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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

Talk to a recruiter

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

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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.

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

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aerial view of Building 200 at VIU's Nanaimo campus

News

VIU in the News

Latest Stories

Two women look at a computer screen together with a microphone next them

Nursing students at VIU demystify health with radio show

May 15, 2026 - 11:53am

Kirsten peruses the racks in the Career Closet

VIU Giving Tuesday campaign aims to reduce financial barriers for students in need

November 19, 2025 - 10:04am

Billy Ray Belcourt Indigenous Speakers Series event graphic

Indigenous speaker reminds Canadians that the colonial project’s impacts remain

November 7, 2025 - 11:14am

a family portrait from the 1940s

Highlighting the life of a Second World War Flying Officer

November 6, 2025 - 04:28pm

Getting to Know You: Dr. Yoichi Mukai

November 4, 2025 - 01:20pm

Tatum poses in front of a grey wall

New donor support helps more VIU students stay in school

October 27, 2025 - 01:16pm

three students carve a pumpkin together

VIU Fest, health experts and more

October 10, 2025 - 04:49pm

VIU Blog

Find out what's going on at VIU!

Zackary Sutton outside wearng sunglasses and looking at the camera

Finding confidence and camaraderie in VIU’s WEST program

May 15, 2026 By Eric Zimmer

Zackary Sutton shares his story

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

Welcome to campus – the Student Housing edition

August 20, 2025 By Jenna Gill, VIU Recruitment Officer

What to know about orientation, Community Leaders and upcoming events

A row of electric bikes parked at VIU's Nanaimo campus

Biking to Vancouver Island University?

August 18, 2025 By Kim Sharpe, VIU Health and Safety Advisor

Here are some safety tips:

Ingela netz smiling at the camera

From Sweden to VIU: Growing as a leader, changing education

August 15, 2025

How a VIU master’s degree transformed Swedish educator Ingela Netz’s career

Andrea wearing ski gear smiles with a snowy mountainscape behind her

From the volleyball court to the oil fields

August 11, 2025

Geoscience alum Andrea Čanković is putting her VIU skills to work

A man wearing hip waders and waterproof jacket holds a salmon

Celebrating VIU’s emerging salmon leaders

July 26, 2025 By Pacific Salmon Foundation (reprinted with permission)

Meet Tristan Dieleman

Kai Leighton in a Mariners jersey holding a basketball and pointing at the camera.

Finding purpose on and off the court

July 15, 2025 By Eric Zimmer

Kai Leighton shares his story

Statements & Announcements

VIU Nanaimo campus re-opens February 5 at noon, other campuses open for regular hours

February 4, 2025 - 04:00pm

VIU Statement: PACWEST Investigation Concluded

February 3, 2025 - 06:30pm

snowy graphic that reads severe weather closure

VIU campuses closing for the rest of the day today (February 3) and tomorrow

February 2, 2025 - 11:00pm

A group poses in the boardroom

Construction begins on new student housing at VIU

January 23, 2025 - 01:15pm

Two students hold up a piece of kelp covered with mussels and eggs

VIU joins Canada-wide agri-food innovation project

January 20, 2025 - 02:30pm

VIU Statement: Inclusivity in sports is a shared responsibility

January 8, 2025 - 09:00am

VIU in the News

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Events and Info Sessions

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