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

Billy Ray Belcourt at VIU for Indigenous Speakers Series

VIU news and experts for May 11, 2026

May 11, 2026 - 02:54pm

Carpentry student Emily Behm standing in front of the tiny home she and her classmates are building at the Cowichan Trades Centre

VIU carpentry students learn by building tiny home

March 20, 2024 - 01:15pm

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

VIU Blog

Find out what's going on at VIU!

Kenya and her team smiling at the camera.

VIU students explore effectiveness of community youth programs

May 11, 2026 By Eric Zimmer

Uncovering what makes youth programs successful in Nanaimo

“Diamond Ring” marks the end of totality as the Sun begins to peek out from behind the Moon

Chasing the total solar eclipse

May 8, 2024 By Dr. Greg Arkos

Dr. Greg Arkos travels to Mexico to view the spectacular natural event

Follow your heart on your learning journey

May 6, 2024

From classroom to career: Courtney Dubyna

How has VIU’s Portal magazine evolved over the years?

May 2, 2024

Joy Gugeler explores evolution from chapbook to national magazine

Students frame up a home with an ocean view in the background

Scuttle Bay home welcomes support from VIU’s tiwšɛmawtxʷ Carpentry Apprentice Program

May 1, 2024 By Steve Gallagher, Neh Motl Editor, reprinted with permission

Hands-on learning - with a view

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

Statements & Announcements

Wildfire with silhouettes of people looking on

VIU news & experts: May 10, 2023

May 10, 2023 - 09:45pm

Seedling in dirt

VIU news & experts: April 26, 2023

April 26, 2023 - 09:15pm

Slide with VIU Experts List written on it

New Vancouver Island University Experts List highlights faculty insights and expertise

April 26, 2023 - 04:15pm

Portal cover. A list of contributor names runs along the left side and several multi-coloured swan boats line the shore of a lake with a mountain range in the background.

Portal magazine celebrates a garden of stories at Bowen Park

April 14, 2023 - 10:00am

Slide with VIU Experts List written on it

VIU News & Experts: April 13, 2023

April 13, 2023 - 05:15pm

Michael MacKenzie sits on a bench in front of a stone building

Expert in democracy and public trust joins Vancouver Island University

April 12, 2023 - 04:00pm

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