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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

Start in January

September is not the only time to start a VIU program. Many have January intakes.

See January intake

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

Danielle with Dave and Jamie

Alumni Spotlight on Danielle Hyde

August 22, 2025 - 09:30am

Alum of the Month: Dom Dawson

August 12, 2021 - 02:00pm

Seven members of the Mid-Island Stewardship Caucus stand in a forest.

New Stewardship Group Creating Formal Space for Organizations to Collaborate

August 5, 2021 - 10:00am

Recognizing Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

August 4, 2021 - 08:45am

Eliot posing in front of the mural over the fireplace

Alum of the Month: Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun

July 15, 2021 - 07:30am

Brighton sitting on a wooden walkway

Queen Elizabeth Scholars from Tanzania Learn Lessons in Resilience

July 7, 2021 - 11:30am

Portrait shot of Charlton Mapayi, VIU alum, in his scrubs

Starting Over and Making a Difference in Canada

July 3, 2021 - 06:30pm

VIU Blog

Find out what's going on at VIU!

Students hanging out in a room at one of the VIU residence buildings

Welcome to campus – the Student Housing edition

August 20, 2025 By By Jenna Gill, VIU Recruitment Officer

What to know about orientation, Community Leaders and upcoming events

Nadia Linning standing in the woods and smiling at the camera

An award-winning work co-op with the BC Wildfire Service

January 4, 2023 By Eric Zimmer

VIU Tourism Management student Nadia Linning shares her experience

Aerial view of VIU's Nanaimo campus

What you need to know about VIU’s Accessibility Services

December 31, 2022 By Samantha Allan

Your top questions answered

Head and shoulders of Sarah with a painting of ships behind her

Meet the next generation of people for salmon at VIU

December 26, 2022 By Reprinted with permission from the Pacific Salmon Foundation blog

Sarah McKeller and Joe Clark share their stories

Sarah Hart and Sevilya Hendricks performing a song together at the Chinese Bridge Singing contest at UBC

VIU students win province-wide Chinese language contest

December 15, 2022 By Eric Zimmer

It’s the first time VIU students have done so at the event.

A student in a classroom watching an instructor fill a prescription bottle

New partnership brings pharmacy technician training to VIU

December 14, 2022 By Eric Zimmer

Access training for this high-demand field on the Island

Woman stares at a laptop screen, head in her hands

How we’ve learned to conquer stress

December 14, 2022 By Samantha Allan

Two student leaders share their strategies

Statements & Announcements

Members of MABRRI hold sustainable Development Goal icons.

VIU Invites Community to Learn about Sustainable Development through Online Game

June 22, 2021 - 10:30am

Man holding camera

VIU Media Highlights: June 8 - June 21, 2021

June 21, 2021 - 05:15pm

Judith Sayers, Installation speech

Building a University Where All Belong: VIU Chancellor Shares Her Vision with Community

June 17, 2021 - 11:15am

Sean Sloan faces the camera while standing in front of a canopy of trees.

VIU Canada Research Chair Developing Tools to Inform Forest Recovery Initiatives

June 15, 2021 - 02:30pm

Evan Adams portrait

VIU Awards Honorary Degree to Award-Winning Medical Doctor and Actor

June 15, 2021 - 02:30pm

Image of kid holding books and an apple

VIU and Island School Districts Partner to Promote Education Savings Grants

June 14, 2021 - 04:00pm

VIU in the News

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Events and Info Sessions

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