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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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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

A student stands in front of a railing with her arms crossed

VIU launches campaign to remove financial barriers to post-secondary education

March 2, 2026 - 11:16am

Navigating youth mental health: expert speaker offers advice to parents

March 3, 2025 - 04:30pm

Hermia (Kaylin Zach) reaches her arms out to scratch Helena’s (Aimee Sweetapple) eyes out while being carried away by two other actors

Romance, magic and mischief await in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

February 27, 2025 - 09:15am

A woman reading childrens picture books

Using children’s picture books to teach about climate change

February 24, 2025 - 12:00pm

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

VIU Blog

Find out what's going on at VIU!

Waves imagery with International Women's Day written over top

Redefining leadership, together

March 4, 2026

Female leaders share reflections in advance of International Women’s Day 2026

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

A woman wearing glasses and a pink and green sweater reads from a poetry book at a microphone

Get the support you need to succeed 📚

February 19, 2025

Student newsletter: February 19, 2025

Statements & Announcements

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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

Aerial view of VIU gym with lots of booths and people milling about

VIU welcomes public to campus for career fair

April 10, 2024 - 02:00pm

VIU in the News

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