens Speaker Series

Group of students interacts while sitting at a table

Need a break from studying? 🍏

April 17, 2024

Student Pulse News: April 17, 2024

Two students hold up jeans and another holds up a poster.

VIU Graphic Design students create Earth Day window displays

April 17, 2024 By Rachel Stern

Students use eco-friendly and recycled materials in their designs

Statements & Announcements

VIU campuses re-open at noon today (February 28)

February 28, 2023 - 10:00am

Severe weather closure written in a snowy graphic

Nanaimo and Cowichan campuses and Parksville centre closed for the morning (February 28) due to severe weather

February 28, 2023 - 06:00am

Students look at sea urchins together

VIU Media Highlights: February 16

February 16, 2023 - 04:30pm

A student speaks into a microphone in front of a crowd

More than a thousand students Discover VIU at open house events next week

February 16, 2023 - 12:15pm

Melanie P. Loureiro stands in front of several bins of mussels and holds onel in her left hand.

VIU’s Seafood Business Accelerator program will help small-scale harvesters find their niche

February 16, 2023 - 12:00pm

VIU named a top employer for the fourth year in a row

February 16, 2023 - 09:15am

VIU in the News

Sign up for the VIU news and experts email

Sign up for news emails

Connect with Us!

Phone or email us

Events and Info Sessions

View events

Ready to join us at VIU?

Start Your application